From ByronM: 1980's - Boba Fett (25 points)

Well, another challenge is underway, and as luck would have it I was off today due to working an extra day last week.  That gave me time to get several projects underway, but one key question bugged me, what to start with....

While looking at the map the last few days I realized that I pretty easily had something for pretty much every room without even hunting too hard.  One of the only rooms I was not sure what to do with was the 1980's room, not having anything that I would view as quintessential 80's, then I happened across some Star Wars Legion figures and Boba Fett and realized that the best Star Wars movie came out then, exactly 1980 in fact, The Empire Strikes back.  So this entry will count as my first foray into the AHPC Studios as well as my first of the challenge.

Time to get painting...

Painting Boba Fett also got a figure that was sitting here primed on a painting stick for the last 2 challenges done and out of the way.  He was simply primed black and left for the last 2 years so I started by applying a zenithal highlight to the base coat and then started blocking in the colours.

I tried to stick to the original colours as much as I could find and remember.  I am sure I got a few things wrong, but overall I am pretty happy with the look of this guy. He is a bit rough, but I tried to leave him a little rough to get the battle worn look he has in the movies.  Not sure if it worked, but he looks OK next to the rest of my Star Wars Legion figures, so that is good enough for me.

Kaiser however, does not look impressed....  Or maybe he is just curious about what all this painting is for.

Well, back to the painting table, I have many many 10mm figures that have had washes slapped onto them sitting drying and waiting to get some more paint on them....

Have fun everyone!

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Welcome back to the Challenge Byron! I agree with you, Empire is the best of the batch (with Rogue One coming a close second) and a perfect choice for the 80s theme.Your Bobba Fett looks brilliant! I really like the punchy colours, especially the yellow and green. A great mini!

Now, give Kaiser a good scratch behind the ears, have a sip of eggnog, and get on with your next mini! :)

- Curt

From LeeH - "HO-HO-HO" [5 pts]

Well, that nine months shot past in a blur and here we are again for Challenge XIII. As is my tradition I am kicking off my painting campaign with an alternative Santa...or in this case Hogfather. Terry Pratchett's Discworld is full of memorable characters but none made me laugh as much as Death. And when Death stepped in and donned the outfit of the Hogfather some of the best humor ensued. So when I saw this model I had to buy it and put it aside for the Painting Challenge. 

“IT'S THE EXPRESSION ON THEIR LITTLE FACES I LIKE." said the Hogfather.

"You mean sort of fear and awe and not knowing whether to laugh, cry or wet their pants?"

"YES. NOW THAT IS WHAT I CALL BELIEF.”

― Terry Pratchett, Hogfather

I have a few days off work before the holiday and that means lots of painting... Actually, it means multiple bursts of activity in the hobby room in between other seasonal-related chores. Keep the wife happy and everything else falls into place! I was up early today and got cracking on this model but I have also been making up the first set of flags for my 6mm Wars of the Roses project. With a bit of luck, a following wind, coordinated with the wife's afternoon nap, and I may get some paint on those as well before the day is out.

Best of luck to everyone taking part this year and thank you once again to Curt (and Lady Sarah of course) for hosting this madness for the thirteenth year. Now that's what I call having an understanding wife! 

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Welcome back to the Challenge Lee! I love your Death/Hogfather, especially the grim little gifts that he's toting. I think if I saw him I'd be in the latter group for 'joyous response'.  :)

Now that you're on the scoreboard you can rest easy and go back to keep the missus happy during this busy time of the season. Have a good one, mate!

- Curt

From Barks: Xmas-a-tron (5 points)

I like to start each Challenge with a seasonal miniature. Here is a free 3D sculpt from Imitation of Life. I used Contrast over a metallic undercoat- it came out darker than expected, and is far from my best work. The LED lighting is unforgiving. But I do like experimenting with new techniques, and it was quick- about an hour all up. I haven't done any snow so it can fit in with my post-apocalyptic wasteland scenery.

1x 28mm figure: 5 points

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Haha, good one Barks. Thus begins the host of whacky holiday season figures we'll see over the next few days. I wonder if he's taking or defending the Christmas presents? Perhaps the gun is one, and is really a TV remote. Anyway, I do like his fur-trimmed winter boots, scarf and antlers(?!). 

Welcome back to the Challenge Barks.

From Curt: Welcome to Challenge XIII - Film Crew from the Golden Age of Cinema (25 Points)

Hello and welcome to the 13th edition of the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge!!

