From GregB: A Russian Scout and Balloon Ride To The Snowlord's Peak

Death to the fascist invaders! 28mm figure from Warlord Games' "Bolt Action" range.

The month of February has arrived, and I think we are either at, or close to (or perhaps already past) the half-way point of AHPC X.  As I survey my progress to date on the Challenge Island map and the calendar, it occurs to me that I if I am going to attempt the Snow Lord's Peak and still have enough time to complete whatever hobby task I might be assigned (assuming I am not eaten in the encounter), I had better get up there soon.

And so, after some relaxation enjoying the stunning vistas of Piper's Peak, I once again signal Lady Sarah and petition for passage on her Balloon. The destination? The terrifying heights of the Snow Lord's Peak. As for the fee for passage, I present the following...

28mm Female Russian Infantry Scout

Dangerous work, close to the enemy - a female scout for my 28mm winter WW2 Russians.

As you have seen so far in AHPC X I have been working on a 28mm winter WW2 project.  Amid the many submissions involving various late WW2 Germans, a few have asked if and when their tabletop opposition might appear? Here is the first one - a 28mm Female Russian Infantry Scout.  This is a metal figure from Warlord Games' "Bolt Action" Range.

As always, great details on these metal sculpts from Warlord.

The "scout" set from Warlord's WW2 Russian figure range is not intended for winter, strictly speaking.  They are sculpted wearing the "ameoba" style body suits, which are often seen in browns and a (rather bright) green.  So I'm taking artistic license of a sort - I don't think it's a huge reach, as scouting would still need to be done during the winter fighting, so I just painted the suit white instead.  Warlord also tends to give you some options for alternate heads for the figures, and they include a female head among them - so I thought this would be a great figure to accompany a passage on Lady Sarah's Balloon.

No reason the scout suits couldn't be white, right?

The war in the east in WW2 was so tremendous and vast in scale.  I read about it, I try to study it...but it is hard to truly understand or picture, such a complete and total mobilization of an entire people across vast distances in an all-out effort to repel the Germans and their allies, and vanquish them totally.  Of course all the main countries in the conflict did the most they could to pit their entire national power into the effort - it was total war. But in the east, and Russia in particular...the scale, it was incredible, and the sacrifice it took - the numbers get so large, so fast, they sort of lose their impact.

Russian women - fighting at the front lines.

Women made tremendous contributions to the Allied war effort in many countries. But in the case of Russia, this contribution stood out to my mind.  Yes, there were women - hundreds of thousands of them - working in what were thought of as traditional non combatant roles - nurses, medical support, industry.  But huge swathes of Russian territory came under occupation, and as the front lines found the Russian people, Russian women made important contributions to front-line fighting.  As pilots, snipers, partisans, machine gunners, all in the line of fire - decorated for bravery and courage under fire, and in untold cases, making the ultimate sacrifice along side so, so many of their fellow people.

Once again, some fine blanquette from Limoux to enjoy during the balloon trip.

Bad Squiddo Games have some fantastic sculpts of female Russian soldiers. I will look to add one of their sniper teams down the road. But the scouts will work for now, and I thought it would be great to have one of my first 28mm Russian figures for this project painted as just a small recognition of the role women played in the Russian war effort.  She will be part of the small scouting squad, the first of what I hope will be a healthy-sized collection of 28mm Winter Russians to oppose all of the Germans I have been painting.  Scouting is dangerous work, but she is more than up to the task...we see here she has snuck into a position, and is tossing a grenade toward some unwary invaders...

This balloon trip involves a perilous destination...

For points? I am uncertain...I guess 5 points for one 28mm figure... but it's prone, so...2.5 points? I have already enjoyed one balloon ride, so I don't know that I get bonus points for a second.  Nonetheless, the sparkling wine was thoroughly enjoyed while this miniature was painted!  And the points are secondary here anyhow, for now we travel to the Snow Lord's Peak...

Greg she is fabulous, worth more than 2.5 pts so I will assume you painted the underneath to the same standard, don't we all. Good luck with your dinner date with the Snowlord.

KenR 28mm A13 Cruiser Tanks (85 pts)

This week's entries are a set of 4 28mm A13 Cruiser Tanks painted up in the Caunter Camouflage Scheme. There was a little more #flakegate issues with these even after their second prep with Rubbing Alcohol and Plastic Primer. What does seem to work, over the small patches at least, is Vallejo Surface Primer. It may be a solution if I ever get any more Blitzkrieg models.

