From Barks: Grimdark Ravers (20 points)

These are the Negavolt Cultists from Blackstone Fortress. They are from the Dark Mechanicus, the chaos traitors from the Adeptus Mechanicus. They look like extras from a Matrix dance party. I thought I had overdone the OSL, but it looks OK in the pictures. OSL is hard to do on pale colours; it is more effective on dark colours (e.g. Vader).

I'm steadily getting through my Blackstone figures; but they are really slowing down my progress to my target.

Skull-o-meter: 8

4x 28mm figures

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Lovin' these guys, Barks. Their Camelback E-Dispensers are excellent and I really like their whacky tentacle dreads as well.  I have this box sitting unopened in my studio and seeing your work really makes me want to pop it and get to work. Bad Squirrel, bad! 

20 points for you, Mr. Barks - Now drop the needle and head back into the pink Chaos rave.

Curt

From DaveD - The Savage Seas! (54 Points)

Ok I think i really should have been in the squirrel nutkins challenge - as here is something else very different. Martin C , James,M and I are running a participation game at the upcoming Hammerhead show - so we have gone for something Pulp based  in the South Seas. So here is my contribution of 10 native islanders with pointy sharp weapons! The terrain here I already had and Martin has the rest of the nasties - some of which you saw this week

the table is coming together... 

These are 28mm from Bob Murch Pulp - very nice and clean to paint. I have one more big piece to do for this before the end of Feb

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Yes Dave, you should have signed up for the Squirrel challenge. I must say, this strays a little from your usual path, but still possesses all your usual talent and spirit. Lovely work here. Bob Murch's sculpts are so fun to work on and we can clearly see that you had a great time with these figures. The skin tones are excellent and I really like the design motif on the shields (and I've added a few points to reflect this). I look forward to seeing more work surrounding this project. 

Curt

Snowlord Saturday Quote of the Day...

Yup, it's been a nasty few weeks for many of us in the northern hemisphere. Schwacks of blowing snow, treacherous ice and all capped off with bitterly cold temperatures. On the bright side, it's the perfect weather to stay nestled away indoors, and be industrious with brush and paint.

Oh, as a reminder, today is the last day to vote for your favourite entries in the 'Mercenary' theme round. Tomorrow I'll be announcing the results of the poll. 

Otherwise, sit back, relax and enjoy the wonderful submissions from the Saturday crew.

Curt

From GregB: 28mm Tirailleurs Algeriens for FPW (120 points)

Turcos ready to defend the Second Empire.

Robert seems annoyed at all of the French-themed submissions today. This certainly won't help...

Here is a unit of Tirailleurs Algeriens, the "turcos", colonial soldiers in service of the French Second Empire, ready to stand their ground in some Franco-Prussian War gaming. The figures are all 28mm metal castings from Wargames Foundry's Franco-Prussian War range - with the exception of the standard bearer, who is actually from Foundry's US Civil War range (for whatever reason, the Perry's never sculpted a standard bearer for the Zouaves/Turcos in the Foundry Franco-Prussian War collection, but thankfully the US Civil War Zouaves look nearly identical, so I swapped a figure in from that set).    

1e Tirailleurs Algerien

28mm figures from Wargames Foundry

The French army of the Second Empire featured many units raised from their colonial possessions in North Africa/Algeria - Zouaves, Tirailleurs Algerien and the Chasseurs D'Afrique (cavalry).  These units fought in the Crimea and Italy and built excellent reputations.  While the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 went super-very-bad for the French, these units were present at a number of the major engagements and fought bravely, among the toughest troops the French could call on.

Get your fez!

They also look cool. SUPER COOL. I love the cut of these uniforms, certainly a very unique sight on a European battlefield.  I get a bit confused by it all, but by 1870 I believe the "Zouaves" were basically "Europeanized" units that retained the super-cool North African-style uniforms.  The Tirailleurs Algerien, however, remained as North African troops.  Naturally, they also had the super cool North African uniforms, but there were variations on the colours - the Zouaves had darker blue jackets and red pants, while these "turcos" had sky blue jackets and white/canvas coloured pants - although, confusingly, I have also seen them with sky plants as well...

