From JamesM : 15mm Battlefront German Luftwaffe 3.7cm AA (44 points)

Hi Folks,

My first entry for this years challenge, despite having started earlier than I did last year (and actually having prepped!). In fact, I think the prep I did actually held me back as the sheer number of models on the shelf acted as a bit of a demotivator. In the end I decided just to focus on one unit at a time, and not worry about the newly excavated cliff of the lead mountain I had built for myself. It's always much easier when the lead mountain is out of sight...

Anyway, as the challenge falls over my own 'Gunuary' project, for this challenge I will mostly be painting 15mm WW2 German guns. I've Nebelwerfers, 88's, artillery, AA and more 88's in the queue.

I'm breaking my duck with a unit of three 3.7cm Flak43 models from Battlefront (product code GE548). These guns should have been painted with SS crews, but I decided to go with Luftwaffe crews. Mainly because my overall project is to have FoW forces representing all the various elements that took part in Operation Totalize (7-8th August 1944 - Normandy). III Flak Corps were present in the area of the battle, so I've a plan for a load of 'reluctant trained' Luftwaffe 88's supported by poor quality security platoons and lighter AA batteries. I had also painted my 2nd and 3rd RAF Typhoon's earlier this year, so my Germans need some AA cover!

Initially, the Germans had planned to have lighter AA guns provide AA support, mainly their 2cm guns in single, double and quad mounts. However, as the war progressed they realised they needed heavier 'medium' guns. The Flak43 used the same ammo as the 3.7cm Anti-Tank gun the German army used, but had a higher rate of fire (around 250 RPM). In many ways, this weapon would be similar to the 40mm Bofors gun.

Gun barrels have been angled to indicate fire at either a distant aircraft or perhaps a slightly closer ground target.

I've gone with my usual basing style, which helps fit everything in together. I also, after some indecision, eventually went with a camo painted gun shield, although with my usual edge highlighting style over the top. Some branches of vegetation 'camo' my be added at a later date, along with some spent casings (although I think these guns had a method for catching the ejected casings, to be re-used) but for now I'm calling them done!

Despite my switch to 4th Edition Flames of War, I'm also still painting up command stands - mainly because they come as part of the pack! I also went with large bases, despite some inconsistencies in the FoW website about whether these guns should be on medium or large bases. The large bases allow for the limber.

Just to prove there is a gunner in the gun!

Total for this lot is 3 x 15mm scale AA guns and limbers plus 15 (there is a chap sitting on the gun, although you can only see the helmet in these pics!) 15mm figures all from Battlefront.

From Ray

Wow! These look terrific James! The painting is crisp and clean and I love the added camo effect. I for one hadn't a clue about Luftwaffe personnel manning artillery during the war, and they sure look cool in their blue trousers.
The basing is certainly up to your usual standard and really adds to the whole effect of the end product. Nice one!

I've given you an extra 2 points each for the limbers James, which I think is only fair, giving you a total of 44 points! 

I still can't see the helmeted figure?

From LeeH : Bromhead (5 points)

Today's entry is both a departure from and dedication to my big winter project, the Anglo Zulu War. This figure by Black Scorpion Miniatures is most definitely not 6mm in scale and has been sitting in my lead mountain since I bought it at Salute in 2012. I initially base coated it for use during my first foray in the Painting Challenge (AHPC IV back in 2013/14) but never got round to starting it. It was again rolled out as part of my to-do list when I entered Challenge VI and again for Challenge VII so its high time I finally put some paint on this figure!!

Lieutenant (later, Major) Gonville Bromhead was second in command at Rorke's Drift in January 1879 when a small garrison of just 139 soldiers repulsed repeated assaults by over 4000 Zulu warriors. Bromhead was immortalised by the actor Micheal Cain in the 1964 film Zulu and this figure is based on that theatrical version.

The figure was originally produced in a limited edition Resin casting for the 2009 Salute show and was initially a limited edition of just 100 castings. Fortunately Black Scorpion decided to produce the model in white metal and I'm really glad I snapped up my copy.

From Ray

You're only supposed to blow the bloody... Sorry wrong film!
Well well Mr Hadley, are we going to see more 25mm figures from this period??? I do hope so, skirmish Zulu's sounds like a plan?
Bloody good show on Bromhead ol' boy, a very cool looking figure that I've not seen before.
A very well earned 5 points to your total!

From Barks: The beatings will continue until morale improves (20 points)

I like finished stormtroopers; but it is a bit of a grind getting there- and there's only four this submission! Over a white basecoat I pick out details in Panzer Grey, then give a strong black wash. I then pick out all the white bits. It takes about 40 minutes per figure for the final stage.

"Stop rebelling!"

