From StuartL - Planet Hopping - Vulcan and Babylon 5 - 60 points

Hello everyone.

Just a short post from me this week. I have a bunch more stuff on my painting desk, but sadly work has started up again and I haven't been able to get as much done as I would have liked. 

To continue my trip around the outer ring of the Challenge XII Quadrant, I have two single model entries for Vulcan and Babylon 5.

For Vulcan, one of the themes on offer was Logical, and since I have been painting up a slew of robots and androids recently, I made sure to put one aside for this planet. 

Once again, this is a Reaper Bones mini and will be a part of my This Is Not A Test warband. While robots themselves are (I assume) genderless, this one has been designed to mimic the female anatomy. Whereas the rest of my warband are in silver colours, I intend to use this model as my leader and so painted it in a nice warm golden colour so that it stands out.

The model was painted in a brass colour first, given a sepia wash and then had gold highlights added along with some black and dark grey areas to add some visual interest.

Next up on my clockwise cruise is Babylon 5 and here we are looking for some low budget fun.

One game that I have enjoyed a lot is Gaslands. It's published by Osprey as part of their cheap 'blue books' gaming rules, and is playable with die cast toy cars. 

The car comes from Toys'R'Us's own brand of toy cars and I think it cost me just over $1. The guns come from a free sprue of Warlord Games Cruel Seas, I think they are meant to be torpedo tubes? The engine block is a spare power pack from a Games Workshop Sentinel kit.

Oops! Looks like I made a small mistake just above the rear lights, I'll have to clean that up...

Rather than my usual base colour, wash and highlight, I approach my Gaslands models a little differently. The game is supposed to be set in a Dark Future (pun intended) where drivers race cars seeking to earn money and a ticket off planet, so I figured that vehicle wouldn't be nice and shiny. For this model, I started with a layer of dark red, added another thin layer of a brighter red and finally a thin top layer of even brighter red. Some of the original colours show through each layer which makes the paint look more worn and adds depth to the rather flat and boring panels on the vehicle.

I believe that Gaslands vehicles are usually scored as 20mm vehicles, so the car nets me 15 points and the 28mm robot is worth 5, plus two planet locations at 20 each gives me a grand total of 60 points.

Hopefully I'll be back next week with a bit more to offer.

That's a lovely looking female robot Stuart, great work on her brasswork.  I haven't got into Gaslands myself but I enjoy seeing the work other do kitbashing various vehicles for their projects.

From David V - 40mm Ben Kenobi (27 points) (Death Star)

 

"An elegant weapon, for a more civilized age."

Star Wars: Legion does not have a model for Obi-Wan "Ben" Kenobi, as he appeared in the original 'Star Wars' movie. 

I purchased from Order66 Miniatures three different prints for that Old Fossil, all 3D sculpted by Madox3d (Felipe Manivel). (This particular pose seems to be taken from the Star Wars: Rebels episode entitled "Twin Suns", when Ben finally defeated a half-prosthetic Darth Maul.)

Ben is a very nice print, with a dynamic pose, good anatomy (check out those hands), and almost completely unnoticeable printing lines. I really like the flowing robes and tassels. I just used some brass wire for the lightsaber blade, instead of the resin one; I have real doubts about the separate. resin blade holding up to gaming. 

I did my usual black priming with Chaos Black, and airbrushed zenithal highlights with Vallejo white.  Face and hands underpainted in Vallejo acrylics, with details and blending in artists' oils. 

I do have the book "Star Wars Costumes: The Original Trilogy', which has nice colour photos of Ben's costume.  I went with lighter values for his shirt, under tunic, and hooded robe, as opposed to the movie colours. Did some detailing with Payne’s Grey and Titanium White oils for the under tunic. Ben's brown robe was finished mostly with a few washes combining GW's Agrax Earthshade and Reikland Fleshade. I weathered his clothing, adding stains and little tears using artists' oils.

I have now painted 5 figures sculpted by Felipe, all taken from the original 'Star Wars'.

Scoring: 7 points for a 40mm figure (Darth Vader is over 45mm tall!), plus 20 bonus points for Death Star (Hubris). Hubris, thy name is Obi-wan Kenobi. Hubris to think he could properly train young Anakin, hubris to hold the the Jedi order's myopic worldview, and hubris to try and control the information that he provided to Luke. Plus, the Death Star is the location of Kenobi's final duel with his former padawan. Total = 27 points.