As always, the packs feature plenty pans & stowage :)

The 1e Tirailleurs Algerien regiment was present at the Battle of Wissembourg, holding the town and train station against a number of Prussian attacks.  You may have noticed that I often refer to this battle in my posts - that is because the first game I hope to play will be loosely based on that battle.
 

I messed up when mounting the flag - it is too rolled up...now it just looks folded in half. Oh well.

I was so very excited to get painting this unit. Really, really pumped. But there were a number of small setbacks and frustrations along the way with this lot, and in the end, I'm just relieved to have finished them at all.  

The standard bearer is a US civil war Zouave casting...he fits right in!

The flashing and mold lines were a real issue, and you can still see some nasty mold lines on several of the figures, mold lines I just couldn't eliminate even with hobby knife/file etc. The packing & shipping process was poorly executed, so every single figure had a badly bent rifle and bayonet, an issue I could not 100% correct, even with hours of careful bending/straightening. I wasn't sure about the sky blue on the coats (and I'm still disappointed - I don't think I found the right contrast). I tried to use colours to represent the right North African skin tone...and it didn't work, but I just coudn't find the right ones. The flag did not go on properly, and so when I folded it over, it glued dry in a folded-in-half position, so you can't read it or really get a good look on it. It looks more like the folded piece of paper that it is, rather than a nice flowing flag I meant to give an impression of...

Bring on the Prussians!

Basing the unit was a challenge too...the selection of poses for the FPW Zouave figures from Foundry is...annoying. I was able to use different types of figures in my other French regular infantry units to have a front rank firing and a rear rank that is advancing/supporting, but I can't for the the Zouave/Turcos - the figure selection doesn't work out.  It would have to be both ranks firing (or running, or attacking or whatever).

I had wanted firing poses, so went with all-firing poses without thinking it through...once they were all painted and I started to line them up for basing, it was a drag - very hard to get them to line up well. I experimented with different approaches...and in the end it still doesn't look great.

But whatever, I just wanted to get them done! So here they are! There are 24 castings here, should be good for 120 points - and one more unit toward that "Black Powder" game I hope to play sometime...

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More French!

That's quite a tale of woe, there! Flash, figures not lining up, the terrible bending of the rifles, lack of standard bearers, bad paint mixes. But it's worth it, because you've made a splendid unit.

Another 120 points for you!

From DavidB: Beware the old man (80 points)

Very late and missed the mercenary round, but they still beat my recon round.(the reconnaissance team mustve been dropped at the wrong grid)

Like quite a few here, I grew up with star wars and was young enough to gather a large collection of action figures. Fantasy Flight Games has rekindled that desire to amass a large collection of those figures and game all the adventures from the movies and more.

Since my youth and the original theatre outings, I grew older and found myself often in areas without creature comforts like electricity. Books only need daylight to work properly and Ive read nearly all the Star Wars books released, all over the world. I have battered paperbacks on my shelf at home and even a few newer books stashed in my ruck and assault pack.

Ive even met and and conversed with quite a few people in oddest places just because they seen I was reading Star Wars. An SAS Sgt is convinced that the books don't count as only the movies are"real". A Kiwi recon scout and I also quietly passed the time sharing our favourite characters while in a HIDE site on a frigid Afghanistan mountain.

Like it or hate it, Star Wars is pretty universal.

Trandoshans like Boosk are a race of reptilian hunters. Often hunting in a family pack, they are carnivores and will eat anyone. Boosk is the only survivor of his family and prefers the contracts that allow him to eat. he has no loyalty to anyone and views most as just meat. Trandoshans are a race of mercenaries hiring out hunter teams, assassins and soldiers and have no scruples for reasons they just want the credits. 

