From BenitoM: Warg Riders (40 points)

For my second post in this year's Annual Painting Challenge I continued with more Uruk Hai additions for Midgard, the recently published miniature rules to play in the heroic ages.  In this case, the first batch of warg riders, the mounted component for my army.

These are four mounted archers and will fight as regular light cavalry; I also plan to use them for scouting/recon patrols in campaigns. 

Note that number of models in a unit is irrelevant in Midgard. Units are arranged in square rectangle bases that you can fill with as many models as you want.  The rules suggests using a 12 cm frontage (which I know will annoy some imperial-metric fans like Richard Clarke) but you are free to use whatever size you deem, as long as all units have the same base frontage (note: depth of the base is not relevant).

Given than I'm basing my mounted units on old GW round 40cm diameter individual bases,  I can put three models per unit. But as I said, you can base individually in rectangular bases if you like to accommodate more models per unit.  

These warg riders are 3D printed models in 28mm designed by Medbury Miniatures belonging to its mounted orc range.

Next in the painting line are some GW plastic warg riders, in the painting pile since early 2000s (they were bought at the time when the Peter Jackson's films were released and GW started selling the LOTR range). 

This post adds 40 points to my score this year (4 x 28mm mounted models @10 points each).   

   

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Hello Benito

The Warg Riders look terrifying!  Your Midgard army  project is coming along nicely.

Another 40 points for your Scoresheet

- Sarah

From BenitoV: Uruk Hai leader, Rulers and Tokens for Midgard (15 points+?)

This is my initial post for this year's Challenge, presenting an Uruk Hai leader and some tokens and rulers to use with Midgard, the recently published system to play battles in the Heroic Age by the Reisswitz Press/Too Fat Lardies stable. 

For those in the unknown, Midgard covers both historical and fantasy-based medium sized battles (between 60 and 100 minis) focused on the action of heroic leaders. Having stopped playing fantasy battles for almost 2 decades, this was an excellent opportunity to undust my old GW LOTR  minis and add some reinforcements.

My first project is an Uruk Hai army. I already owned enough models to create a 200 points army, short of the 300-350 minimum needed to play a battle. For this reason, I'm looking now for reinforcements, and the first step is this mounted leader (or "hero" in the Midgard parlance), to be followed by a couple of warg-riding units.

The models presented today are 3D printed minis in 28mm from the Medbury's orcs range.   

Additionally I have printed and painted the rulers and tokens needed to play with these rules. The rulers are used to move units and to measure distances to charge or shot missiles. The tokens represent units with close combat advantage (red arrows with swords) and units that have already shot in the turn (green ovals with the quiver and arows).

In terms of points the post is worth 15 points for sure (10 points for the mounted model and 5 points for the model on foot) and I will leave to the discretion of the minion-on-duty to account some additional points for the rulers and markers 

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Welcome back to the Challenge Benito!

Great and terrifying addition to your Urak Hai army, that warg is especially fearsome!

In addition to your 15points, I will assign another 2pts for the 3D printed tokens/markers for a total of 17 points

Cant wait to see the rest of your Midgard project

- Sarah

From RossM: The Last Post for AHPC XIV - 30 points

It has been a quick Challenge this time round and both unfortunately and regrettably I don't have much to show for it. 

There is are miniatures in varying states of paint and unpaint across the painting table however due to a variety of different reasons, only the five AVF below are suitable to enter as my second and final post for this year's challenge. 

The Desert War between 1940-43 has always been an interest of mine and on reading a "soft" copy of O Group from the boys at Too Fat Lardies, the rest as they say is history. 

The vehicles are from Pendraken's great range of 10mm WW2 models and the detail shows well once painted. 

There are four Marder II's and one Sd Kfz 10/4 with a 20mm AA gun fitted. The Marders where fun to paint and the extra detail on the sidings of the 10/4 take to dry brushing like a fish to water. 

Sadly, this concludes my AHPC XIV with additional points as below:

10mm vehicles x 5 = 6 points each for a total of 30 points. 

This takes my challenge total to 106 points from 500. Not the finish I was looking for but them's the blows 

Looking forward to catching up with all of your posts from the last three months and November isn't far away. 

Cheers for now

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Great work on these DAK vehicles, Ross. I especially like the weathering and how you pulled out the details on the crew. Great little minis for 10mm! 

I realize your output didn't meet your target, but I know you'll be more than up for it next time we roll out. 

- Curt

  

 

From BenitoV: Last Jump on the Landing Zone (20 points)

It's Father's Day in Spain today and family duties (including the traditional lunch with the extended family) kept me busier than initially expected this weekend. Despite that, I've managed to paint  4 Fallschirmjager in early war uniform, and believe or not, I have finished with the a project started during the lockdown in 2020.

 

The LMG team is a 3D printed model (in one piece) from Eskice Miniatures. The individula model with the ammo box is from the plastic Warlord range.

