Facing a Monstrous Challenge - The Participant Roster for Challenge VIII

'Geez, what did you guys do to make him so angry?'
'Blame Ray! He just had to go and ask the big fella where gets his budgie smugglers...' 

Paint at the ready and brushes in hand - We have our 80 Argonauts! Below is the participant roster for Challenge VIII. 

If I've made any slips in the list just drop me a note. In a few day I'll be installing this roster on the side panel to chart our progress over the next few months.

Next up: Side Challenges & Paint Duels!

	Challenger Name	Target	Home Blog
1	AaronH	650	http://ahunt-dulceetdecorum.blogspot.com/
2	AdamC	500	http://fencingfrog.blogspot.com/
3	AdrianD	400	https://bulletsbandagesandlard.blogspot.ca/
4	AlanD	500	http://dux-homunculorum.blogspot.ca/
5	AlexK	500
6	AlexS	2500	http://awiblackpowder.blogspot.ru/
7	AnthonyO	1500	na
8	Barks	1100	http://wargamingwithbarks.blogspot.com/
9	BenF	600	http://littletinmen.blogspot.com/
10	BenitoM	500	http://mylardiesgames.blogspot.com.es/
11	BillA	500	http://dice-and-doubloons.blogspot.com/
12	BrendonW	500	http://dagamerstable.blogspot.com.au/
13	BrettM	1000	http://skisgameaddiction.blogspot.com/
14	ByronM	1500	http://wpggamegeeks.blogspot.ca/
15	ChristopherS	500	https://christopher-bunkerhill.blogspot.de/
16	DaveD	2500	http://onemanhisbrushes.blogspot.ca/
17	DaveX	750	http://lefthandedpanzerfaust.blogspot.com.au/
18	DavidB	1750	http://darthbrom.blogspot.ca/
19	DebD	500	http://www.tarandesignstudio.com/
20	EdwinK	500	https://diplomatist2.blogspot.co.uk/
21	EricM	2500	http://spasticwargamer.blogspot.com/
22	EvanH	500	http://canisterandgrape.blogspot.ca/
23	GrahameH	1500	na
24	GregB	1000	http://wpggamegeeks.blogspot.ca/
25	GuyB	400	http://www.karwansaraypublishers.com/
26	IainW	750	http://caveadsum1471.blogspot.ca/
27	IannickM	500	http://parlabouchedemescanons.blogspot.ca/ http://maraudersandcitadels.blogspot.ca/
28	JaccoK	500	na
29	JamesM	700	http://themadtinhatter.blogspot.co.uk/
30	JamieM	750	http://agogonline.blogspot.ca/
31	JasperO	400	http://www.karwansaraypublishers.com/
32	JeremyM	400	na
33	JimI	500	na
34	JohnM	500	http://fuentesdeonoro.blogspot.ca/
35	JonathanO	1000
36	JuanM	300	http://jugandoconmunequitos.blogspot.ca/
37	Kawe	200
38	KeithS	1500	na
39	KenR	1500	http://yarkshiregamer.blogspot.co.uk/
40	KentG	2500	http://kentspainting15mm.blogspot.ca/
41	KyleC	1000
42	LeeH	1000	http://www.blmablog.com/
43	MarkW	500	na
44	MartinC	1000	http://28mmheroes.blogspot.ca/
45	MartinN	400	https://moitereisbuntewelt.blogspot.ca/
46	MichaelA	500	http://28mmvictorianwarfare.blogspot.ca/
47	MichaelF	300	http://minimike-ministories.blogspot.ca/
48	MikeD	550	http://whoopty-damn-do.com/
49	MilesR	200	http://lairoftheubergeek.blogspot.ca/
50	Millsy	1000	http://canisterandgrape.blogspot.ca/
51	NickJ	500	http://agogonline.blogspot.co.uk/?m=1
52	NoelW	500	http://adderphue.blogspot.co.uk/
53	PaulO’G	500	http://tasmancave.blogspot.ca/
54	PaulS	500	http://mythostransmissions.blogspot.ca/
55	PeteF	500	http://bloodylittlesoldiers.wordpress.com/
56	PeterD	200	http://singlehandedadmiral.blogspot.ca/
57	PhilH	250	http://infrequentwargamer.blogspot.ca/
58	PhillK	500
59	RayR	500	http://onelover-ray.blogspot.ca/
60	RichardC	500	na
61	RobH	500	http://rhingley.blogspot.ca
62	RobertH	200	http://custermexicoblog.blogspot.ca/
63	RobertW	500	na
64	RossM	300	http://brushesandbases.blogspot.co.uk/
65	RoyW	200	http://nevermindthejankers.blogspot.co.uk/
66	RusselG	400	https://talesfromtheattik.blogspot.co.uk/
67	SamuliS	1000	http://engineered-gaming.blogspot.fi/
68	SanderS	1000	http://modusregmagnimomenti.blogspot.ca/
69	SeanS	500	http://seanswgcorner.blogspot.com/
70	SebastianR	400	https://miniaturestrategy.blogspot.co.uk/?m=1
71	ScottM	800	http://scottsgamingstuff.blogspot.ca/
72	SidneyR	400	http://sidneyroundwood.blogspot.ca/
73	StephenS	750	https://144paces.blogspot.com.au
74	SteveM	2500	http://tarandesignstudio.com/
75	TamsinP	1300	http://wargaminggirl.blogspot.ca/
76	TeemuL	800	https://vainvader.wordpress.com/
77	TuomasL	500	na
78	ValeryN	1000	http://abyss-off-narval.blogspot.ru/
79	VictorC	500	https://operationwargaming.blogspot.com/
80	Curt	800	http://analogue-hobbies.blogspot.ca/