The above tank has been marked up as a Command vehicle and a Perrys Miniatures Commander figure has been added. I recently purchased some more decals for these models, this time from Warlord Games which have given me some useful vehicle name decals which I have used on these.

I rather like the look of this tank and it's easy to see how it's evolved from the earlier A9 and A10 Tanks and how it would evolve itself into the Crusader tank.

Points wise it's 4 x 28mm vehicles at 20 points a piece plus two halves of a 28mm figure to make a whole 5 pts or 85 in total.

Back to some plain Crusader Tanks this week as I need to catch up to keep my 3 Tanks a week personal challenge going. Still working on the Challenge Entry Fee and a unit of Papal Gendarme.

Your tanks are just amazing, especially with the trials of flakegate. Love these

Martin

From DarrellH Reconquista at Partizan, Hasham Guard Cavalry

Finally, the completion of another cavalry unit! This time it is the turn of Yusef ibn Tashfin's Hasham Guard Cavalry Regiment.

Heavy Cavalry such as the Hasham Guard were something of a rarity among the Berber tribes thus it is likely that the guard units were specially raised and trained as personal bodyguards to the Emir, Shaykh or Sayyid.  These units would not fight in the Christian style with their increasing tendency to couch the lance but rather with throwing spears and javelins albeit mounted on very sturdy horses. It is not clear as to whether the Hasham Guard units would use feigned flight as a tactic like many other Muslim cavalry types.

I have primarily used Vallejo paint but started with a Foundry Blue for the base of the miniatures cloaks, turbans and veils. The base for the Black is Andrea black which is wonderfully matt and a great base to start with when painting up a black robe. (It must be good as they have sold out of it in the Andrea online shop!) The protective layer of varnish is Humbrol Gloss Enamel with a final spray of Windsor and Newton Professional Matt Varnish to flatten things out. I find W&N to be the best matt varnish i have tried in all my years of painting (by a royal mile!).

Excellent, a beautiful unit. please add points and your name to your posts. See you at Partizan

martin

Hi Martin, That's 120 points right? Could you add them to my tally please?

From MikeW - 11 x 1/144 (10mm) Arab-Israeli Tanks (33 Points)

Arab-Israeli AFVS, waiting a pint job!

Rummaging around in my workbench drawers I came across another bundle of 1/144 (10mm) tanks earmarked for the Arab-Israeli Wars collection, this time the majority were for the Egyptian Army, you may remember earlier in this Challenge, I was able to do 5 Israeli Super Shermans <here>.

In this batch  have just two Israeli Tanks - their Recon AMX-13 Tanks, acquired from the French, the only country in the 1950s that would openly sell military vehicles to Isreal. It had a unique design in that the engine runs the length of the tank on the right side, with the driver on the left.

Top / Down Views of Israeli AMX-13s

It features an uncommon two-part FL-10 oscillating turret, where the gun is fixed to the turret and the entire upper turret changes elevation. The turret its-self is set to the rear of the vehicle and holds the commander and gunner.

The weakness of the design was that the main gun was serviced by pre-loaded 12 round auto-feeders, when ammunition was expended the vehicle had to retreat to cover to allow the auto-feeders to be restocked by the crew form outside the vehicle!

Side shots of the AMX-13s

By 1967, Israel had acquired about 400 AMX-13s and formed three AMX-13 battalions, all of which fought actively on all fronts during the Six-Day War.

Despite its limitations, these vehicles were used as front line battle tanks, as and when needs required.

The remainder of the post is made up from Egyptian tanks and AFVs, in their distinctive sand yellow paint schemes.

First there are three T34/85 Tanks, even by standards of the time an ancient relic, used by the Egyptians in an Infantry Support role, but often forced into armour v armour actions due to the speed of movement in the wars of the 1960s & 1970s.

3 x T34/85 Infantry Support Tanks

Also adding support to the Egyptian infantry units are the equally venerable SU-85 and SU-100, the SU-100 being identifiable by the 'pulpit' cupola on the right side of the fighting compartment of the vehicle. These vehicles tended to be in emplacements, to defend fortified positions occupied by their infantry comrades. I have one of each in this post.

The venerable Egyptian SU-85 

and it's big brother the SU-100, note pulpit cupola...

