Monday 4 December 2017

Paint Duels & Side Challenges

'Weapon, sir?'
'I suggest airbrushes, with finishing spray at 2 paces...'
The the issuing (and settling) of side challenges, paint duels and grudge matches extends back to the first Challenge and has become a time-honoured tradition. 

These affairs de la brosse help motivate participants to keep the steam up over the length Challenge and create a fun atmosphere of smack-talk and brush-baiting.

For those who are new to this silliness, the paint duels allow a set of individuals or small groups to test one another against a self-defined set of criteria. Maybe it's to see who can paint the most sailing ships over the  length of the Challenge, or to paint figures within a particular historical period/genre; other duels might be created to see who can reach a specific points threshold first. Really, the sky's the limit - it's up to your imagination.

Over the years the side duels have become more formalized, with many of these clashes of brush and paint now enshrined in Challenge lore.

We even have an area of the blog dedicated to this silliness. You can find the link to the Duels page on the top navigation bar. This will take you to the Duels page which will keep track of the madness.





Keeping to tradition, our brain-fevered antipodean minion, Millsy, will be The Duels Wallah for this edition of the Challenge. ALL updates on duels must be sent to him for tabulation and posting - He is the official scorekeeper of Duels & Challenges (Note to self: I must come up with some sort of special hat for him or something... perhaps a monogrammed leather mask, embossed ball gag...) No bogus spreadsheets, heretical documents or flaky scorecards will be recognized. So, send Millsy a note to get your duel registered and keep him appraised of the progress you make.

Millsy can be reached at:

challengesideduels@gmail.com 
To recap:  
1) Issue the duel/challenge in the comments below, and contact Millsy to have it recorded; 
2) When you finish an entry that's eligible for scoring in a duel, please send Millsy a quick email. Give him the name of the duel and the points you wish to add. 
3) Millsy will refresh the duels blog page with your updated stats/information. 
Easy peasy! 

Okay! Let's have some fun with this! I want to see jersey's pulled over heads, gauntlets thrown and seconds selected.




80 comments:

  1. Ah - the best part! The duels within the Challenge!

    Well, I'm looking at something a little different this year...anyone up for a 19th century/Black Powder duel of some sort?

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    1. Greg, early december : who's in for a Black Powder challenge?

      Greg, mid-march : well look at that, I really expanded my Horus Heresy forces this year.

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    2. @Iannick: Haha! So, so true. The trouble is that Greg is so prolific that he can paint and win at both. Damn your talented fingers and brushes, Mr. Burch!

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    3. The Warmaster is a powerful draw...I'm sure supporters on more feral or challenged worlds would resort to muskets as required...

      But yes - trying for a slightly different emphasis this year...having said that, more 30k stuff will still be a certainty...

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    4. Greg, how about extending it to 'The Era of Black Powder'? Say, gun-armed figures, artillery and crew from the 16th-19th centuries, inclusive? That way I can tuck in some earlier period stuff and have a chance against you. What do you say, up for it?

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    5. Okay! 'The Black Powder Challenge'. Most points in black powder armed figures from the 16-19th centuries. The vanquished will supply a painted 28mm figure (of their choice) to the victor. If anyone else wants to lose with me please give a shout out. :)

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    6. Curt, I can‘t let you stand up against Mr „I paint the equivalent of a Space Marine chapter in a few weeks“ all on your own. I actually have two boxes worth of Bavarians and one of Frenchies from Eagles of Empire miniatures sitting in my drawer waiting for paint. So I‘d say I‘m in.

      What figure do you want me to paint for you Greg? ;-)

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    7. That's mighty handsome of you, Nick. Delighted to have you lashing paint with us!

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    8. Somebody just had to do a black powder era challenge didn't they!!!! Since I always do something in Dark Ages or black powder I'm of course in. Now I just need to decide what figure I'll be painting for Greg....

      I think this will be an usual challenge in that the fight won't be for first place, but rather who get's bragging rights for second!:-)

      Christopher

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    9. Awesome stuff, Christopher! Delighted to have you with us in the scrum.

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    10. This should be fun gents!

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    11. I just sent in this side-challenge to Millsy for the record books.

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    12. Count me in for this one, sounds good.

      Ben

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    13. Count me in for this one - I have a lot of Black Powder units in need of freedom from their sprues and boxes. I hope Greg wants an AWI model bloodylittlesoldiers.wordpress.com/2017/12/13/shamemountain/

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    14. Welcome aboard Ben, I'll let Millsy know about your participation in the side challenge.

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    15. Scooba, happy to include you but I need your name, thanks!

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  2. If anyone is up for a fantasy challenge...call me

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    1. Sure, why not?

      I'm also on a nostalgia kick for the Warhammer armies of my teens.

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    2. You've come to the right place!! I'm working on a Forest Goblin army made up of the original (4th edition) Goblins and other older models.

      Let's make this official then.

      (glove slap!)

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    3. Wait, where's my second? You, with the greatsword and the chainmail gloves!

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    4. lol well you've just killed a Goblin with that slap! ;-)

      I'll contact Millsy in a day or two...in case anyone else wants to join in.

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    5. That just inspired me to do some artillery work for either my Dwarves or Empire forces . . .

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    6. Who cares about canons when you have the most potent of all War Machines on your side : the Doom Divers!

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    7. I have no idea what you're talking about...

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    8. I'll arrange for some air defense assets . . .

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    9. I'm in - just got a box of the new plastic dwarves from Northstar

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    10. Do we have to take Miles? Are there rules about this sort of thing?

      Because I do like to have hope, no matter how faint, of winning!

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    11. He has to paint you two gobbos if you win, and one if you lose.

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  3. Any takers for a naval model challenge?