The Eighth Annual Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge

As the days grow shorter and the temperatures dip below freezing, we here in the Canadian prairies start to think about the onset of winter which means snow, Christmas, snow, the New Year, snow and most likely a bit more snow before Spring arrives. For me, it also marks the start of a strange bit of madness, the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge!

This year marks the eighth edition of Challenge, which is something I thought would ever happen back when it was just me and a few other painters trying to make some headway through our unpainted Napoleonic collections. Now, with seven editions behind us, we have had hundreds of painters participate, working in virtually every scale and genre imaginable. The Painting Challenge has become a major part of my hobby life and I am mindful of the many good times and friendships which have stemmed from it. AND It's a nice way of whiling away the winter months. :)

Anyway, enough of the preamble, lets get on with the show.

________________________________________

When I was reflecting on this being Challenge 8, I thought it would be fun to riff on the word 'eight' and to build a theme of ravenous, monstrous things that we all loved as kids (and, face it, many of us still do as adults).

So, Challenge VIII (or 'Challenge Ate') is dedicated to our most cherished, or feared, monstrous things. 

The Rules

The Challenge will extend from the beginning of Winter, 12:01 am December 20th , through to the first day of Spring, 11:59 pm March 20th, Central Standard Time.

Figures can be cleaned and primed prior to the start date, but you cannot start painting until December 20th. In order to be fully scored the figures should be based and any planned groundwork completed. The figures have to be painted by you. The Challenge follows the honour system in the completion and entry of figures. 

The figures can be in any scale and in any genre (pulp-adventure, science-fiction, fantasy, etc.).

In order to be scored, photos of all figures/units along with a short description must be uploaded to the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge blog. Up-to-date scoring will be maintained on the blog's main page. I will send out an email to all Challengers prior to the event with further details.

Participants must have an entry submitted within the first month of the event (i.e. January 20th). Failure to do so will result in being dropped from the roster.

The Administrator (me) will participate, but my score will not have any standing in the Challenge (except for ridicule and any duels I'm silly enough to accept).

