From TamsinP: 28mm WW2 British Airborne Supports (150 points)

My fifth entry this Challenge sees me complete (for now at least) a project that I have been working on for the past few months - my WW2 British Airborne force for Chain of Command. I started out with my usual good intentions - just a platoon and a few supports - but inevitably the project has crept and I can probably now (with this lot) field a full company plus a lot of supports. Oh, well! *lol*

But on with the pics, and there are a lot to be on with! I'll start with the artillery.


75mm Pack Howitzer

I know what you're thinking - "On-table artillery isn't a thing in CoC". Quite right, but on-table anti tank weapons are, and the 75mm pack howitzer was used in that role at Arnhem (well, Ooosterbeek if you want to be pedantic). This is the second 75mm in my collection - you'll be pleased to hear that I don't intend to add any more.


20mm Polsten Gun

The Polsten Gun was originally developed by Polish engineers as a cheaper alternative to the Swiss Oerlikon anti-aircraft gun. There were two of them (the guns, not Polish engineers!) with 1st Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron at Arnhem, as part of the squadron's Support Troop. Although designed as an anti-aircraft weapon, the high rate of fire meant that they were also very effective ground weapons - the two guns saw off some German armoured cars near Wolfheze on the first afternoon of Market Garden and did see some action later on.

The gun, it's tow jeep and a trailer could all fit into a Horsa glider along with a few other things.


17 Pounder Anti-Tank Gun

The big beast of the Airborne's anti-tank batteries. I need say no more.


And now for the non-artillery bits:


Casualties

At some point I should go back and add some blood stains. I'll probably do that once I've added tufts and rubble to all the bases.

Signals and Forward Observers

Engineers

Snipers

I told you there were a lot of pics!

The guns and crews are from Warlord Games; the casualties, signals, engineers and snipers are from Black Tree Designs.

Before someone queries the colour of the cap badges - those of the Royal Artillery, Royal Engineers and the Reconnaissance Corps were all bronze/brass.

In case anyone is wondering just how many paints were used in painting this lot, here's a pic:

I've left the bases as just painted texture for now - when the Challenge is over I'll be adding tufts and rubble to the whole collection.


For scoring:

20 x 28mm foot @ 5 = 100 points
6 x 28mm prone @ 2.5 = 15 points
3 x 28mm crew served weapon @ 10 = 30 points

Total = 145 points


From MilesR: WOW - you certainly have a well kitted out para force and the painting is sublime - I love the camo smocks - they look perfect.  I'm throwing in 5 bonus points just for the sheer variety of paints used!

From LeeH - Indian Cavalry (72 Points)

After several terrain entries, I decided it was time for me to stop procrastinating and make some progress with my 6mm Classical Indian army. I have already submitted some archers and javelinmen which make up the bulk of my infantry and now it was time to get started on some of the more colourful units in the army. First off the production line are the Cavalry. From what I have read Indian Cavalry were fairly low-status troops and certainly didn't represent the wealthy elite as in many European armies of the time. However, that doesn't mean they weren't colourful and I have really enjoyed painting these (once I got started!). Once again I have referred back to the work of Duncan Head but I have also been hunting down lots of visual reference material from the inter-web and my much more modest book collection.

The Indian Cavalry at the Battle of the Hydaspes were completely outmatched by the Macedonians facing them. For a start, they wore little or no armour protection apart from the shields. The Cavalry were also outnumbered, especially when Alexanders feint attack on the Indian flank drew off some of the Chariots that were positioned with the Cavalry. The soft ground of the battlefield, made worse by heavy rains, would have impeded both armies but the effectiveness of the Chariots would have been severely impaired by the mud and made the cavalry clash all the more significant to the eventual outcome of the battle. 

As with all my 6mm projects I start with a brown primer. I find that this works well because it fills the gaps between equipment and clothing while remaining light enough that the details of the figure can be seen when painting. Black undercoats at this scale just seem to suck up all the ambient light and it feels like your trying to paint detail on a shadow! I then work my way through all the elements of the figure and block paint as neatly as possible. I'll usually start with the face, arms and legs, them do the armour or cloaths and then move on to weapons and lastly shields. The neater you do this stage the better the final unit will look. Once I have block painted the various elements of the figures I use a dark brown ink wash to add the required shading (I use a Winsor and Newton calligraphy ink called Peat Brown). Really that's all there is to it, 6mm really is that easy.

