You make some good points about the advantages of using acrylics. I might add that the quality of acrylic paints you can buy now is vastly improved compared to a couple of decades ago. Being water-soluble is one of the greatest improvements in terms of safety and cleanup, but for certain kinds of painting requirements I still prefer to use enamels, especially when I need a completely matte finish in the smaller scales.
I've never had plastic begin to melt using enamel thinners, but it could happen if they are used on a type plastic other than that for which they were recommended. The only stuff I've ever had that happen with is lacquer thinner and acetone... both are virtual plastic eaters.
Getting back to the USCM armour, good results can be had by using either acrylic or enamels. Since camouflage patterns are fairly freeform shapes anyway, it's pretty hard to make mistakes that can't be easily fixed by simply painting over them. Since the Humbrol enamels are the actual colors used on the USCM armour and weapons in Aliens, if anyone wants complete authenticity without having to mix and match, then I'd recommend using them instead.
I've never had plastic begin to melt using enamel thinners, but it could happen if they are used on a type plastic other than that for which they were recommended. The only stuff I've ever had that happen with is lacquer thinner and acetone... both are virtual plastic eaters.
Getting back to the USCM armour, good results can be had by using either acrylic or enamels. Since camouflage patterns are fairly freeform shapes anyway, it's pretty hard to make mistakes that can't be easily fixed by simply painting over them. Since the Humbrol enamels are the actual colors used on the USCM armour and weapons in Aliens, if anyone wants complete authenticity without having to mix and match, then I'd recommend using them instead.
