AlanD - Last Submission - WOTR Archers and Curtgeld (70 Points)

Phew! With this final entry I'll hit my target of 1000 points. I was hoping to get more done, but it has been a heck of a school term so far. My biggest regret has been that I've been so busy I haven't been able to regularly comment on the wonderful entries you all have been submitting. As always, the Challenge has been a great pleasure to be a part of, and huge thanks to Curt and his minions for making it possible.

I managed to smash out 6 retinue archers this week for 30 points, adding to the retinue I'm putting together for Lion Rampant. Figures are from the Perrys, and they bear the retinue badge of the Yorkist Lord Scrope of Bolton. The bases are meant to have a light dusting of snow or frost, although Curt the Snowlord has shattered my confidence by thinking they are flowers. I'm Australian right? What would I know? :)

 
 

And finally, the Curtgeld. What better gamblers and risk takers to depict than Cortes and Moctezuma? Cortes' whole life was an extraordinary series of gambles, from the time he left Cuba on an all-or-nothing attempt to make his fortune, to his decision to arrest Moctezuma and his final belief that against all the odds he could capture Tenochtitlan and destroy the Aztec Empire. Moctezuma also rolled the dice, but lost. Perhaps he thought he could make use of these pale-faced strangers who had arrived in his lands from who knew where. Perhaps he was just fascinated by them. For whatever reason, he failed to see their threat, and instead allowed Cortes to gamble and win everything.

Figures are from Battlefront, and were available through Wargames Illustrated. I had these lying around for ages, but finally found them last Monday in the attic.

And with that, may you always roll high, unless you are playing against me. Dux out.

A great final entry Dux! Your Bolton archers are as excellent as your first group of men-at-arms. Nonetheless, your snow still looks like flowers to me, but I would not wish upon anyone the deep, dire knowledge of snow and ice that we Canadians possess. So how 'bout we meet halfway and call them Snowbells, eh? :)

I have to admit that when I clicked to open this entry I had my head turned, with one eye clenched shut, thinking it would be another Bob Dylan figure. ;P 

This is a brilliant vignette Alan. Cortez and Moctezuma are brilliant examples of 'Risk Takers'. As you say, the stakes were huge and one won big while the other was destroyed utterly. I really like how you painted the jaguar hide cape.

Thank you very much Dux! Until next year then.

 

From MilesR - 41st Canadian Regiment (182 Points)

This may be my final "big" entry into this years challenge - the Canadian 41st infantry regiment from the War of 1812 in 28mm scale.  All 36 figures are from Front Rank and where a joy to paint.  As I've mentioned in earlier posts, Front Rank is giving the Perry's a good challenge for my "favorite miniatures" spot.  I still think it's the Perry's, but we gamers can be so fickle!

The 41st fought in most of the major actions along the Niagra front, including Lundy's Lane.

Lets see 36 figures plus 2 flags should come out to 182 points so a mini point bomb here - lets call it a "bomblette".

I'll have one or two small things to post tomorrow and that will bring this year's challenge to an end for me.  More thoughts on that with my final submission.

Oh, now, that's a right proper regiment, both in size and nationality! Fabulous work Miles. As I've said before, I find the Front Rank sculpts a bit too well-fed but they are still superb models and you've done them proud here. Is this unit going to see action in your upcoming Historicon event?

From AdamC - Frostgrave Great Worm (10 points)

This is Figure is from Reaper and I really wanted one for my Frostgrave collection  but its been sold out sine the game came out, especially as there is no official worm figure form Northstar but author Joe McCulloughn has said this is the figure he had in mind when he wrote the "worm hunt" scenario.  I certainly don't want to mess with anything with that many teeth!

I went with blue because I felt it would pop on the table and added some snow on it head where it got stuck when it burst through the ground. I also went fairly heavy with the wash so it looks like dirt is clinging to it.

The figure comes with its own ground work, dirt and rock chunks were it burst from the ground I added snow to the ground to fit the setting.

