From MartijnN: The last post (The Inconstant, The Ambitious) (137 points)

Phew. Managed to get my 6mm cavalry and artillery done just in time. So here are my last figures for Challenge XV:

These are five bases for my Blucher French force. There is a brigade each of dragoons, cuirassiers and chasseurs a cheval, and a both a foot artillery and a horse artillery battery.

Horse artillery and foot artillery

A brigade of Chasseurs a Cheval

Cuirassiers and Dragoons

They are all Baccus miniatures.

There was one Circle of Hell left to visit, Treachery. I had a great idea to paint up a 6mm figure representing the Count De Bourmont, a French Géneral de Division commanding the 14th division, who deserted to the Allies on the morning of the 15th of June, 1815. However, I also had an idea for the first two Spheres of Paradise, so I had to get my priorities right. Having done enough Circles, Paradise was in reach!

So, for the Inconstant and The Ambitious, as must surely be a shock for anyone who followed me along during this Challenge, I have painted two Iain Lovecraft figures. Here is the wobbly old King, representing the Inconstant, and his just a little too eager son, the Crown Prince, representing the Ambitious:

As you can see, the old King likes his liquor a little too much, and his crown is tottering as a result. I will leave it up to you to decide if he is either eagerly reaching for or desperately rejecting the cup his son, who thinks he has been waiting for the Throne quite long enough, is offering him."Come on, dad, one more won't hurt, right?".

They are 3d printed figures. I really love these Lovecraft figures, they are so full of character. I will probably never find any use for them, but they are fun to paint!

And I also painted a log cabin. No points, just for show (and hopefully help persuade Curt to let terrain back in next Challenge 😉). It is a very bad photo, it is a lot more colourful in real life. Very simple paintjob, but I am pleased with it:

So I made it to Paradise in the end. Scoring is easy I guess:

66 6mm cavalry @1 = 66

7 6mm guns @1 = 7

28x 6mm foot @0.5= 14

2x 28mm foot @5= 10

2 Challenge locations = 40

For a total of 137 points. 

Thanks for looking. I'll leave the formal thanksgiving for the wrap-up post, but thank you all for the support and the encouraging comments. I am already looking forward to Challenge XVI!

Martijn 

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What a lovely last post Martijn! I particularly like your Napoleonic French Horse Artillery, but have to laugh and admire your Inconstant and Ambitious. You've been a great booster of Lovecraft's miniatures and these two are worthy additions to your collection. The cabin looks very nice and cozy. Who knows, perhaps my heart (or head) will soften to terrain for next year. :) 

Last but not least, thank you so very much for serving as our Friday Minion. Your comments and support were well received and I very much enjoyed your grand tour of brews and spirits that can be found in the Low Countries. I hope we can imbibe a few in a future visit (along with a rousing rematch of SAGA)!

- Curt

From MartijnN: 10mm ACW and the Four Circles of Hell (Wrath, Heresy, Fraud, Violence) (149 points)

Quite surprisingly, I have painted more or less only 28mm figures during this Challenge, apart from the one 6mm Blucher base of Napoleonic French last week. Obviously, that would not do, so here are some 10mm ACW. I have painted almost all my infantry, but I still have lots of artillery and cavalry lying around. So, I decided to paint up some dismounted skirmishing cavalry for both sides, and some horse holders. I really don’t know why I got those, for they are not necessary for Altar of Freedom, but they look cool anyway I think. I don’t think I will paint up all of them though 😉.

The skirmishing cavalrymen are Perrin figures, the horse holders Magister Militum (basically also Perrin, I think).

Then, this must be almost my last chance to grab some bonus points. I know it is preferable to do separate posts for each location, but in order to ease the workload of Curt and the Minions a bit during the mad dash to the finish I thought I’d better combine them this time.  Last week we were at Greed, so now it is time for Wrath. I present to you the unfortunate but very wrathful Gunnar Dingemansson.