The Scoring

6mm foot figure = 0.5 point
6mm mounted figure, artillery piece or crew served weapon = 1 point
6mm vehicle = 2 points

10mm foot figure = 1 point
10mm mounted figure, artillery piece or crew served weapon = 2 points
10mm vehicle = 3 points 

15mm foot figure = 2 points
15mm mounted figure, artillery piece or large crew served weapon = 4 points
15mm vehicle = 6 points

20mm foot figure = 4 points
20mm mounted figure, artillery piece or crew served weapon = 8 points
20mm vehicle = 12 points

28mm foot figure = 5 points
28mm mounted figure, artillery piece or crew served weapon = 10 points
28mm vehicle = 15 points

40mm foot figure = 7 points
40mm mounted figure, artillery piece or crew served weapon = 15 points
40mm vehicle = 20 points 

54mm foot figure = 10 points
54mm mounted figures, artillery piece or crew served weapon = 20 points
54mm vehicle, limber, etc. = 30 points 

Other scales, miscellaneous models/figures will be scored on a submission-by-submission basis. 

New Insanity: Terrain Submissions

A new aspect to this year's Challenge will be the ability to submit terrain for scoring. This was a little tricky to figure out how to administrate easily, so I've tried to keep it simple: 

Think of a 6" cube. If your terrain piece (or collected terrain pieces) fill that cube, you get 20 points. If your terrain would 'fill' multiple 6" cubes, then multiply 20 points for each cube of volume. 

Terrain filling the 6" cube on the left would be worth 20 points. The composite group on the right, made up of eight cubes, would be worth 160 points.

Example 1: I've painted three 28mm barrels and six trees. They would roughly fill a single 6" cube. I would get 20 points for this. 

Example 2: I've constructed and painted a large 28mm manor that is approximately 12" wide, 14" long and 10" high. All in all, this would roughly take up 8 cubes worth of volume. This would give me 160 points.

Submissions of terrain should be sent in with a picture illustrating the scale of their work (a ruler laid alongside should do the trick). This will give your hard-working Minion a basis for scoring. Extra points for extra detail, scratch-built insanity, etc. will be left to the Minions to adjudicate as they see fit.  

The Minions

While I will serve as the master of ceremonies, I have also press-ganged a group of Minions to assist me in keeping this madhouse in order. Here are the poor sods, er, excellent fellows I've signed-up for this year's edition along with their day-in-the-sun:

• SidneyR: Monday

• SanderS: Tuesday

• RayR: Wednesday

• JamieM: Thursday

• Curt: Friday

• MichaelA: Saturday

Sundays will alternate for Theme Rounds and Theme Results (more on this below)

Challenger Personal Targets and Duels

Similar to previous years, I ask that each Challenger declare his/her points target that they hope to achieve by the March 20th deadline. Many participants have found this a great incentive to help maintain their pace over the three months of the Challenge. I encourage Challengers to pick a target that is just beyond your comfort zone, but still achievable. As a rough benchmark, 400 points is considered a manageable amount for someone who is new the the event and/or has a busy work/life schedule. Also remember that a significant amount of points can also be secured by participating in the Bonus Rounds (more on this below).

Relating to the points targets, many folks have a lot of fun issuing 'duels' to other participants in order to race to meet a declared target, paint the most figures for a specific period, etc. I leave this to the participants to organize, but we're happy to log the duels and keep track of their progress.


Point Thresholds & Prizes

There will be six point thresholds set out for the Challenge. Each time a participant reaches a Point Threshold his/her name will be entered for the prize drawn for that level. So, the more points you accumulate the more prizes you will be eligible for. We have many generous prize sponsors who I will introduce in a following post. The Threshold prizes will be drawn at the end of the Challenge.

Threshold I: 500 points


Threshold II: 750 points


Threshold III: 1000 points


Threshold IV: 1500 points


Threshold V: 2000 points


Threshold VI: 2500 points

There will also be prizes for the top three positions in points, Challengers' Choice, Judge's Choice and Sarah's Choice.