For scale I have two 25mm Frostgrave soldiers.   We counted bug figures as cavalry or vehicles I think for this simple figure cavalry makes more sense so perhaps 10 points or what ever Curt thinks is fair.  There will be at least one more post as I send in a big group shot and one or two other little pieces I am trying finish up. 

That is a nasty looking critter Adam. I really like the blue and turquoise of it's hide. It fits nicely in-theme with the Frostgrave winter setting but I can see one of these being very good for a Strange Aeons scenario. Nice work Mr. C!

 

From ChristopherS - International Brigade Section (20 Points)

Adding a few more units to my long delayed Spanish Civil War project of 1936-39. This is some more International National Brigade reinforcements.

Painting the international Brigade is great fun as basically anything goes as they were issued with truly an eclectic assortment of equipment from all different nationalities some of which they brought with themselves from their respective countries or were issued by the Republican government. However, in spite of their militia look they were generally very highly motivated and some of the best troops the Republicans put in the field. As a painter they are great as you can just go through all the different khakis and browns to your hearts content and not really be wrong! I pretty much had a field day with Vallejo paints mixing up combo's and trying things out. Ahh the freedom to do as you please.:-) Hopefully folks will like them as much as I had fun experimenting with the colors. The figures themselves are of course from Empress in 28mm scale.

I have plans to do more and almost have enough for Operation Squad which is my starting point gaming wise before building it up from bigger games like Bolt Action or Chain of Command. I haven't decided what Nationalists I'll do for opposition, but I am leaning towards Carlists at the moment.

So 4 28mm figures should give me 20pts and on to one more entry after this and that will conclude my challenge.

Thanks for viewing!

Beautiful work Christopher. It's been a while since I've seen your brushwork on non-ancients - these are really wonderful.  I like the more sunkissed look to their flesh and you've done a lovely job on the colour blending. I also like the basing as it reinforces some of the arid terrain they fought in. Gorgeous. I think for your upcoming Nationalists you can't go wrong with Carlists. Their punchy colours, berets and jodhpurs are always popular favourites with our crowd. :)

From TamsinP - Curtgeld - "Frack!" (20 Points)

Risk takers, gamblers and daredevils. One fictional character came to my mind who embodied all three parts of that. And I was lucky enough to have the perfect figure to encapsulate that character for my Curtgeld.

That's right, Kara "Starbuck" Thrace from the re-imagination of Battlestar Galactica.

Mind you, the original Starbuck portrayed by Dirk Benedict would have been equally suitable (not to mention a more interesting paintjob) but I didn't have that figure in my stash.

Is Starbuck a risk taker? Most definitely - she risks her life, her heart and her career all the time.

Is she a gambler? All the time when off duty.

Is she a daredevil? As a top fighter pilot, she regularly throws her Viper through manoeuvres which would scare the bejayzus out of any other pilot.

The figure is "Pilot Vic" from Hasslefree. Of course, now I'll have to buy myself another to paint up for my own collection.

Hope you like her Curt!

Oh, this is so great Tamsin, thank you! I loved the reboot of BSG (except for the tragically execrable final season) and Kara was such a wonderfully strong and interesting female character in it. You've done a very fine job on her. I really like details like the t-shirt/tanktop the pilots wore, the dogtags and her distinctive pale blonde hair. I also really like the minimalist metallic base - it places the figure in it's sci-fi setting but doesn't overpower it.

Again, thank you, it's a wonderful figure.

So say we all. :)

From GregB - Raven Guard 30k Command - And Thanks! (30 Points)

Hi folks - here is my final submission for the Sixth Annual Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge - a command group of Raven Guard, loyalist Space Marines from the XIXth Legion in GW's 30k Horus Heresy setting.  I apologize for all the blather in this post, but you know, I'm just like that.  So here we go.