As tradition dictates, I kick off the Challenge with our first entry, and to break the ice I thought I'd try to hit two-birds-with-one-stone. To fulfil the 'Under Construction' location, I decided to dig up an old set of figures that have been sitting, half done, on my desk for the past several years. In addition, with them being a film crew, I thought they would be a nice fit for the movie magic theme of this year's Challenge.

Years ago I came up with a simple set of rules to (ahem) set the stage for madcap stunts and the off-the-cuff storytelling found behind the scenes of a movie set during the Golden Age of Cinema.

The rules challenge players to attain ‘Top Billing’ status by either having the most Fame Points by the end of shooting, or by simply being the last character to still be left standing on the movie set. The actors with the top Fame scores at the end of the shoot will have Top Billing on the movie playbill, and be able to bask in cinematic glory - perhaps having a shot at an Academy Award for their unscrupulous efforts.

A 'scene' from our Sword & Sandals game (note the 1.0 version of the film crew)

Previous victims, er, players of a 'Top Billing' game

...and their hard-earned Academy Awards!

The rub is that the actors are often forced to spend their Fame to gain the Director's attention, and so foil the plans of competing actors. With this, the actors have to strike a balance between protecting their accrued Fame while also spending it wisely it to seize the moment in order to burnish their reputations. 

For example, any player/actor can interrupt the action of another by demanding a 'screen re-write'. These re-writes can range from (but are not limited to) choreographing a complex stunt, constructing a scene where another actor looks the fool, or perhaps seizing the camera crew to get a closeup as they give a pithy line of dialogue. 

These 're-writes' are entirely up to the imaginations of the players and always create a huge amount of good-natured fun. In addition each screen re-write can be challenged by another star sparking 'Ego Trips' where the contesting stars bid-up their Fame points to try to convince the Director (GM) why their approach to the scene should be favoured. It's all good, silly fun.

Anyway, back to the task at hand. This film crew is offered by the talented folks over at Eureka Miniatures.  They are a wonderful set of minis, and a real joy to work with. Now I just need to get Byron to make me an acrylic 'field of view' template to fit the round base and I'll be set... 

Only the 'clapper' fella will be scored for this entry, as he was the final mini that needed to be done to finish the set.

So, we have 5 for the 'clapper', along with another 20 bonus points for the 'Under Construction' location = 25 points! I'm on the board and in first place no less. ;) We'll see how long that lasts...

Next, I think some pulpy fun is needed so I'm going to take the road south to check out the film set for Hight Adventure. Wish me luck!

Now, let's get this show on the road, folks! I look forward to the floodgates opening, with your entries rolling in sharp-quick. Remember that from now until January 1st is 'free-fire' submission, meaning you can submit entries whenever you want, so take advantage of the holiday season to kick-off your own Challenge.

Happy holidays everybody and Welcome to Challenge XIII!

- Curt 

An Ode to the Challenge

 ‘Twas the night before Challenge, when all through the lands

The painters were sleeping, no brush in their hands

Their figures were ready, their paints had been stocked

As the seconds ticked past on the big countdown clock

Zero-zero zero-zero*, the Show Lord decreed

Was the time they would start, oh yes sir, indeed

His minions were ready, to help with the posts

Of wildly fantastic miniature painted hosts

The points would be counted, recorded post haste

Their own models to paint, they had no time to waste

Three months they’d be painting, from dusks until dawns

For those in the cold north, no need to mow lawns

And then at the end, their totals they’d see

Some disappointed, some with great glee

With entries to vote on, some would win awards

And all would give thanks to the insane Show Lord

* 00:00 Central Standard Time

(with apologies to the original poem and author)

Good luck everyone!

From SanderS: Arthur and Sander's workplace!

 Hoi There,

My name is Sander and I have been taking part in the Challenge since the Fifth edition. Together with my 11 year old son Arthur we will be taking part this year as well and looking forward to it. Last few weeks everyone in the family has been suffering from a pretty nasty flu and so I haven't been able to upload anything here or comment on all the great posts allready up here. Sorry for this oversight!

Well here's part of my hobby-room at the moment, it's a mess due to Challenge preparations but also due to the fact that somewhere next spring we are continuing our big house renovation (people who have followed last year's Challenge will know we put new windows in the house back then) and I will have to completely clear it by then.

