From SamuliS: Regiment von Steindel (140 points)

Fresh from training is my next Saxon Regiment, von Steindel. This time two battalions with green facings. They are the last line infantry battalions of the 1st Saxon Division, so half of the line infantry and about a third of all the infantry is now done. The project is moving on slower than originally planned, but then again the start of our 1813 campaign has been postponed as well so no hurry. Painting these at a leisurely pace has also helped keep an interest up. Last year I painted up 13 battalions of Swiss infantry in two months, which really killed my interest in painting anything for a while. I'm not keen to repeat the same mistake.

As before the minis are from AB and the flags from GMB. Great stuff, but it seems that the moulds Fighting 15s has are starting to age a bit as these had a lot more flash than my first batch of 4 battalions. Another major issue was the distribution of different poses. There's only 4 poses anyways, but in my last set of 80 minis I received 34 and 32 of two sculpts and only 4 of one. So the variety of poses was massively lopsided. To keep at least a bit of variety in I was forced to throw in another casualty figure to allow me to spread the rarer sculpts out a bit more. In the future I might have to start doing some headswaps with french minis to add a bit more variety to the lot.

Everything that can be said of the paint job has already been said, so I'll just stick to the numbers then :) 1 mounted commander, 32 infantry and 1 casualty figure should net me 140 points and take me over my 1000 point goal! And without any bonus rounds this time around! I think without them it's bordering my personal best in the challenge if you remove any themed round points received. And in a shorter challenge as well! Batch painting similar minis has certainly helped and with a looming mid-life crisis I've been slowly moving more and more towards analogue hobbies (ba-dumm-tsss) instead of digital ones has seen me paint more even though my free time has been steadily diminishing with family additions and increased work load.

So with a few days left still I'll still try to manage one final entry! Only a couple of miniatures that I got from the Secret Santa gift exchange. It's high time that I'll get them done as well!

These are absolutely stunning Samuli. The white and green Saxon uniform really looks lovely and I like your use of a casualty figure to cover the gaps in poses/numbers (I do this quite a bit when I'm feeling lazy - which is, well, quite a bit of the time). I know it seems like a grind but keep it up - the project will be spectacular when you are completed. Well done.

And yes, I agree, analogue hobbies are the best hobbies. :)

From Evan&GrantH - 28mm British Paratroopers (220 Points)

Hey Everyone! First off, my apologies for the extreme delay in sending in a submission. Unfortunately, life took a rather unexpected turn for the busy during the challenge and I have been rushing around handling school and work.

At any rate, here are 48 Canadians of the 1st Parachute Battalion that I have widdled away at over the last few months! Some still needs some more basing work, but due to the time crunch I figured it would be best to present what I have.

I looked for more specifics concerning their Denison smock and gear colouring this time and tried using darker shades for just about everything since it proved to be easier to work with. The faces still prove to be a challenge and any insight as to a good way to paint them would be greatly appreciated as well. Still, it took quite a while to finish the set but I am very pleased with the results!

I will have a gambler ready to present hopefully by tomorrow and if my WWI miniatures come in time I will wrap those up too! 

Grant

Ah, it's better late than never Grant - welcome aboard! These figures look very good and what a great mob of them. The Denison camo can be quite tricky, but I think you've done an admirable job with it. I quite like your 6 Pounder and support weapons as well. For the paras' berets, I suggest giving them a thin wash of dark purple. I say this as their berets historically were more burgundy than red.  

Realizing that you didn't get all your basework done I will have to deduct a few pips from your total, but at 220 that is still a great schwack of points to help out our cause. Great work and I look forward to seeing your next entry!

From Ray R - Donnybrook - Sedgemoor Rebels (50 Points)

Not sure why I painted these up.........??  I was supposed to be painting Moors for Tangiers, but you know what its like, that little voice in the back of your head!!

These are 10 Reiver Castings figures, pack Mon 4 from their very large range of late 17th Century Wars. The plan was after I've painted up all I need for Tangiers to spread and paint a small Monmouth Rebel army.

Well here's the start just a little early, my 6th entry into the Challenge should earn me 50 points!