 

He has been confined to a wheelchair ever since a sneaky orc shot him in the backside at the Battle of Grubenhavnor-in-the-Fields-on-the-Garf when he was a wee lad. His brother, who is something of a do-it-yourself guy, made this wheelchair for him. He is still working on a self-propelled version, but has not really got the hang of steam power yet, so in order to keep his remaining limbs intact, Gunnar has to make do with his arms to get up to speed for the time being. As you can see, he is quite capable of doing so, charging filled with wrath and at full speed at any orc that comes into sight. He is, unsurprisingly, a Lovecraft figure, 3d printed.

Next stage is Heresy. This is personified by Brother Johann. Johann was a boy tending his father’s sheep when one night he received a vision. It was revealed to him that the only True God was Baa, the chief sheep. It was his duty to go out in the world with his woolly  Disciples to spread the Word of Baa. Here you see hem reading from the Book of Baa to his flock. 

What is good enough for his sheep, is good enough for Johann. Thus, he dresses in shades of black and grey. 

Johann is again a 3d Lovecraft figure. I think the sheep are from Great Escape Games for Dead Man’s Hand.

Next, we arrive at Violence. According to the famous dictum of the British bard, Hell has no fury than a woman scorned. I do not know if this lady was scorned, but she is clearly prepared to dole out some violence and I would rather stay behind her.

 

She is also a 3d printed figure, this time by Join or Die. She is part of a ladies’ warband for Dead Man’s Hand, but the others will have to wait a while yet.

Finally, we arrive at Fraud with another 3d printed Lovecraft figure. In one of his projects, Iain Lovecraft did a bunch of figures “inspired” by Terry Pratchett characters. This his Cut-my-own-Throat Dibbler, accompanied by the only one who really appreciates his sausages:

Here’s what Wikipedia has to say of him:

Claude Maximillian Overton Transpire Dibbler — usually known by the epithet "Cut-Me-Own-Throat", CMOT Dibbler, or simply Dibbler, or even sometimes as just "Throat" — might be described as the Discworld's most enterprisingly successful unsuccessful entrepreneur, no-one has failed at success more times than Dibbler. A 'merchant venturer' of Ankh-Morpork, and the master of selling the 'sizzle' over the steak, Dibbler is most famous for selling meat by-products to unsuspecting passers-by, and also suspecting passers-by who have gotten sick from his sausages before, thus demonstrating that he is indeed a very good salesman.

So that’s that for now. I hope to finish some 6mm Napoleonics before the Challenge ends, but we will have to wait and see if I succeed in that. As to scoring, I am going to a be a little cheeky here and score the six horse holders as 10mm cavalry @3 points. However, if the Minion of the Moment decides that’s shaving it too closely and scores them as 12 foot figures @1, I think I can survive. I’ll score the sheep and the little dog as 10mm figures to, so 1 point each.

We have then:

24 10mm foot @1 = 24

6 10mm cavalry @3= 18

7 animals as 10mm foot @1=7

4 28mm foot @5= 20

4 Challenge locations @20= 80

For a total of 149 points.

Which sees me shooting past my target after all!

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Geez, you present to us to a tremendous potpourri of wonderful miniatures Martijn. The 10mm dismounted skirmishers, with their attendant mounts and minders, look excellent. I also really like Gunnar who makes it very clear that it takes all types to make a successful adventuring party (I look forward to the steam-powered version in a future Challenge). I've never been a Terry Pratchett fan, I but like the background story (and hopeful pup). I think my favourite is the sheep and the Prophet of the Book of Baa. Excellent work (and I love the 'Sound of Music' background you used). Well done sir, and congratulations on exceeding your Points Target!

- Curt

 

 

From Martijn: Final Saga Saracens and Blackbeard (Greed)(105 points)

This week, I have painted up the final unit of mounted Saracen warriors from the Gripping Beast Starter. I know that there are many out there who can paint the complete starter set in a day or less. and far better too, but I am very happy to have actually completed this small project!

Once again, they are really nice figures and enjoyed painting them. Even though they are cavalry ;-).

I mainly used contrast paints again, and Geek Gamers' base ready for the basing.

So here is the complete warband:

For this week's theme, I had to find something suitable for Greed. Looking through my backlog I found this Lovecraft pirate figure. I painted him up as Blackbeard, the famous pirate captain. I gave him a uniform coat he pinched off some unfortunate victim. I think he is very fitting for the Greed theme.

