From Curt - Pulp Denizens - 'Val' Sakura, Remi Choppinet and Carson Sinclair (18 Points)

I thought it high time to get a little pulp adventure going, so here are a few figures that I've added to my collection of all things noir, eldritch and slightly odd.

Yoshio 'Val' Sakura - 'The Kamikaze Grifter'

1949 San Francisco. Val is a fixer, private eye and grifter operating out of San Francisco's Chinatown. He 'immigrated' to the United States in 1945 via Kamikaze attack, being a pilot of a Aichi D3A 'Val' dive bomber which was splashed just short of his target off Okinawa. (It was in this crash that he lost his leg.)  Picked up and taken prisoner by a US destroyer, he spent the rest of the war in San Francisco.  Oddly he decided to stay after Japan surrendered, not wanting to face the stigma of being a failed Kamikaze in an all but destroyed country.  Haunted, hard-bitten, but also fair, Val has inadvertently made connections to the local Japanese Yakuza, Chinese Triads and other even more nefarious organisations along the US Pacific seaboard.

The figure is from Eureka's very characterful 'A Right Bloody Mess' range. As soon as I started working on his face I went, 'Hey, this guy's definitely Japanese', and the imagination went from there. His tough-guy pose just cried out for a cigarette so got out some micro-thin plastic rod and happily obliged.

Remi Choppinet - 'The Bistro Keeper'

1942 France. Remi runs a popular harbour bistro in Biarritz, but he is also head of the local Maquis (and runs a profitable contraband operation across the Pyrenees between France and Spain). Many of Remi's closest friends and confidants are the outlaws and outcasts of occupied France: downed Allied pilots, Jews, gipsies and Spanish Republicans. He likes his food, wine and other comforts, but under this soft exterior is a hard-nosed businessman with the heart of a patriot.

This figure is from the well-loved Artizan Designs 'Thrilling Tales' range. He has such a great, ''Allo 'Allo!' look about him.

Carson Sinclair - 'The Butler'

1928 Arkham. Carson Sinclair is a character from the 'Mansions of Madness' boardgame from Fantasy Flight Games.  

Carson still often thinks back to that fateful night when his friend and employer, one Mr. Hercule Webb, was swallowed up by a dimensional tear, never to be seen again. With Mr. Webb's disappearance, the Webb estate fell into the hands of the Webb's duplicitous business manager, a man by the name of Dupuis. As the sole provider for the Webb children, Carson has devoted himself to proving Dupuis's involvement in the events of Hercule's disappearance and to restoring the children as the rightful heirs to the Webb fortune.

The figure that came with the game was a little uninspiring, so I picked up this fella from Bob Murch's 'Pulp Adventure' figures. Bob's sculpts are so amazingly evocative that you just want to book a flight to Bombay on a Catalina seaplane, pillage forgotten temples in dark jungles and match wits with arch villians with whacky names. 

That, or pour a finely mixed drink while fighting off eldritch terrors from another time and space. It's all good fun.

Thanks Lee for letting me fall in with Team Tuesday!

---

Welcome to the Tuesday madness Curt. This trio of figures are a real treat and absolutely full of character. I'm a big fan of your painting style (not just saying that, its true!) and these guys don't disappoint. I really like the barman, your right he has more than a passing resemblance to a certain bartender from Nance. And the Butler is properly creepy looking. He looks straight out of an old black and white movie. 

Three 28mm figures in a nice 15 points but I've been dishing out bonuses like candy for excellent painting since the beginning (didn't take long for the power to go to my head) and it would be stupid not to do the same for you, so I'm throwing in an extra point each. 

Lee

From TamsinP - 15mm Mongol Cavalry (355 points)

These very nearly didn't make it to submission this week. Luckily I had finished painting them on Friday, before the 'flu grabbed me, beat me up some and then beat me up some more for good measure. It was still touch-and-go whether I'd get the basing done, but as you can see, I did.