The figures are a mix of kits and accessories from GW and Forge World, including some spare plastic bits from the "Betrayal at Calth" box set, some Mark III armoured Space Marines from Forge World, and GW's basic plastic Space Marine Command set from the current 40k figure line.

Up first is a "Praetor", a senior command figure for the Space Marine Legion.  He is wearing the bulky Mark III armour (my favourite variant), embossed with extra fancy features owing to his status within the Legion. This is a figure from Forge World.  I should comment on his wee pistol - this is an "archeotech pistol", a nice little bit of fluff buried in the Forge World 30k rules supplements.  I do enjoy how the pistol appears to be so small and out of step with the rest of the Commander's ominous armoured bulk, and when you know the background on these "archeotech" pistols, it really fits.

So what's with this pistol? The standard (if you can call it that) in the 30k/40k setting is generally that "older is better", and that even though the technology within their reach is far ahead compared to our contemporary world, to them it is a time of slow and gradual decline.  In the perspective of the 30k/40k human denizens, very old armaments, bits of tech etc. are from a prior age of unimaginable technological ascendancy - even to them, never mind us - and lost to subsequent dark times.  This little pistol is from those older times, so even though it looks small, it can probably blow away a tank.

And of course rather than seek to innovate or explore how to replicate such a device, the Space Marines and the Imperium they serve treat it instead as a dark and dangerous relic, to be trusted only to a senior officer until it breaks down or is lost. Anything else would be superstitious silliness. I love it! To me, the Praetor is standing there with his bonkers pistol drawn, staring down some implacable rebel Marine or alien abomination, saying "Quoth the Raven, motherf***er..."

Then we have a standard bearer from the XIX Legion.  This sort of anachronistic silliness (a standard on a dark future battlefield) is absurd, and I just love it.  I've done one for each of the Legions I have started to collect so far, and I generally love having them on the table.  Given the involvement of the Raven Guard in the "dropsite massacre" I particularly wanted to have one for them to gather around and mount a final defence...

There is a small group of bodyguard marines to go with the standard.  These fellows are wearing the bulky, ominous and heavily segmented and riveted Mark III power armour.  It looks spooky and medieval, and I just love it.  Two of these chaps are carrying plastic "combi-bolters", spares from the "Betrayal at Calth" box set.

Up next is a "Legion Champion" - really just another fellow in fancy armour, a noted and highly skilled combatant ready to bash some heads at the side of the Preator.  He is a blend of plastic 40k bits and 30k Mark III armour bits.

Neither last nor least is the "Apothecary" - the medic.  I love having these models for my Space Marine forces as they underscore the dystopian nature of the times portrayed.  A medic as we might imagine them, even a combat medic, is there to provide care, to save and preserve lives (at least those of his or her comrades).  The Space Marine "medic" is there to extract genetic bits from fallen Marines in order to make future ones - and any Marine so judged ready for this "treatment" who might still be alive receives a bolt straight to the brain first.  All of the odd ball kit on this figure is there with this goal in mind - extraction of genetics, not preservation of comrades.  But of course, the Marines don't care, as they are all out to die for the Emperor regardless...ah, I love the 30k/40k setting... 

I thought I would do a little group shot of the Raven Guard painted so far in the Challenge.

There are a total of six figures for this submission (there is a seventh model there, but he was painted back in November of last year as a test model to work out the colour scheme, so he doesn't count).  This should give me a final 30 points for my total.  It's always nice to exceed your goal! It also rounds out the very basic core elements for a force of Raven Guard troops for the gaming table - two troop units and some HQ guys, the bog-standard 30k/40k of many years (or at least it used to be).  While there is of course much more to be added, I'm hoping the lads at the Fawcett Avenue Gaming table will be up for a scenario where these figures make some manner of pointless and bloody last stand during the Istvaan drop operation. I can imagine that Praetor blowing the bad guys away with his whacky little pistol to the bitter end...