So, that leaves us with:

8 x 28mm mounted @10 = 80

1x 28mm foot @5= 5

Greed location bonus = 20

Grand total 105

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Hello Martijn

Lovely post!

I particularly like your greedy pirate … Blackbeard looks very charismatic, deadly and proud of his captured spoils 

The Saracen’s are also well done, I really enjoy their colourful robes and the dynamic poses of the figures and the entire war band  looks deadly.

- Sarah

From MartijnN: More Saracens, entering Hell, and some pointless buildings (Limbo, Gluttony, Lust)(159 points)

I have worked some more on my Saracen starter for Saga. Gripping Beast metals again. First up is the warlord, a really nice figure:

Being utterly unimaginative, I painted him up per the box art. Next, I painted a small unit of four bowmen hearthguard:

That leaves me with just one unit of mounted bowmen warriors to paint. Should be possible ;-)

Then, it seems time to finally enter the Circles of Hell. Or else I might never reach my target!

First, Limbo. These 6mm French Napoleonic figures from Baccus have sat on my painting desk for ages. They are not difficult to paint, but that's maybe why I keep putting it off. Anyway, they are my perfect entry into Limbo:

They are based for Blücher, the Sam Mustafa ruleset for big battle Napoleonics.

Next circle is Gluttony. I painted this serving girl carrying a large tray laden with food and drink. A great meal for a glutton!

She is a 3D printed figure designed by Iain Lovecraft.

Cher was famously "born in the wagon of a travelling show, my mother would dance for the money they throw". Next up are two gipsy dancers, again 3D printed figures by Iain Lovecraft. I think these seductive ladies are a good entry for Lust.

Finally, another figure that languished on my painting desk for a long time. Alas, it is not very fitting for the next Circle, but I decided to paint him up anyway. Once again a 3D printed Iain Lovecraft figure.

He does hide a nasty surprise behind his back. Perhaps he is a Witcher?

Finally, not for points, some 15mm ACW buildings. I have had these for at least 25 years, so it was about time to paint them. Yes, I know, it is a perfect waste of valuable Challenge painting time, but I wanted to try out a recipe for painting wood by Stuart from the Miniature Realms YouTube Channel.

I need to keep working on this technique, which wet blends grey, green and brown speedpaints, for I would like a more greyish look. Still, I think they look okay.

Anyway, that's it for this week. Scores:

5 28mm mounted @10 = 50

4 28mm foot @5 = 20

58 6mm @0.5 = 29

Limbo, Gluttony, Lust = 60

For a total of 159 points. And a 6mm squirrel.

All of which should enable me to still reach my target by the end of the Challenge...

It you stayed with me to this point, thanks for looking and keep up the good work!

Martijn

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Hello!

Great paint job on the Iain Lovecraft figures! And well done on passing through Limbo, Glutoony and Lust/

I'm very much looking forward to seeing you catch and beat your Challenge target  :)

- Sarah

From MartijnN: A very mixed bag (86 points)

This may well be my last post for this Challenge, and it is definitely my last regular Thursday post. It is a bit of a mixed bag. 

First, for my ongoing 1866 project I have two Austrian light cavalry brigades of the 1st Light Cavalry Division of the Reserve Cavalry.  Brigade Appel, consisting of the 9th hussars and 2nd dragoons, and Brigade Wallis made up of the 10th hussars and the 1st dragoons. At this point, all German cavalry wore white, dragoons as well as cuirassiers, but 1st and 2nd dragoons had been converted from cheveaux-légers en had retained their old green uniforms. 6mm Baccus figures, as usual.

Then I have painted up some more real estate, again mostly by Leven and Battlescale I think.

And some hedges, you can never have enough of those. These work equally well for 6mm and 10mm I reckon.

Finally, some more Iain Lovecraft pirates and/or general 17th-18th century types. And a beggar.

As I really had not realized we are already that close to the end, I did not really plan for another library theme. So no map.

However, I won't let you go without a final book recommendation. This is just a book that I read recently and enjoyed. It is Never Greater Slaughter. Brunanburh and the Birth of England,  by Michael Livingston.

