Wings Materials

[slight]

Yep, those give the chrome-like effect that I'm trying to get rid of.

I mean more like this type of thing: https://imgur.com/G0JsQ2e or this https://www.pinterest.com.au/toroo103/matcap/

To use them as the env map in wings materials I have to rejigger them to cylindrical mapping, and subtle lighting works best to combine with vertex colours.

This one works pretty well with the right roughness: https://imgur.com/UrDwI6x

[micheus]

Yep, those give the chrome-like effect that I'm trying to get rid of.
...
This one works pretty well with the right roughness: https://imgur.com/UrDwI6x

I didn't understand that before and yes, you will need to play with Roughness and Metallic:

Just remember that the changes to default material will affect only the current project. We are only allowed to set a permanent new base color for it in the Preferences dialog.
So, if you intend to start each new project using that material settings, then I recommend you to create a template for that.