The Fortnight Theme Bonus Rounds

Same as previous years, we will have a series of thematic Bonus Rounds. Each Bonus Round asks Challengers to enter a submission that illustrates a particular theme. The Bonus Rounds are not mandatory, they are just a little bit of fun to pace out the the Challenge and allow people to gain some points and fame through presenting themed vignettes and single figures.


Those Challengers who submit an entry for a 'Fortnight Theme Bonus Round' will receive an extra 50 points on top of the regular entry tally.


Figures for the Theme Bonus Rounds should be 15mm or greater and can be of a historical or fictional subject.


These are interspersed every two weeks over the three months of the Challenge. Below are a listing of this year’s five theme rounds, along with their corresponding submission/display dates:

'Flight' (January 6th submission / displayed January 7th / voting results January 14th) 

'BFG: Big Freakin' Gun' (January 20st submission / displayed January 21st / voting results January 28th)

'Music/Musician' (February 3rd submission / displayed February 4th / voting results February 11th) 

'Childhood' (February 17th submission / displayed February 18th / voting results February 25th) 

'Monstrous' (March 3rd submission / displayed March 4th / voting results March 11th)

The theme submissions are to be sent in by 12:01 am (CST) on the specified date (In other words, get it done and submitted by Saturday night!).


For each bonus round I'll post a poll, listing all the round's entries so visitors can vote for their favourites.

The Call
For this edition we will be placing the cap at 80 participants, with a reserve block of slots being kept aside for those people who have participated in four or more Challenges. 

For those who have a reserve spot, please RSVP to me by December 3rd to confirm your participation, otherwise your spot will be made available to anyone who did not make the first deadline and are on the waiting list.

Otherwise, the remaining 42 places are available on a first-come-first-serve basis.

For all those who wish to participate please send me an email, providing:

1) your full name,

2) country of residence

3) your blog address (if you have one), and

3) your points target for the three months of the event.

My email address is:

curtcampbell at mac dot com


I will post a comment below when all the slots are filled and again when the roster is complete.  (NOTE: The participant roster is filled.)

The Price of Entry

In previous Challenges I've asked each Challenger for a memento in the form of a painted figure, but this year I give the option of either providing me a miniature of a monstrous creature or to make a contribution to a charity of your choice. If you are struggling to decide on a charity to contribute to, I'd like to suggest a small donation the Regina Humane Society. The donation page can be found here. If you wish, you can make it in memory of our lovely Great Dane, Clive (who was a magnificent monster in his own right).

'Challenge Ate' starts at 12:01am December 20th!

See you in a month! Now, go get some figures prepared for painting!

The Dork Lord Himself

Peter D here.  I posted this on the Facebook group today and someone asked that it go on the blog as well...

I woke up this morning to find the Dork Lord himself on the cover of my local paper

1885 telegrams give new insight into the North-West Resistance

New online exhibit launched by the Provincial Archives of Saskatchewan includes approx. 1000 telegrams sent between military forces and the Canadian…

leaderpost.com

The Seventh Annual Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge Awards

Let's see if we can do this a bit better...

Well, all the votes are in for 'Challengers' Choice', Sarah has made her selection for 'Sarah’s Choice', I’ve done the same for the Judges selection and we’ve made the prize draws for the six points thresholds. Whew! It was a busy week!

This year we had 43 nominations for this award with 63 people voting. It was wonderful to go through the gallery of nominations as it provides a wonderful sampling of the three months of the Challenge.

For those wishing to see the voting results, they can be found here.

_____________________________________

Challengers' Choice

Honourable Mentions go to RodF's Whompers, DaveD's Viva Zapata and Curt's Spanish Rodeleros.

Rod's 'Whompers of the 1st Royal Regiment of Hoppers'

Dave's 'Viva Zapata!'

Curt's 'Spanish Rodeleros'

Third Place goes to AnthonyO's 'US Airborne'. Anthony will receive a gift voucher from Barrage Miniatures. Wonderfully done Anthony!

