Hoggarth
I would like to get in on this but I'm wondering how 'New builder' friendly these group builds are. Not that I think you all would snub me and tell me how terrible I am, but I've been looking at your builds, and I would be highly intimidated to put something up next to them.
I don't own an airbrush, nor would I know what to do with one. That's on my wishlist. Anything I build is going to have to be rattle can and brush for a while.
In my experience, the best way to improve is to take part in GB's. My modelling has come on leaps and bounds since I got back into the hobby in 2008. Posting pics is a great way for people to see where your at and offer advice. And the good thing about GB's is that not only are you posting your pics, but your seeing others and what they are doing and how they are doing it. And at least with Allied armour you can go for a nice simple OD scheme and not have to worry about those German 3 tone ones, though if you feel up to the challenge, your more than welcome into the German armour GB as well.
At the end of the day we are here to have fun, and people will realise that your new to the hobby and perhaps don't have the experience or tools that others have built up over many years.
So I hope you won't feel intimidated and will jump in and as long as the advice is given and taken in a friendly well meaning manner, you will be fine.
And one final thing, the host of this GB, Eagle, is just about to finish his first ever armour GB and now he is about to host an armour GB, his first GB as host. So hopefully that might inspire others to dive in and take the plunge.