Texturing - 2. Creating Specular Maps

Specular maps indicate reflected light intensity and sharpness. They respond to the most powerful light sources in a scene. In DoW2 (unit/wargear/world object shaders), the RGB channels on a specular map indicate (the reflection) of light color and intensity while the alpha channel indicates light sharpness or diffussion. Higher contrast RGB channels break the linearity in light intensity while a slightly opaque alpha channel makes light reflections slightly sharper.

Finally, surfaces reflect light differently. Most glass reflects light intensly and sharply. Most plastic also reflects light sharply and intensly. Metallic surfaces (iron, steel, brass, necrodermis, etc.) reflect light less intensly and sharply than glass/plastic. Slime, blood or other wet surfaces also reflect light in a similar manner. Most grime, dirt and rust as well as fabrics and rubber don't reflect light.

Painted surfaces are common in DoW2. To get eggshell looking paint, make the specular intesity very very very low (i.e., dark) and alpha channel very very transparent (i.e., only slightly opaque). To get a glossy look, make the intesity higher (i.e., brighter RGB) and alpha less transparent (i.e. more opaque) for sharper light reflections. Note that DoW2 does have matte and glossy colors in the army painter, so you could make a standard spec map for all the colors which will be overridden by DoW2's matte/glossy colors in the army painter.