Paint Your Army                                                          

Creating, painting, and presenting your army is a significant part of preparing for and participating in an Arc40k weekend. Your points for Painting and Theme are combined and contribute to your overall Arc40k Event Score. Both categories play a vital role in determining where you’ll find yourself in the final overall rankings.

This year, I've done away with the pass-or-fail painting checklist and introduced a more nuanced sliding scale in each category. You can earn a varying number of points based on what my team and I feel best represents the effort and creativity you’ve put into each section of your army. While we acknowledge that this system is inherently subjective, the goal is to inspire and encourage participants to push their boundaries and showcase their passion for the hobby.

We want this approach to reward not just technical skill but also creativity, storytelling, and the overall cohesiveness of your army's theme. Whether you're a seasoned painter or someone taking their first steps, this system is designed to celebrate and support your journey in this hobby - Damien, Head paint judge.

 

Creating, painting and presenting a theme with your Army is a significant part of preparing for, and participating in, an Arc40k weekend. Your points for Painting and Theme are added together and contribute to your Overall Arc40k Event Score.  So, both are important for where you will find yourself on the final overall placings.  We recognize 3 ‘Best’ awards for Paint and Presentation: Best Painted, Best Player’s Choice, and Best Theme.

 

Painting - 50pts  

This year as always we will have a team of Paint Judges who will complete the process of checking your force against our Army Painting Scorecard. 

 

We've made it easier for our team to review your efforts and they have more options to choose that will then impact on the points you can accrue towards your total Painting Score. They will be using the following criteria.

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All models must follow the ArcFest Model Policy.

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Battle Ready Paint - 5/10/15 Points

Ready for War – 5 Points

Your models are tabletop-ready, featuring clean basecoats and basic detail work. While the techniques used are simple, they are effective, ensuring your miniatures are prepared to join the fight! This represents the minimum standard for competing at Arc40k.

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Forged in Battle – 10 Points

These miniatures showcase a painter’s growing skill, featuring bold highlights, strong shading, and more intricate details. The effort put into these warriors is evident, making them stand out on the battlefield.

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Glory of the Faction – 15 Points

Reserved for armies that are true showstoppers. Immaculate details, cohesive themes, and artistic mastery make these miniatures command attention on any battlefield, elevating their owner to the highest level of hobbyist.

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Parade Level Painting - 8 points

Below is a list of extra's that might push your army into the stratosphere of painting.

You can score 2 points for each of these (up to a maximum of 8) if it's present and clearly visible across your whole army, or is a truly stand out feature of the force as a whole.

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Bright / crisp / super sharp / bold edge highlights.

Multiple stage blending/wet blending.

Smooth glazing and painted shadows.

Crisp and well executed freehand.

Excellent weathering/Battle Damage.

A single truly stand out awesome Conversion/Loads of Conversions.

Detailed "Grim Dark" effects

OSL

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Basic Bases - 2/4/4 points

Basic Bases – 2 Points

Your models are equipped with simple, effective bases that meet the tabletop standard. Featuring clean application of texture, some detailing, and a finished edge.

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Parade Level Bases – 4 Points

These bases go beyond function and are more than just 'bases'. Multiple textures, extra modelling details, and creative elements like pigments add a dramatic flair to your miniatures and enhance their presence on the battlefield.

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Base Bonus – 4 Points

Below is a list of extra's that might push your armies bases from simple stands to mini dioramas. You can score 2 points for each visible element included (up to a maximum of 4).

Grass tufts / moss / vines / flowers / shrubs.

Ruins / structures / debris / ammo casings / dead enemies.

Environmental effects i.e. water, ice, smoke, lava, glowing runes.

Well designed and painted sculpted bases.

OSL.​​

 

Army Cohesion - 2/4pts

Your army should feel like a unified force, with consistent themes and storytelling elements across all models.

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2 Points: Your models share a basic theme, with matching colours, basing, and insignia that ties them all together.

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4 Points: The cohesion goes beyond basics, with every detail — basing, conversions, paint scheme — working together to tell a cohesive story or represent a faction flawlessly.

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Display Board - 2/4/4 points

Display boards are almost as much of a thing at Arc40K as painting your army.

The size, scope, and artistry of the displays we've seen over the years have blown us away.
With that in mind we have split up the scores in order to more adequately score the effort involved.

