40k: Time saving tips

Image from GW
We can all use a few tricks to save us some time when it comes to 40k. After seeing how popular the money saving tips post was, I thought it might be a good idea to collect a few time savers from the members of the FTW Blogger Group.

Not enough time to build or paint?

+ Check out this video on Black Matt's Black Legion Blog.

+ Feel like you don't have time to paint today? Only 20 minutes before you need to go out again? Save that time, paint something, anything that needs it. Block in a color on two minis, put basing on a couple bases, go back and paint the edge of the bases on that squad you finished and make them look sharp and finished. You'll be happily surprised next time you sit down to paint and you're one stage further than you thought you were.
From Pick a Damn Army.

+ The biggest time saver I use is the airbrush. I prime my whole army with white primer and then the basecolor with the airbrush.
From Path of the Outcast.

+ Use washes to get quick shading and dry brush for quick highlighting.
Check out this product review from Pit of the Oni

+ A quick way to basecoat and highlight together.
Check out this step by step from Warhammer Painting Stuff

+ Once you figure out what your scheme looks like, batch-paint. Break down your paint scheme into a series of steps (IE: base coat, then several highlights, then...and finally flock base and seal) and then run a squad through the assembly line.
Washes are an incredible way to shade fleshy bits (like Ork biceps, or 'nids in general) or fabric in less time. Try a base coat, a drybrush over highlights, and then a wash, or even just a base and a wash.
Set time limits for yourself when you work. That way you're a little bit more under the gun to get things done painting-wise, and you'll teach yourself ways to speed up.
From Dawn Crusaders Chronicles

+ Plastic cement yields a stronger bond, but adding a dot of super glue lets you hold the arm (or other cantankerous bit) in place without taking 2-5 minutes to hold the stuff together. This saves LOTS of time when combined with the instant-set spray and models like the old Land Speeder that just don't like to get it together that much.
Saving time with paint scheme testing. The Dawn of War 1 series has an army-scheme painter. If you've got Soulstorm and are willing to accept the pattern in the painter, you can test schemes on Guard, Space Marines, Chaos Marines, Eldar, Dark Eldar, Tau, Necrons, Orks, and Sisters. You get a 3d model you can rotate at your whim. An example of the pics can be seen at here, albeit the pics have been cropped and are static.

+ Painting black and getting good highlights by Mind War FTW!

+ Painting Saim-Hann in about 30 minutes by The 25mm Warrior.

+ Dip your models like this by Mik's Minis.

+ Assembly line style painting can be a bit boring at times, but only having to mix paints once saves time!
Paint the tops of your bottles, so you can see what colors they contain even when they are bunched up, or even better store them upside down if possible.
A neat painting area makes it easier to find what you are looking for.
From On The Painting Table

+If you play both Warhammer and 40K and you are basing a model that could be used for either then always put it on a square base.
From John's Toys Soldiers

Wasting too much time during the game?

+ One of the biggest tips I have for saving time has to do with Magnetized bases. Whether it is at a friendly pick-up game in the local store or at a GT, space is often limited and often time is of the essence (especially at a tournament). This is where magnetized bases come in.
You can glue a magnet to the bottom of your infantry bases and then stick your army in the metal drawer of a toolbox. They can fit pretty snugly in there without budging and most models won't touch each other except for the bases (if you push them real close). Now, you can fit a 1750 army or so in one drawer and pull the drawer out and deploy them straight to the table without all the hassle of foam.
From Dark Future Games
Check out the FTW Tips and Tutorials for lots of tips on magnets.

+ One of the biggest things that saves time for me is coming prepared with a few lists that I will use to play with. If you don't have any lists prepared, at least having a calculator and a pen helps!
If I know I will play a game of 2000pts or larger I make sure my models are arranged in the case so I can pull out the units I will be using and the rest are placed out of the way. This saves time during the set up and deployment phases.
If there is a special about a special rule or unit I run into more than a few times, I mark the place in my codex so it is much faster to look up.
From The Wolf's Rest

+ Don't nit-pick over templates and hits, be generous and keep the game moving... it will come back to benefit you.
Sound advice from Pathfinder

+ This one is both a time saving and money saving tip: If you have thelong red measuring rods from the AoBR set, cut off a 6-inch length ofit and use it to measure your infantry movements on the battlefield.Its a lot quicker and easier than always extending and retracting yourtape-measure for each movement. If you use the pointy end as wellthen you can turn it over and use it for 1, 2, and 4-inch measures aswell for keeping away from opponents models, unit and vehiclecoherency respectively. (Its also cheaper than buying one of thespecially made templates for the task, although no where near as niceto look at).
From Iron Legion