From HerrRobert (Robert H): Street fighting (95 Points)

Next stop, Benito's Brook:

This is probably as close to a point's bonb I will ever get, short of sandbagging. I just can't sit still long enough to paint dozens of figures at a time. This entry has been taking me the entire challenge to put together:

I've been playing a lot of Chain of Command and Bolt Action, and we've done a lot of street fighting. But nothing is really as savage, or as brave, as the street fighting in Stalingrad. From the guidebook:

A figure or vignette related to some brave feat of arms, almost hopeless against impossible odds.

A few ideas: A forlorn hope. A heroes assaulting a bunker, trench or fortified position single handed. A wounded soldier covering the retreat of his brothers-in-arms. The last Spanish Tercio square surrounded at Rocroi. The last stand of the Old Guard at Waterloo.

Most of the figures I've painted for Challenge X have been straight out of the tin, as it were. However, plastics give a lot of scope for conversion work, and figures based for urban conflict demand a certain bit of atmosphere.

All of these were based on Renedra's plastic bases. 25mm for individual figures, 60mm for the PTRD team. I sculpted out of greenstuff paving stones, and filled a Warlord oval base for the one figure with the ammo box.

I then created rubble, cutting down the plastic bases some figures came with, chopping up sprues, and applying copious amounts of railroad ballast to make smaller rubble. Then it all got primed.

First up, from the Plastic Soldier Company, I made a PTRD anti-tank rifle team:

This is my absolute favorite of the lot, though the pictures don't really do them justice today. For the Soviet uniform, I used Army Painter Skeleton Bone for the base, then hit it with Games Workshop's Agaros Dunes contrast paint. While the photos do not do them justice, they look like they're straight out of the Osprey book on the Red Army. The helmets are also a lot more work than they look, Vallejo Dark American Green and Reflective Green, then Army Painter's Military Shade. The rubble has at least four or five grays on it, then washed down.

The two additional figures are planned to flesh out a Warlord 50mm mortar team (very useful in Chain of Command). Both are also Plastic Soldier Company figures. I didn't like them until close to the very end, then I did. Painted the same way as the PTRD team.

These are actually Tamiya figures, from their Russian Infantry set. They're later than Stalingrad (you can tell from the banana magazines on the PPSH), and were frankly absolutely no fun to paint. But they look all right now that they're done.

These are 1st Corps resin casualties. I was converted by some of the incredible games I have played with the Jay's Wargaming Madness crew at Kublacon. His games are always a visual spectacle, and they have lots of casualty figures for atmosphere. Since I do a lot of skirmish games, it seemed appropriate.

Last up is a 76-мм полковая пушка обр. 1927 г., or the 76mm regimental gun M1927. This was the standard Russian regimental gun, and served throughout the war, though it was increasingly superceded by the M1943, which put the 76.2mm gun on the same gun carriage as the Russian 45mm. 

As far as I know, Company B is the only firm that makes the M1927. The gun is a great model, though fiddly to put together and comes with no instructions. The crew I am less thrilled with; the helmets are exaggerated, the faces not that great a sculpt, and overall casting was crude. I had a hard time enjoying the paint job, which may explain why I started the challenge with them, and did not finish them until the last day.

So there we go. Eight standing 28mm figures, for 40 points, six prone 28mm figures for 15, and a gun for another 10.

____________________________

Soviet close-support artillery in Stalingrad? Yup, that sounds pretty grim to me (only to be exceeded by being German close-support artillery in Stalingrad, now that's last stand). Great job on the little vignettes and basework, Robert. Urahhh Stalino!!!

-Curt

From RossM: 28mm Caesarian Romans Part 1 (39 points)

This is the first of two posts that are based around Caesarian Romans.

The two command stands shown below with figures from Warlord Games are for an ongoing project in 28mm: a DBA army for Caesar's Legions.

During Caesar's campaign in Gaul and Belgae a tactical defeat was turned into a strategic victory. Initially the Romans fared poorly however with some tactical changes and the timely arrival of reinforcements Caesar managed an away win, the result of which is known as the Battle of the Sabis.