A couple of years ago I started work on what was going to be a very small "ally" force of steppes tribes cavalry for my Choson Koreans. As was inevitable, my plans expanded somewhat and these additions will allow me to field a small-ish army for FoGAM/FoGR (or a huge army for Art de la Guerre).

Now for the picture show.

Guard Cavalry

Very heavy bow cavalry

Not as heavy bow cavalry

Medium cavalry

Commanders

Baggage elements

There was meant to be a third baggage element, but I messed up the painting of that one. It may appear later on in the Challenge.

All figures are 15mm from Donnington/Ancient & Modern.

For scoring:
86 mounted @ 4 = 344
1 camel @ 2 = 2
1.5 foot @ 2 = 3
Total = 349

It's just as well that these will put me slightly ahead of my points target as the 'flu is likely to mean I won't get much painting done over the next few days.

---

We've all heard of Spanish Flu or Avian Flue but you're the current host of that nefarious bug, Challengers Flu. Every year it raises its head and cuts down some eager painter in the midst of their plan for fame and fortune in the challenge. Alas, this time, you are its victim. Clearly, the bug hasn't got you completely beat as this batch of Mongols looks magnificent. I'm going to throw in some bonus points as well for the various pennants and standards in the different units and for fighting through the fug of illness, so this lot comes to 355 points. 

Lee

From KenR - 28mm Italian Wars Gendarme 2 (65 points)

Busy boy this week, this is my second submission today. I set a target of one unit of Cavalry a week and it's been a great driver to keep the output going. Here we have my second unit of Gendarme (this challenge) for my 28mm Italian Wars Project.

As with the previous unit, these are Foundry Miniatures with the lovely addition of a couple of Petes Flags from eBay.

The unit is representative of Pier Orsini (1523 -1583) a Condottiero from the later part of the Italian Wars. Orsini inherited the duchy of Bomarzo seven years after the death of his father, mostly thanks to an intercession by Alessandro Cardinal Farnese (the future Pope Paul III). He later married Alessandro's relative Giulia Farnese.

As with my previous unit I have taken cues for the dress and livery of the figures from the design of the flags.

6 x 28mm Cavalry at 10 points each and a couple for the flags should give me 62 points for both the main total and the Renaissance Side Duel, which with the points from the Pike Block is a reet grand haul.

It would be rude not to include a group shot of the Gendarme to date for the Challenge (above) and for the entire Project (below).

---

This is the project that keeps on giving. These look spectacular and combined with the rest of the Gendarme that is one formidable and utterly spectacular unit. I love looking at a good cavalry unit, it's just a pity I'm such a rubbish cavalry commander when I play. My ability to wipe out my own mounted troops is fast becoming legendary. To do so with such a well-painted unit would be as close to blasphemy as a wargamer can get. 
Sixty points for the figures, two for the flags and I'm rounding up and awarding another three for the quality bringing this up to 65 Points. 
Lee

From RayR - Donnybrook: A Soldiers Farewell (40 Points)

Another entry from me today and yes it's more Donnybrook!!! These figures are from a set from Col Bills called 17thc Soldiers Farewell

Here's the original look of the figures, obviously they're ECW figures, but I did a bit of snipping, filing and glueing. Adding a bit of green stuff, making cuffs and elongating coats to change them from ECW to soldiers from the 1690's. I'm very pleased with how they turned out to be honest.

These Col Bill's figures should earn me 35 points plus any more that my Minion Lee wants to add for the conversion work?? Lee???

---

Nicely done sir ...even if it is more Donneybrook!!  Two entries in one day, it's almost like the good old days, back when you WON the Challenge (sandbags at the ready guys). Kudos for the conversion work on these. In fact, I'm throwing in an extra five points for the effort bringing this entry up to 40 points. 

Lee

From RayR - Donnybrook Scots Horse (120 Points)

The secrets out....I've been building another Donnybrook army! And I haven't even finished the others yet!!!!!!

I can hear the groans already...