Rodians are from a planet with slavery embedded in the culture. The green Rodians are the most common and are the slaves while the yellow ones are the noble class of slavers. Besides the slavery, they are very advanced, but seem to have issues from the recently ended slavery. Young green Rodians often grouped up into gangs for protection and freedom fighting, but often that life just led to crime and mercenary work.

The space orc Gamorians have long allied with the Hutts and provide a core of disciplined elite guards. The Hutts don't abuse them too much as they are very loyal and they have developed  culturally with the Hutts although they do roam as space pirates and mercenaries for hire.

Weequays are a leathery humanoid race that have very little by way of artistic culture, humour, science, or any worthwhile export. Their home world is nearly dead and the leathery wrinkled skin is a result of generations of radiation exposure. They roam as space pirates when not engaged in mercenary work. They wear all their individual wealth and are always ready to move. They work for the highest bidder and have been known to switch sides when a better deal comes along.

The Fett and Dengar. Don't really need to mention too much about the Fett who hails from a race of soldiers for hire. Mandoralians are pretty popular with any fan of Star Wars.

Dengar though is probably the least popular. I used to not be fond of him myself, but thanks to the books I have a better understanding of him.

He is a bounty hunter and soldier for hire. he has very bad luck in all his peaceful endeavours and often lost his funds just by helping out others. He was a soldier for a long time and was(is) highly trained in shooting, explosives, and reconnaissance. He helped out Boba after the Fett escaped from the sarloc pit(Corporal Grosse said he died in Film and IS dead). He even has helped Fett in eliminating those who assume the Fett's identity. Boba doesn't have many he trusts and even fewer friends. Dengar is one in both camps and will always help boba out including providing a safe house. Dengar is mainly a farmer now providing for his lady and a brood of children and grand children.

Dengar is an old man and is still somewhat active in a profession a young man's game. Dengar is also still in the game while many are not which shows how dangerous the old fellow with his aged equipment is. I rather like him now and sympathise with him more that I did when i first got his action figure in the 80's. Sometimes just age is needed to alter the perspective. ;)

This whole squirrel challenge has definitely added more butterfly distractions to my desk!

16 28mm troops for 80 points and another tally for the squirrel challenge!

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I've read some of the Extended Universe, and nothing new really replaces the Thrawn Trilogy. 

You've done some excellent work on these. Especially the Rodians.

80 points incoming.

From GregB: 40k Vostroyan Heavy Weapons Section (60 points)

Vostroyan lascannon teams for GW's Warhammer 40k setting.

Back to 40k again for this Painting Challenge submission.  Here are some more "Vostroyan" troops, members of the Imperial Guard in GW's "Warhammer 40k" game.  This is a heavy weapons section - a trio of two-man teams equipped with Lascannons, the heaviest of the approximately-man-portable heavy weapons in the 40k setting.

Great sculpts from GW, back in the days when they made proper, metal castings.

I had an earlier submission featuring an officer and some special weapon troopers. As with that lot, these figures have also been sitting in my hoard for several years. It is a great feeling to get some paint on them, and continue to build my small collection of Vostroyan troops into something large enough to stand on its own on the table.

Spotting a target down range...in reality, these things will be doing a lot of point-blank shooting.  It is 40k, after all.

Imperial Guard forces count on their heavy weapons to have any chance on the gaming table in the face of the assorted alien and heretic nightmares which plague the universe of the grim and dark far-future, so these lascannons will be critical.  They can knock out vehicles, monsters and heavily-armoured infantry, and the three teams firing together helps to compensate for the fact that, when I am rolling the dice, at least two will miss with every volley...

Seems...not so safe to kneel that close to a heavy weapon? Oh well...

Of course they continue to feature all sorts of baroque whackiness all of the Vostroyan sculpts have - re-breathers, spooky goggles, colpacks etc.  Some of it even features on the lascannons - note the silly embossed "V" on the weapons.  It's a touch nutty, and I really like it.

The dismal Winnipeg winter can be seen in the blurry distance from my kitchen...not sure what these troopers would make of it...