Ray, buddy, when you hear that little voice in the back of your head it usually means you have to go to the washroom. That's probably why your family is wondering around the house wearing hazmat suits... ;)

Seriously, great work on these rebels (and not a blaster or Wookie in sight). I like that they are all armed with assorted farm implements and are wearing a variety of civilian attire. A wonderful addition to your Donnybrook force. Well done Mr. R. Now, take a break from the paint-desk and attend to those 'personal matters'. ;)

ByronM - 15mm M1 Abrams Main Battle Tanks (36 points)

As I said from the start, I had a plan for painting this year, but it would be highly unlikely that I would actually follow it.  I have actually been doing better than I thought I would, but then a little while back I saw Greg's excellent post on the Team Yankee figures, and more specifically the American M1 Abrams tanks.

The M1 has always been my favourite tank out there, as it was one of the first modern tanks I saw and learned about as a kid.  It has all sorts of things about it that make it great, and horrible all at the same time.  Seeing some cool 15mm plastic kits available for them got me on board.

However, rather than using them specifically for Team Yankee, I have done them up as tanks for the Gulf War.  Here is my take on three M1's and three M1A1's.

I knew I didn't want them shiny and new, and do not buy the line that "American tanks don't get dirty or chip", so went looking for some images to work from.  While seeing nothing out there that shows them chipped up (I blame American propaganda and censorship of the intrawebz) I got some good ideas for weathering.

Due to the scale I started out with a base colour and then modulated it around the edges and center.  I did not use a chipping medium under them this time though as at 15m I was a bit worried about pulling too much off, so decided to paint them on after.

Once base coloured, I put on the decals, then chipped and highlighted edges.  I copied Greg's style of using broken highlights instead of highlighting a full edge, which he apparently got from TacoBat who I went and checked out as well.  I like the look a lot as the small highlights look more realistic than the traditional full highlight I am used to since I learned to paint the GW method originally.

After that I started applying powders to weather the tracks, wheels, and body.  Then added more powder around the engine and exhaust vents. Then went on to clear coat the tank and then added rust streaks and rain (fluid) streaks to give some more variation.  Lastly I painted the lens flairs in a purposely bright colour scheme to add some high contrast to it.

I also stole Greg's idea of using bristles for antennas instead of wire after seeing his as they allow you to be less careful with the models while playing.

I wanted to base them all as well, since I think 15mm vehicles look better based, and did up one base as a trial run (which I like) and just sat the vehicle on it for a picture.  I would do bases for all of them but this was all I had kicking around.

I hope to get the Cobra's that came with the Team Yankee box done before the end of the challenge as well, but have a ton of overtime work to do this weekend and a pile or 28mm terrorists and zombies to finish, so no promises.

Since I have referred to Greg a few times here, I will do so one last time.  Greg likes to complain about fiddly kits, especially plastic ones, and his lack of patience or skill with them.  Normally I bug him about them and say they really are not that bad and then pick on him about complaining (that's what friends are for after-all, right?), but I have to admit this time he is spot on! The kit is lovely, with great details, but the instructions are horrible, lacking part numbers, sequence, clear directions, or even indication on what all the extra parts on the sprue are for. Top that off with super thin pieces that are just asking to break and you have a pretty poor kit that could have been a great kit. 

The hull, tracks, and turret are all great, but all the small or thin parts (guns) are way too fiddly at this scale.  It would have been far better to provide the guns for the tanks and the rear rotor and main rotor center assembly for the helicopters in metal.  As it stands right now, I know that eventually those pieces will break since they are plastic.

Anyway six 15mm tanks should net me 36 points for my total and towards my modern challenge. Hopefully I can add some more to that soon.

Holee Cow! These look great Byron. Frankly, I find the design of the Abrams a bit boring, but you've made them come alive with your weathering techniques here. I also like the little additions you've done, like the long aerials and the amber reflection on the optics.  I too am a big fan of basing smaller scale vehicles and I think your test base looks very nice, especially with the added texture of the brown and golden tufts. Well done Byron!

From StefanK - Col. Steiner from 'The Eagle has landed' as Curtgeld (20 Points)

As usual I've been keeping one of the most important entries of the painting challenge for last:

The entry fee 'Curtgeld' miniature

Last but not least a couple of twins:

Both version of Col. Steiner side by side

It's Warlord Games's interpretation of Oberst Kurt Steiner which some of you might know from the classic war film 'The Eagle has landed'. In this movie Sir Michael Caine plays the German Fallschirmjäger colonel who gets the order to kidnap or kill Winston Churchill during a secret mission behind enemy lines. He and his fellow soldiers jump off over Britain and try to get hold of the Prime Minister while he's spending some time in the county.