I have to say that Eskice's FJs are not the best designed models from this manufacturer (unlike for example the German motorbikes). The uniform is not exactly historical (the jumping boots for example look more American than German) and some of the gear elements were not used by the Fallschirmjager in 1940-41 

In any case I liked this model in particular because of the animated poses and sense of action. 

 

 

This is my last contribution to the XIII Challenge. A total of 4 28mm models @5 points each = 20 points. 

 

I'm really happy with my participation in the Challenge this year. both from my own contributions but also enjoying the very talented paint works of mots of the challengers.  I hope to see you around again next December.

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A wonderful last entry, Benito. As you say, the gun crew may be a bit ahistorical, but the pose and setting are excellent, and your excellent brushwork goes a long way to forgive these small sins. Well done, Happy Father's Day and see you next winter!

- Curt

From BenitoV: A Motorbike and Some Green Devils (35 points)

In this very final lap of the Challenge I continued with the WW2 Germans. On the one hand, I have painted the last motorbike with sidecar for my Chain of Command motorized infantry unit.

 

As in the previous two weeks, this a resin 3D printed model from Eskice

 

 

This week I have recovered some leftovers from an old project in our club to recreate the airborne attack on Crete in 1940. I painted and officer and a couple of LMGs in the early war jumpsuit gear. 

Unfortunately, I did not notice until today that one of the weapons is a German MG model 42....impossible to have jumped on Crete. The mistake originated in the Warlord's plastic German paratroopers box, which combines both early and later war models. When I assembled the models, I distributed in two boxes the early and the late, but I may have mixed up this specific model. In any case, too late.

Another 35 points bagged today and getting very close now to my 700 points target in the Challenge. I expect to reach the mark during the Saturday and Sunday frenzy.

Those all look fantastic, Benito! I wouldn't worry over much about the MG42 - at tabletop viewing distance it probably won't be noticed.

Tamsin

From BenitoV: More German Motorbikes (20 points)

As a continuation with the topic of my submission of last week, I bring for this Tuesday more German Early War goodies, in the form of a motorbike with sidecar, to be used as the LMG support for my motorized unit.

 

I have a second model in store but I could not finish basing the model in time. Actually the support unit was supposed to be a total of three of these bikes with sidecars ... but it seems that I forgot to print the third file and unfortunately I have the printer in my family's vacation house (closed until Spring).

 

As with the motorbikes presented last week, this is a Eskice model. Nice detail and very dynamic poses as usual, although the face sculpting is slightly cartoonie.

 

So small addition to my Challenge score this week: after requesting clarification from the minion-in-charge, I was told this model will be worth 20 points, as it comprises two vehicles with two riders (each 10 points)  

That's a nice looking motorcycle combo, Benito. It's a shame you missed printing the third file and can't access your 3D printer at the moment.

Tamsin

From BenitoV: Go West! (85 points)

It took some time to think out what I could paint that was properly aligned with the Western Studio... until in a friendly discussion with some of my club mates about our next Chain of Command project, someone said " Why don't we go West and invade France?"... and suddenly EUREKA!

So today I bring the first models of my German Blitzkrieg-era Army motorbike unit!

 

This is the first batch of the my squad, with the individual motorbike riders. Next in line will be the some motorbikes with sidecars and LMGs.

 

The models are 3D printed and are designed by Eskice miniatures. This is a French designer that has released an impressive array of 2WW related models (infantry, armour, vehicles, artillery, support units)  including a very complete early war French range, Polish, early War Germans and British, and many more. Worth taking a look of you are in the 3D printing side (or to buy the printed models too).

The sculpting style (specially the faces) is a little bit cartoony but full of character. Some of you may remember a previous submission from this same brand with some German Fallschirmjager models.

 

 

With the submission today I score 82 points, calculated as follows:

• 6 x 28mm models riding motorbikes @10 points each = 60 points
• + 2 points for a second rider in one of the motorbikes = 2 points
• Western Studios Bonus = 20 points
• Total 82 points   
  

 

 

Those look great, Benito - a smashing start to your new project. I'm counting the pillion rider as a full figure for scoring, so that's 85 points total.

Tamsin

  

From DougM - I think I have a case of the Vapours* in the Vogsphere (220 Points)

One last push this week...  again, all 3d printed, this time in 28mm, and for your delectation we have some of Imperial Japan's finest efforts. With suitable efficiency, and a Civil Service of many ranks, (in which admission and promotion could be won by beating your superior at Go), I present your Manchurian Candidates, a Type 89 and a Vickers Crossley armoured car.  I do love the Type 89 shot trap of a flat front, and the Heath Robinson nature of the armoured car. Suitable for early campaigns in China. 

Where would an army be without a fleet of bureaucrats ensuring strict compliance with camouflage schemes and making sure there were no unauthorised modifications? No sandbags or welded on track links for Japanese Armour. And of course, you need transport for the inspections. So the Kurogane Type A (looking remarkably like Noddy's car), and the later Type B, which is a US 'Pickup' or an Australian 'Ute'.