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2 Points: A functional board that enhances your army's presentation and impact. If you do 'something' you get these points.

 

4 Points: A display board that goes the extra mile. With a clear idea, themed terrain, and storytelling that seamlessly integrates with your army.

 

 

Display Board Bonus - 4 points

 A cinematic masterpiece that transforms your army into a dynamic diorama. Thematic elements, such as faction-specific terrain, special effects, or dramatic props, blend seamlessly with your army, creating a cohesive and striking visual narrative. Exceptional attention to detail is evident—no dusty surfaces, no chipped paint, and every element polished to perfection. This level of effort showcases your dedication to the craft, making your display not just a presentation but a true work of art.

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Sometime shortly after your army has been checked, your score will be made available via Arcscore.

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Top 15 Armies

The highest possible painting score using the above system is 43 points, but my team and I will be awarding bonus points to armies that go beyond the standard criteria. These are the armies with that extra, indescribable 'wow factor' that makes them truly exceptional.

If your ARCscore card is marked as "shortlisted," it means your army has caught the judges' attention and is being considered for bonus points in the categories below:

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Our Judges will choose and place the top 15 Armies; this is entirely subjective. Placed armies will then earn bonus points:

1-5         will earn a bonus 7 points for extra/outstanding skill or effort

6-10       will earn a bonus 5 points for extra/outstanding skill or effort

11-15     will earn a bonus 3 points for extra/outstanding skill or effort

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These bonus points celebrate the armies that exemplify the pinnacle of creativity and craftsmanship at ARC40k and will play a key role in determining the overall winners.

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Army Theme - 10pts

If you’re a truly immersive hobbyist you’ll be looking for your army to be more than a collection of painted miniatures that are put down and moved about the battlefield.   

There are those of us who believe a Arc40k army is at its best when it also strives to tell a story. 

That’s why we reward Arc40k participants who take that extra step and create a theme for their army - and then use it to create a narrative for everything they do.  

We’re talking about a background or story that influences everything that goes into how you choose what’s in and out of your list, convert and build the models, the scheme and how you paint them, and finally your choice of the display on which they stand and fight.

Here’s how we will reward participants for the theme they use in creating their army.  You can score a maximum of 10 points for theme - but we’ve given you a load of different ways to be acknowledged for your application of a theme:

 

Presenting a Theme  -  3 points

You’ve created a fancy looking list or presentation of your army list that is on display during the Player’s Choice Presentation. Heroes have names Units are identified and the list is there for everyone to see. There is some kind of imagery on the list.

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Forged to the theme - 2 points

The choices made in your army where influenced by your theme? 

Units, characters, detachments have been chosen because of that theme.

This is about what you’ve chosen in your list. Like not including non-veteran units in an Ultramarines First Company, or not including any Grav vehicles in your Salamanders, Scouts and Reivers in a 10th company marine army…

You’ll need to explain the why in your army list - it’s not our job to guess!

 

Fabricated to theme - 3 points 

Does the way you’ve painted/modelled your army help tell the story of your theme?

This might include the correct company colours on your Space Marines, Tyranid trophies on your Orks from the Octarius War, or even extensive weathering on your underequipped Astra Militarum soldiers. It could also include the bases your models are on, and a display board that shows a scene from the story you’re telling.

Again this needs to be supported with some text/copy/words explaining that in your army list when it’s lodged at registration.

 

Forging the Narrative - 2 points

Have you put some words together to explain something about your army and its background?  Have you told us

– Where are they from in the 40K universe?

– What are they doing right now?

– Why do they fight or what are they fighting for?

We’re not looking for Black Library level material, just tell us a little of the background of your army. As long as anyone reading it can quickly get a feel for what makes your army special.

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Living the Theme - 4 points

Have you gone above and beyond the call of duty in the name of your theme?

There are no limits to your creativity in adhering to and demonstrating your theme. 

Have you made a full sized chapter banner, or relic weapon for your chapter? Maybe you’ve written out your own Book of Lorgar, or you’ve come dressed as a Kelermorph. Perhaps your army list is engraved in ‘wraithbone,’ or you’ve put together a cool animation that shows your Warboss doing what he does best: krumpin’ heads.

In short, what we’re saying is ‘blow our socks off!’ 

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We’re likely to choose our Best Theme winner from among those who score more points than we can actually add to their overall score.  But that’s what theme is all about.