I like these guys- they've got great dynamic poses. I do need to tidy up the bases.

4 x 28mm riot troopers

From Ray

Short and sweet, that's what I like Barks!
I did enjoy your foray into Star WarS during the last Challenge, and shall look forward to seeing more from this great film.
I think you've done a great job on these, I always find white a hard colour to get to look right and these 4 sure do!

4 Stormtroopers = 20 points!

From RoyW: 28mm EMP Games Assortment (31 points)

My first offering to the Challenge takes the form of six 28mm miniatures from EMP Games, though painted up for the Colonel Bill's Wargames Depot trade stand (apologies, for the shameless plug!)

First off we have three 28mm Jungle Goblins

Apologies for the "Roy@Col.Bills", its there to help should my photos be published on another forum and the person doing the redistributing fails to credit me ownership. 

I never got around to painting any of Games Workshop's Forest Goblins, so I quite enjoyed painting these 'Green-skinned' miniatures. Plenty of character to the sculpts, which made them a pleasure to paint. 

Next up are three 28mm Toadstool men.

I did go to the lengths of researching actual toadstools for the colours, but I've since gone and deleted the files with my research so I can't label the correct identities of each painted miniature - Doh!

To be honest, I wished I'd painted the markings on the 'red cap' as stylised white circles as I'm not keen on how the paint job has turned out. But you live and learn, as they say.

The finished six miniatures, all shown together.

And a bonus photo showing two, additional, EMP Games miniatures that I painted before the Challenge commenced.

Next up for me will be my contribution to the 'Flight' bonus round, then some more EMP Games miniatures - four 28mm Pineapple Tribes miniatures.

Cheers 

Roy

From Ray

Welcome to the Madhouse Roy, you're in for 3 months of craziness, I hope you know what you've volunteered for? 

I'm sure Stuart will be impressed to add these little devils to his stock cabinets. While not the most colourful, I do like the grey mushroom, reminds me of my old pal Fran!

Your 6 EMP figures will give you 30 points but I'm going to add an extra point for the grey muzzy!

From PeterD - 28mm SYW Chasseurs du Fischer (60 points)

12 figures for the Challenge plus 2 on the right painted in 2016 for contrast.  Note the darker more monotone uniform.

Here's my first post for this year's challenge.  I've been participating since Challenge number 4.  This year I'm dealing back my target due to having to take on extra duties under one of the two hats that I wear.

These are 12 light infantrymen from of the Chasseurs du Fischer, an irregular unit from the French Army that served in the War of Austrian Succession and Seven Years War.  Fischer's unit was one of the better irregular units and grew to a 8 companies each of foot and mounted chasseurs.  They were heavily engaged in the Kleine Krieg throughout the war.

The figures are from Front Rank, who deserve a shout out for good service.  I had a small group of 6 chasseurs painted a year or so back and ordered 6 more to make a larger unit.  My package seemed late arriving, and after another Front Rank package arrived (which I ordered later) I contacted them to see if they could track it.  The next morning I got a note back saying that they'd sent out a duplicate package to replace the missing one.  Sure enough both packages arrived safely in the end, but Front Rank said to keep them both.

The right hand file are from the lot painted in 2016.   Need to fix the collar on the chasseur in the centre!

The figures are very nice and painted up nicely.  I like the droopy moustaches and the mix of loading/firing poses.  Front Rank figures tend to be stouter than Perry's for example, but with this period the bulkier clothing styles hides a lot of the extra bulk.  The mirliton (or flugelmutze to use the lovely German term) adds to the irregular feel.  Nothing better for skulking in the underbrush than a tall stiff felt hat with a long fabric tail on it!

From the rear

For the first set I'd painted, I found that the solid green I'd used was a little flat and so opted for a wash technique to bring out more details,  This was an old technique that I'd used for my 15mm Austerlitz armies 35 years ago, and can give the impression of an aqua colour print, which I like for Lace Wars armies.  I'm not sure that this was the best decision, but that bridge is crossed now.  Perhaps I'll go back and touch them up or add a deep wash over top.

Uniform information on even regular units can be sketchy for the SYW, and there were conflicting opinions on this unit to be sure.   While my fist six have white belts, black cartridge boxes and brass buttons, I opted for buff belts, brown cartridge box and pewter buttons for this lot.  I found this print to use as a guide, which also illustrates the problems inherent with keeping up with current hat fashions.

A (non-baker's) dozen foot chasseurs in 28mm at 5 points a pop gives me a starting volley for 60 points.  At least I've broken my duck.

Ok it's most of the new group.

From Ray

A fantastic first entry into this year Challenge Peter. The SYW was my first love in wargaming, although mine was in 15mm. I do like the shade of green you used, its a great match to the picture above. Its good to hear that Front Rank were so willing to help and let you keep the extra figures, perhaps I need to do an order or two with them???