This time I've gone north, up to Scotland, for a 1689 Battle of Killicrankie Highlander army. (and yes I do already have these troops in 15mm). Above we have 6 x Reiver Castings Lowlander Scots Horse

And here we have another 6 x Reiver Castings, these are Generals/Officers, But I shall be using them as Scots Gentleman Horse, from the disbanded Horse regt, "His Majesty's Own Regt of Horse". Commanded by the Laird of Claverhouse or Bonnie Dundee himself. (They'll also be seconded into the Duke of Monmouth Sedgemoor army. wink, wink)

They may well be combined for a mixed 12 figure unit as well? Becoming Wallace's Horse, the only Scottish Horse unit present at the Battle of Killicrankie.

So, Mr Hadley, that's 12 x 25mm Cavalry at 10 points each making 120 points for me!

---

A very nice collection of Cavalry. I like the fact that they are utilitarian enough to represent several different units which means they have more opportunity to be used (hint, hint). I like the way you paint your horses, your cavalry always look very good. A nice solid 120points will push you up the table a bit, and it also means your widening the gap between you and Fran! 

Lee

From PeterA - Faramir (5 Points)

This was going to be my entry for the Sport Bonus Theme, but a generally disastrous week of traffic jams (plus celebrating Munster's qualification for the QF of the European Rugby Champions' Cup for a record 18th time!) put a sizeable dent in my plans and so I did not get him finished until Sunday night. Inspiration came from this passage in The Return of the King:

"[Gandalf] fell silent and sighed. 'Well, no need to brood on what tomorrow may bring. For one thing, tomorrow will be certain to bring worse than today, for many days to come. And there is nothing that I can do to help it. The board is set, and the pieces are moving. One piece that I greatly desire to find is Faramir, now the heir of Denethor. I do not think he is in the City; but I have no time to gather news. I must go, Pippin. I must go to this lords' council and learn what I can. But the enemy has the move, and he is about to open his full game. And pawns are likely to see as much of it as any, Peregrin son of Paladin, soldier of Gondor. Sharpen your blade!"

---

Excellent entry mate. We all weeks like that and sometimes it's not worth the stress of self-imposing another deadline. Relax, kick back, have a beer (if you like that), and leave the worry for another day. That being said you've done an excellent job on this little fella. I like the fact you have picked out the design on the quiver, I expect that's a detail that may often get overlooked. 

A single 28mm figure will only net 5 points but its a step forward and that's what counts. 

Lee

From MartinC - Another Army Finished (483 points)

One of my aims this year is to "complete" several armies that need playing with. Today is Normans and some VBCW chaps and chapesses.

The Normans I got last Christmas 2nd hand from Battleground Show. The infantry as a plastic set from Conquest

unarmoured spearmen

Armoured swordsmen

unarmoured swordsmen

Cavalry. These were a mix of Black Tree and 1st Corps (I think) fundamentally different sizes. So the smaller figures are on a double thick base and it works.

More Cavalry. That should do it for the Norman army, space in the drawer for a few more but not loads. Next up some VBCW and pulp figures

Posh old guy and female police(?) driver, think she should be army but think they will work well as a pair of detectives

Some more pulp types

A fat commando, of course

General VBCW types, these are partizans from a variety of manufacturers who I can't remember, probably Warlord and Black Tree

So this is quite a lot of points

Normans

20 cavalry@ 10 each = 200

33 infantry@5 each = 165

VBCW

21@5 each = 105

2 prone@2.5 each = 5

Grand total = 475pts

---

A very nice selection of figures and it's always good to hear of figures getting a second life in new hands. Over the years I have bought lots of unpainted lead from Bring-and-buy stands and it always feel like I'm 'saving' the figures from an ignominious end. I like the fact that you've gone to the trouble of painting all the shields by hand. It's awfully tempting to either reach for decals or paint them plain. I'm awarding a couple of bonus points for the shields and another for the pennant. 

I like the eclectic mix of figures for your VBCW component of this entry. However, I think you're doing yourself a disservice by scoring half for the prone figures so I'm counting them as whole figures at 5pts each. So that brings your total for this entry up to 483. 

Lee