From RayR: More Haitian Infantry 25mm (90 points)

 

No, they're not the same figures I posted last week, although most of the poses are the same!

Yes today I bring you more Haitian Infantry for the Haitian Revolution. Woo Hoo!

The first 8 figures are Grenadiers

Once again the troops are from Trent Miniatures.

The second lot of 10 figures are ordinary infantrymen.

They can fight either for the French or against them.

In my planned game at Broadside these will be fighting against the French, for a free Santo Domingue!

These 18 figures will add 90 points to my total.

TeemuL: Excellent continuation for your Haitian project, Ray! I do like the little variation in the colours on the hats and trousers, but still a uniform look. I wait to see all those minis at the same time.

From BruceR: ACW Command, Anglo Zulu Troops (115 points)

Greetings all and another relatively small submission this week.  Running my FIW scenario with the gang for ACon to make sure the sides are close took up some weekend time and extended family time trumped painting.  

Here are the 115th Pennsylvania Volunteers and the 5th New Jersey Volunteers command stands.  As we are using three stands to a regiment, I had painted 5 stands from my initial two sprues gifted by my gamer friend.  I had taken the plunge with a boxed set and upon arrival decided I could sit down and crank out two command stands and now have four regiments ready for battle.  I keep taking different routes with these and used a lighter blue on the pants, a contrast which needs two coats, but still faster than the standard acrylic paint method.  Added some red to the drums to brighten the front rank, add the flags and done.  Hope you like them.

I've added the previously painted stands showing the full regiment.

Next, I've headed back to my Anglo Zulu war project.  These are my British and I've added green as facings for the 24th foot at Rorke's Drift.  Why not right?  In  doing some background reading the regiment was initially from Warwickshire County.  In 1873 the garrison was moved to Brecon in South Wales.  In 1881 renamed the South Wales Borderers.  Fun little trivia to discover.  

These as well are 15mm and I started with contrasts.  I believe they are Blue Moon Manufacturing. The models were not overly crisp.  The faces are not well defined, likely older molds.  After contrast I did wash, and highlight, so not sure I saved any time with these figures.  In the end they turned out fine and will allow us to give The Men Who Would Be Kings a run out with my Zulus painted earlier in the challenge.  I do have a few other British and some mounted forces.  Not sure I'll get to them this challenge.  

The officer and sergeant are trying to point out targets for troopers. 

Points:

ACW 15mm @2 pts 40 figures           = 80 pts

Anglo Zulu War 15mm @2 15 figs    = 30 pts

Total                                                    = 110 pts 

Have a great week and weekend.  See you next Thursday.

Climate note, we hit 60 degrees (F) Monday (record) snow storm Tuesday, -9 this morning.  Feel like a yo-yo.

Cheers, stay well.  

Bruce

TeemuL: Good looking last minute addition to the ACW force, Bruce. How very different those 15mm minis look when based single compared to based on ranked. Nicely painted minis all together, your different routes look equally good, but it is always refreshing to try out different methods. I'll give you 5 bonus points for the flags and good looking bases, making the total 115 (just like the 115th Pennsylvania Volunteers!).

From RayR: Famous Person/Statue - El Cid 25mm (35 points)

 

For this post I'm dipping my toes into Section 2 of the Challenge Library and landing on........

Famous Person: The plaque says it all.

I searched through my unloved leadpile to see what I could use for a statue and found a few suitable figures, but needed some kind of plinth. Then at Cavalier last Sunday I saw some for sale from Iron Gate Studios, a swift purchase was made! 

Irongate also sell a range of  very nice looking figures El Cid and the Reconquista. So another purchase was made, and the unloved figures from my pile of shame were put back in the box! 

If you're gonna paint of figures for the Reconquista, why not go straight to the man of the hour Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, himself!! Of course otherwise known as El Cid.

Iron Gate's version of El Cid

Not really sure on the points for this one?

Its definitely 20 Bonus points and 10 for 1 x 25mm mounted figure

then its whatever Teemu wants to give me for the plinth?

TeemuL: Excellent statue, Ray! I really like the patina effect you achieved on the statue. I agree your definitions on the points, they are definitely correct. I think I'll give you 5 points more for the plinth and the very nice effect (including the hand painted shield). I have been quite strict with bonus points this Challenge, so I have plenty of them left. :)

Thor's Day Relaxation and Skiing

I'm back at work, but my mind is still in the holiday mood. That's why I chose an emoji, which would have fit the last week perfectly. Last week I spent in the Northern Finland, we used to ski on several days and walk with snow shoes for couple of days, lots of relaxing and so on. A bit of activity each day. I was ther with my son and week ago Thursday we skied little bit over 4km to a cafe, had a snack and then skied back. And then roughly 5km in the evening. On Monday the school had a ski day and my son reported he skied 12 kms. And he is 8 years old, so I guess the text below is rather accurate (naturally he can skate, too).

