Quick answer

The BattleTech: Paint Starter is a focused first kit: ten bottles of The Army Painter acrylic paint, a brush, five speedpaints, and a painting guide, all aimed at getting 'Mech miniatures table-ready. If you want one purchase that covers your first lance or Star without hunting down individual colors, this is the simplest starting point. Skip it only if you already own a broad acrylic range or refuse to use speedpaints.

What the kit actually contains

The starter pairs ten acrylic paint bottles with a single brush and five speedpaints. The regular acrylics are your base and detail colors; the speedpaints are thinner, high-flow formulas meant to shade and tint in fewer steps. That split matters because it tells you the kit is built around a fast workflow rather than a full traditional layering system. You are not getting a complete range of every hue a 'Mech painter might want, but you are getting enough to finish a small force in a consistent scheme.

  • Ten acrylic paint bottles for basecoats and details
  • One brush for immediate use
  • Five speedpaints for quicker transitions to gameplay
  • A painting guide covering how to use the selection

How the color selection maps to BattleTech factions

The paint selection is focused on House forces, and the same colors cover Clan 'Mechs without needing a separate purchase. In practice, that means you can paint a House lance and a Clan Star from one box, which is useful if you plan to run both sides of a game. If you want a very specific canon scheme, check whether the included colors match the faction you have in mind; the kit is a general starting range, not a one-box match for every unit in the game.

What the kit does not include

There is no primer, no dedicated shade or wash beyond the speedpaints, and no basing material in the listed contents. You will still need to prime your miniatures before painting, and if you want a traditional wash-and-highlight finish, you will likely add a shade later. Treat the starter as the core of a painting setup rather than the whole thing. The brush is a single general-purpose tool, so a finer brush helps once you move into cockpit glass, decals, or edge highlights.

Where the starter fits alongside other BattleTech purchases

If you are building a first force, the starter works best next to a miniature box and a playing surface. The BattleTech: ForcePacks: Clan gives you five fully assembled OmniMechs or BattleMechs, five Alpha Strike cards, and five pilot cards, so you can go from paint to play without assembly. For a combined-arms flavor, the Gray Death Legion Heavy Battle Lance includes the Shadow Hawk, Catapult, Gargoyle, and Regent. Either way, the paint starter covers the painting step while those boxes cover the miniatures.

Decision rules for buying the Paint Starter

  • Buy it if this is your first paint purchase: You get acrylics, speedpaints, a brush, and a guide in one box, which removes the guesswork of picking individual colors. Best value when you have no existing paint collection.
  • Skip it if you already own a full acrylic range: The starter duplicates common colors and a basic brush. You would get more from buying only the specific speedpaints or shades you are missing. Existing painters should buy singles instead.
  • Choose it when speed matters more than total control: Five speedpaints push you toward a fast base-and-tint workflow rather than slow layering. That is ideal for getting miniatures to the table quickly. Pick this kit for playable results, not display-level blending.
  • Plan for one or two add-ons: No primer or dedicated wash is listed. Budget for a primer can and, if you want deeper shadows, a separate shade. Total cost is the kit plus primer.

Product facts

  • BattleTech: Paint Starter: Ten bottles of The Army Painter acrylic paint, one brush, five speedpaints, and a complete painting guide. This is a complete first-paint kit for a small force, so you can start painting the day it arrives without buying separate colors.
  • BattleTech: ForcePacks: Clan: Each Clan Star ForcePack contains five fully assembled OmniMechs or BattleMechs, five Alpha Strike cards, and five pilot cards. Fully assembled miniatures mean you can move straight from the Paint Starter to a playable Star without a separate assembly step.
  • BattleTech: ForcePack: Gray Death Legion Heavy Battle Lance: The Heavy Battle Lance includes the Shadow Hawk, Catapult, Gargoyle, and Regent. A named four-'Mech lance gives you a clear painting project where the starter's ten colors can cover a consistent scheme across all four models.

Who should buy the BattleTech Paint Starter

Best for

  • New painters who want one box with paint, brush, and guide
  • Players who want to finish a lance or Star quickly with speedpaints
  • Anyone painting both House and Clan 'Mechs from one color selection

Not for

  • Painters who already own a broad acrylic range and only need specific colors
  • Hobbyists who want a full traditional wash, layer, and highlight system in one purchase
  • Anyone who needs a primer or basing materials included in the same kit