Arthur's workdesk is quite modest and he has also set himself a modest points target. He will be mainly focussing on Blood Bowl and Star Wars Legion figures.

My desk (sorry for the fuzzy picture but after taking several this is the best I could do with the present weather) is heaped in stuff mid-prep as well as tying up loose ends before the Challenge starts. 

My projects are whatever takes my fancy but I will try to focus on WW2 Germans and Russians, Heroquest, Old Hammer and some New Hammer (30k and 40k). I have a few film related miniatures so will venture into the studio too. 

Cheers and see you all in the Challenge, Arthur and Sander

FrederickC reporting in for AHPC XIII

Hello one and all. I am not sure if these work space and planning reports are de rigueur, but it's Painting Challenge Eve, so I thought if I was going to do this, now is the time.

FrederickC here for my second round of participation in the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge. I'm a long time member of the Fawcett Avenue Conscripts, a Winnipeg gaming group that was founded by the Snow Lord so many years ago, but I also dive into historical re-enacting, 17th-19th century folk music, and English and Scottish country dance. I had a great time last year with AHPC XII, and managed to surprise myself with a 4th place finish. 

While last year was my first year of participation in the challenge, I have been involved in miniature gaming and painting for over 60 years, ever since my father gave my brother and me a set of plastic soldiers for Christmas. Little did he know what he had wrought all those years ago.

My brother and me.

Since those early years, I have amassed quite a collection of figures and terrain for Ancients, Napoleonic, First World War, Second World War, Star Wars, Full Thrust, and Lord of the Rings, as well as minor forays into Seven Years War and more general Science Fiction.

Here's a view of my workspace where all the miniatures are assembled and the paint applied.

 

Miniatures at the assembly stage.

 

 

What's in the queue for AHPC XIII? I hope for whittle down my pile of unpainted Games Workshop Lord of the Rings collection, as well as dive into the North African campaign with figures to compliment fellow Conscript DallasE's 8th Army and DAK collection. There may also be some sidetracks depending on what I have that fits the AHPC Studios GmbH challenges. Here's a detailed, but not exhaustive, list of what I plan to complete.

Dwarf Command, Scouts and Warriors

Minas Tirith Command, Knights, and Citadel Guard

Galadhrim Knights and Warriors

Numenorean Command and Warriors

Uruk-Hai Scouts

Warg Riders

Easterling Command and Warriors

High Elf Command and Warriors

Rohan Command, Riders, and Warriors

Cave and Mordor Trolls

A Host of Lord of the Rings Characters, both Good and Evil

Early WW2 Polish Troops and Transport

North Africa Italian Troops, Transport, and Armour

North Africa Indian Troops and early British Armour.

A Collection of Terrain Bits and Bobs

 

Most of the pile I hope to paint

I have set my target at 1500 points, which is only half of last year's goal. Alas, all those other hobbies beckon. Hopefully lowering my points target will allow me more time to comment on other people's post, something I didn't do much last year. Good luck to all the participants, and we will see you in the trenches.

27th Battalion (City of Winnipeg) CEF 1914-1919

Side Duels are GO!

G'day All,

Millsy the Duels Wallah here with a Side Duels update you lucky challengers.

Things have quietened down on the handbags side of things apparently with no new challenges issued for a little while now. That being the case I'm setting the starting point for Challenge XIII Side Duels as follows at the bottom. If you'd like to be added to a Side Duel or start a new one by all means please leave a comment.

Submitting a Side Duel Update

We live in an amazing time, a time of constant digital evolution. Every day something new and exciting happens and today is no different! Despite what my kids think, the interwebs are good for things other than 2 minute videos, feline-themed subreddits and memes. To prove that I've created an online form to rival the complexity and power of Miles' Challenge Roster Spreadsheet o' Doom.

From today you can submit your Side Duel updates ONLINE! The form collects all the relevant data and ensures I can never miss a submission. Huzzah!

And now, the Side Duels...

A Squirrel a Day

Most painted points at Challenge end. 25+ points of models per sub, excluding bonus points. Each point must be unique in army, scale or period. Different uniforms from the same army don't count.

• AdamC
• PaulS
• ChrisW
• MartijnN
• KerryT
• StuartL
• RobertH
• KyleC
• PhilH
• JezT
• BenitoV
• BenF
• MikeW

Skullz for the Skull God!

Most painted skullz at Challenge end. Barks has kindly offered to manage this one.

