Weekly Waffle #438 – The Deck is in the Post
17 October 2026
The Mojo
It’s been such a busy week that I really thought I wouldn’t have anything for this week’s Weekly Waffle. But thankfully the postman came to my rescue. But more on that when we get to the work bench.
The next few weeks are going to be like the run up to a big tournament. You had big plans for a new army and had worked out just how to get it all finished in plenty of time for the big weekend. Then something crops up and you lose a bit of time here and bit more there. The milestones you had set yourself slip a little but it’s ok because you have loads of time left. Then before you know it you are burning the midnight oil to try and get everything ready on time.
And that’s what it’s been like at work. Things have slipped and we are now all running round like lunatics because we have a real deadline to have things finished. But it’s all going to be ok, and we will get there in the end.
It just means that all these wonderful ideas that I keep having are going to have to wait for their chance to find their place on the work bench.
On The Work Bench
Right, confession time. I pre-ordered Ninjon’s Deck of Many Colors the moment it went live, then spent the last few weeks watching everyone and their dog post unboxing photos. Every scroll was another “look what turned up today!” and every day my doormat stayed stubbornly card-free. I’d convinced myself it had gone missing somewhere between the warehouse and Burnley.
Then on Monday there was a knock at the door. The postie handed over a parcel I genuinely couldn’t place, and when I opened it, there they were. A proper little Christmas-morning moment. Two perfectly packaged boxes full of potential. And my mind immediately went into over drive with ideas for new projects and I could see the pile of shame growing once again.
&&& [unboxing photo]
First impressions? They look fantastic. Each themed deck holds 50 numbered cards, and every one of them pairs a real piece of artwork with a five-swatch palette pulled from it. Flip the card over and each swatch is matched to real paints from AK Interactive, The Army Painter, Pro Acryl, P3 and Two Thin Coats, plus hex codes for the digital crowd. One thing worth knowing: no Citadel or Vallejo matches, so if you’re using these paints, and I have a lot of each, you’ll be doing a bit of matching by eye.
But I don’t think that is a bad thing. For me these are about pointing me in the right direction and giving me some specific paints that will work. But if I don’t have those specific paints, I can just use the card to do a bit of mix and match. At the end of the day, it’s about the inspiration.
I also love that all of the artwork is credited to the artist who made it, with no AI and no stock images. That’s a big tick from me, and if watch any of the videos Jon has made about him putting these decks together, it’s been a major driver for him.
Why I Bought Them: The Mojo Problem
The real reason I wanted these is simple. When the mojo goes walkabout, the hardest bit for me isn’t the painting, it’s deciding ‘what’ to paint and ‘what colours’ to actually paint it. I’ll stare at the paint rack for twenty minutes and then go and watch telly instead. Jon at Ninjon has said much the same, he always found choosing colours one of the hardest parts of the hobby, which is why he made the decks. Something that just hands me five colours and says “go on then” use these colours, is exactly what I need on those evenings.
The Test Mini Plan
Here’s where it gets a bit different for me. I’m going to pick up some D&D style minis, from Iron Sheild Army, to use purely as test models. No army to match, no squad cohesion to worry about, no lore police. Just one figure, one card, five paints, done.
That’s the bit that appeals. A Space Wolf needs a dozen pots before you’ve even got to the decals. A single fantasy adventurer painted from one card forces me to think differently about where colours go and how far five paints can stretch.
But what do you think? Have you got your deck yet?
How Other Painters Are Using the Deck of Many Colors
Since my cards arrived late to the party, I’ve had plenty of time to nose at what everyone else is doing with theirs. A few approaches keep coming up, and some of them suit my Kill Team-obsessed brain nicely.
The Random Draw
The simplest one: shuffle, pull a card, paint whatever comes up. Pull a random card, read the swatches and paint names on the back, and go straight into a project with no second guessing, that’s pretty much the whole pitch. It’s the one I’ll lean on most when the mojo’s gone, because it removes the decision entirely.
Browse and Pick
The opposite approach is to treat it like a mood board. Flick through the whole deck, pull out the ones that make you go “ooh”, and keep them aside for future projects. Slower, but great for planning a new army or warband.
Gamified Challenges
This is the one I’m most excited about. The card number is printed prominently on the back so you can use it to randomise or build a gamified painting challenge. Roll some dice, pick the matching card, paint it. You could easily run a club or Discord challenge around this, everyone draws the same card, and you compare results.
Kill Teams and Adventuring Parties
Ninjon pitches it at everything from an RPG adventuring party to a Warhammer kill team or a long-awaited display piece. A kill team is a really nice size for this, big enough to feel like a project, small enough to finish before the shine wears off.
How I’m Going to Fold This into My Own Hobby
So, how does this fit with the way I paint? A few ideas I’m going to try:
- Card-a-week test mini. One D&D mini per week, one card, five paints. Small, doable, and good content for the Work Bench.
- The mojo rescue rule. If I’ve not picked up a brush in three days, I draw a card. No arguing with the card.
- Spot colours for the Wolves. My Space Wolves scheme is locked in, but bases, cloaks, freehand and spot details could all come from a card to stop things getting samey.
- Another Kill Team or Necromunda crew. I’m tempted to let a card choose the whole scheme for my next team, rather than defaulting to what I’d normally go for.
If even one of those sticks, the deck’s paid for itself.
Tactical deep dive
I don’t have anything remotely tactical for you this week. I am purely operating on the spur of the moment. But I am working on some D&D related material that will be dropping over the next few weeks. So, hang in there and will have something for you soon.
The Wrap Up
That is all I have for you this week and if the decks hadn’t arrived I would have even less for you. But I’m hoping to get some painting in next week and I have few things lined up that I think I can get completed for you. So, hang on in there and there will be more plastic, or resin, crack for you next week.
Until then keep safe and I hope to see you all again soon.
You May Also Like
