JezT - Romano-British Arthurian Infantry 28mm (125 points)

Hello all and special greeting to fellow Sunday team members, 

Really enjoying being part of the challenge again and pleased to complete this first post that is perfect for the Library "New Acquisitions" category. Five packs of recently acquired Gripping Beast Dark Age infantry - as I live in Kenilworth Warwickshire UK was able to drive and pick these up direct from the factory floor in nearby Evesham.

love it when you get a group finished ........

Figures on a sabot base for use in basic impetus games

Five packs are 20 figures, these are all individually based but I will use them on a sabot base to play Basic Impetus. Here I wanted some expansion figures to be able to field a new Romano British "Arthurian" army. These will build on the basic levy fyrd Anglo Saxon's I already have. In closer detail we have:

Can use these basic spearmen to add variety in my later Anglo Saxon army

These are sold as a Pict Command group but I really liked the balance of models you get 

with Arthurian style painted shields featuring the "Chi Rho" early Christian symbol

Finally a pack of archers:

Choose this pack as especially like two figures on left that I can use as Viking mercenary skirmishers in a later Anglo Saxon army

Points wise a simple 20 figures @ 5 plus 20 for the library new acquisitions room - 120 points. 

Have  a great week painting! Cheers Jez

A great first post here Jez! Love Gripping Beast models and very jealous that you are so near them to pick them up in person! And these are lovely sculpts and great work getting them painted up. Especially loving the work you have put into the shields there. Normally we see transfers but those look to be freehand painted! Great work, and honestly going to have to give you an extra 5 pts for that extra effort there! 

Kyle

From BenitoV: Late Roman Mounted Archers for the History Section (100 points)

Greetings challengers and have a happy 2024. I'm not starting the year in my best shape, as I caught the seasonal winter flu (despite being vaccinated), which this year a becoming a serious pandemics, stretching  the national health service infrastructure to the limit. I 'd been in bed for a couple of days but with no fever (some coughing and headaches) and finally today (writing this piece on Saturday Jan 6th) I'm up and the worse moment seems passed.

Luckily, I made some progress with my painting work during the Christmas week and I'm able to post something today: a unit of Late Roman Mounted Archers.

This unit with 8 models represent 1 point in terms of the Saga armies accounting. This is an army that I intended to paint during last year's Challenge but was put aside due to other priorities.

The models are from the excellent 28mm Gripping Beast plastic range, in my opinion one of the best quality for price combination in the market. The models are multi-pose and the box offers options to build the unit armed with bows or javelins/spears.

This unit would also score in the Challenge Library History Section 

In summary:

 8 x 28mm Mounted figures @10 points each = 80 points

History Section Bonus = 20 points

 Total = 100 points 

Final advice: get your vaccines to avoid flu's worst symptoms and wear masks in crowded places.

Uff.. I hear you on the getting the jab.. having been taken out by this year's flu as well, it has been anything but fun. But glad to see you with us, and with continuing a growing trend of Gripping Beast models! Huzzah! Great work on the tunics there, and am loving how the groundwork really adds to the models here. Fantastic!

Kyle

Sunday Funday

Well hello fellow Challengers.. long time lurker.. part time poster.. and first time minion Kyle reporting for duty here! Very honored to be asked to join the Minion crew this year. Hopefully coming out of it unscathed and with my sanity mostly intact, but time will tell still ;) 

A glimpse of what last week in UK looked like

Although originally from Canada, and on the Wet West Coast of it, even I have had to shiver a bit to the amount of rain we have had this past week.. Not yet to having to resort to canoes down the main road, but it is still early around my parts at least, so who knows!

Though at least with this weather, it gives one an excuse to stay indoors and paint some models. And thankfully we have quite a smattering of posts showing off some most excellent works done by the Sunday Crew!

• A double posting of Gripping Beast models for Saga, 
• Some outlandish ( in a good way ) terrain, 
• And a smorgasbord of models covering many different genres to finish us off here.

Now let's if I have done it all correctly, and if they will appear throughout the day for us to unwind with before crashing back into a hectic week of work and frantic painting of toy soldiers.

From AaronH - Mandos (76 pts)

 We're back to Star Wars Legion, this time with Boba Fett, Boba Fett and six Mandalorian Super Commandos. Boba is a mercenary that can be taken in several factions, though the two versions are used in different factions. The super commandos are part of the Shadow Collective, and also mercenaries. I have four units of these and I want them each different, so these are actually the "last" unit since the others will be painted as Maul loyalists, Death Watch and something else, I guess.

Boba, Boba and six posers.

This model is the classic, movie, Boba. Scuffed armor, grey jump suit and cape. This model was the original model and is primarily allied with the Empire in game. 

Most flight stands are a pain on the table but this one is not too bad.

This Boba comes with one set of three command cards. The Book of Boba Fett model comes with three different cards. Between the two decks there are a lot of really great options.

Next up is the newer model. This one is from the Book of Boba Fett and has cleaned up armor and black, Tusken Raider robes.

I love both models, but this one is my favorite of the two.