I had hoped for some more furious last-minute painting, but even with Curt's generous time extension, it's just not in the cards due to work and some other commitments.  And so here I must concede in all of my side duels from this year.  David, Jamie and Byron - I look forward to painting something for you.  I have been bested by some excellent brush warriors! Be sure to get in touch and I will make preparations for my "shamegeld" to be delivered prior to next year's edition of the Painting Challenge.

A final thank you to all the participants for your encouragement and inspiration.  A special thank you to my great friend Curt for organizing the whole gong show, to my fellow minions for their assistance with arcane witchcraft such as "spreadsheets". Finally, THANKS to the great group of Friday folks.  It was a real treat to share your talent with everyone and I looked forward to seeing your lineup of incredible work from all over the world every week! Curt will tell you I was more than a little proud (perhaps "smug") about how awesome all the Friday stuff consistently was...

Cheers everyone, and happy painting and gaming!  

A stonking final entry Greg. As I've mentioned on the blog before, we are both on the same page regarding the 30K/40K universe. It is a game that has it's roots set firmly in Thatcherite Britain.  It's just so marvelously f*cked up that you just can't help but smirk, shrug and embrace it.

I really like the Mark III armour as well. It has a great, quasi-baroque esthetic about it. I think my favourite of this batch of great figures has to be the Praetor with his 'history eraser' pistol.  He looks like he's giving his sword to his weapon caddy (servitor) and saying, 'A greater Khornate Daemon? Hmm. Hang on to this a moment while I short this out...'

Terrific work Greg. Thanks again for all your help and support during the Challenge. You and your Friday crew were fantastic and a great inspiration to us all. 

From IanW - Tidy Up Time (60 Points)

The final charge to the end of the Challenge for me means finishing off bits and bobs. I had this week off work so expected a fair bit of painting but in the end I managed just a brief flurry towards the end of the week.

This is a shameless attempt to collect all points possible and is worth 1.5 point as is not based so just the one point. My son was given the choice for three of us to build armies and a campaign. He choose the Seven Years War and we decided to allow us to swerve history a bit though Lee and myself are at least starting with actual armies painted to correct uniforms my son wished for French but uniforms of his choosing. This is a test figure I have painted for him to copy.

The figure is a 15mm French model from Lancashire Games and are perfect for my sons skill level and time he has spare to paint. I am expecting to meet these gents on many a battle field to come and who knows maybe you will be seeing a lot more from the both of us in next years challenge.

I started the challenge with 15mm Persians and it seems fitting that I should finish with more Persians but this time in 6mm. These I have stuck mostly to the same colour tunic for the whole unit.

I will try anything to put my opponents off, here a bit of subliminal messaging to make him hungry and distracted. 

The second unit has not on this silliness so expect them to die quickly every game. Two units of 18 figures and all the 6mm are Baccus.

Again very colourful but they will need to be as the mass of figures would be lost on the table when we get round to putting on a show with these and their mates.

Swapping periods we go to the English Civil War. I had promised some of these and I did expect to manage rather better than just two regiments of cavalry!

Here we have the Earl of Essex Lifeguard, these are for Lee as I am painting up both my Royalist army and his Parliament one. No tall order as we both bought two army packs!

Next up is Colonel John Dalbier's Horse. He was originally considered a Royalist and had commanded in the Kings ill fated armies pre Civil War but had landed up in debtors prison and was released on condition he took a commission in Parliaments army. His regiment was actually one of the larger ones in the early stages of the war. He is said to have commanded well overall but even so when the New Model Army was formed he was not offered a colonelcy within this army.

Again Baccus figures and another eighteen figures. That makes a total of 54 points for the 6mm part of this submission. This takes me over my extended target of 1000 points so I am rather pleased.

Lovely work Ian - even your 'dregs' are a treat for the eyes. ;) It's also nice to see you working on your ECW collection again - I especially like it as they provide great inspiration for my own 10mm efforts.

Actually you're a bit short on hitting your 1K goal but I see you have another entry in the hopper so hopefully that pops you over.