There are four units of Cavalry here, each with 18 figures per base (72 in total). The only question that remains is what to work on next? I'm tempted by the Elephants but I think I may leave these till last. If I'm honest, I'm painting this army purely because of the vast number of Elephants, so I think I'll use these as my reward for working through everything else. So that means my next project will be the Chariots. I have already been through the nightmare that was their assembly (VERY fiddly when they are 6mm!!), so now I can just focus on the fun of painting them.

From MilesR: These look great and I cant wait to see them fight against your greeks.  When assembling tiny metal parts i use a tiny spot of greenstuff to bold the wheels on while the glue sets.  It has saved me from gluing my fingers together countless times.  Please not I do not say "prevented"

From MikeW - 'A Fit of Pique' at Pipers Peak - 1 x 28mm HYW Archer (35 Points)

My journey so far...

I came by this figure (and a second identical figure) as a freebie given away with entrance to Salute 2015. In actual fact I didn't attend the show but a friend of mine Mike N. from our club had been given a handful of them and passed a couple on to me.

Unmade Figure

Now I painted one of these almost immediately but cannot remember what happened to it, with the need to get something done for Piper's Peak the H.Y.W English Archer giving the two fingered salute to his French adversaries seemed to fit the bill of a 'fit of pique'!!

Now my hope is that I have made a legal move from Benito's Brook to Piper's Peak, there certainly appears to be a the between the two locations.

The figure is plastic and is of course from the Perry Miniatures stable, it assembled very easily and quickly and after an undercoat in white and a couple hours to dry was able to build-up the colour.

A busy workbench is a happy workbench!

So I have been asked how I can 'churn-out' so many figures, the answer is to have several projects on the go at any one time, that means when I do get some spare time I can always get straight in to a painting or modelling job and maximise my time to 'churn-out' figures.

It also helps having a workbench that can be left from day to day without having to pack away  items at the end of the day only to have to get them all out again - next time you have some hobby time.

So in the photo is a glimpse of my workbench, this figure in undercoated stage, next to some 28mm 1672 figures that I'm also working on, above and to left are some Ottoman Balkan infantry nearing completion and basing - so three Challenge items active at the same time! (ignore the 15mm M113s and Chaos Marines - they old and being renovated before dispatching for sale on eBay to fund new projects!)

Rear View

An Angry English Archer at Agincourt!

 This time I stared with the flesh then the leather jack, keeping to a muted mix of colours I did most of the archer in various browns with a splash of colour for his faded green undershirt and a red leather for his sword scabbard.

Livery Crest on display

Leggings rolled-up to keep out of the mud

A splash of colour on hi s left breast is a livery shield. Truth be told this was originally meant to be a red cross on a white background but I mad such a hash of the vertical red stripe it immediately took on the form of a white and red halvede shield! I added a black emblem and it became a nice livery sign.

This chap seems to be well armed, with sword and buckler as well as his bow an a dagger, if things get rough he has also got his hand axe.

Whole figure was washed in Army Painter Light Tone and then matt varnished before completing base.

POINTS
1 x 28mm Foot Figure = 5 Points
Piper's Peak Bonus = 30 Points
TOTAL 30 + 5 = 35 Points

From MilesR: That's a superb archer.  To be honest the painting quality and photos make it look like a 54mm figure rather than just a 28 - excellent work!

From PeterD Cruel Seas Coastal Freighter Felix & Oscar (20 points)

I've completed an outstanding debt to the Snowlord by painting up this freighter for his Cruel Seas fleets.  Last Challenge Curt traded me two buildings by challenger Byron's Nothern Lights company in exchange for me painting up some Cruel Seas ships, this one and a freighter to be named later.  I finished one of the buildings last year, with the other about 75% done at the end of the last challenge and still 75% done.

On to my debt...I could have counted this as either a Curtgeld or a submission under O'Grady's Gulch but decided this would be too weaselly even for me, given that it was a pre-existing condition debt. 

