Monday 27 March 2017

MichaelD: Challenge '16-'17 Post-game

I discovered the AHPC last year and couldn't wait until December rolled around so I could sign up and give it a try. It's been great to participate and have my minis out there with so many other great hobbyists.

This being my first challenge I had only pledged 500 pts and still I came up short with only 425 points. I think entering the challenge I simply estimated by thinking "Well what's the most I've painted over a three month period", shaving about a half of that off and figuring it would be no problem. Now that I've gone through this one time, I have a better idea of what it takes to get your points. First I need to keep a better eye on the themes, planning them and making sure I get them done. Second I need to figure out everything I'm going to paint, priming it before the challenge, planning my "assembly line" technique and then just letting rip. Instead I kind of winged it, sometimes painting figures I knew well and was able turn around quickly and sometimes painting figures I had never painted before.

I offer all this not in order to make excuses but in the spirit of having learned a bit over the last three months and looking forward to giving it another try in December 17. I had a blast. Thanks to Curt and the minions for all their work, and especially to all the other Challengers for sharing the pictures of such great minis. One of the joys of this hobby is that when you look at figures as you're gaming with them, you can see the whole history of how you got them and got them painted. So for these assorted Sisters of Battle, Foreign Legionnaires, and Burgundian mercenaries, I always remember them as products of my first of (I hope) many painting challenges.


RayR: Ray's Challenge


I for one am gutted the Challenge is over for another year.  In fact, I'm already looking forward to AHPC 8!! I'm so glad Curt came up with the idea, the Challenge forces me out of my painting doldrums and gets my butt into painting gear! What helps the most is all you other Challengers posting and commenting and pushing me to paint more.

Of late my painting and even gaming have been hit hard, with several job changes, the main one a few years ago when me and Fran both left GSK, a painters dream job, 4 twelve hour shifts days and nights with nothing to do except watch films and paint. It seems a lifetime ago (well it was?) when I finished 1st in the Challenge with nearly 5000 points, but that was only because of the job I was in.

Nowadays I'm just happy to finish in the top half!!!

So I'm very happy I beat my target and finished in 24th place with 1093 points and I even managed to beat fellow Posties Reject BigLee, now that makes 24th place taste even sweeter!!!


I managed to finally finish my French/Jacobite/Rebels army, which I undercoated to paint up in Challenge 6, but only actually finished 12 figures for. And I started my Woodland Indians army for Donnybrook, finishing three 12 figure units.

All in all I painted 150 25mm figures and some scenic defensive terrain pices, some of which can be seen in the photo above.

A big thank you has got to go to Curt, Sarah, Miles and all the other Minions, great work Guys!

Long live the Challenge!


MartinN: After the challenge is... well, after the challenge

This year wasn't nearly as productive -again- as I had hoped for. Like in all the previous challenges the ugly beast that is real life has intervened and shattered all the carefully laid out plans...

from reading through the closing posts of my fellow co-challengers this seems to be a common issue though.

The fruits of my labour...

At least I was able to get a good start on the Spanish Civil War project Chris and I were talking about for quite some time now and by doing so, more or less accidentally, I also won the SCW side duel with Chris, Curt and Phil. Here I want to take the chance to thank my fellow duelists for a great experience and some lovely eye candy.

This year not all painting was directed towards the challenge as I'm, for the first time, taking part in the Lead Painters League over on the prestigious Lead Adventure Forum. So the figures that will form part of my first entries there are safely tugged away in that ominous red tin box you see on both the pictures. Should you feel curious as to the contents of the boxes you're heartily invited to have a look for yourself once the LPL has started.

...and finally the requested mug shot.
Spring finally holds sway in this part of Germany so I took the chance to spend a few hours away from the brushes, reading and generally enjoying the sun.

Have a great time all of you!

From PeterD - My Semester's Painting Output


Here's the final shot of everything I got painted except for my Curtgeld, now in transit via Sylvain to Curt.



With the exceptions of the two 15mm A/Cs upfront everything was in 28mm, and except for the A/Cs and my Curtgeld everything was for my SYW Sharp Practice project using figures from the Perry Miniatures AWI range.   The output was as follows:

  • 15th Light Dragoons - 21 mounted figures
  • 87th Foot (Kieth's Highlanders) 31 foot figures
  • Hessian Militia - 13 foot figures
  • Hanoverian engineer and pontooniers - 6 foot figures, 1 mounted figure
  • Hanoverian Jaegers - 6 foot figures
  • Camp scene - 6 foot figures
  • Allied officers - 1 Brunswick General mounted, 1 Hessian artillery foot figure
  • Powder cart with drover on foot and horse
  • Tragardland Croats - 6 foot figures
  • French work crew - 6 foot figures
Enough for a good SP force based on the Highlanders and Light Dragoons, plus support options, ready to fight the Kleine Krieg in the Rhineland.  And a few additions to my French force to oppose them.


If my math is correct that's 80 foot figures (83 including the Breda crew in the Curtgeld), 23 mounted figures plus a horse and wagon.  Plus a 28mm weapon and two 15mm vehicles.

I fell 40 points short of my 800 point target, but that's OK.  My big goal was to get the Highlanders and Dragoons done plus SYW chrome add-ons, and that's what I got done.  Next year, I need to fluff up my French armies on the Rhine .  Maybe I can convince Curt to sell me his Minden figures....

Doofus in Chief (DinC)

NickJ - First Challenge Achievement Unlocked

Once Upon a Painting Challenge.

Well that was certainly an interesting 3 months. I had a plan all laid out. I knew which models I wanted to paint and which week for each unit.

Then reality arrived and I remembered 4 very important facts:
1) I under-estimate how long it takes to paint. Every. Single. Time.
2) Work like to throw my schedule off. Travel abroad for nearly a month? Sure...
3) I'm easy to distract. Painting what I planned? Don't be silly. Pretty sure I just saw a squirrel.
4) Paint Schemes evolve during the painting experience. Sometimes within seconds, sometimes within days.

That said after a 2 year painting drought I was persuaded to join up by JamieM and encouraged by MarkW and the other members of my fabulous group of friends. Thanks to all of them as I've had a ball.

And here is my output:


All 28mm Games Workshop Age of Sigmar figures for a nice little Chaos Army - The Cult of the Pentagram.

And since Curt asked nicely here's a picture taken by the wife...
So time to sign off until next time. Thank you to everyone for their inspiring comments and I've enjoyed seeing so many different periods being painted by so many talented people. Congrats to all.

More units will be added to the army during the year I'm sure so if you ever fancy following the journey you can find me and the rest of the GoGs over on www.agogonline.blogspot.co.uk

Enjoy 2017 and see you in December!