There are six infantry models and three crew-served weapons in this submission.  I think that works out to 60 points in theory, but a Lascannon is not that big of a "crew-served weapon", so I am thinking they should score at five points each - in all, 45 more points toward my overall points target and my mediocre showing in the "Evil Empire" side duel.

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Oh, finally, some not French. 

You've done your usual thorough job on the Vostroyans, especially the white greatcoats and the highlighting on the colpacks. Very nice looking troops.

As for the lascannons not being "that big" they look on par with some smaller artillery pieces. Plus there's quite a bit of detail. So, who are we to dispute the Spreadsheet of DOOM when it says 60 points?  

From JohnS: A Plethora of Krogloggs (56 points)

I adore these goggle eyed kroglogg aliens and managed to boot several more off my lead pile and into active duty.

These chaps are labeled as "hunters" in the Astropolis line of miniatures and act as pest control aboard the enormous star cruiser that serves as their home, but in my collection they'll pressed into service as front line troops of a rebellious alien rabble. Kroglogg eyes are widely set on hammerhead shaped noggins. I assume the forward facing optical sensors on these ceremonial helmet give these particular alien soldiers binocular vision so they can act as sharpshooters for their depth perception lacking kin.

In so many science fiction series the aliens are part of a monoculture devoid of individual character. All klingons are warlike. All hutts are obese gangsters. I appreciate that many of the figures in the Astropolis line have individualistic characters woven into them through their sculpts.

This beverage sipper looks like a cranky old fart, while the mother and child are expectedly awaiting the arrival of a loved one.

Our dutiful papa is enroute, lugging his work parcels with him while this dimwitted attendant barely notices his passing. Love 'em!

I'm used to polishing off dozens of identical historical figures at a time, but these individual figures are requiring more attention to get right than I'm used to. My Painting Challenge point goal is looking increasingly overly optimistic, but I'm hoping that with just a few more individual sci fi figure to do I'll be able to drop some point bombs with mass units of uniformed figures soon.

In total these 10 figures should bump me up another 50 points.

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Until now, I was unaware that ten krogloggs constituted a plethora. I have since remedied the deficiencies in my education.

You're right, the krogloggs are very individual, and quite expressive. You've done absolutely wondrous jobs on the eyes and the facial expressions of those not masked, and that deserves recognition.

So, 10 25mm kroglogs earn you 50 points, with another two for the young girl, and call it another four for the eyes. Grand total of 56 for a plethora of kroglogg!

From Eric M: Napoleonic French and Colonial Governors (225 points)

 Once again my post was delayed last week.  Its been a challenging start to the new year.  Somehow I have developed tendonitis in my painting hand, which has really slowed things down.

In the last two week I continued to work my forces for a Sharpe Practice game set in the Spanish Peninsula.  I finished another 24 figure French line unit.

The figures are all from Front Rank.  As I have said before they are well fed but really lovely scuplts.  This unit is in more of a campaign style dress without shako cords and other bling.

I still havent learned my lesson and painted the flag.   Someday I will learn

Here are some close ups of the greniadier company and the light company

And the obligatory attack column.

I made the mistake of basing them individually on 20mm squares. Most of the Sharpe Practice games I have seen base on circles.  I think if both sides are based the same it should work out.

To support the Line unit I also painted up 8 Artillery Crew.  The guns were completed years ago and have been sitting in a box waiting for crewmen

The artillery is also Front Rank.  I think I may have a made a mistake with white gaiters. Ill have to go back and read some more.  While I like all the figures, I particularly liked the raillery officer

In a change of pace, I stopped work on the Napoleonic's long enough to finish up a long over due birthday gift for a friend.   He has been a pirate lover for a long time as is closing in on completing his project.  To help out I painted up 12 28mm Old Glory figures (and a table) from their pirate range.   While the casting and sculpting quality are not top of the line. they are easy to paint. Calling this group pirates is a bit misleading.  They are really from the colonial governor set, so they are "cleaner" and less piratical than a real pirate.

