From TeemuL: Scifi and Peninsular War [Science Fiction] (100 points)

While working on the Rare and Antique Books I wander to the new section, Section 5, and to the Science Fiction topic. Here I present another 4 Grey Knights, finishing another 4 previously during the Challenge. They are from Games Workshop for their Warhammer 40k universe, I initially planned them for Kill Team, but the squad is growing and soon I might be able to field an army for 40k itself.

Three of these are metal minis and one (the one with two swords) is a plastic one. I added quite a lot of purity seals and other trinkets on them, trying to emphasize the motion of the minis, where possible.

I went with the silver power armour and red, blue and yellow details - a working combination. The same combination is used on my Imperial Guard 40k penal division (or re-enactor) army, so it gives a link there and allows a nice possibility to field these together. One of the knights has this small shield on him and I have painted it with a simple checkered style, which is a visual link to Howling Griffons space marine chapter, another small contingent I have painted over the years. I run out of the yellow paint I used before and these guys have a bit brigher yellow. To my eye it looks too bright and the highlights are not that visible, but they might mix up nicely on the table.

There are lots of skulls. And purity seals, but mostly skulls. I tried to count all of them from weapons, backpacks, trinkets, helmets, armours etc and got a total of 13. Quite nice from four minis. There might be even more, small ones, that I didn't recognize/paint.

Details on the shield and deamon's head

The next group, I'd like to say, that they were "inspired by my travels", but I never been to Peninsular War area, so that would be a lie to grab bonus points, so I won't. One drunken trip to Barcelona and another to Lisboa and Faro won't count, I guess. We mainly saw exotic drinks and azulejos plates. So no bonus points from here. There are Victrix miniatures, British Napoleonic Highlander Flank Companies to be exact, painted as the 92nd reqiment.

This is my first time with 28mm Napoleonics, I got the box and couple of others quite cheap last summer and decided to bite the bullet. I painted one base of 4 last year as a test and I have been slowly painting these as a side project alongside everything else. I set a target to paint a base of four in a month, so that means I should have 12 bases (or 2 units for Black Powder) in a year. If I keep that pace I should have an army or two ready when I retire...

I have experimented with different paints and techiques between the bases (or even in a base), trying to get a nice and rather easy/fast way to paint these. Yes, they are Highlanders and they have tartan, so not the easiest way to start a Napoleonic project, but I figured out, if I can handle this, then I can handle the rest, too... :) Some of the red is for example painted with traditional acrylics, some minis were painted with contrast paints, for example. Then some washes, some highlights, sometimes drybrush, sometimes not. The bases are cowered with sand and brown coarse turf.

The tartan was rather simple to do, although depending on my choices with paints, the pattern is not that visible on all. It is the red-white checkered pattern on the socks and "bandana" (I guess there is a proper term for that thing, but I'm a young newbie) that tries to kill me... And I didn't paint the regiment number on their water bottles.

I should have the first regiment of six bases ready before the summer and then I can start the next one (the box has 60 minis, so enough for two units and some command bases).

The all four bases shown together

4 28mm Grey Knights = 20 points

1 Science Fiction location = 20 points

12 28mm Highlanders = 60 points

Total 100 points

13 skulls

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Wonderful work Teemu! I really like the vibrancy of your Grey Knights. I too have a small contingent of these for Kill Team (some painted by our GregB no less!), but I've not expanded it beyond that. Your efforts makes me want to test the water again.

Starting with Highlanders for Napoleonics! Wow! You're a glutton for punishment Teemu! Nonetheless, as you say, if you break your duck with Highlanders then all the other stuff will be a walk in the park. These Jocks look terrific and I think your approach to their tartans works just fine. By the time you're finished the army we'll both be retired and able to get together for a game. :)

Well done, but now get back to your Rare & Antique entry... ;)

- Curt