From PaulO: Camel Caravan (70 points)

Abdulla musters his caravan and prepares to depart his home (terrain not part of the submission)

My first entry for this year's challenge comprises my first ever Ships of the Desert! I've painted them up for use as a scenario objective or for baggage elements in Crusades era gaming, though they would also work with some Beau Geste type French Foreign Legion gaming in North Africa, or amongst the Redcoats in Afghanistan.

These doughty chaps are also my first step onto Challenge Island. I was hoping to be the first to unload camels onto Docherty's Docks, but instead of being first-est I will content with being the most-est thus far: I hope the harbour master is content with them!

These lovely models are from Castaway Arts in Northern Queensland (http://www.castawayarts.com.au/) - this makes them Australian Camels! Did you know that Australia has approximately half a million feral camels?  Introduced in the 19th Century to support exploratory expeditions, species of Bactrian Camels and Dromedaries now live wild in the Outback. Indeed, Australia now has a thriving live export business selling stock to the Middle East!  Perhaps these are the first Australian camels to be exported to AHPC :-)

Army Painter Desert Yellow undercoat worked well for the camels, followed by a wash and some highlights. This saved quite a bit of time and let me focus on the colours and patterns on the bagge to bring the group to life.

Great to get my first entry in before the Christmas mayhem begins. Points wise I suggest that these count as 4 x mounted figs noting the stowed baggage and rider for 40 points, plus the 30points for a Challenge Island location.

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Haha! This is absolutely brilliant, Paul - love it. Sarah and I just read an article about Austrailian feral camels. Wow, who knew?! And I love that you folks now export them to the Middle East. That's just bonkers.

I really like your colours for these and will be shamelessly stealing your recipe for my upcoming stab at these. I also really enjoy the vibrant colours of their baggage and the the clothes of their drover. Brilliant.

70 points will put you in a nice position for your debut entry. Cracking work, Paul.

From DaveD - P3 -Sudan - 79th Queens Own Cameron Highlanders & Camels 275 points - ish!!

I am at last back to full production and have a few posts for today . I started this unit on the very first day of the challenge because I knew it was going to be a time soak due to sheer complexity - please someone invent tartan paint.  Cameron tartan is a complete swine to paint - more than the others due to the various colours - with 8 different colour operations just for the kilt (that's one more than a whole Mahdist warband takes for goodness sake) . So you could say I am glad to have them done!

This unit is another large British unit for the collection in the traditional red tunic - the 79th fought at the battle of Ginnis in red , the last battle where it was worn- well who doesn't like a big unit of highlanders in red - unless you are on the receiving end I guess. The unit is 48 foot figures and and mounted officer - all Perry 28mm metals. I still need to do a skirmish company for them , and will pick the figures up shortly.

Steady lads - has anyone seen the latrine wallah Millsy? 

They complete the final Highland unit for the campaign - I already have the Black Watch and Gordons completed. 

Phew - 250 points base - there must be a bonus for tartan right..." HHMMM!...."

I have noticed a distinct lack of camels around these parts - so time to start rectifying that. 

For Xmas my good friends Ian and Kay decided to surprise me with some figures - they chose a camel baggage train from Castaway Arts - a fine choice as I continue to build up the main baggage  train toward 50 camels... 

So 25 points of camel goodness... - so it begins...back to more dusty stuff I go 

Oh and 3 posts should have Miles twiddling his spreadsheet o'doom.. he he...

From Ray

Good grief, he's back with vengeance!!!!

Comrade Dave will soon be Challenging you top 10 Boys and Girls for a place on the podium, I feel it in my bones!

Expert painting Dave, I'm all one for historical accuracy but 8 colours per figure for just the tartan, "Are you Mad?!?"

I'd like to see a close up of one of the kilts if we can please? Did I ask if you were mad?

Talking of mad I thought I read a 50 camel Baggage train is on the cards? Can't be? Surly not?

