Reference photos, colour schemes with the exact paints for every area, and finished models from other painters — everything you need to start Jade Warriors for your Grand Cathay force.

Units (not including units whose troop type is 'swarms', 'war beasts' or 'war machines')

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Every paint below links to its equivalents in other brands.

What Jade Warriors looks like

Colour schemes

Grand Cathay — Jade Warriors

Beginner · 6 areas

Lacquered jade armour with gold trim and a red silk sash — the three colours the whole army is built from. The jade is a dark-to-light build rather than a wash, because lacquer should look glossy and even, not weathered.

Jade lacquer

Basecoat the armour Basecoat — Incubi Darkness as the deep ground. It looks far too dark at this stage — that is correct.
Shade the plate joins Recess shade
Layer the lacquer Layer — Kabalite Green over the face of each plate, leaving the darker ground showing at the edges of the panel.
Edge the plates Edge highlight

Gold trim and dragon devices

Basecoat the gold Basecoat
Shade the gold warm Recess shade — Reikland Fleshshade rather than Agrax — it keeps the gold warm against the cold green instead of browning it.
Highlight the trim Edge highlight

Red silk

Basecoat the sash and plume Basecoat
Shade the folds Recess shade
Highlight the silk Layer — Evil Sunz Scarlet, then a thin Wild Rider Red line along the topmost fold — silk wants a harder highlight than wool.

Spear and shield board

Basecoat the haft and board Basecoat
Shade both All-over shade
Highlight the wood Layer
Spearhead Detail

Skin

Basecoat the flesh Basecoat
Shade the features All-over shade
Highlight Layer — Kislev Flesh on the brow and cheekbones, Flayed One Flesh on the nose bridge alone.

Base

Stirland Mud Citadel
Karak Stone Citadel
Rhinox Hide Citadel

Texture the base Texture — Packed earth — the ground along the Great Bastion, not grass.
Drybrush the dust Drybrush
Rim the base Detail

Every paint on this page

22 paints across every scheme and tutorial above. Tick what you need to build a list, or follow a paint through to find it in another brand.

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