Just as you said 12 of Monsieur Fischer's finest  will earn you a very respectable 60 points!
I'll leave the new meta label in, I wonder if Curt will delete it??? (I have no idea what you're talking about... ed)

From TomM: Ostermark Noble (10 points)

The first entry of the new year, and it is a bit of a small one though, as well, the first Wednesday came early to get stuff painted.  Family visits and such you know...

But to continue the steady drizzle of grabbing points left and right in the challenge, I am going to try and upload painted figures every week, and work to my target in that way.

The Province of Ostermark, in The Empire, is home to perhaps the most infamous city of the land, Mordheim.  Ever since it's destruction, the rural province has been plagued by bands of marauding Chaos followers, skittering Skaven and unlawfull highway men.

The standing army of Ostermark as such has it's hands full of keeping the province more or less safe, and the local Nobles often ride out with small parties to scour the land of any unwanted tourists.  Ostermark is also home to perhaps the most dashing uniform colours in the Empire, sporting a purple and yellow scheme (God, I hate painting yellows).

This noble as such has the barding and his clothing in the infamous eyecatcher colours, stoically observing the lands, lance at the ready.

The model is one of the older metal GW generals from the Empire, I believe he was from the era of the 6th edition somewhere early 2000s, and has been, well, lingering about 20 years in my boxes as such.  With me boosting up the Empire for a huge Age of Sigmar multi-player event at the club in august, I`m trying to put some units out and the Challenge is excellent to get of my easily distracted behind and actually work on the force while rotating with the other projects.

That is it for this first time in 2018, a simple 10 points for an 28mm cavalry figure to get the year going...

From Ray
Congratulations Tom, you are my first victim in this years Challenge, and a hearty welcome as this is your first Challenge, although not your first entry of course!
I've got to admit I know absolutely nothing about the Age of Sigmar or Empire armies, but I have painted a few figures before to flesh out my long gone 25mm Landsknecht army.
I do like the purple shading on barding of the horse. That's a colour you just don't see enough of in gaming. As you said this badboy will net you 10 points!
Do you still own that dodgy Pikachu hat?

Wednesday Minion Ray

That dreaded time is hear..

Yes its me at the helm, Wednesday Minion RayR!!!

The use of the words Badger's, Budgie Smugglers or Sandbags are
strictly prohibited!

Any such use will result in a swift kick in the crackers, that is one day if ever we meet.

Miles, I shall endeavour not to muck up your wonderful Stats file...
but I can't promise anything!

Here we go!

From NoelW: Spanish and cricketers: (90 points)

As this is my second ever post to the challenge, I thought I'd briefly introduce myself.

I'm a retired academic living in Sheffield, UK. Like many wargamers, I began with Airfix figures in childhood, and still have the same passion for new figures that I had in 1960 when I'd run to the local toyshop with 2 shillings in hand (that's 10p, for you youngsters). S0 I’ve amassed a large amount of unpainted lead and plastic, which seems to grow every year, despite my best efforts with the paintbrush.

I'm interested in most periods up to WW2 - anything more recent unsettles me somewhat - but the battlefields I keep coming back to are Napoleonic. I like the spectacle of uniforms and flags, so tend to go for smaller units so I can get more variety on the tabletop. I’m also a writer (poet and occasional fiction) so I write the odd piece for the wargames press, too. Luckily, all my family are gamers, so we’ve a dedicated wargames room, and figures of various kinds scattered around the house. I used to be a very good painter – won some prizes etc – but these days various infirmities, particularly eyesight, make it more difficult to get a decent job done. The Challenge is a great incentive for me, and I’m hoping to get many more figures done than the 500 points I set as my target.

My aim in taking part in the challenge is to add figures to as many stalled projects as possible to prompt some new games. The list of incomplete projects is a long one!

But here are two I’m now keener to get going. My go-to period is Napoleonics. I’ve a decent Waterloo setup, but the Peninsular conflict has been sorely neglected. However, the Perry's recent release of Spanish, to be followed by Portuguese, has excited me. And here is my first foray.

A second long term but rather incoherent project is Sealion/ Walmington. Effectively, this is WW2 fantasy, so anything goes. My seaside town sits somewhere between TV’s Walmington on Sea (on the South Coast) and Scarborough (300 miles away on the North East coast). Scarborough houses one of Yorkshire’s cricket grounds, so it seemed logical to arm local cricketers as a further arm of defence. Sloppy Jalopy seem to be the only firm making suitable figures, intended for the Very British Civil War. They’re lovely figures, but the castings left something to be desired – lots of flash and very pronounced mould lines which were difficult to remove without also removing detail (you’ll see from the photos I’ve not fully managed to succeed in doing this). Even so, the designs are great and they paint up really well.