This version can be taken by Rebels. Bounty hunters have a nice mechanic for getting extra points in the game so it's nice for rebels to have a little bit (very little) on bringing them.

The posing on this is really dynamic. The rock is part of the model.

Boba Fett has been the classic Mandalorian for so long that even the new additions to canon don't overshadow him. He's just iconic for Star Wars. Bearing that thought in mind, I decided to paint up one of my four units of mando super commandos in his color scheme.

While there are six models, the unit can only take four. The others are upgrade options.

The blue flames are a nice contrast, but I am going to have to try to build my last unit of these without the flight stands. They are just terrible on the table.

Pose 1

Pose 2

Pose 3. Never in the history of calming down has motioning someone to calm down made the situation calmer.

Pose 4

Mando's bring amazing speed and maneuverability coupled with great saves and serious short range firepower. Their big weakness is that they are small units (4) so they lose efficiency quickly when they start dropping. Star Wars Legion is a game that is all about objectives and this unit has a ton of utility at scoring those.

Pose 5

Pose 6

This is my first completed army for the Shadow Collective Army. I'm not playing any units that aren't painted so only 8 or 10 more to go before I can put them on the table.

In Summary:

2 x Boba Fett @5 7pts = 10 14 pts

6 x Mandalorian Super Commando @5 7pts = 42 pts

Sci/Fi Bonus = 20 pts

Total 60 pts 40 pts 76 pts

Great job on these models Aaron. I really see what you mean about the flight stands - even though these are plastic models they tend to get top-heavy. D'you think a washer weighting down the underside of the base might help? In any case, they look great and remind me that I should get cracking on my own Boba model (the Book one).

However... the Sci-Fi section is in the "Rotunda First Floor" (must've been a Brit that came up with that, we here in North Americashire would call it the "second floor") and is only accessible from the Rotunda proper, and you can only get to the Rotunda after passing through the Entrance (which you have) and Library Section 2. So I unfortunately have to deny the Sci-Fi bonus for this submission. Good news is you can still visit the Sci-Fi room later on once you've cleared Section 2 and the Rotunda!

Apparently my interpretation was mistaken (apologies) and the Cart can be used to visit ANY Section of the Library (Except the final Rare & Antique Section) as long as the participant has cleared at least two topics in their current section. So your bonus points claim is valid and the table will be updated.

Dallas

ps Points total was adjusted because I am advised that SW Legion infantry are rated at 7 points each. D.

From AaronH - A Greek, A ranger, a casualty, a princess and three locations (80 pts)

This entry is a bit of a mixture. I'm shamelessly trying to hit some locations before I move on and painting the minimum entry for each.

First up is  Leonidas. This is a really nice metal model from someone. I can't remember where it came from. My youngest and I were playing some Mortal Gods back during Covid times and he chose the Spartans, buying into their propaganda. This model will check the box for the History desk.

This was an easy model to paint. Very classic metal style.

There's not a lot going on with this model. It's a nice change of pace from GW's latest models with layer after layer of detail.

The classic movie physique didn't really come through on this.

I spent more time on the cloak than the rest of the model combined. It comes off better on the tabletop.

Next up is a GW model. This is Isildur from the Sauron set. I painted his father up years ago to be the dead ranger in Ranger's of Shadowdeep. This model will also be an objective.

His face doesn't look like Isildur from the movie.

This was a quick paint. There's not a lot going on here.

Speaking of Rangers of Shadowdeep. The next model is the Northstar model they released with the game. There are some really characterful rangers in this line, with this one being my favorite, except perhaps for the female ranger with the pipe. This gets me the Fantasy desk.

Another simple metal model with loads of character.

This is the artwork he's based on.

I'm so fond of this model I'll be using him in a Pathfinder campaign we're about to start.

The last model is Princess Leia for Star Wars Legion. This is a very homely model. She'll be re-released in hard plastic later this year and she's badly in need of the update. She'll be transporting me on Sarah's Library Cart (20 pts) to the Sci-Fi section for my next entry.

Soft detail and a really awkward arm holding a pistol.

She's a solid support character in the game. With the release of the Ewoks she's seeing something of a renaissance.

That pistol arm just goes on for miles.

In summary:

1x Leonidas @5 pts = 5 pts

1 x Isildur @3 pts (half model) = 3 pts

1 x Ranger of Shadowdeep @5 pts = 5 pts

1 x Princess Leia @5 7pts = 5 7pts

(This is math for Marines right here. I dig it)

History Bonus = 20 pts

Fantasy Bonus = 20 pts

Sarah's Library Cart Bonus = 20 pts

Total 78 80pts

(That math was a bit tougher, had to break out calculator).

Nice work here on Leonidas, Isildur, the Ranger and the Princess (that could be a movie title on its own eh?). The bases in particular are great. I too bought into Rangers of Shadowdeep with the intention of running a game (I even bought a pack of dogs and giant flies!!!) but unfortunately haven't gotten to it yet - maybe this is the year? In any case, some nice painting here and 78 80 points added to your tally.

Dallas 

ps SW Legion infantry are apparently worth 7 points each, not 5, so updated accordingly. D.