• StuartL
• Barks
• DavidB
• TeemuL
• GregB
• MikeW

Turnip28

Most painted points in the style of Turnip28 at Challenge end.

• CurtC
• Barks
• StuartL
• PaulOG
• AlanD

Airbrushes at Dawn

Use an airbrush for more than priming on as many subs as possible.

• DavidB
• CurtC
• MattW
• KyleC
• BenF

Carausius Emperor of Britain

Most painted points of Late Roman/Sub Roman Britain at Challenge end.

• CurtC
• PeterD
• KyleC
• IainW

SPQR

Most painted points of Roman armies from Caesar to Late Imperial at Challenge end.

• MattW
• PeterD
• SimonG

Neverending Cold War

Most painted points from 1950 to today at Challenge end.

• MattW
• DavidB
• SimonG
• DaveD

Codpieces & Ostrich Feathers

Most painted points from Italian Wars and Renaissance at Challenge end.

• KerryT
• CurtC
• IainW
• PeterD
• ChrisW
• MikeW

TFL America 500

First to paint 500 points (ideally using only red, white and blue paint).

• PhilH
• JohnE
• CalebG

Terrain du jour

• MilesR
• Millsy

Best of luck people. Have at it!

Cheers,
Millsy the Duels Wallah

SebastianR Workstation and goals

Last year was a bit of wash. What with my new job ramping up, a dying cat, and a bout of covid, my output was less than impressive.

This year, however, things will be focused and uncluttered, unlike my work area.

Which is also in the center of my living room, slap bang in the middle of my only entertaining space, so it needs to stay mobile.

This year, happily, most of my goals fall within the themes of the extra challenges, so I'll grabbing as many of those sweet sweet bonus points as I can, particularly the Under Construction round with Curts ruling on the matter of partially started miniatures.

What this does mean, however, is that a lot of my submissions will have quite long dwell times, as I attempt to maximise output in a particular area.

I will be attempting to pump out, half a company of WW2 Finns, a grab bag assortment of half finished projects including 6mm cold war British and French, 28mm fox people and anvil industries pulse mechs playing the part of W40K Death Watch, a box of halflings for mordhiem and assorted other bits and pieces. So, ambitious, for me at least.

Have a great christmas and a happy new year everyone!

PhilH Hobby Space and Plans for AHPCXIII

All is quiet, all is still. It’s three days before painting challenge XIII opens and Phil is….ready? 

Well no, not entirely ready, but there's always more prep one can do. I never have an issue getting stuff prepped. It's more the painted-and-finished bit that's the problem. But I've been pretty productive for the autumn and am hopeful of a frenzied assault on the lead mountain over the winter. And I've enough prepped to last me two or three AHPCs.

Here’s my hobby setup at my current place, a small desk and bookshelves in the spare bedroom. It’s by no means optimised, but works well enough. I do assembly and any airbrushing downstairs in the basement, to keep all that gear out of the way. 

So what do we have? A decent articulated daylight lamp, the most important thing. Dropper bottle paint racks by Hobbyzone.pl. I like their stuff, with the white laminate it looks a bit more swish than similar mdf items. Brushes, waterpot, homemade wet palette. 'Painted stuff' cabinet on the right, where things wait for final basing and varnishing without getting too dusty.

The four white drawers are full of prepped minis, sometimes even sorted by project. Basing materials below that. Occasional use stuff above: effects paints, enamel washes, thinner, basing gunk and glues. Some more prepped minis up top: I’ve been busy this last few months. 

Soooo let's see what's in those drawers. 

Top left: mostly Star Wars, from both the official Legion range and 3D prints as well as some superheroes for Marvel Crisis Protocol.

Top right: Spanish Civil War Moors and loyalist militia, misc bits from skirmish games. 

Bottom left: a T-26 and truck for the SCW. SW scout bikers. A squad of fallschirmjager. The rest of the platoon is hunkered down somewhere else.

Bottom right: Our only coherent tray! All FIW/AWI: Canadien militia, French officer and drummers, Roger's Rangers, other related bits and bobs. 

Then up top...

Oh look, a whole French platoon for the fall of France. More FIW: an extra group of iroqouis for the force I did in winter 2021, some FIW colonial rangers and militia. Star Wars Endor commandos, and the saga’s lead and hero. So, plenty to be getting on with. 

A fair amount of this can be shoehorned into the Studio themes, if I stay focused. I'll probably get distracted though, as I tend to ignore the plan and 'follow the brush'.