The idea behind these command stands is that of the Roman centurion rushing forward to defend the Eagle as another legionnaire staggers to the standard with a vexillum. His colleague less fortunate, lies dead at his feet. This was to tie in with the Challenge Island location Benito's Brook.

On the first stand only the shield was painted during this year's challenge, the other figures where completed earlier last year.

I bow my head to anybody who hand paints more than one shield. Whilst not impossible; anymore than one is too many when there are so many excellent transfer available just now.

The wounded vexillum bearer and dead colleague where painted in the challenge and bring the thought behind the stands to "life".

The points so far

1 x 28mm shield - 1 point
1 x 28mm figure standing - 5 points
1 x 28mm figure, prone on ground 3 points
Benito's Brook bonus points - 30 points

Sub total - 39 points.

Running total:

307 - 61 % of Challenge target

Cheers for now

That's a great pair of vignettes Ross (even if one was painted before the Challenge...apart from the shield). 39 points it is, and I see you have another post in the queue.

TamsinP

From SanderS: On to Benito's Brook with some Belgians! (40 pts)

Hoi,

The criterium of a famous or heroic last stand was an easy one since I had gotten the Crisis special figures this year that really matched the description. I'll let the guys from TSOA themselves explain who these two brave men were:

Lieutenant Lippens and Sergeant De Bruyne where stationed in the centre of slavetrade, Kasongo, ruled by Sultan Sefu to end the trade. But unfortunatly, Sefu resisted this and led an attack on the forces of the Belgians.  Both where captured, but a deal was struck for their release.  Lippens was in bad health, and while De Bruyne could have escaped at his expense, he refused to do this and stayed at the side of his comrade.

Eleven days later, the Belgian forces invaded the Arab zone, and over 3000 people fell in the bloodbath.  Out of revenge, Lippens and De Bruyne where executed in a gruesome fashion.

The models this year represent Lippens and De Bruyne taking a stand, with Lippens lying on the floor barely able to stand due to his bad health at the time.

Once again cleanly cast, these models are in scale 28mm, and lend themselves excellent to any games in the Darkest Africa period, as they where made in their stripped down clothing from their time of capture, instead of their formal military uniforms they are honoured in with a statue in Blankenberge.

So I couldn't find any decent painting clues and played it safe with blue trousers and white shirts. I have no idea what I could use them for but they are a nice enough looking vignette to be on display in the cabinet.

Two 28mm figures with the bonus from the Brook get's me another 40 points. On to Millsy's Millpond!

***
Wow Sander, some great brushwork here, and a grim tale behind these fellows - yikes! I think you have done a fine job, not only on the figures, but the groundwork too is just excellent, and fits in well with the setting.  

That will be another 40 points for you, sir! Well done. 

GregB

From StephenS: Seven Samurai gather at Benito's Brook (65 points)

As soon as I read the description for Benito's Brook, I knew exactly what I was going to do - a vignette based on one of my favourite films, The Magnificent Seven (1960 version). How better to represent a brave feat of arms against almost impossible odds? However, I couldn't find any figures I really liked. So then I decided that actually, what I had really wanted to do all along was pay homage to the film that inspired The Magnificent Seven - Akira Kurosawa's 1954 Seven Samurai.

Luckily, Footsore Miniatures and Games produce a very lovely set called 'Seven Ronin', which bear a striking resemblance to the seven masterless samurai of the film.

I had high hopes of getting a proper vignette together, and even put together some MDF terrain from Sarrisa Precision to go with it. Alas, newborn babies and painting challenges mix like oil and water, and time has escaped me.

Instead, seven 28 mm metal figures on their own, ready to defend a village from a horde of bandits despite the impossible odds. That should be 35 points for the miniatures and 30 points for the location.

See, just like the real thing!

Sayonara,

Samurai Steve

***

Greg work Stephen, this is very cool.  Samurai are one of those subjects I sometimes trick myself into thinking I can manage, and I then recoil after finishing a single figure, much less a group of them! Well done, these look great.  I think we can all understand that the priorities of life in 1-to-1 scale must come before the hobby, and that can slow progress, but some fantastic work here will get you 65 points toward your total. 

