from RayR 25mm Queenie (10 points)

Queenie was a character in the second Blackadder series, brilliantly played by Miranda Richardson, she exuded a child-like exterior, whilst have the personality of a manic psychopath at times!



Queenie Quotes

"I may have the body of a weak and feeble women, but I have the heart and stomach of a concrete elephant"

"I know why you want to get out of it, because I remember the last time you had a party, I found you face down in a puddle wearing a pointy hat and singing a song about goblins"

"Its up to you, either you can shut up or you can have your head cut off?"

"Sometimes I think about having you executed, just to see the look on your face"

" So strange, Ponsonby turned out to be a traitor. You would have thought that he'd have had problems enough - what with that hunch, and only having one leg!"

I bought HRH Queenie, back in September, hopefully use in one of the Bonus rounds of the 

forthcoming Challenge. But unfortunately she didn't fit in to any of them.

I was going to use her for the "West" bonus round, as she was buried at

Westminster Cathedral, but thought I may well be pushing my luck!

Elizabeth I is a Beltfed Miniature, sold online and at UK shows by Col Bill.

MilesR: Actually this one should have gone up last week but somehow didn't - my apologies Ray.  However, a Lady of this quality is always worth waiting for - a very nice way to start Monstrous Monday off!

From Barks - WW1 German support weapons (72 points)

After last week's austere post, here's a bit of a meatier effort. This is the remaining 15mm WW1 German forces from PSC's Great War, comprising three MG-08s, three 7.58cm Minenwerfers, and their crews.

I found myself whistling Blackadder whilst setting this up

Now I have completed the 'core set' of Tommies and Germans for The Great War, and will be moving on to other, lighter projects for the remainder of the Challenge. I've still got another nine artillery pieces to go, if I get bored they may yet come out!

Furthermore, this week I suffered for my art. I was intently focused on painting some fine detail when I burnt my forehead against my lamp! Eheu!

What is it with pics of people's heads this week? This is the second in as many posts! Mine is pretty ordinary but at least it wasn't sporting a rather nasty looking burn. I know you work hard at the paint desk Barks but please, safety first mate! On the plus side you've give us a relative War and Peace compared to last week's erudite background so maybe there is an upside to overheating your noggin after all... 

All that aside, these are once again a very well executed batch of support weapons and their attendant German crew. The more I look at these as you roll them out the more I find it hard not to think they're 28s given the detail you pack in. All up this batch is worth a tidy 72 points. Well done! Cheers, Millsy

From Barks - WW1 British Support Weapons (72 points)

Here are some more 15mm plastics from PSC for The Great War. Again, I have based them on washers. The Vickers MGs are on 25mm washers and the Stokes mortars are on 20mm washers, with the rest on 15mm washers.

I'm wondering if I should rebase the mortars (after The Challenge!) so there are two figures and a tube on a 25mm base?

It's easy for you Northern Hemispherians to concentrate on The Challenge at this time of year, being all snowed in and stuff. Down Under we have a few more distractions. Today it was 41.5C when I left work (106F if you're in Bahamas, Belize, Caymans, Palau or the US) when I left work so I had to go for a swim in the surf. Due to the heat, the Drop Bears and Great Whites had called a truce and were lazing around in the shallows, and the shrimps were throwing themselves on the barbie to cool down. There's a southerly coming through now, and it should drop to the high 20s later this arvo.

My local beach, I live about 50 metres away.

More 15mm goodness Mr Barks! I'm continually impressed by how well you paint both at this scale and with the WWI palette which is limited to say the least. I'm not sure you need to rebase the mortars as this way casualty removal is nice and simple but then it's as much a matter of aesthetics as it is rules I suppose? 72 well earned points for your total. Now go have a cold one and put your feet up. Cheers, Millsy.

PS. We seem to have a weather report theme developing today so I've added a new label. :-)

ClintB: Toppimg Out (28mm Viking!) (6 Points)

Well this really is my last entry this year and all praise to Curt for a brilliant job, well done! So ending on a highpoint. Here is a single 28mm female Viking. As no one objects to male topless berserker figures, as an equal opportunity painter I thought to do a female one.  The figure is from the "Belt-fed" range by Colonel Bills.

Great fun to paint. The shield is my own design but based on a re-enactors. So not historically accurate as far as I am aware but great fun. And as I intend to do some CONAN wargaming this year she will fit very nicely into that. Not sure which rules yet, maybe "Crom" maybe "Songs of blades and Heroes". Anyway here is the shield.

It is u to you to decide if it is a longship or a sea serpent. For me it is both and totally suitable for some Hyborian shenanigans.

Once again thanks to all involved in the challenge especially Curt and Sarah. I am already looking forward to the next one.


From Curt:

Lovely viking Clint! Wonderful work on the stripped trousers, shield and (ahem) other accoutrements.