The details of the model are sketchy but what I have is listed below.

• Manufacturer - extruded by Curt using a 3D printer in a vibrant oobleck green (I wish I'd taken a photo)
• Designer - Feck knows, it came from some dark recesses of the interweb, or equally dark recesses of Curt's brain
• Scale -Feck knows, Cruel Seas is nominally 1/300 but I'm not sure how Curt scaled it.
• Points value - Feck knows,  I throw myself on the mercy of the Great and All-Powerful Minion du Jour.  It's about 6" long, could count as scenery or a vehicle and is most likely 1/300 scale.

Anyway it's a nice little ship and painted up easily.   I kept is very simple because historical a coastal freighter in wartime would be very dull and grey and because the standouts on table should be the S-boots and MGBs etc.  I gave it a utilitarian grey overall, adding white for the lifeboats for a bit of contrast.  I added weathering with washes of various colours.

In the Saint Margaret's Bay area of Nova Scotia (where I'm from) it's traditional to name one's fishing boat after one's two youngest children. As far as I know Curt is an evolutionary dead end without offspring, so I've named this after his furry children MV Felix & Oscar, a name that works either side of the channel and substituting a "k" in Oscar works in the Low Countries and coastal Germany as well.

From MilesR: A very nice little freighter, floating target for Curt.  I'm feeling generous so will mark this down as a 28mm vehicle - it's about that size in mass so 20 points for you.  I too have a Curt debt to pay off this Challenge in the form of Jungle terrain.  Thanks for reminding me

Brettm: Mariachi Band and 3D prints (30 Points)

Finally first entry is in. Lots happening end of last year so was a slow start for me. For my first entry I give you the mariachi band! I painted this up as a Christmas gift however did not make it in time for Christmas..wah wah. 

The base is 3d printed. I got the file from printable scenery. The edges were open so I used greenstuff to fill them in then painted the edges black.

 I added gold around their hats and on gold lines up the sides of their pants. Trying to give them more of that colorful mariachi feel. 

I added the barrels to kinda decorate the base a bit more. They are from mantics first Terrain crate kickstarter. Couldn't tell you which one as thats sat in the closet since I got them till this piece.

Second up is my first 3d model resin print I have painted. I got the file off thingiverse and while his hands are HUGE I thought it was a decent model to try out the resin printer.

 Not that happy with his shirt. Thought about going back and repainting it so didn't look so rough. But I have many more points to go!! 

I though the model turned out pretty well. Have a couple other models that came off the printer I may have to paint up now as well. Total of 5-28mm models at 5pts each brings it to 25 points. Not sure what the base I put them on would add if any. I'm sure the wonderful minions will have an idea.

From MilesR: Yeah, about that wonderful minion thing, you got stuck with me so your'e screwed.  Now that the formalities are out of the way, I LOVE the Mariacchi band and now feel a burning desire for chips and salsa - at least I'm blaming you when my wife catches me eating things that are not on my diet.  The resin printed model is very nice.  I shudder to think how advanced these things will be on 5-10 years and suspect most of us will be buying files rather than figures to build out out armies.

For pointage, you've got 5 28mm figures plus I'll throw in 5 points for the stage and barrels. 

But there is a problem - I don't know who you are as you didn't put your name in the post and the blogger ID doesn't match any of the participants.  People, if you want credit for your work you need to put your name on it.  Based on the terms of the Minion collective bargaining agreement I allowed to assert salvage rights on any un-named submission if no participant claims the entry and provides a valid ID and pays the hefty sum in arbitrary fines.

JohnS - B is for Bugler and C is for Cacadores (50 pts)

This is actually the first lot of miniatures I started for Challenge X but I was half done when I decided the undercoat was so dusty (because I didn't wash the release agent off the minis) that I stripped them back and started again. That's when I did the previous submission of goblins while I was waiting for everything to dry.

These ten Portuguese Cacadores are from the 5th Battalion in winter uniform. Uniform details are conflicting in the sources I found so I have done a combo that I think looks good. The plume on the shako should be green for light infantry or black for sharpshooters. I have chosen black as I intend to field these as sharpshooters in most games of Sharpe Practice.