49 foot figures = 245

3 Camels = 25 inc rider

5 bonus Tartan points

Total 275 Points

From DaveD - Sudan - Egyptian Lancers (100 points)

The one arm that was missing from my Egyptian forces was cavalry. I picked up a bag of lead in a swap a while ago and it had these figures from Castaway Arts from Oz. They do an interesting and unusual range of colonial items, and I like to use a range of manufacturers across the collection.

I decided to leave these with lances upright , and just went for simple solder the 0.8mm  piano wire "lance" into hands and foot socket. 

Lancers are always my favourite cavalry - you can't  beat fluttering pennants making their way across the table.

10 mounted - 100 points

A wonderful unit of cavalry Dave. Like you, I like adding different manufacturers to my collections (even if they don't mix especially well) as it keeps thing visually interesting. These figures from Castaways certainly don't disappoint. I like the upright positioning of the lances as it seems fitting with the pose of their torsos. I also like your horses and fluttering lance pennants.

Another great addition to your impressive collection, Dave. Well done!

 

From DaveD - Sudan - Ambulances, Baggage and Cavalry (150 Points)

Yup - still at the Sudan stuff. No point nuke - just a gentle nudge across the finish line.  Here we have 2 Ambulance Camels, baggage camels, (Castaway Arts) 3 mules, two handlers, a  walking camel , and laid down one (Connoisseur Miniatures - preparation for the Camel Corps)

My last unit for the challenge last year was a unit of 12 Baggara cavalry -  it seems appropriate to finish off by topping it up with some more - in this case another 8 figures (Perry Miniatures) - and I decided to rebase them (the pereniall wargamers bugbear) all mixed in altogether onto larger bases.

It has been a wonderfully focused, productive winter season. I really enjoyed the side challenges with Millsy -  though lets not hear any more from MC Hammer Mr Mills - I had to resort to 

 Millsy - here is a present  - Enjoy

 I ended up with far more painting time than I initially thought this year due to a lot less day job travel interference, which was a real bonus. The armies for the Sudan are certainly more then large enough for gaming with now. I will be putting on a large game at the Wargames Holiday Centre at the end of October - bringing the Sudan back to life there has been a long term aim. This is year 4 in the challenge that figures for it have made an appearance - I think I can say there wont be any Sudan figures in next years challenge (hmm Zulu's there's a thought..wait ... wait... stop that thought...)

So here is the Mahdist army painted over the last 4 challenges - ready for trouble.

The Imperial forces stand at 3 infantry brigades and cavalry brigade - altogether i reckon i have about 300 figures left to finish the whole project off over the summer.I shall get a picture of them all on my own blog when the project table (see below) has been cleared !

As for what next ? Given the lead mountain had been reduced to a mere mole hill it has now been seriously topped up , and the wallet has taken a serous bashing - a few supplier have been made considerably richer. Next up is Nile steamers, and the Camel Corps- all freshly delivered.

Thanks must go to Curt (and of course Sarah!)  for organising and herding the various cats to allow all this to happen - you're mad - in a wonderful way.

To my fellow Challengers it's been a feast of eye candy - with a host of workman like, creative, off the wall unusual entries . Flying carpet wars, clockwork monkeys, LotR, wonderful pulp entries. So many to choose from.

Thanks also to our sponsors for encouraging and rewarding our little corner of the blog-o-sphere.

For those of you attending Salute this year I shall be at the meet up - arrangements are all sorted

So for another Challenge year - its goodby from me! At this point we traditionally hand over to Ray Roussell to carry out a sandbag manouvere... so duck you lot.


From Curt:

A majestic final entry Dave, make no mistake.  You can take a final lap (on your favourite camel) with the gold laurels of victory firmly on your head. 4138 astounding points.  I sweep my hat in the dust. Bravo to you, my friend!

Thanks for your kind words Dave, but I have to say its you and all the others in the Challenge that make this such a wonderful event to host.  

Congratulations again Mr. D!!