From PeteF: It's A Wrap

A Boy with his toys

 Challenge X was super fun – a Big Thank You is due to Curt and his multiple minions.  You are all wonderful people and running this thing contributes a lot to at least one mini painter’s wellbeing, especially in what have become more, er, interesting times. I suspect I am not alone.

Aerial View of 3 months' of joy

Thanks to having a bit of extra time on my hands I was able to visit every Challenge Island location and paint more minis than ever this winter. I worked on several projects:

• Finished the Blitzkreig Germans for Bolt Action/Chain of Command, including the first vehicles painted since my teens.

• Kings of War – finished a Forces of Nature Army, painted most of a Nightstalkers horror movie themed army and a snow troll

• SAGA – added to Viking shieldmaidens, painted some dark age cavalry and started the Mutatawia faction for SAGA Age of Crusades
• Nearly finished a Ghar army for Beyond The Gates of Antares
• Finished 28mm Napoleonic Russians – at least for now
• A couple of stands of Pictish javelinmen for a wargaming friend
• Progressed the Napoleonic 25mm Minifigs Hundred Days campaign armies – so I’m ¾ of the way to Quatres Bras

25mm: One scale to rule them all

• Included LEDs in a couple of things

These shelves were packed with things to paint back in December - mostly empty now

The great thing about Challenge Island was that it encouraged me to try some new things, making me a better painter and hobbyist in the process – although I’ve obviously got a long way to go.  I wish I could say that I made a significant dent in the Shelf of Shame. Suffice it to say, I would have done so had it not been for EBay, Facebook marketplace and a lack of self discipline. I was doing very well until a local ad popped into my Facebook feed for about 200 late war WW2 Brits, Americans and Germans. Plus vehicles and paints. Then a giant box of fun showed up on EBay -Sixty bucks including shipping got me 400 little soldiers (all 28mm)– ACW, Napoleonic, AWI and Romans. Enough two or three Painting Challenges!

One regret: Didn't get around to painting the giant for Challenge X

It’s nice to see everything arrayed on the dining room table – now, sadly, it’s time to put it all away. Hope to see you all here next year.

Helpers