:crosscountryskiing:

CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING

Skiing with feeling

Finns learn to ski and skate right after they learn to walk. Skiing offers a fun, healthy way to enjoy the magnificent Finnish nature during winter.

----- End of Finn talking about Finland -----

So I'm full of energy and really exited to Minion on this Thor's Day and at the moment I can see not one, but two entries ready to post and one vaque concrete promise of a third one!

• We have a statue from RayR, no doubt some Haitian Revolution hero with a floppy hat?
• We have a rather lot from BruceR, I'd bet it is FIW this time, not ACW or Zulus?

From JamieM - Rumbleslam figures (30 points)

My first post in a while, but I’ve managed to do the thing I always do and start 74 projects at the same time, get them each 95% done and then wander off to the next one. Great fun, but not so great for snagging points in a painting challenge!

Anyway, this week I did manage to finish this Rumbleslam team. Rumbleslam is a game of crazy wrestling, think WWE meets any fantasy or sci-fi trope that you can think of. A couple of mates started talking about it and I expressed a vague interest…so when one of them was buying himself a team he picked me one up too and presented it to me!

I always like to get gifts painted up. So I dived right in and did these. And they were great fun to paint.

The team appear to be part of a Mexican inspired casino, I’ll admit to knowing nothing else about them other than that.

I went with contrast paints to make them nice and bright and I’m pleased how they came out.

The big fella is drinking beer…. Which is then escaping through his ribs. The “half full bottle” effect that I went for is almost completely indistinguishable, so one to work on next time.

The next two are normal sized and are a dancing couple. They’d be cute is it wasn’t for all of the bones…. Wait a second….. they look romantic…. Any chance of a bonus?

 

And finally, a couple of halfling skeletons. I’m looking forward to seeing what they do in the ring, but my mate hasn’t even got his team out of their box yet, so I feel pretty virtuous for turning them around so quickly!

 

They’re big figures, so I’ll score them as 28mm for the four normal ones and big one as a 40mm figure please, for 27 points in total.

***

I am pretty sure 95% of the Challenge participants will relate to starting 74 projects, getting them 95% done, and then wandering on to something else. This is, to coin a phrase of our era, a "safe space" for such hobbyists! These look great Jamie, and you have earned the bonus of painting your gift figures before your friend, so you get a touch of enjoyment out of that I'm sure!

Now for the points. Let's run through the checklist. We have the words "rumble" AND "slam". We have a Mexican casino theme, PLUS drinking...and lot's of amazing colours, AND implied romance! I think we can definitely toss a few bonus points in for that - goodness knows the "Romance" here would be much clearer than some of the other claims seen in the Challenge :)

Let's round it up to 30 points shall we? Excellent work! Now, go finish another project...wait...who am I kidding...time to start something new. Have I shared with you how awesome 30k is in 15mm...?

GregB

From Curt - Figures for 'Forbidden Psalm' and 'Kill. Sample. Process.' (45 Points)

Hey there!

Though I've been a little quiet of late I've not neglected my brushes entirely - like Bilbo with toast and butter, I'm just spread too thinly over too many submissions (typical). 

While translating all this distraction into completed work has been a bit of a struggle, I do have a few things to show for my efforts with this small group of fantasy figures that I did up for a recent 'Forbidden Psalm' game, and a rather odd pantalooned chap for the sci-fi rules, 'Kill. Sample. Process.'

Morka Porkas are fairly common beasties in both 'Mork Borg' and 'Forbidden Psalm'. I find them kind of hilarious and thought I'd do up a few for a recent game with the guys.

While they are rather ferocious, they can be tamed, but at a steep price. A 'lost limb condition' typically sets you up with one of these cuddly fellas as a steed. Most find it's just easier to simply climb a tall tree and let them rumble past. 3d prints from Tytan Troll Miniatures.

This big chap is 'The Feasting Wendigo', another wandering horror for 'Forbidden Psalm'. 

The original 50mm print was a little small for my tastes, so I have him here as a much more imposing 85mm. Design from Yasashi Kyojin Studio.

Finally, here is a super characterful mini from Knucklebone Miniatures. He'll be a member of my crew for 'Kill. Sample. Process.' which is the sci-fi version of 'Forbidden Psalm'. His cube head cracks me up and I really like the various textures and surfaces of his clothes, cybernetics and gear. Very fun to paint.

