From AlanD - Fin de siècle women of the apocalypse (125 points)

My Challenge output has slowed considerable since the new school year started. I'll suffer for it tomorrow, but I did manage to get some figures finished tonight, so off they go for Millsy's imprimatur.



I've loved the Hinterland figures since I first saw them on someone's blog, and have had some sitting in the painting queue for about a year. If you haven't come across them before, Hinterland have a growing range of mainly c.1900-1918 fantasy women sculpted by Paul Hicks. No chain mail bikinis though - the women may be from fictional German units of female Hussars, Uhlans and so on, but they are all highly believable, and look pretty much how such female soldiers would have looked if they in fact existed.



I particularly like the Death's Head Hussar figures, so here's a bunch along with a mounted officer (Hinterland have a name for her, but I'm too tired to look it up), a Maxim gun, and an additional couple of officers from the Uhlans and Cuirassiers. My favourite is the blonde Cuirassier with the swagger stick.



I'm thinking these figures might work really well for In Her Majesty's Name, so I also painted up a set of five unfortunate zombie Hussars.



Just lovely figures, and I'll probably 'have' to get some more. Maybe some of Hinterland's trench raiders. Apologies for the photo quality by the way. I had to use my phone because the kids have hidden the camera somewhere.



As for points, we have one mounted figure, 21 on foot and a Maxim gun. I think that should come to 125 points. And with that, I bid you good night.

Alan has managed to squeeze in a last minute Thursday entry it seems. I can vouch for his commentary on staying up late as this one arrived after I hit the sack at 11:45pm last night. I'm not sure what "imprimatur" means but it sounds kinda kinky so I'm willing to give it a go. 

The other thing I can vouch for is the quality of this entry. I've been a big fan of these minis for a long time and your brushwork hasn't done anything other than increase my temptation level by another few notches Alan. I'm particularly taken by the blending on the skirts and how well it is reflected in the paved basing. Is that accessorizing? Anne? Tamsin? 

Nice work mate, that's a very well earned 125 shekels for your total. Cheers, Millsy

From Curt - Madame Ting-Ting, her Bodyguards and her Garford-Pulitov Armoured Car (40 points)

After the Russian Civil War, many White Russians tried to escape Bolshevik persecution by fleeing abroad. They went to all corners of the world, and many White soldiers, needing work or seeking adventure, traveled to China and fought amongst the ranks of the various warlords. Shanghai became a particularly popular emigre destination, and a vibrant Russian ghetto soon established itself, traces of which can still be seen today.

So from this background we see here my pulp adventuress, 'Madame Ting-Ting', along with her trio of Russian ex-pat bodyguards and their rather care-worn Garford-Putilov armoured car. 

The Madame was born Leia Natasha Petrovostalavitch (an extrapolation of a friend's 'Top Secret' RPG character name), the headstrong daughter of a Russian diplomat and Chinese courtesan. She is now simply known as 'Madame Ting-Ting' - that being the sound of her enemies' bullets bouncing off her armoured car. (My thanks to Sylvain's new puppy for inspiring me with the nickname!)

These models started life during the first week of the Challenge, but have languished for the past month so I thought I better get them cleared off the table before I ran out of time.

M. Ting-Ting and her bodyguards are all 28mm Copplestone figures. I had a lot of fun painting Ting-Ting, especially her red gloves and elegant cigarette holder. I chose the riflemen as I liked their ragged uniforms, thinking them fitting after their long retreat to central China. 

The Garford-Putilov is from Copplestone as well. It's a wonderful model, though rather small in scale (1:55). These vehicles were actually quite huge, with this one weighing in at around 11 tons. Like many armoured cars of this period they were extremely underpowered - this one boasting only a 20 HP engine! Top speed was a blistering 18kph. 

I love the turret with the barrel-encased 76mm gun and the wing MG sponsons. Completely mental.

For Ting-Ting's banner I wanted something 'Pulpy' and a bit silly, so I went with a motif that features a skull with crossed cigarette holders. Of course, since there are not many flags featuring this design, I had to make one myself. :)

It was a bit daunting at first, but I began to channel my long-dormant highschool drafting classes and managed to muddle through.

There you go, 'Madame Ting-Ting' and her 11 ton Tin Lizzie!

Thanks for visiting folks!

Finally! I don't know how long I've waited to adjudicate something from our gracious overlord. Now the day has arrived and he's only gone and treated me to a real corker as well.

I'm not sure quite where to start with how much I love this submission Curt. The infantry are all wonderful but the armoured car and the flag are both something else. I know from experience how hard these early ACs are to assemble and paint convincingly and this one has come together superbly, especially given all the extra stowage, etc. The banner is also quite something and has a most definite pulp feel about it.

All up that's 35 points worth of minis but it's got to be worth another 5 for the banner and the armoured car. Love your work mate! Cheers, Millsy.

From ScottB - Bolt Action (28mm) - Panzer IV H and Hanomag SdKfz251/1 D (35 points)

Well the plan to paint loads of LOTR figures has become slightly derailed with the arrival at Chez Bowman of the Bolt Action starter set, and a pair of tanks; a Panzer IV H, and a M4 Sherman.

So far I have them all assembled and have been trying out the rules with my son Chris.  It certainly seems a lot of fun, and its 28mm WWII after all - so what's not to like?! ;-)

Thus far I have painted up the Panzer and Hanomag Armoured carrier for the Germans...

I am going with my soft tri-colour camo pattern as I have done before with my FoW stuff, but I have this time tried to accentuate some of the details and tried to include some weathering of the paintwork along the raised edges of the vehicles.

I thought about buying chipping fluid and weathering pigments, but in the end I just wanted to get them done and played with, so just did everything by hand with regular acrylics.

First time I have painted such vehicles at this scale, other than 40K stuff many many years ago...

A selection of pictures for your enjoyment... I hope you like them.

The 15mm scale bocage hedges I made for FoW, works nicely for regular to large hedges for 28mm...

Nice number plates decals as part of the set... front and rear...

Divisional markings for Panzer Lehr...

For those not in the know; the German tank numbering system went; company, platoon, tank... so this wee beastie is the 3rd tank of first platoon, of 4th Company...

The Lehr Division was one of the better fighting formations the Wehrmacht had, typically with a high level of material and resources for a non-SS formation... Formed in '43 from elite troops who had seen action on many fronts, they subsequently saw action in the west, facing the western allies...

To speed up painting - I'll have to admit, I didn't do the eyes... my own eyes are getting a bit tired now, so this might be a stretch too far... I haven't varnished the vehicles so I might got back and do them later - but probably wont!  ;-p

Right off to paint 12 German Grenadiers...

Wow Scott, that's quite a wonderful result considering they're your first 28mm vehicles in a long time AND that they have a most convincing tri-colour camo scheme to boot! Having painted this scheme myself a few times I can attest to just how hard it is to execute so kudos for doing such a wonderful job. Please so varnish them though, I'd hate to see that effort ruined by handling...

30 points seems a mean return for the effort so I'm throwing in another 5 for the camo. Good too see you back on the tools mate! Cheers, Millsy.