Livingston is a well-known medieval scholar with many titles to his name, among them books on Agincourt and Crecy. This volume is on the Battle of Brunanburh in 937. Quite an achievement to write a book on a battle about which hardly anything can be said for certain. However, the book is very well written and argues convincingly for the location of the battle in the Wirral, while also painting a very vivid picture of medieval battle and the situation in England at the beginning of the 10th century. Much recommended. 

Michael Livingston and Kelly Devries also do a very interesting and also much recommended podcast, Bow and Blade. A must listen for anyone remotely interested in medieval military history. Battles from Thermopylae to the Fall of Rhodes by two military historians who know their stuff and also share the problems and dilemmas facing the historian confronted by few or unreliable sources. Great fun as well.

Scoring:

6x 28mm/32mm foot @ 5 = 30

36x 6mm horse @ 1 = 36

8x 6mm buildings and 17x 6mm/10mm hedges = 20?

For a total of 86, which should take me past my updated goal.

Thanks to all for stopping by, and in particular a very big thank you to Teemu for some great minioning!

TeemuL: A mixed bag indeed, I guess that's common at the end of the Challenge, when all the almost-dones projects are hurriedly finished instead of starting another project. At least that happens to me. Those pirates and their companions look terrific, I think I need to buy some of them myself. And the hedges are handy, like you said, can be used in different scales. 6mm cavalry and buildings are nice additions to your project, too. Well done achieving your target!

From MartijnN: 32mm Pirates, Beer and Music [Art](70 points)

Who does not like pirates, or buccaneers?  I know I do, as a child I read lots of books from the library about famous pirates in the mysterious Carribbean. So when Iain Lovecraft ran a pirate Kickstarter I of course had to back it. I actually printed these 32mm "heroic scale" figures for the previous Challenge, but you know. This time, however, I managed to paint some up.

First, we have some very elegant but very dangerous lady pirates:

I really love the lady pointing her sword quite imperiously.

Then, there are three gentlemen:

I really like these figures, they are full of character, some quite over the top and others very businesslike.

Now all I need is a suitable pirate game rules set. I do have the one by Osprey, but haven't played it yet. I must organize some appropriate terrain too, but that will first have to be printed or bought. We'll see.

Pirating makes thirsty, so here is the cafe staff, also from Iain Lovecraft. 

Finally, I should move along in the Library, and I enter the Art section. For this, I have two art forms; poetry and music.

Here is a lute player or minstrel, again from Iain Lovecraft. I think he is from the The Frost series. He is more of a medieval type, but I am sure he can be made to sing the praise of some doughty privateers.

And finally, a poet designed by Evan Carothers. This is more of a 28mm figure, but I love him posing with his book in his hand and some rolls of paper in his quiver. Some "Cannon to the right of them, cannon to the left of them" as an ode to an intrepid Captain Hook is certainly in order I should think. 

Which brings us to the map:

I have a bit of a lame book recommendation, because although I read many books about pirates as a child I actually have none myself, not even in Dutch, apart from the Pirate book in the Osprey Elite Series which many of you will know very well. So we'll turn to art instead, and to be precise to the Art of War. I won't recommend Jomini's  Précis de l'Art de la Guerre so as not to seem too pretentious, but Rory Muir's Tactics and the Experience of Battle in the Age of  Napoleon covers the subject nicely:

This a great book covering just about what it says on the tin. Published by Yale University Press, so not really for the general reader, but still very accessible. Chapters on the various branches of the army, command and control, before and after the battle, various types of combat, it is all in there, illustrated by many contemporary sources from men who had to experience war and battle during the period. Well-written, well researched, a very good book I thought. No illustrations, that would have been a boon, but nevertheless much recommended.

So there we have it. Scoring is simple again:

10x 28mm/32mm foot @ 5 = 50

Art section bonus = 20

For a total of 70 points.

TeemuL: The cafe staff looks great, you have done a great job painting the foam! Makes me thirsty!  And I'm quite sure the pirates don't care if the lute player performs songs from incorrect era. In general I really like the bit faded look on the bar staff compared to brightier pirate crew. I do hope you manage to find some rules to play with these jolly fellows! Waiting eagerly for the possible second post of the day...