Next are three BMP-1s, these were available to Egypt for teh 1973 Yom Kippur War - where the BMP-1 was tested in combat for the first time on 8 October 1973. Egypt had received its first batch of 80 brand new IFVs in July and August 1973. A second batch of 150 vehicles was delivered between August and September. The Egyptian army used BMP-1s in mechanized infantry battalions of tank and mechanized infantry divisions (32–40 BMP-1s per battalion).

3 x Eygptian BMP-1s, ready for 1973, Yom Kippur Scenarios

Another view of the BMP-1 models

These three vehicles are my first specifically for the 1973 war, all of the rest of the collection are usable on both the 1967 & 1973 wars.

Finally we have an instance of an Egyptian Sherman M4/FL10 , whilst it is well known that Israel used Shermans and developed their own unique brand of Super Sherman and Isherman vehicles, Egypt was also a user of Shermans...

The unique Egyptian Sherman

Egypt, used about 150 of these tanks in combat during its 1956, 1967 and 1973 wars with Israel, and they developed their own unique variation with a French M4/FL10  75mm gun turret, taken from the AMX-13 vehicles it had captured in earlier wars, or sourced from elsewhere.

and another view...

And so the final vehicle in this group is an example of this mash-up!

POINTS
11 x 10mm Tanks @ 3 points Each = 33 Points

Excellent job on these venerable tanks, it is an interesting period that we are thinking about in 3mm

From AlexS Hawkin's hill (110 points)

Hello everybody! My name is Alex and I am from Russia. Today I bring to your attention the continuation of my old project - Samurai from the time of Sengoku Jidai. I started this project in 2016 LINK, but limited myself to one clan, which was called the Yoda clan. Finally, four years later, I began to make their opponents - another clan, which I called the "Eshi clan", because there will be a lot of ninjas in it. Moreover, there was a good reason - to overcome another location on the map of the island.

Now I'm interested in other rules, more personalized, so I did not make figures at large bases, but on separate bases. I made a general, a flag carrier and various warriors.

Well, the ninja. I like ninja - as a player and as a person with a brush.

 I enjoyed the old figures who had been waiting for me in a black box for a long time. I hope they reciprocate, playing well on the table.

20 1\72 inf  x 4 = 80 pts
bonus 30 pts
total 110 pts

Hi Alex, as a man with a soft spot for Samurai, and ninjas, these are great. The sashimono banners are worth a bonus.

Martin

from Paul O'G: More Beastie Boys (62 points)

This week see me complete...you guessed it, some more Beastmen!

12 more delightful chaps who wander the Old World's Drakwald forest looking for wandering tourists to eat help

Pleasingly, these lads complete my first Beastman Regiment of 46 figs - all of which have been painted under various AHPC seasons.

Only another hundred or so to go.  I need to learn to paint at an army standard vice painting all the detail in sight. Very satisfying to see them all en mass though!

Skull-o-meter update: 17 seperate skull trophies adorn the fellows of this new contingent, taking my AHPC 10 skull tally to 84.

Thats 12 x 28mm figs for 60 points

Mr Tumnus as your doctor i really must insist that you stop taking steroids, they are bad for your temperament and collecting skulls will not compensate for the testicular reduction. Just because I have given you a bonus for the flag and your have brushed up remarkably I also have concerns about your friends

Martin

EricM-28mm Spartans Crossing Benitos Brooke (128pts)

For the next installment along the path of History on Challenge Island I choose to investigate Benito's Brooke. Benito's challenge for us is to paint something related to a test of arms against hopeless odds.   Well in my opinion there are not many more iconic stands against hopeless odds than the Spartans (and their Greek allies) at Thermopylae.  On top of that this year marks the 2500th anniversary of the battle.  I would like to claim that this was planned and thoughtful but really if it were not for Footsore and their Black Friday sale on their Mortal Gods Box Sets, I would have had to go a different direction.

The box set includes plastic frames to make 16 armored and unarmored Spartans provided by Victrix and three additional metal figures that I believe are sculpted by Footsore.

Overall I was very happy with the Victrix figures.  They went together very well and had minimal seams at the joins.  In hind site I would do somethings differently in assembly but over all they are very nice figures

I really like the metal command figures included.  I think my favorite may be the unarmored hoplite pointing.  Leonidas is a nice figure as well.

In total 19-28mm Spartans were painted.

Great work, didn't know it was 2500 years since the Hot Gates. That's 128 pts inc hand painted shield bonus but please add you labels and do the maths next time

Martin