I have been playing Chain of Command games set in Malaya in 1941, and these are noticeable for the use the Japanese made of their light armour versus Commonwealth forces with virtually no anti-tank capability. I had already purchased 2 Type 95 Ha-Go tanks, but I thought I might try and print my own. Of course, in case of fails, better print a few, so with these 4, I now have 6 Ha-Go for a game system where more than two would be an extreme rarity. 

Finally, I mustn't neglect my Normandy Panzer Divisions. 12th SS Panzer were equipping with Panzerjager IV in June 1944, though none saw the first actions in the week after D-Day. Just in case, though, and an extra SdKfz 250 is always useful.. 

Not sure if the barrel isn't a little over-scale, but otherwise, nice little prints. Something else totally unsuitable for Bocage country, but well capable of bullying Shermans in more open terrain.

* those of a certain age will recall those one-hit wonders, the Vapours and 'I think I'm Turning Japanese' - recalling all the lyrics 40+ years later just goes to show how much spare capacity there is in the human brain.

10 x 28mm vehicles @20 plus 20 for the Vogsphere = 220 by my maths. And the Japanese armour is another Squirrel point for a total of 11 so far.

1/200 WW2 Japanese Aircraft

1/200 WW2 US Aircraft

1/200 WW2 British Aircraft

1/200 WW2 German Aircraft

1/144 WW1 British Aircraft (not quite enough for WW1 German Aircraft (doh!))

28mm German Armour

28mm Japanese Armour

28mm 12th SS Panzer infantry

28mm Indian Mutiny Sepoys

28mm Dr Who

28mm Austrian Napoleonic

From the Vogsphere, it's into the Great Abyssal and the inner ring...  how many can I zoom around in the next 4 days I wonder?

That's a great set of Japanese vehicles, Doug! No need to worry about having six Type 95 tanks - it just means that you'll have to expand your infantry forces so that you can play "Big CoC".

Tamsin (covering for Greg who has a household emergency to deal with)

ps Yes, I do remember The Vapours. For those who don't, but are intrigued by the reference:

From DougM - Lightning Elephants- Corsucant (sic) - (76 Points)

Not exactly a points bomb, and I am sure no surprise after my 1/200 Japanese WW2 aircraft...  this very versatile hex mat is no longer Kent, it is in fact, paddy fields on Asian islands. 

So first some Army Lightnings. The hard part was finding ways to make a very dull colour scheme a little bit interesting. 

And the Navy is here... F4F Wildcats. As usual, I didn't make them for a particular squadron, but kept them generic. 

Finally, you know when you think an 'army' is finished, and you spot something? Well, it doesn't come much more 'Imperial' conflict than the Indian Mutiny, and who could resist a splendid (and very well priced) AW Miniatures Elephant drawn limber? I think this will be my Deployment Point for Sharp Practice.

That's my 'Imperial' for Coruscant planet bonus, making a total of:

12 x 10mm 'vehicles' @3 each = 36

1 x 28mm 'vehicle' @20 = 20

Planet Bonus = 20 for a total of 76 points. 

Hopefully more to come this week... 

And Squirrels..  now up to 10 I think.

• 1/200 WW2 Japanese Aircraft
• 1/200 WW2 US Aircraft
• 1/200 WW2 British Aircraft
• 1/200 WW2 German Aircraft
• 1/144 WW1 British Aircraft (not quite enough for WW1 German Aircraft (doh!))
• 28mm German Armour
• 28mm 12th SS Panzer infantry
• 28mm Indian Mutiny Sepoys
• 28mm Dr Who
• 28mm Austrian Napoleonics

I was curious about the content of this post based on the title.  I was kind of expecting Incendiary Pigs or some other Anti-elephant ploy that used to exist on the WRG army lists.  However I am well satisfied with what you've presented Doug.  Love the aircraft and that Elephant is just the bees' knees.  Really good work on the saddle blanket and mahout. 

DougM: Yellow-Nosed B*st*rds! - Perelandra (60 Points)

The Spitfires need something to keep them amused, so using the finest historical research material, 'Battle of Britain' MGM 1969...  or MCMLXIX or whatever... I present the 'Yellow-Nosed B*st*rds' of the movie. Home 3d printed 1/200 Messerschmitt Me109E (Emil). 

I faffed around for a fair while figuring out what colours to use, and the cockpit framing and camouflage is inconsistent as I experimented with what I thought looked best. But here they are, ready to give 603 and 43 Squadrons a hard time. 

Of course, one of the drawbacks the Luftwaffe faced during the Battle was that they had to travel across water (Oceanic) and face the (Temptation) to linger too long in combat, risking running out of fuel on the return leg...  so pretty please a planet bonus.. 

Squirrel Points - these add another 12 x 3 = 36 points to 1/200 Luftwaffe to add to the 7 Heinkels, so enough to bring them up to Squirrel status. A grand total of 9 Squirrel points so far... 

From Dave D 

I Wondered when these might be along - another grand addition