I really like the seated governor and his entourage.

 Here's a close up of the more action oriented types

So my tally for the last 2 weeks is 44 28mm figures (and a table).  This week its on to the British and Spanish for the Peninsula

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More French! I bet even the governor is French! I bet even the table is French!

At least the (comfy) chair is Spanish . . . Habsburg Spanish, to boot. Thank the Snowlord for that!

Fortunately, your artillerists sartorial splendor is not marred by inaccuracy. White gaiters are quite appropriate for French artillery. Though how long they stayed white serving a piece is a different question.

So, 44 25mm figures at 5 points a piece is  220 points, with another 2 for the table, and five for hand-painted flag silliness. 227 is respectable, though not as good as your last entry. Keep the paint grenadoes coming!

From PeteF: 5eme Chevaux Legeres Lancers Old Old School Minifigs (60 points)

Napoleonic Minifigs is where it all started for me and I've been picking up French here and there to face off against the Anglo-Allied collection I inherited.

These are (I think) first generation Minifigs rather than the second generation which I prefer. Nevertheless, all unpainted lead deserves a coat and I needed a few lancers for a game I'm running this Saturday (at Ambuscade in Portland OR). First generation are smaller and the sculpts are more basic.

They are painted as the 5th regiment of lancers because I liked the sky blue facings colour.  There are  a few things that are technically not quite correct with the sculpts and/or paint job - but can you spot them? And if you can spot them, does it matter? And if it does, does it matter that it matters?

The 25mm French army is growing - 8 battalions of Ligne arrived from a seller in New Zealand for my birthday - so these guys will have friends. I enjoy the heft of old school figures and they awaken fond wargaming memories of family and friends.

In a moment of weakness this week I enquired as to whether there were any more players' spots available for The Great Game, a record breaking Waterloo battle in Glasgow in June. I'm somewhat relieved that the player spots are full as I'd have a lot of figures to paint (as it will be a 28mm game) and ship across the Herring Pond. On the other hand they need umpires and other volunteers so if I can justify the trip to the UK maybe I'll still be able to go.

6x25mm for 60 points - nothing for the squirrel this week.

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Even more French! If it wasn't for those pirates, it looks like it'd be All French All Friday!

Those look about right for Minifigs. While they were some of my first figures (in 15mm), I have much less fond memories of them. Mainly because of the massive honking flash on the horses.

On the other hand, their guns were great.

Either way, they're classics.

60 points inbound!

From BrettM: Some Pirates and a lumberjack (65 points)

Several Minis ready for this week. First one is a random lumberjack mini I bought from Reaper years ago.

Fast and easy paint job on this guy.

 Not sure if I will ever use him in a game.

 Bought into Blood and plunder several years ago at Adepticon. Finally got around to getting them painted up.

 At first I really didnt know what to paint them with color wise. Should I go with a scheme for each country? Or just go with whatever I felt like.

 I realized I doubt I will just play Blood and Plunder with these minis. I can use them for lots of different games as well. So went with the whatever colors felt right.

 These guys are the English Milita. So I did try to keep them with some colors showing England. Mainly the Red. 

 Still finishing up the English set. I have a captain and of course I jumped in on their last kickstarter so I have more for the English faction from that as well. Not to mention French and the Native range they have, as well as boats. Far Far away from getting all the pirates painted up.

13 figures at 28mm for a total of 65 points.

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Y'arrrrrrrrrr! Ye've done a nice swab paintjob on th' Reaper lumberjack. Simple, but well done. Ye might reckon about gettin' into Ole West gamin'. He'd be th' nice start t' a woodcuttin' party t' support a fort or homestead.

I be personally nah a fan o' th' Blood 'n Plunder minatures; I reckon they look too spindly. But ye've done a great job on these. I like th' neutral colors, especially th' various grays 'n terracottas.

Avast haulin' 'n splice th' main brace fer 65 points, every scallywag jack o' them!