The blazer and jumper colours are Yorkshire’s (my county, and that of all right-thinking cricketers), apparently made up of gold, Cambridge blue and Oxford blue. As both these cities are significant for me, too, that makes these a powerfully symbolic unit. Which almost certainly means they’ll run from the battlefield at the first opportunity.

I’ve six more of these to paint, but they’ll have to wait till I’ve enough patience for scraping and filing. Meanwhile, I’ve already undercoated the next Spanish – but they’ve been elbowed back in the queue by a French general and some ECW. Which of them will make it to the next post?  

(Submitted: 12 * 28mm Spanish Napoleonic and 6*28mm cricketers)

Welcome Noel, to the Hallowed Halls that are this Challenge! What a nice bunch of figures you've shown us today. Those Spanish really look the part and must have been at Bailen where they thoroughly trounced the French. For me the cricketers must be the crème of the lot, what a characterful team they are. I cannot see your poor eyesight having any effect on your painting for these are very well done! The basing is also very  good and it almost looks as if they are standing on the White Cliffs in order to strike out the invading Huns.

90 points well and truly deserved! Now if you're taking votes on what to paint next, Spanish, Frebch general or ECW, I vote for the latter! But whatever you decide to paint please keep them coming!

Cheers Sander 

From Kent G - 40k Librarian, 28mm Napoleon and Mameluke plus (25 points)

 In this submission i decided to paint an old metal 40K Librarian figure that i will be giving away on youtube after the challenge is over it was a lot of fun to paint. It's not an area of painting i have had a lot to do with but one thing i do enjoy is the quality of the metal casting so much detail.

then to finished off the commanders, i had to do Napoleon and his Mameluke buddy,

where would the boys be without them, these figures allow me to pop my head above the waves of French infantry that are marching across my desk.

Wow Kent, these figures are truly gorgeous! Whilst the Librarian and Napoleon are top notch (and I do like the idea of the Give-Away) Roustam must be my favourite! You have nailed the colours of the uniform just right and all the bouillon detailing is very well done. Now I am also very excited to hear about those "waves of French infantry marching across your desk". Marchand mon ami! 

2 mounted 28mm figures are good for 20 points and the 28mm Librarian nets you another 5 points so that leaves you with 25 points in the pocket.

Au revoir, Sander

From MartinC. - Of Secret Santas and Sealions (60pts)

I was part of the Secret Santa thing this year run by RoyW, standing in for the Wileys. I do find this fun and received a great present from my Santa in the form of a couple of Bad Squiddo female figure packs for VBCW. They are great. Sorting out my light box (not quite right yet) and painting getting better although the eyes look they've all had a very bad night. it is New Year's Day so they can be forgiven

Medics - great figs

Land Army Girls. Again very nice but I always think that they look like Grayson Perry. We'll see what Lady Sarah thinks of them

 At Partizan earlier in the year Warlord launched their Sealion range for Bolt Action and these are from the Defenders of the Realm set. Very nice figs. The Tommy gunner originally came wearing roller skates but even I'm not that barking so i just built up the base. The Bren Gunner in overalls was originally carrying a different weapon but I raided the bits box.

Defenders of the Realm

That's 12 figures for 60 pts

Happy New Year Martin! 

Gosh, that's one cool collection of VBCW related figures indeed! Having seen the series "Land-Girls" those figures actually are my favourites. That said all these figures have a charm all of their own and are slightly reminiscent of Dad's Army as well.Personally I would have removed the skates as well, so good choice as are all the other conversions. I also like the way the basing ties all the figures together, well done!

A well earned 60 points! Cheers Sander 

The Tuesday Minion's First Tuesday - GET THOSE BRUSHES CRACKING LADS!

GOOOOOOD MORNING AHPC!

After yesterday's cracking start of 2018, the Tuesday Crew will show you that one needs to meticulously plan ones entries. While we do not have a huge amount of entries today, boy are they worth it!

I'm Sander van Straeten and I will be doing my utmost best to bring you Tuesday Crew's best.
A more taciturn and committed bunch we have not seen in this Challenge yet! Recovering from all New Year's festivities they are all gearing up to get those brushes cracking and turn out some jewels in any scale I am sure!

So what are we in for today? Great Britain struggles on in their Civil Brotherly Conflict as well as asking themselves what mister Hitler is thinking this time in a sort of an Operation Sealion theme. There's also a bit of Spanish flavour to look forward to!
Good old Boney is visiting the Library to study the Tomes of Robuite Guilliman under some extremely well painted guidance.
More eye candy will surely follow, so watch this space!

Enjoy!