AnthonyO's 'US Airborne'

Second Place is awarded to ByronM's whimsical 'Steampunk Mary and Bert'. Byron will receive a free 1-year subscription from 'Wargames, Soldiers & Strategy'. Congratulations Byron!

ByronM's 'Steampunk Mary & Bert'

First Place for 'Challengers' Choice' goes to my Francis I at Pavia. Okay, wow. I'm incredibly honoured to get the nod for this vignette, so thank you very, very much. I'll be donating the the prize to Nina and Valerie of 'Sarah's Choice' (see below). 

Curt's 'Francis I at Pavia'

Judge’s Choice
 

Honourable Mentions go to ByronM's, KyleC's and MichaelA's collective submissions, absolutely masterful work sirs. 

ByronM's 'Arena Rex Beasts'

ByronM's 'Rail Golem'

KyleC's 'Afro Samurai'

KyleC's 'Dwarf Alchemist'

MichaelA's 'Grail Knights'

The Judge’s Choice goes to BenF's AWI fabulous Highlanders. Though some may raise an eyebrow to the Campbell connection (ahem) I know nobody can deny the excellence in the brushwork and basework exhibited by these figures. Well done Laddie! Ben, I'm delighted to give you a gift voucher for a 3x3 gaming mat from Deep Cut Studios.

Sarah’s Choice 

I spent a lovely Saturday evening curled up with iPad and a glass (or two) of wine, perused all the varied and terrific entrants for the most coveted of AHPC awards, the Illustrious Sarah's Choice. :) From ginger haired Stormtroopers to lady assassins, Spanish Civil Wars milicianas to gangster molls, fantasy clerics and 40K Sisters of Battle, the roster was wonderful and eclectic. I applaud you all!

Honourable Mention to the Tribe of Bromely girls, Nina and Valerie. 

Well done ladies! I love Valerie's wood elves and especially your TreeWoman. Nina, your Litch queen is terrifyingly lovely. If either of you girls decide not to continue with your painting, (but you should, because there is real talent there) I believe you both have a future in storytelling... I am looking forward to the next installment of both your armies adventures and I wish to give you a gift certificate from Dragon's Den Games (your Dad and Curt can work out the details). :)

Honourable Mention to Ray R
Queenie from Blackadder is divinely imperious and you have captured her spirit so well. (confession; I have a weakness for all things Blackadder)
With this figure, you have "erased" the She-Bear entry from the lore of past AHPC entries. Well done!

The award for Sarah's Choice goes to AlanD for his Women from the Retreat from Moscow.

As I have lived with Curt for twenty plus years (yikes!), his love for the Napoleonic Era has been absorbed into my own interests and your Retreat from Moscow really just blew me away. Wow! So evocative and your colour choices, basing etc really conveys the cold, perilous and uncertain journey these women would have experienced.

This was my favourite as it is so thought provoking and I found myself thinking of these figures/scenes at the oddest times.

Congratulations Alan!

Bravo to everyone and I am looking forward to having Curt back from his painting desk. Oh wait, he's signed up for the Lead Painters League.
Oh well, coffee, wine, Netflix and two dogs will keep me entertained. ;)

Until next time,
Best to All
Sarah

ps: I'm still waiting for someone to paint Empress Josephine...

Thank you my dear, and congratulations to Alan on his Sarah's Choice! Alan, you will receive a 30 Euro Gift Certificate from Barrage Miniatures.

Points Threshold Prizes

Next we have the Point Threshold prizes. These are a random draw awarded to participants who broke through the six points barriers over the course of the Challenge.

Threshold I / 500-749 points: IsobelS

(24 paints of choice from War & Peace Games)

Threshold II / 750-999 points: MichaelP

(Gift Certificate from BigRedBat Ventures)

Threshold III / 1000-1499 points: ClintB

(Gift Certificate from Diplomatist Books)

Threshold IV / 1500-1999 points: SanderS

(20 GBP gift certificate from Warbases)

Threshold V / 2000-2499 points: SteveM

(Skirmish figures from Murawski Miniatures )

Threshold VI / 2500+ points: EricM

(30 Euro Gift Certificate from Barrage Miniatures)

Also, Idesigns Hobbies requested met to award a prize from them to an appropriate hobbyist working in the Epic 30K/40K genre and I can see no better recipient than JohnM for this new foray into this period. Enjoy John!


