Battle damage turns a clean, freshly painted army into one that looks like it's been fighting across a war-torn galaxy. Chipped paint, scratches, rust and mud all tell a story. The trick is doing it convincingly, in the right places, without burying a good paint job under grime.
The short answer: sponge dark brown chips onto exposed edges, add a thin highlight beneath the larger chips, run orange-brown washes into recesses for rust, and drybrush or apply pigments to lower areas for mud and dust. Less is almost always more.
What is battle damage on miniatures?
Battle damage is painted wear that mimics what real equipment suffers: chipped paint, scratches, rust, scorching, mud and grime. It adds realism and visual interest, especially on vehicles and heavily armoured models. It goes on after the main paint job and before varnish.
Where should battle damage go?
Put damage where real wear happens: armour edges, knees, elbows, weapon casings, hatches, steps and the lower parts of legs and tracks. Sheltered areas and recesses collect grime rather than chips. Damage spread evenly everywhere looks fake.
How do I do sponge chipping?
Tear a small piece of blister-pack foam, dip it in dark brown or gunmetal paint, and dab most of it off on kitchen towel. Then dab it lightly along exposed edges, rotating the sponge so the pattern varies. Test on paper first; if it leaves solid blobs, there's still too much paint on it.
How do I paint realistic chips by hand?
Paint a small, irregular dark brown shape with a fine brush, then add a thin line of a lighter version of the armour colour along the lower edge of the chip. That highlight makes the chip read as a dent in the surface rather than a dot of paint. Keep chips small and varied in size.
How do I paint scratches?
Use the same two-tone method in thin lines: a dark line for the scratch, with a fine light line alongside it on the side facing the light. Keep scratches short and mostly in one direction, as if made by the same impact. A few well-placed scratches beat dozens of random ones.
How do I paint rust?
Apply orange-brown washes into recesses, around rivets and bolts, and beneath chips on metal surfaces. Pull a little downwards with a damp brush to suggest streaks from rain. Weathering pigments in rust tones add texture to heavily corroded areas.
How do I add mud and dust?
Drybrush the lower legs, feet and tracks with the colours you used on your bases, so the model looks like it's been walking through the same ground. Pigment powders give a softer, more realistic dusty finish. Our guides to drybrushing and basing cover both techniques.
How do I paint oil stains and grime streaks?
Use a gloss dark brown or black wash for oil around engines, exhausts and moving parts, keeping it glossy so it reads as wet. For grime streaks, pull thin brown or grey wash downwards from panel edges and rivets with a damp brush. Streaks follow gravity, so check which way is down on the finished model.
Should metallic areas get battle damage too?
Yes, but differently. Scratches on bare metal reveal brighter metal rather than a dark chip, so use a bright silver for scratches on weapons and blades and save rust washes for recesses. See our guide to painting metallics.
How much battle damage is too much?
If the damage is the first thing you notice, it's too much. Concentrate it on a few focal areas, keep the colour scheme readable from across the table, and apply the same level of wear across the whole army. Try your approach on one test model before doing a full squad.
Does battle damage work on bright colour schemes?
It works well, and it often looks more striking on bright armour because the dark chips stand out. On yellow or white armour, keep chips smaller and use a warm dark brown rather than black. Our guide to painting yellow armour covers the base layers.
What do I need to paint battle damage?
A small piece of blister-pack foam, a fine detail brush, an old brush for pigments, a dark brown, a rust-coloured wash and some kitchen towel. Weathering pigments are optional but make mud and dust much easier. None of it is expensive.
How do I paint scorch marks and blast damage?
Stipple or sponge dark brown and black around exhausts, gun muzzles and impact points, keeping the colour densest at the centre and fading it outwards. Black pigment powder gives a soft, sooty finish. A few bright metal scratches inside a blast mark suggest torn plating.
Should infantry and vehicles get the same amount of damage?
Vehicles can take heavier weathering because they have big flat panels and moving parts that would really wear. Infantry usually look best with lighter chips on edges and dust on the lower legs. Keep the overall story the same so the army looks like one force.
Can I add battle damage to a model that's already varnished?
Yes. Matt varnish actually gives washes and pigments a better surface to grip. Add the damage, then varnish again to seal it.
Do I need to varnish after weathering?
Yes. Pigments and fine chips rub off quickly with handling. A matt varnish seals the weathering in place; add glossy effects like fresh oil afterwards so they stay shiny.
More hobby guides
- Drybrushing Warhammer 40,000 Miniatures: A Complete Beginner Guide
- How to Use Washes on Warhammer 40,000 Miniatures: Shading Made Simple
- How to Paint Metallic Armour and Weapons on Warhammer 40,000 Miniatures
- How to Edge Highlight Warhammer 40,000 Miniatures
- How to Paint Yellow Armour on Warhammer 40,000 Miniatures
- How to Base Warhammer 40,000 Miniatures: A Beginner's Guide
- Warhammer 40,000 Hobby Guides & Free Tools
Warhammer 40,000® is a registered trade mark of Games Workshop Limited. This is an independent hobby guide and is not affiliated with, endorsed or sponsored by Games Workshop.