That's a wonderful Obi-Wan David, great shading and highlighting on the subdued base tones.  Really loving the rest of the figures too.  Well done!

From Mike W - 28mm Late 17th Century Mounted Cossacks (70 Points)

These 7 figures are my final instalment for a Late 17th century Cossack force to be used in my Siege of Vienna collection. 

Six Cossacks with their leader to the left.

Over the years I have created 3 other 6 figure units - this brings the collection up to 24 rank and file models, plus a leader.

A view of the Command / Leader model, showing some of the wide range of weapons available to him and his men - not all Cossacks have all or the same weapons, though I did give all a lance.

The figures are based up Gripping Beast's Arab Light Cavalry with a number of suitable bald heads added from various other manufacturers  including Gripping Beast Dark Ages Infantry and Wargames Atlantic Irish (t name a couple) and I believe I've used an old Games Workshop Space Wolf head on the Cossack command figure.

I opted to give this guys a 'Wing' to indicate his leadership position in the unit. My interpretation of what I have read about the period, 'Wings' were not unique to the Hussars, so I have used it as a device to highlight his status.

The leader has also been given a 'feathered wing' as a mark of his rank, something he's maybe seen being used by their allies the Polish Hussars.

The Cossacks - with a variety of bald heads to give them a period look and feel.

As ever the figures are undercoated white and then painted in suitable colours. I used Army Painter Dark Tone dip to fit in with the other figures that I've previously done. All figures are varnished with Windsor & Newton Matt Varnish, unfortunately, the matt varnish has nor cured as matt as I like it. (I'm thinking that the Army Dip may not have been completely dry and has thus reacted with the Matt Varnish).

I gave the Cossacks a wide range of weapons - lance, bow, swords, pistols and muskets to give them an irregular appearance and make them look scary! Controversially, my view is that in reality they were light cavalry with a fearsome reputation but unlikely to be able to stand up to disciplined, heavy cavalry opposition
 

Bases are covered with a fine sand before electrostatic grass is added along with a smattering of tufts.

The whole 24 figure collection, they will form a screen for two mixed brigades of Pancerni and Hussars. The Polish brigades are to be supported by Austrian and German Cuirassier Brigades

POINTS

7 x 28mm Mounted Cossacks  = 70 POINTS

I am continuing with the alternating Mike/no Mike theme today and we're back to Mike's turn.  Great to see the 17C get some love and especially in Eastern Europe.  Great looking Cossacks, I'll go hide my valuables....

From FrederickC: WW2 Soviet Anti-Tank Guns and Heavy Weapons (200 points)

In my post from last Monday, we saw a major buildup of my Bolt Action Soviet tank forces. This week we are looking at giving the Soviet infantry some much needed firepower. All of the figures and weapons in this post are from the Plastic Soldier Company's 28mm range, specifically their boxes of 'Russian 45mm Anti-Tank Gun' and 'Russian Heavy Weapons'. 

The Plastic Soldier Company's range are an inexpensive alternative to metal, or even multi-pose plastic figures, although I do find some of the poses remind me of the cheap toy soldiers I owned as a young boy, especially those cast as a single piece. They are fine in length and width, but a bit lacking in depth. All of the figures were assembled, mounted on bases (with the exception of the anti-tank gun crews) and primed black using a rattle can. I painted them using acrylics from the Vallejo Soviet Paint Set. Finally everything was hit with Army Painter Strong Tone Quick Shade. The Quick Shade leaves everything with a glossy finish, so when the weather is warmer I will be taking these outside to give them a coat of matte spray to dull them down a bit.

The Russian 45mm Anti-Tank Gun box contains 2 guns and 8 crew figures. Each gun sprue has different barrel options to allow you to build any of the following: 45mm M1937 anti tank gun, 45mm M1942 anti tank gun or 76mm M1943 infantry gun. Since I am current working on an early Operation Barbarossa theme, I built my guns as the M1937 version. The set also contains ammo boxes, both live shells and spent casings, as well as a rifle and sub-machine gun to add to the ambience. Since the bases I used for my guns were getting a bit crowded, I shifted some of the ammo boxes to the medium mortar bases, and the rifles to the machine gun bases.

 

The Russian Heavy Weapons box provides you enough sprues to build 26 miniatures and 8 models depicting WW2 Russian infantry heavy weapons as follows: 2 x 3 man Pulemyot Maxima PM1910 machine gun teams firing, 2 x 2 man machine gun teams moving, 2 x 2 man RM-38 50mm light mortar teams, 2 x 3 man M-37 82mm medium mortar teams, 2 x 2 man firing PTRS-41 anti -tank rifles, and 2 moving PTRS anti-tank rifles.

