Armies on Parade holds a special place in the hearts of many Warhammer hobbyists. It’s an opportunity, once each year, to come together and marvel at the boundless creativity of our peers in the community. Many collectors also like to document their own growth and progress year by year!
For the first time, this year’s event will be held online instead of in your local shop due to COVID-19, and we want to take the opportunity to explain how it’s all going to work and give you some handy tips. First up…
…The Important Stuff
All entries must be submitted as photos via email.
The submission window opens on Monday the 2nd of November and closes on Sunday the 29th of November.
All entries will be reviewed by a panel of experts to determine the winners.
There’s a full FAQ right here, but we’ve answered some of the most burning questions below.
What are the Categories?
The major categories are ‘Best of Warhammer 40,000’, ‘Best of Warhammer Age of Sigmar’, and ‘Best of the Rest’. Each will have a gold, silver, and bronze winner who will receive a trophy.
Best of Warhammer 40,000 – this is for an army from Warhammer 40,000. You might like to use models from your Kill Team or Blackstone Fortress collection here – but bear in mind we’re looking for Armies on Parade, so you’ll need multiple units.
Best of Warhammer Age of Sigmar – this is for an army from Warhammer Age of Sigmar. As above, you might like to use models from Warcry or Warhammer Underworlds in your display, but we are looking for an army, not just a warband.
Best of the Rest – the Warhammer hobby is rad. Part of that inherent rad-ness is the wonderful extended range of games such as The Horus Heresy, Adeptus Titanicus, Aeronautica Imperialis, Necromunda, Blood Bowl and the Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game. If you have an army, team or gang for one of these, this is the category for it. We’re still very much looking for sizable forces, so the more the merrier – truly impressive air-wing or Titan legion still has a place here.
We’re also going to give out some awards on the day for awesome things we see in your submissions. These may (or may not) include awards for things like: ‘Best Monster’, ‘Best War Machines’, ‘Best Scenery/Terrain’, ‘Best in Red’, ‘Best Use of Contrast Paint’, or ‘Best Foliage’, for example. Basically, if it’s great, we’ll make a category for it and show it off on Parade Day.
How Big Can My Board Be?
Boards should be either 22 inches by 30 inches (incidentally, the size of the boards that come in the new Battlezone packs), or 2 foot by 2 foot. Grab Battlezone: Manufactorum – Vertigus for an out of the box 22” by 30” board ready to go – complete with scenery!
The composition of the army is entirely up to you. If it fits onto the board, it’s fair game.
Do I Have to Use a Board?
Not necessarily. You can photograph your models on your gaming table or anything that seems appropriate. As long as it all fits into the dimensions outlined above, your entry will be accepted.
Which Game Systems Should the Army Come From?
Warhammer 40,000 and Warhammer Age of Sigmar are the major systems, but The Horus Heresy, Middle-earth™, Aeronautica Imperialis and Adeptus Titanicus are also included. Necromunda and Blood Bowl were not originally part of the lineup, but a lot of you out in the community got in touch to let us know you’d miss seeing the gangers of the underhive and the warriors of the gridiron on Parade Day, so we are happy to announce that both are now included in this year’s competition.
A mix of systems can be used to a certain extent, such as using the Rohan Palisades on a Warhammer Age of Sigmar board, or some Necromunda scenery with your Warhammer 40,000 army. You’re also free to make sweet conversions (Orlock ganger heads on Astra Militarum bodies? Heck yes. Borrow some Tyranid wings for a Daemon Prince? Great). We can’t have displays that mix the settings, though, so Imperial Knights can’t duel Archaon or the Glottkin, and Gandalf can’t go to war alongside Trazyn the Infinite.*
Some Advice
We want to see as many amazing and creative entries as possible, so here’s some helpful guidance as to what we’re looking for.
– We don’t expect you to build your army or display board any differently than you might if you were going to show it off in person, but it’s always a good idea to put some planning into how best to present your work so it shows off all the hard work you’ve put into it.
– Pick a strong theme and run with it! Whether you’re going for ‘Ultramarines 2nd Company’ or ‘blood-splattered Stormcast Eternals wading through a Nurgle-bog’… a clear theme helps tie your collection together into a cohesive whole. An unusual or thematic army can generate lots of interest, so don’t be afraid to get creative.
– Choose colour schemes that look great across the entire force, tell a story, and work with the display – and it doesn’t have to be the way you see these armies in our books. Invented your own Stormcast Eternals Stormhost? Now’s the chance to show the world your sweet heraldry! Painted a horde of dark and grimy Genestealer Cults swarming over filthy industrial machinery? Yes, please! Built a mob of rusted Ork war machines stomping across a crater-pocked wasteland? You KNOW we wanna see that!
– It may sound obvious, but try to take some really nice pictures. We can only see what you send us, so please show your work in the best possible light. Speaking of light, make sure there’s plenty of that. Mood lighting is great, but we need to be able to see all the cool little details you packed into your models.
– If you send us lots of photos, try to take them from a similar height and angle to give us a consistent view around the board. And keep your background nice and clear – your workbench might be a thing of chaotic beauty, but it’s your collection we want to show off, not your hobby area. A plain piece of card or large sheet of paper will provide an even backdrop. This article has some helpful tips for photographing single models, but much of it applies to bigger compositions like your entry as well.
November will be here before you know it, so get your game plan sorted, stock up on everything you need, and crack on! If you’re looking for a little inspiration, the Armies on Parade website showcases loads of write-ups and photos of stunning entries from previous years.
* What you do with your models is your business – we just mean for your entry to be accepted!