From GrantH: Red Devils! (145 points)

Hey there everyone!

For my first post of the painting challenge, I present a selection of various British Airborne teams outfitted (mostly) in their iconic maroon berets. Several years ago, I painted up a mess of these lads for a previous painting challenge as I was just getting started with table-top wargaming and they have since been my army of choice for many games of Bolt Action and Chain of Command. However. Since I have been getting better at painting, I decided that it was high time the army needed a fresh coat of paint, and thus my entire collection of airborne and assorted minis was stripped of paint and prepped for the painting challenge.

This set mainly contains the special weapons teams and command units because, I was inspired by the Market Garden Campaign book for Bolt Action to build a force that could operate as the 21st Independent Company. This force essentially acted as a pathfinder unit, identifying landing zones and operating in a unique formation which was significantly different than most ordinary units. Their standard infantry sections were also accompanied by two-man light mortar teams and they made a heavy use of captured German MG-42s to account for their lack of medium and heavy machine guns. In terms of Bolt Action, this unit caught my attention because of the high content of small weapons teams, allowing for multiple PIAT, sniper and mortar teams in the reinforced platoon. In my ongoing mission to become the biggest pest on the battlefield, this infantry heavy unit looked like a blast!

(Various angles of the full crew.)

The result of several working between winter weather, school and a viewing of A Bridge Too Far, are 29 various fully painted and based 28mm chaps ready to parachute into enemy territory, which I believe comes to 145 points!

(The CO.)

(Sniper Teams.)

(Mortar and PIAT)

(The radio operator, flamethrower and supporting infantry.)

As much as I love the aesthetic of the beret wearing paras, I will hopefully have some new early war Polish troops ready for my next army once my next supply drop of tiny plastic and metal dudesmen arrives. Until then I will be working my way through the backlog, (finish what I have before starting a new project? Absurd!) I have been telling myself I will eventually get around to.

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First, welcome back to the Challenge Grant!

These chaps look great (love seeing all those maroon berets) and I'm sure they will give you sterling service in the games to come. If you want a great recipe for Denison camo check out Benito's work this year and his associated blog - you guys are birds of a feather on this project.

These paras will give you 145 points for your climb up the roster. Well done Grant! I look forward to seeing the hard-as-nails Poles soon.

...and the cull list shrinks smaller. Eaaaxcellent.