The Army Painter Speedpaint 2.0: Enchanted Steel

One Coat. Metallic. Done.

Enchanted Steel is a cold, bright metallic — the kind of colour that makes blades gleam, armour plates catch the light, and mechanical components look like they've actually seen use. As part of The Army Painter's Speedpaint 2.0 range, it combines base coating and shading into a single application. Brush it over a white or light grey primer, let it flow into the recesses, and watch the highlights separate from the shadows on their own. No layering required, no washes on top — just a finished metallic effect straight from the pot.

How Speedpaint 2.0 Works

Speedpaint 2.0 is The Army Painter's second-generation one-coat paint system, refined from the original Speedpaint formula with improved reactivation behaviour — meaning you can paint over a dried Speedpaint with another Speedpaint without the layers lifting or blending unexpectedly. The pigment-rich, flow-assisted formula pools naturally into detail and recesses while leaving raised surfaces brighter, creating the visual contrast that normally takes multiple painting stages. Enchanted Steel applies this to metallics: a single coat over primer delivers a workable, shaded steel tone ready for the tabletop. Add a highlight or edge with a standard metallic layer paint if you want to push it further — or seal and base and call it done.

Who Should Pick This Up

New painters get the most immediate payoff — metallic armour and weapons are among the most satisfying things to paint, and Enchanted Steel gets there fast with minimal technique required. Experienced painters batch-coating large units or warjack chassis will appreciate the time saved on what can otherwise be the most tedious part of an infantry-heavy project. It works across any miniature wargaming system — fantasy plate armour, sci-fi power armour, steampunk ironclad machinery, or historical chainmail all respond well to a bright steel base. If your palette doesn't already have a go-to metallic in the Speedpaint range, this is the one to add first.