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    Replies
    1. Miles. Do you still want to do the Washington vs Cornwallis duel we discussed last year?

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    2. of course - I've got a Washington-like mounted character in 28mm from the Perry line

      Challenge accepted Mr Cooke

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    3. Cool, I have a Foundry Cornwallis, and it's Dr Cooke:) Although only if you are my bank manager

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    4. I'm in for some friendly 1/1200 ship building

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  4. @Curt You crack gags about leather masks when sporting that ensemble? You look like a reject from a VSF telemovie extras casting session mate.

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    Replies
    1. Fair enough, fair enough, but at least I don't have to unzip to talk smack. ;P

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    2. Mr Mills
      I believe you owe Curt a sincere apology - not everyone can fit into a cosplay situation like yourself not can most people afford a bespoke leather body suit and bedazzled gag ball like yourself.

      Curt may look like an extra from a low budget sci-fi channel movie (Son of Sharnado VIII) but we don't have to publicly humiliate him.

      Lastly, I have no idea where all this GIMP stuff came from. I think its fake news.

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    3. Miles - that rig makes Curt look more like a refugee from Blake's Clockwork Seven Orange imho

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    4. Spot on Tamsin. I just needed a some black eye makeup and a glass of milk to complete the picture. :)

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    5. Miles, you have to give it its full title; "Son of Sharnado VIII - The Sharkening".

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    6. "Spot on Tamsin. I just needed a some black eye makeup and a glass of milk to complete the picture. :)" don't forget the underpants on top of your trousers...

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    7. Underpant over my trousers? Phah! Now, that would be just silly (adjusts bowler and touches up eye makeup).

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  5. Hmmm, potential side-duels. Maybe 15mm Ancient & Medieval or 28mm pulp?

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    Replies
    1. Tamsin, I think your reputation for prolific brushwork may make most shy to take up this challenge. ;)

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    2. Pulp you say? I've got a whole bunch of 7TV type figures that need doing and some sci-fi figures who could do with some paint chucked at them.... how wide is the pulp net? random sci-fi figs allowed? I know it's trickier field to define than all the historical stuff ;)

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    3. I was thinking more 1920s/1930s but would be willing to extend it to cover 7TV stuff and maybe Victorian pulp, possibly stuff like 2000AD, superheroes

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    4. You're on! 20-30's pulp vs. 60-70's pulp with a wafer thin slice of superheroes thrown in both sides for good measure.

      Some of my lead mountain will be most pleased, I've been promising to paint them for the last three challenges....

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    5. Sounds like a plan :)

      I'll let Millsy know. The big questions is what the terms are - total points in theme? And the reward for the winner - bragging rights or a painted figure?

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  6. Anybody in for a SCW challenge again? Other than that I could be tempted by anything Roman ;-)

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    Replies
    1. Only if you paint me a miniature if I loose... ;P

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    2. Not this year for me sorry , I’m focusing in Napoleonics

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    3. Now, that’s a rather unusual offer indeed. I actually might take you up on it ;-) And what if you should -against all probability of course- win?

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    4. Why, you'd paint me two minis of course! ;) No, I think if I win then you get a painted mini from me. This should make for some cagey tactics, but no matter what everyone wins!

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    5. As you know somebody did a black powder challenge and I'll be involved in that so I don't think I could put up much of a fight this time in a SCW challenge so will need to pass and more importantly I still owe you a figure and would like to keep it at one and not two.:-)

      Christopher

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    6. Looks like I‘m a sucker for punishment, but please, I‘m in on this madness.

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    7. Alas, probably not much SCW for me this year!

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  7. Can we do a Renaissancesque duel? Stuff that is or looks like the Italian Wars?

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    1. I'd be up to being defeated in a Renaissanceesque side challenge. :) Anyone else up for some 14-17th century punishment? I wonder if we can get Sid in on this with his lovely Laarden stuff.

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    2. Hello Robert, Hello Curt - I'd be definitely up for a 14th-17th Century Challenge. It is a lovely period, and I'm really looking forward to getting the brushes moving in a suitably stately (a.k.a. slow) manner as befits those centuries!

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  8. Did somebody say renaissance? I'll join in on that one if I may, waves goodbye to napoleonics for another year!
    Best Iain

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    Replies
    1. Welcome to looks to be the Renaissance Challenge (14th-17th Century), Iain!

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    2. The Renaissance Challenge has been registered with Millsy. Prepare your figures and brushes.

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  9. The New Parrent Duel! Open to any one with a child under 3. First new Dad or Mom to reach his or her painting goal is the winner. Looser(s) will creat a #1 Parent post on there blog showcasing the winners painting and parenting prowess linking back to the winners blog. Teemu and I are in. Any other new parrents want in on the action.

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  10. 50 comments worth of smack talk, general abuse and outrageous overstatement I see. Business as usual then and the inmates have once again taken control of the asylum...

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    1. it’s more of a colony than and asylum

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    2. I‘m afraid but the riot squad just told me they won‘t arrive till march Millsy. And even then it‘s doubtful they can do anything but shut down the whole affair. So you have to go along with us loonies for the time being ;-)

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    3. This is why we have statisticians. To quantify said talk and not to resort to such vagaries.

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  11. Paul G and I are set to renew our 1/1200 Langton Napoleonic Sailing ship duel. Any others are welcome to join

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  12. If the black powder challenge is open I'd like to throw my hat in the ring only go 640 black powder figures to do hehehehe roll on the insane madness I say sleep who needs sleep for three months

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  13. I see mad mills is still smack talking after all these years love it

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  14. JuanM, we have a habit of duelling, at our nice steady painting pace. Are you up for it again this year, just for fun?

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