The Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge

Welcome to the Painting Challenge. Here you will find the fabulous, fevered work of miniature painters from around the world. While participants come from every ethnicity, gender, age and nationality, they have three things in common: they love miniatures, they enjoy a supportive community, and they want to set themselves against the Challenge. This site features the current year's event along with the archives of past Painting Challenges. Enjoy your visit and remember to come back soon.

Tuesday, 29 January 2019

KenR - 28mm Italian Wars Swiss Polearm (125 Points)

And finally Ester (over 50s only will get that !) entry numero trois.

A unit of Polearm Swiss from the Canton of Uri. The figures are Perry Miniatures but just for a change, the flags are home printed from a scan of some flags in a Wargames Mag years ago which have been overpainted.

I have painted a lot of these figures before in the pike blocks but rather than arming them with a Pike these have two-handed Polearms often referred to as Halberd. They are based 6 to a base rather than the 8 figures which go on a Pike base. With the 6 figure base I stagger the front and rear ranks so that the rear ranks are visible between the gaps in the front rank, for me it makes the unit look "fuller".

I have extended the depth of the front bases by 10mm to 60 x 60 just to accommodate the front ranks and their levelled Polearms.

24 x 28mm Foot at 5pts is 120, a couple of flags at a point apiece for 122 points for both the main total and the Renaissance Side Duel.

I have rattled through my Italian Wars project so far this challenge, looking in my to-do box I have 4 Infantry units left (a 48 fig Pike Block, 2 24 figure units a Sword and Buckler & a Papal Guard plus an 18 figure independent shot) and 5 Cavalry units (3 Gendarme, 1 Stradiot & 1 Lt Cav) so there is a good chance the Project will be done by the end of the challenge. However, the York show is coming up and new toys will definitely be brought home.

I think we should call this the KenR Hour! I'm blown away by not only the fact that you can get so much done but its also such good quality. This halberd /polearm unit looks very formidable. I had never considered the Polearm to be an effective weapon - it looked so unwieldy - until I saw a reenactor give a demo at a living history event. Not only did he make handling the weapon look effortless (practice, practice and more practice) but when he gave a demo against some plate armour he opened it like a can of spam! Now times that by 24!!!

I'm throwing in some bonus points for the quality again, and for the flags bringing this up to a respectable 125 points.

Lee