Since a couple of fellows and me want to play this story as a Bolt Action scenario I wanted to have the figure for my own and since Curt asked to have a 'Risk Taker' miniature as entrance fee (aka. 'Curtgeld') I decided to paint a second one right away.

Even for me it's quite difficult to distinguish both figures but the bases are slightly different. Although I chose the same material I set the foliage slightly different to prove that's really two versions of the same miniatures. Anyway the figure itself is a very nice piece. Very good sculpting and a really crisp casting. Actually what I would expect from company that is on her way to claim a market-dominating role in our hobby.

As usual I employed Vallejo Model Colors as well as the Wargames Foundry skin sestet. Somehow I think the trousers and the cap should have been more bluish. Anyway I'm satisfied with my figure so I hope Curt is satisfied with his as well.

For those few who don't know the movie, here is the trailer: 

 

Steiner is a wonderful figure and a great example of a 'Risk Taker' - thank you so much Stefan. At first glance I hadn't realized there were two renditions of the same figure, as your work was so good in duplicating them - wow. His face and flesh tones are superb and I like that you've given him black leather gloves which I remember clearly from the negotiation scene in the movie. Very, very nice.

I hope you have a great play of the scenario and that Steiner makes it through to his target, poor fellow. Hey, perhaps you can use both figures as a ruse de guerre against the Allies! Feel free to delay shipment if you wish. ;)

From PaulO’G - Koryu Buntai and Ghillie Suit (55 Points)

Better late than never right? I thought so too!

To add to the figs' authenticity, I painted them watching the adventures on Shintaru in the classic series The Samurai

I've let myself down in the challenge this year.  Perhaps I should have listened a bit more closely to my inner cynic reciting the challenges of moving 16,000 kms to a new house, job, country, hemisphere.  Anyway, despite not making my total I was determined to avoid being a 'no entry guy' and at least have one worthy entry.  So finally, here are 9 samurai of the Koryu Buntai faction for Ronin.

My favourite 3 figures in the Buntai

I had no plan to buy this game or its figures but once again I became a victim to shininess after meeting the game's author Chris Woodfield at CanCon and having a great chat with him over dinner and beers (first world problems, I know).    However, painting these got me rather frustrated because after almost 2 years without a brush in hand, my skill fade was far worse than I had expected.  Anyway, I have them finished now and am happy to register 45 points worth of achievement.

All the colour and patterns was quite a change from my usual figure styles and camo.

but I'm rather pleased with the clothing.  The base flowers add to the colourful appearance too.

I'd like to thank two people in particular.  Actually now that I think about it they were the ones who peer-pressured me into this in the first place...

Firstly Miles, who very kindly donated not one but two beautiful Langton 1/1200 ships to my cause.  I had every intent of making those my entries (and even accepted a Naval side challenge ) but unfortunately logistics issues made that an untenable proposition (yes they somehow got mixed up with my sea freight and only just arrived).  On the plus side I still have them to look forward to painting and they now have more squadron mates in my inventory.  Thanks Miles, I'm looking forward to giving them the attention they deserve. 

 And to show my appreciation, here is a spreadsheet just for you:

My challenge productivity: started badly and tailed off in the middle...

Secondly, thanks to Dux who came to my rescue at the eleventh hour with the gift of an Army Painter basing set so I complete my submission- thanks mate, that was very thoughtful !

So thats my entry for this year - way off course from where I thought I would be but much better than a zero point no show (plus I like to think that I have some reasonable mitigation).  I hereby also concede my three side challenges.  Regardless, I'm happy to be on the scoreboard and am looking forward to putting these figs on the table.

I would also like to present this bonus figure: The 1:1 scale camo had its own challenges and took me away from my other modelling projects but the smile on The Lad's face is priceless (this ghille suit is for his upcoming Cadet Corps bivouac).  If a 28mm fig is worth 5 points then I leave the value of a 1680mm fig up to the judge's consideration :-)

Ahh, it's great to see you Paul! I know you've been very, very busy with your relocation of life but, hey, it is a painting challenge isn't it? Nevertheless, I see you've picked up the gauntlet magnificently with this entry as those Samurai are fabulous! I think what you may have lost in 'skill fade' others would be delighted to possess as both the uniforms and basework are excellent on these figures. (After seeing that first grey-haired model I think I need to get this set...)