That being said, he's been sitting on my hobby desk for the past few months while I pondered on how to paint him. Inspiration finally came to me at work the other day when I saw a colour test pattern on a video editing machine. Bingo. 

I'm calling him 'NoSignal'. 

_____________________________________________

So, as to points:

We have three 28mm Morka Porkas @ 5 each for 15 points.

'The Feasting Wendigo' (85mm) for, say, 15 points?

'No Signal' (54mm) for 10 points.

Hmm, 40 Points total? I leave it to our worthy Wednesday Minion to provide final adjudication.

Thanks for popping in!

- Curt

***

I know many Challenges will relate to the tribulations of getting the "figures started to figures completed ratio" fine tuned. Even so, you continue to impress and amaze with your brushwork my friend, on a variety of unique and interesting figures and games. These are all fascinating sculpts - while the "Morka Porkas" certainly look the fear part, they also cause me to crave BBQ pork chops, so I see that as positive. The leopard-style spots on the pelts (?) are really well done.

As for "No Signal", not only is that a hilarious sculpt - brilliantly painted - but I just see that figure and name as a perfect symbol for so much of our current political moment...

That leaves "The Feasting Wendingo", which looks utterly terrifying, and I'm sure will not, in any way, show up in anyone's dreams offering a walk in the forest...I love/am horrified by how the varying flesh/skin/bark(?) tones come together from the different angles, really accenting the horror, and how whatever Psalm this thing is associated with should absolutely remain forbidden.

For points, I think Wendingo should step up a little bit more, to 20 points, just for the size, the sheer terror factor, and the fantastic paint job. Plus, I'm hoping the extra points will keep it away from me! 45 points for you!

Great work as always dude.

GregB

From DaveD - Back to the ‘Nam (115 points)

Ok as I said before , most of my collections are getting some love this  year. The ‘Nam top up for the season is 3xM60 teams , 3xmortar teams , a 50 cal for the fire base set up  , and a couple of singleton figures I missed when I did last years top up, 

All of the figures are by my manufacturer of choice for Nam - “Gringo40s” thought they are of course 28’s . Ged from there just keeps releasing great miniatures that even if I don’t  need I actually really , really just want - hell you know the way….

This completes a top up for my Marines for thus . year 

3 M60 teams and a 50cal 

3 81mm Mortar teams 

A couple of extra grunts .

All the sandbags for the 50 cal base are hand made from milliput - that killed and hour or two! 

And here they are added to all the previous USMC fire support completed over previous challenges.

Lots of bang for your boom! 

15 x 28mm figures = 75

3 Mortars, and Crew served Weapon the 50 cal = 40 points 

Total 115 

This should take me to my challenge target - Huzzah!  And to add to the modern things challenge , I have one other significant entry planned before challenge end , after that I am back on with 10mm Old Guard commission.

***

"Miniatures that I don't need, but I just want" - that is the basis for like 98% of my collection, and I am sure is the same for many others. Great painting here as usual Dave, matched by a huge pace of output. These fellows certainly look ready to fight their way into/toward Hue, or the Ia Drang, or even hold out at Khe Sanh!

115 points for you!

GregB 

From GrahameH: 15mm Italian Wars and Swiss Burgundian Wars - Essex Miniatures (996 Points )

Decided I needed a break from painting Cold War green (not quite true I am just half away through the basing of another Battlegroup) so had a look at to see what I could paint for my Italian Wars. As I mentioned in a previous post, I am completing my large Italian Wars armies and coming to the realisation that it couldn't fit on a 6" X 4" table. So I decided to split it up and have smaller armies representing each of the warring powers (MADNESS!!!). Having completed the army list it seems to need to paint even more figures, and having some pikemen left over I decided to start painting my Swiss for the Swiss Burgundian War. 

So first up are some Pike Blocks for Venice. Figures are Essex and Flags are from Petes Flags on Ebay. 3 blocks, each made up of 48 figures

The Swiss - Again 15mm Essex and Petes Flags. Each block consist of 48 figures, portraying the Zug, Obwalden and Zurich Cantons 

More Pike painted as the Soluthurn and Berne Cantons

Then three blocks of 32 fig halberds. Appenzell, Glarus and Obwalden Cantons

Finally some artillery

That it for this submission.

Total 

3 Guns = 12pts

144 Venice Pike = 288

240 Swiss Pike = 480

96 Swiss Halberds = 192

12 Swiss Artillery Crew = 24

Total = 996 pts

 

***

 

Well, nothing says "taking a break" like painting 400 pike men...?

 

That's another entire-Challenge's-worth-of-painting for your total Grahame.

 

GregB