Looking forward to getting stuck in and seeing everyone else's posts flood in, as well as minioning for the Friday Crew. See you on the other side of the start line!

PeterD Intro, Plans and Sorta Workspace

I’m PeterD and I am one of Curt’s regular gaming buddies.  Outside of Gaming I’m a University Instructor in Actuarial Science, which is a pretty sweet gig.  The Oldometer clocked 60 this year but my doctor tells me I’ve never been healthier and keep doing what I’m doing, which is good as my DC pension plan assets tell me not to retire anytime too soon!

Typical action shot, me reading rules while Stacy points.  Curt's man shed and table top with my toys.

The SSOD tells me that this is my 10th Challenge and I am once again a Minion this year.  I run a blog called the Single-Handed Admiral.  The name is a reference to Nelson and also to the fact that I was a solo gamer with interests in Naval Gaming when I set it up in 2011.  Since then, I have used the power of the internet to link up with gamers who live within 2 km of me and pretty much written off Naval Gaming as an epic fail on my part.

I’ve been gaming since about 1974, cutting my teeth on Featherstone rules and Airfix Waterloo sets before moving on to WRG ancients, scratch-built balsa wood pre-dreadnoughts  and 15mm Nappys.  I am pretty much a historical gamer with very occasional forays into Fantasy.  I don’t do much GW stuff as I don’t like their figures, setting, rules or prices.  But mostly historical research has always been the biggest draw for me so Spoon feeding from a Codex doesn’t hold much interest.

This year I am focusing on 28mm Ancients from Late Roman Britain, Romans and barbarians plus appropriate terrain bits. I also have some fantasy bits for my Beowulf DnD campaign and  some 10mm Nine Years War figures which I might get to.

As much as my downstairs workspace as I'm prepared to show.  Various bits and bobs in varrying states of completion or prep.

My tools of the trade in carrier

Mysterious MDFs projects set to be painted

I don’t have a permanent painting desk due a lack of space which isn’t taken up by too much stuff that we need to downsize.  I have some table space downstairs for figure prep and I set up for painting in the living room so as to spend time with family and watch TV etc.  

Posting Days and Minions-in-Chaaaarge!

Hi All!

I recently sent out a welcome email to all the participants, and in it was a PDF outlining the basics of the Challenge, along with posting days and minion assignments. Nonetheless, I thought I'd post the daily assignments here for easy reference.

Also, one additional thing I wish to add: From the start of the Challenge (December 21st) through to January 1st all participants can submit entries anytime they wish, I'll happily score and post them to the blog between sub-arctic dog walks and sipping eggnog. 

The Challenge starts in just a few days. Looking forward to it!

- Curt Actual, Out

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Steve K - AHPC XIII, my first go at the challenge!

 

With 5 days to go until I embark upon my first Analogue Hobby painting challenge I thought id introduce myself, Im steve (or Stig) and I run the little legions hobby blog and youtube channel.

I thought id jump in this year, as a few members of my club regularly take part and seem to get a load of stuff done every year. So thanks to Dave Docherty, Martin Cooke and James Macmillan.

I have a ton of stuff that needs painting, a lead and plastic mountain that just seems to grow bigger every year, despite my best efforts to keep it under control!

So the plan.. in no particular order....

15mm WW2, halftracks and crews from Forged in battle. Also there are a couple of late war MG42 teams.

Just sat behind them are 3 Shermans from Plastic soldier company that still need priming.

Next I have some 3d printed market stalls that I picked up at the excellent battleground show last month, to go with them are 6 perry miniatures arab civilians.

4 games workshop savage Orcs and a couple of goblin spider riders, to be added to my SAGA age of magic Warband.

24 GW rohan warriors and a 3d printed character from medbury miniatures.

7 Riders of Rohan from GW.

A great big Balrog, ive had this one for quite a while, should be a real challenge to paint up!

16 wolf riders from Oathmark, I use these as Warg riders in my LOTR games.

A bunch of Primaris Marines, ive had these for a couple of years now, very expensive miniatures... about time I actually painted them methinks.

Finally, I plan to use the challenge to kick start my new project, The 100 years War in 28mm. These are all Perry miniatures and are a mix of plastic and metal models.

The whole lot. That should keep me pretty busy over the next few months, although im sure more will be added !!

Thanks for having me along this year!

Steve.