From PhilH: Doing My Bit (45 Points)

Final day of the sixth AHPC, and here I am at 2300 tapping out my last post. It's almost enough to make one teary-eyed. And that's nothing to do with the paint fumes. As were short of our collective points target, it was full steam ahead is evening to do my bit to make up the shortfall. 

First up, a SCW Schneider m1908 70mm mountain gun, to provide some heavy firepower for my Nationalists. A squat little thing in a fine Empress kit. 

Each Spanish infantry battalion had one of these, and unlike many support weapons there were actually enough for the Peninsular army to receive their allocation.  They were typical detached and brigaded together into batteries. I couldn't find that much about them online, nor many pictures of either real ones nor painted miniatures. The camo is conjectural but a saw a B&W photo of one in a camo scheme and the green/khaki colours seemed most likely to me. It received a heavy dose of chipping and more weathering pigments than the photos give me credit for. 

This has been a real bugbear on my painting desk. I blitzed through the crew while on holiday at the start of this month. But the gun took me ages, working at it on and off. The hassle of basing it up after painting, not my favoured method. But I'm pleased with the result and hope I can give it a run out soon. 

I finished this earlier in the week and cast my eyes around for something to quickly work up for the finale. I received these Pulp Miniatures 'cowled cultists' for Christmas. As my Secret Stana got me 'evil hooded' cultists as well, I settled on doing these in a colour scheme of grey robes, and will save the classic purple for the hooded cult. I feel like these nee a decal of some kind to break up there robes, and will keep an eye out for something suitable. 

I imagine that and the other half of the group will form a 'not-necessarily-evil' cult, that may work to aims that aren't so blatantly nefarious as global domination, annihilation or the attempted summoning of elder beings. Perhaps they like knitting or something. 

It doesn't feel like my best challenge in terms of my entries, as with many fellow challengers, real life took its toll. But on that front, I can delightfully report that redecorating was finished this weekend, as well leaving mere odds and ends to do over the rest of the year. And the garden, that rather needs some attention. So I'm look it forward to a relaxing Easter not having to worry about full-size paintbrushes. It pleases me that the 1:1 project was kicked off, and also finished within the challenge. 

With that, I'll just say a massive, heartfelt 'thank you' first to Curt, who is generous enough with his time to organise and shepherd us through the challenge over the winter months. It's a great pleasure to be able to participate once again. Also to Curt's fine helpers, whose amusing commentary and enthusiasm was appreciated by all, no doubt. And to Resident Statistician Miles, because what isn't improved by a resident statistician (even with Curt's gremlins at work. Talking of statistical gremlins, my counting puts my points tally 10 short but what's 10 points between friends, eh? These entries and the last theme round points should be enough to put me well past my target). And finally to my fellow challengers, whose outstanding work keeps my enthusiasm and creativity up across the whole year. 

Beautiful work Phil! That mountain gun is brilliant. I like your take on the camo and also how you've based the crew tightly around it - those gunshields must have felt pretty darne small under fire. Your cultists are ace as well - I'm particularly taken with the grey-blue you've used for their robes - it's slimming, traditional and yet so chic. :)

I know you've been pretty pegged-out with 1:1 scale project so I appreciate the effort you put into the Challenge with the time that you had - and hey, you managed to recover the honour of Britannia with your duel with Juan. That's gotta be worth a heap of street cred there in Blighty, right?

Until next time Phil. Take care.