This is a view that I never hope my opponent sees - Cacadores don't run!

I particularly like that this set came with a bugler as this is the symbol of the Cacadores and it also lets me complete two of my self imposed Alphabet Challenge letters - B is for Bugler and C is for Cacadores.

This is also my first entry towards the Sharpe Practice side challenge proposed by AlexK. These will form part of my British Peninsular Allies force. (13 Sharp Practice force points Cacadores 6, Ldr II 6 and Musician 1) and will be joined by some Spanish militia shortly. I am aiming to make my SP armies as flexible as possible to play the full range of scenarios.
The miniatures are made by Warlord Games.

So in the real world of AHPCX I believe that is 50 points towards my total. And I know the photos are rubbish, I am trying a new camera next submission.

From MilesR: These chaps are very nicely done and should do very well in a Sharp's practice game.  I do like the Alphabet challenge and am now wondering what "D" will be.

From JonathanO - Roman Dromedarii

I was late arriving to begin my exploration of Challenge Island.  My starting point was to be a place now known as Docherty's Dock.  I had already received reports from other explorers of amazing encounters with beings from the past, the future and even from other worlds.  Here is a report of my first adventure.

Shortly after landing at the dock, I headed inland.  Part of my route took me through an area of  desert.  On the way I stopped for refreshments at a village.  There I was amazed to meet a group of Imperial Roman dromedary mounted infantry!

They were clearly expecting trouble as they wore armour and carried their shields.  The section was led by Legate Doccatus (dressed as a regular to hide his rank while traveling), assisted by Optio Millsi.  Doccatus claimed to be on a (not so secret) mission for the Emperor's spy master.  It must have been an important assignment for him to leave his legion.  Doccatus clearly had significant funds available as he had already arranged for the dock to be upgraded and then named after himself.  Doccatus said he would be investigating the "suspect record keeping and tax collecting" of a local official called Milus Mathematicus.  "I am going to Docc' him a few points", he laughed.  Millsi rolled his eyes.

Doccatus and Millsi

Optio Millsi, who was an efficient organiser and clearly critical to the mission, told me that he hoped to return to a legion and have his promotion to the rank of Centurion confirmed.  However, for now he was enjoying the warm weather in this region and certainly had no desire to be sent to a legion in the north of the Empire.  "There is another revolt in Britannia", he said.  "They have appointed their own emperor and plan to exit from the Roman Empire - they say they need to take control for themselves.  That trouble could go on for a long time".  I just nodded in agreement.

As we parted to continue our own journeys, Legate Doccatus whispered to me that Optio Millsi was so useful that "I am going to make sure he is assigned to my staff for a very long time".

My next stop on the Path of the Forgotten will be at Cooke's Crevasse.

_______

These are 15mm Early 2nd Century Imperial Roman Dromedarii from the Forged in Battle "War and Empire" range.  The buildings are from the resin Eastern Village set from the same range.

For points I suggest the following (all subject to the judgement of the Minion of the day):
8  x 15mm mounted figures at 4 points = 32
15mm buildings  (under half a cube)     =  8  (max?)
Visit to Docherty's Dock - Camels!     =  30
Bonus for including our two heroes     =   5

Total points                                          =  75

Well I am finally off the mark, but with some catching up to do.  Lots of figures are prepared and quite a few are already well underway as regards painting.

From MilesR: I love the minis and actually have painted up Roman and Sassanid armies from the same lines and have a Byzantine and Arab army to be painted (kickstarters are terrible things).  I also loved the backstory, will I did until it veered into false accusations and slander!  "suspect record keeping and tax collecting" of a local official called Milus Mathematicus", indeed.  You, sir, shall be hearing from my law firm - the venerable Dewy, Cheetum & Howe.  As for your pointage, well lets see here:

8 Mounted 15mm figures should be 32 but lets add an additional point, cause camels are big fo 5 pers or 40 points
Village pieces - lets round up to 10
Visit to Docherty's Dock is 30
Including of heroes 5

Base Total       85
Local Tax Assessment for slander -5
     (It seems Milus Mathematiucus has a tax for everything)

Net 80 points