Finally, I think it only proper to give some prizes to our Paint Titans who dominated the points roster:

3^rd in the Points Standings: GrahameH: (Figure Voucher from Orinoco Miniatures)

2^nd in the Points Standings: MartinC (60 GBP Gift Certificate from Barrage Miniatures)

1^st in the Points Standings MilesR (100 GBP Gift Certificate from Westfalia Miniatures)

Congratulations to all the prize winners and thank you for sharing your wonderful work with us. Please contact me to work out the details of your prizes.

______________________________________________

Another Painting Challenge, our seventh, is now behind us.  I’d like to thank all our Challenge Sponsors for their generous support of the event. The sponsors are listed on the right sidebar, so if you have a free moment please visit their sites, see if something strikes your fancy and consider giving them some trade.  As I frequently say, the Challenge doesn’t need prizes for it to be a success, but it sure adds a little fun to the proceedings. Again, my great thanks to all our wonderful sponsors!

Finally, and I really can't say this enough, I want to thank all our Challenge participants. This event would be nothing without you. It is your industry, your excellent humour and most of all, your good will  that makes the Challenge what it has become. Bravo to you all.

I bid you all a fond farewell. Until the wind chills next autumn..

Curt

______________________________________________ 

From Paul O'G: AHPC VII Offerings from my Man Cave

Another blast of a challenge with some great entries from players young and old, and some wonderful diversity in scale, periods and techniques.  I always learn a lot from others' work here, thank you.

Its seemed like more at the time, but I'm very happy with the horde!

For myself, edition VII was a personal best on several fronts: highest AHPC score (and the first time I've broken the "Dux line" of 1k), best hobby productivity I've ever achieved and as a result, I humbly submit, the best quality painting I've yet produced.  It feels that way anyway :-)

The smile of the self satisfied gamer!

Thanks to one and all for the comments and encouragement, the lads at our Gaming club who helped  get newly painted troops onto the table each week, my co-minion Dux (that was a lot of fun, thanks mate) and of course Curt.  Another triumphant challenge event!

I better replenish the lead pile ASAP!

Like many of you and I am having major withdrawals and trying to push through it by planning ahead for AHPV VIII.  Next year I am returning to sea so I am planning a limited scope but themed and maximised for quality.

ByronM - What I did this winter!

When people find out you are from Winnipeg, and that it normally gets down to -40 for at least part of the winter, the inevitable question becomes "What the hell do you do when it gets that cold?". 

Here is my answer, "This year I stay inside and do this...."

I aimed to get 1000 points done this year, but over achieved by quite a lot, ending with around 1600 points, so quite a lot!

Funny enough as well, I view myself as mainly a 28mm wargammer, but looking at what I did this year, most of it is NOT 28mm, or at least it seems that way.

I now run into another issue...  Last year I re-did my man cave and put in a bunch of cabinets to hold and display things.  As you can see, I have one tiny opening left, and all this stuff to put in it.  Hmmm, first world issues....

Also, last weekend was the Manitoba Model Soldier Society painting competition, so I took a few pieces from this year out to it, a gang I painted just before the challenge, and some tanks from last years challenge (that I forgot to take last year) and came away with some hardware!

Bronze in Wargame Unit Category

Bronze in Historical Ordinance Category

Bronze in Historical Category (Hence me not including the scorpion!)

Silver in Fantasy Category

So four entries and four metals (3x Bronze and a Silver)!  Not too shabby, given the quality of painting around here.

With that, another year's challenge is done and over with.  Thank you once again for running this Curt and trying to keep us all on track and giving us something to do over the winter.