Got my black wound badge and infantry assault badge today, but they look a bit 'new'! Any tips on weathering them? I think the wound badge was - and is - brass painted, so would I scotchbrite it, or sand it some other way? Help appreciated.
A couple of skirmishes and they will soon look battle-worn, as will your weapon as they tend to both get quite intimate with each other during use 
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“I wanted to come to the Volga at a specific location at a specific city. By chance it carries the name of Stalin himself. So don’t think I marched there for this reason – it could carry another name – but because there is a very important goal... this goal I wanted to take – and you know – we are very modest, we have it already."
Adolf Hitler, November 1942
"Comrades, Red Army men, commanders and political workers, men and women guerrillas! It is on your perseverance, staunchness, fighting skill and readiness to discharge your duty to the country that the defeat of the German-fascist army and the liberation of the Soviet land from the Hitlerite invaders depend! We can and must clear the Soviet land of Hitlerite vermin."
Joseph Stalin, November 1942
Make sure you put some stitches to hold them onto your tunic, they've a nasty habit of going awol 
and yes rolling in the mud/wet/etc will have them less new in no time 
Awww, stitches? 
aye stitches fishing wire I believe is the prefered thread. Would you rather loose ya bling or do some stitches and keep it
black acrylic paint and a washing up sponge/ brillo.
cover it in paint, scrub it off almost immediately with the pad.
My army para badge went from looking like a quality street wrapper to this:
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
Good shout Gadge....... but that won't work with a black wound badge!! 
You've got nothing to ein, zwei, drei, vier
No but it wil for his inf badge
For his wound badge he needs to drybrush it rather than ink it.
Get some metallic bronze paint, put the brush in it, wipe off all the paint with a tissue but no water.
Lightly drag the brush over the badge this will cause the paint in the bristles to adhere to raised areas creating artificial weathering.
And if you dont liek it you can scrub it off as its water based (but water proof when dry)
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
http://www.miniblaze.com/drybrush.htm
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
Ah, I am familiar with this technique! I used to paint 40K IG miniatures and tanks. I'll give it a go, just need to get some paint.
what colour do you want i can bring it to TEHL
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
I won't be there, mate. I was thinking of rocking up to my local GW and asking for a 'favour'; they've always got painting surgeries on in there. Heck, I'll even buy something. Was thinking of drybrushing the wound badge bronze, and maybe gunmetal in the IA badge.
Id use black or dark brown on the IA otherwise you'll end up with metallic sliver and sparkles in the shadows and it wont look like grime.
If you wanted to deepend the shadows id agree with gunmetal but if you want it to look tarnished black or brown.
But good idea on popping into GW for a favour.
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
Not that they owe me one or owt! I just thought, they're generally very nice, helpful lads - maybe if I brought the badges in attached to my tunic, they might be interested!
I'll go with the grimy look, as you suggest, cheers! 
I reckon most gamers appreciate stuff like that.
And GW are more relaxed now, in the ealry 90s you could be banned fr talking about any gaming not related to warhammer!
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
Where to I place the badges on my left pocket? I have the IA in the middle, on the pleat. Where does the wound badge go? 
There is a set order.
From a re-enactor site.
Priorities for their wear were established with military valor awards receiving first emphasis. Followed behind in descending order was the combat connected awards that were not valor connected, non-military awards for heroism, service awards, occupation medals, civil awards, and lastly foreign. Within each grouping a specific priority was established. War badges were worn on the lower breast in pin back form and also had a distinctive rating which dictated the placement of the badge relative to another. Combat badges ranked above qualification badges, but below decorations, e.g. Iron Cross or War Merit Cross. Military personnel were authorized to wear a ribbon bar above the left breast pocket. This ribbon bar was representative of the awards the wearer had received.
so for you if you have an ik that should be in the centre with IA badge below and wound badge to one side and below.
If its just IA and wound then IA in the centre wound badge to below and to the side towards centre.
I think....
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
There was some leeway....
As you can see, my would badge is centred, but in a cluster of 3 they could also be to the left.
You've got nothing to ein, zwei, drei, vier
lol... I remember having elicit chats with a staff member whilst his manager wasn't watching.
GW Staff Member: "What do you want that mini for?"
Me: "Well I'm going to use it for a game of Rolemaster."
Staff member looks around conspiratorially and in hushed tones says: "Yeah, I play that as well.... But don't tell anyone..."
Cheers guys. Don't have an EK, so I settled on the IA in the centre, with the wound badge lower and to the left (as you look at it).