 

Pulemyot Maxima PM1910 machine gun teams

M-37 82mm medium mortar and RM-38 50mm light mortar teams

PTRS-41 anti -tank rifle teams

 

The points being claimed are as follows:

32 x 28mm figures @ 5 points each = 160 points 

(I am counting the prone anti-tank rifle teams as half figures)

2 4x 28mm artillery pieces @ 10 points each = 20 40 points

(I was hoping that the machine guns and mortars might be worth a few points, but apparently "size matters" when it comes to crew served weapons) 

За Родину (For the Homeland)

Stout defenders of Holy Mother Russia Frederick.  Nice work and they look good on your tabletop.  My research (i.c checking with Tamsin) told me that the 81mm mortars do count so I've upped you scores accordingly.

From Mike W - 28mm Undead Orcs (45 Points)

At the risk of too much Necromancy in this year's challenge I present a small group of Undead Orcs! The real story behind these figures is that I have a whole bunch of Zombicide & Project Z figures that I have ready to paint-up into hopefully a huge Walking Dead horde (see previous and forthcoming posts!)

The Whole group of nine figures, I'll likely get some more if I seem them at the right price on eBay!

Anyway, I really like the Zombicide figures and I happened upon a game variant that is set in the middle ages where the unsuspecting villagers are pitted against Undead Orcs, the figures looked really nice on eBay so I bought a batch! 

Two 'Runner' Undead Orcs - look to me like the smaller Goblin end of the Green Scale

These 9 figures are that very batch - 2 x Fatties, 5 x Walkers and 2 x Runners!

With these guys I have taken the view that their 'green-ness' should be exaggerated, so I have not gone down the route of giving then muted, pallid skins. Instead I gave them a base coat of Foundry 'Phlegm Green' (charming!) before an Army Painter green wash.

Orc Undead 'Walkers' - mid sized figures

Cloths were allowed to be muted colours (to help exaggerate their green appeal) and so these were done in greys, khakis and browns. Plate armour was done in Gunmetal  and straps etc in dark brown.

I'm taking these to be former Black Orcs, now Undead Orc Fatties!

Mouth and open wounds were completed with a watered down red before the whole being mat varnished. When dry red ink was added to give the effect of flowing blood etc.

And a final view of some of these guys.

I elected to do these bases in fine sand and electrostatic grass.

I must say these little guys were a joy to paint, detail on the figures is great and the figures are all very well posed. It seems that there is also a Sci-Fi version of the game with associated figures - if I see these at a good price, I may also get some of these.

POINTS

9 x 28mm Figures  = 45 Points

Well this is  Phelgmatic group Mike!  Nice work on these slobbering undead Orks.

From ManusH - 1798 Rebellion Characters and Isle of Lewis Chessmen (61 points)

Hey everyone! 

Since my last post I've painted lots. First up are two Leaders for my Sharp Practice United Irish Rebellion project. 

This uniform was really fun to paint 

 

This figure is General John Moore, most famous for his part in the Peninsular War. Earlier in his career, he was involved in the 1798 Irish Rebellion. Moore was among the generals sent to encircle Wexford Town. He engaged the rebels at Foulksmills, where his force included members of the 60th Rifles. 

Moore is well remembered in Wexford. In comparison to generals such as Gerard Lake, he showed leniency and restraint. On one occasion, Moore remarked that he would have joined the rebels had he been born Irish. 

I love this sculpt. It's from Trent Miniatures' Irish Rebellion range. I think Trent's mounted figures really stand out. Their proportions are quite oversized, but I think it makes the figures easily visible, and gives them a good likeness to the historical personalities they represent. 

Flag reads "Erin Go Bragh", a corruption of the Irish "Éireann go Brách", or "Ireland Forever" 

This is Robert Emmet, a Leader for my rebels. In April 1798, Emmet was expelled from Trinity College Dublin for his involvement with the United Irishmen. He didn't play a large part in the 1798 Rebellion. 

In 1803, Emmet attempted to reorganise the United Irishmen and launch a further rebellion. Like his predecessors, he aimed to secure French and radical British assistance, but failed. His uprising was defeated within a day. It would, however, continue to inspire nationalist organisations. 

A rather bewildered-looking bishop

A furious berserker! 