That ghillie suit is amazing (do you Australians call it a 'Yowie Suit'?). I literally can't see your boy in the first shot. Wow. Great work Paul - that's got to be worth 10 points at least. ;) 

It was great having you para in, Paul - I just knew you'd make an appearance! Let's hope you can be with us longer next time out. :)

From DavidL - Black Templar Terminators and Land Raider (45 points)

As the finish line looms closer, I finally at least manage to put some points on the board towards my Black Templar project. I'd hoped to get through my entire Templar list this Challenge, but so it goes.

I've always had a soft spot for the 40K universe, but most of my gaming in that setting has been via Epic-scale engagements. For various reasons, I never got into 40K proper back in the 90s. I've nearly gotten into it a few times over the last 10 years, but I lacked a project that really fired my imagination.

That changed when I discovered the Black Templars. I love their look, I love their lore. In a gothic sci-fi universe, they are the most gothic of all. I used to field an Empire army for Warhammer Fantasy Battle, and I think the Black Templars come closest to capturing that same visual aesthetic. I was additionally pleased to find out that Forge World offer a variety of resin and brass-etched "add-ons" to properly pimp out one's Templars in grand gothic fashion.

What we have here is one of the centerpiece units of my Templar force: five Terminators and their Land Raider Crusader transport.

The Terminators are kitted out with custom shoulder plates and shields from Forge World; for their helmets, I swapped in appropriately knight-like pieces from Puppets War (gotta love those third-party Eastern European conversion companies!).

As befits the Eternal Crusaders of Righteousness, these guys are positively festooned in purity seals. (I love purity seals.)

And then there's the behemoth that is the Land Raider Crusader. This thing took almost as long to build as it did to paint! Coming off of painting WWII tanks, which are usually no more than 3-5 pieces total, it was a bit daunting assembling this thing, with its dozens of parts.

Size-wise, it's truly massive - probably the largest vehicle miniature I've ever painted.

Once again, lots of nice additional details courtesy of Forge World.

I'm quite pleased with how the black turned out on both the Terminators and the Crusader. I used Andrea Color's "Black Paint Set" (as I did with my Soviet sailors in my last entry) and the kit worked great both with the brush and airbrush (although the rather viscous paints needed a lot of watering down for the latter).

I'm going to knuckle down and get one more entry in before the closing ceremonies, so I won't say cheerio just yet...

Superb work David. I've always had a soft spot for the Black Templars as they have such a classic colour scheme and brutal aesthetic about them. I really like your use of white as an accent to accentuate the helmets and weapon casings - it looks very sharp. Your Crusader Land Raider is a wonderful centerpiece as well, especially with those marvelous Forge World add-ons (to which I'm going to add a few more points as I know how fiddly those things can be). Again, great stuff David!

Tribute to Tamsin - Penelope McFadden: Pulp Adventuress

Tamsin's been a great supporter of the event ever since her first Challenge (back to the 3rd edition, I believe). As many of you know, she's quite a competitive lass and very driven to succeed. Over the past four Challenges she's participated in she's accumulated 7946 points. Yeah, no matter what scale you divide that into that's a huge heap of painted miniatures. This year she's done a terrific job in stewarding the Tuesday group and we've all enjoyed her great sense of humour, unflagging enthusiasm and good will.

 

My Tribute figure for Tamsin came to me quite easily. Last year I was in on the Kickstarter for RAFM's new range of Cthulhu miniatures, and one of the character figures from that was an excellent sculpt of an adventuress which you see here. As soon as I looked at the figure I said to myself, 'Oh yeah, she's definitely a redhead. Tamsin would get a kick out of her.' I also thought Tamsin would like the figure as it's a little off the beaten path, not being an especially well-known range.

When I was painting her I thought she'd make a great 'Penelope' and with her red hair I thought a good Scots-Irish name was in order. 

The figure is quite charming, very willowy and elegant in her pose. To me she seems very self-possessed and unflappable - quite ready for the next thing to come her way. Much like our Miss. P I think!

I hope you like her Tamsin. Thanks again for all your help this year, you made our Tuesdays terrific . :)

Curt