Well done!

GregB

From Brettm: Rebellions and Blood bowl (144 points)

Challenge is drawing to a close, I just now finished my 5th (6th if you count Sarah's Balloon) spot on the challenge map.

Now for Benito's Brook

After reading some of the Benito's Brook posts. Kinda now wondering if this does classify. To me it was against all odds for what the rebels had to do. In a must win situation. So I give to you the Pathfinders from Rogue One A Star Wars Story

Front view of the Pathfinders

Really like the guy in the middle with the "hoodie" like jacket

Kept it simple with the goggles

These were my first Star Wars legion figures. While I don't plan to play Legion, I do plan on using the figs for other scifi rulesets. Especially Galactic Heroes. 

Also up, the Lizard men team for Blood bowl.

All of them lined up

A bit closer up on half of them. Second attempt on painting eyes. I have yet to actually try on a smaller human figure

Painted a few with some field lines on their bases

Extra tokens that come with each team. Not sure what these would be worth.

Total in points 6 pathfinders and 12 Lizardmen for 90 points. Counting Legion as 28mm that is. Benito's Brook for +30. Assuming my math is right at 120 points. Not sure how the Snowlords peak works, I am working on the next Challenge to get me to it or take Sarah's Balloon if needed. def down to the wire though.

An interesting mix of nicely painted figures for this post. Legion figures are scored as being 40mm; I'm going to score the four large tokens as 2 points each and the smaller ones as 1 point each. That should give you a square 144 points.

As for how Snowlord's Peak works, given how close to the line we are I would suggest emailing him to let him know you are ready to be tasked.

TamsinP 

From a PhilH: Viva la Republica at Benito’s Brook (77 points )

Continuing down the Path of History, we come to Benito’s Brook, which is looking for heroism in a brave feat of arms.

My Spanish Civil War project has been a major project for this past year, and I’ve been rounding out my Republican forces to host a game at the ‘Winter Wonder Lard’ TFL games day in Bristol.

Motley group to round  out the platoon 

And how does this relate to a Benito’s task? Well the SCW is characterised by ordinary folk facing down the Nationalist’s trained and experienced Legionaries and Moorish troops. Be they the people’s militias taking up arms to defend their freedoms and democracy, or the volunteers of the International Brigades, making long journeys to face down fascism.

Riflement destined for the militia and IB LMG team

And in spite of the scheming and mistrust between their political leaders and commanders, they achieved great feats of heroism: halting Franco at Madrid, holding at Jarama and so forth.

35 Division standard

Warrant Officer

Demolition team, from North Star

Also sneaking into this entry, shortly before WWL I noticed I’d be short a Nationalist officer if the players took a certain combination of support choices. Thankfully I had one prepped, so turned him around in short order. On the day, not needed!

Nine 28mm models plus the location bonus adds 75 points to my tally. 

The journey so far, a rapid tour around the island to come! 

Excellent work on these defenders of freedom. With a standout standard to boot.

Martin

From RayR - Benito's Brook - Dulce et decorum est...... (35 points)

Gotta admit, I did struggle a little with Benito's Challenge, then I found this little figure, that I picked up as a freebie at The Other Partizan in 2018.

Its entitled Dulce et decorum est The Great War 1914-1918 and sculpted by Martin Baker

"A figure or vignette related to some brave feat of arms, almost hopeless against impossible odds."

It was the last two words of Benito's Challenge that inspired my choice of a downtrodden and exhusted Tommy .

It was a hard figure to photograph, as he's actually bowing his head in sorrow or weariness?

So I had to angle the figure up so you can view his face. 

I kept the basing plain, no grass tufts or anything other than mud and dirt.

He was a enjoyable if quite solemn figure to paint up and for this reason he shall be put up as another Curtgeld figure. 

Should be a very plain and simple 35 points?

An excellent submission for Benito's Brook.

TamsinP