A noble knight

These are some test pieces for an Isle of Lewis chess set. I've wanted to paint one of these sets in a colourful style ever since I first saw them, nearly 10 years ago. They are truly intriguing designs, full of character. I've always thought of them as the medieval equivalent of wargaming miniatures.

The pieces were found in a cave or pit on the Isle of Lewis in the 19th Century. Several sets, complete or partial were found. They are Scandinavian in origin, and were probably made in Trondheim from walrus ivory. They date from the 12th Century. How they ended up on the Isle of Lewis is unclear. There are theories that the sets were being shipped to cities in Britain or Ireland for high class buyers. The Meath Queen is a contemporary piece of similar design found in Ireland, showing that chess sets of this style were popular in areas under Viking influence.

I had these pieces 3d printed for me on a resin printer. The STL files are available for free here. There are lots of other STLs of these pieces available however, so it's possible to use different designs of pieces. The real sets have lots of variation between them.

In terms of points, these figures add up to:

2x28mm foot @5pts each = 10pts

1x28mm mounted @10pts

2x54mm foot @10pts=20pts

1x54mm mounted=20 pts

Total=60pts

Excellent post Manus.  I am really enjoying the United Irish project .  My father in law was an Irish immigrant and Lynne and I had a really enjoyable week in ireland including a nice stop in Wexford.  There is a lot more to Moore than "the guy who dies at Corunna"  and it's nice to see him so well painted.  

And I have to get those Lewis chessman.  These are the sorts of artifacts that led me to nearly getting locked in the British Museum overnight (true story) and the red you've used looks great.  What colour kit will the opposition field?  I've added a point for the flag - what is it's source?

From Mike W - 28mm Late 17th Centaury Ottoman Artillery (90 Points, Squirrel)

This group of figures and models are to represent three batteries and crews for Ottoman Artillery positions in a forthcoming Siege of Vienna game, they join a fourth such battery model I completed some time ago. These figures are from various sources mostly plastic Gripping Beast Arab Infantry converted to an Artillery Role.

The three Ottoman Batteries ready now to face the walls of Vienna!

One of the Batteries on the workbench this week
and back by popular demand (?!) a caterpillar by my grand-daughter

There are also a couple of Wargames Atlantic Afghans conversions plus the officers are 3D prints (I think - that or resin castings) that I acquired from eBay. The Ottoman heads were also from the same manufacturer as the officers and these have helped unify the look and feel of these figures in their new role.

One of the Battery positions I have created. The gun models are not fixed to the bases, allowing me to mix and match guns amongst many such bases in my collection

Another view of the same battery, with close-up of the Gabions.
I added fine sand to the top of each and dry-brushed the sides of each gabion brown to give a shaded effect.

As a note the rammers were made by cutting off the spear point and then cutting the top and bottom off one of the tubular quivers in the Gripping Beast Arab set, to represent the sponge.

Another Battery, showing the converted crewmen and resin officers.
Note the gunner to left taking a bead on a potential enemy getting too close to the position.

All figures were undercoated white before appropriate colours were blocked in, a watered down dark tone wash was later used to give shading before matt varnishing the figures.

The final Battery and Crew, the resin officers looked a little wooden in their poses when they arrived,
but separated and in place on the bases they have turned out pretty good.

Anther picture of the battery, all of the crewmen are Gripping Beast Arab Infantry
with resin Ottoman heads added to three of the four figures to give the right look and feel.

The two wooden 'ships' cannon were a recent purchase from Whizkids,com, these were very reasonably priced and painted up well. (The third 'green' cannon in the photos was a gun I painted for last year's challenge!)

The Whizkids.com guns

On the bases I added wooden planks to hold the weight of the guns, gabions (from Rendera) before using my usual techniques of adding fine sand and electrostatic grass with tufts for a completed model.

I am claiming a 6th Squirrel point for thus new wargames period!

POINTS

13 x 28mm Foot Figures   = 65 Points

2 x 28mm Guns                 = 20 Points

TOTAL                              = 85 POINTS

 This is the first of many posts from Mike today and it's a corker.  Lots to love here with the converted GB arabs assorted heads and the repurposed Wizkids cannons.  What make are the Gabions?  I will round this score up to 90 to give some points for conversions and casework.

Monday Monday

 

It looks like there some good stuff up coming from the Monday Crew.  I hav become a COVID statistic, but hopefully I can muddle through my day of Minioning.