From Barks: Lady adventuresses (20 points)

For my second trip in Sarah's Balloon, I've got some tautological lady adventuresses.

First I have two characters from Mansions of Madness. Ursula Downs is an explorer, and Daniela Reyes is a mechanic. I thought her chequered shirt came out OK.

Ursula Downs

Daniela Reyes

I also painted Leo Anderson. I gave him some grey around the temples.

Leo Anderson

Here they are with fellow investigator Norman Withers, painted earlier this Challenge.

On the Path of the Serpent

Second, I have Rogue Trader Neyam Shai Murad. This is a gorgeous plastic figure and was fun to paint. I particularly like the servo-skull reloading her six-shooter.

Rogue Trader Neyam Shai Murad

4x 28mm: 20 points

Sarah's Balloon: second trip

Skull-o-meter™: 2

Cumulative Skullz: 20


Wonderful stuff Barks.  Your MoM stuff is great and you are capturing these characters very nicely.  Also glad to see the Skullometer getting some use on the final figure.  But my go man you've several ballon rides worth of ladies here, why not pace yourself, spread them out thinner and get some better ballon mileage?
PeterD

From StephenS: Black Widow hitching a ride in Sarah's Balloon (37 points)

Hi,

It's been over a month since my last entry, so it's good to be able to post something again.

One of my goals this summer has been to work through the starter box for Marvel: Crisis Protocol. I have never finished a starter set before, and am pleased with the progress I've made on this. Alas, with only six days of summer left I'm unlikely to finish this off in time, but I wonder what my Autumn goal could be...

Without further ado, I present Natasha Romanova, Black Widow from the Marvel Comics/Movies.

The game uses 40 mm miniatures, and I'm really enjoying painting the larger scale. Unfortunately, limited painting time has meant a heavier slant on speed over quality than usual, but I'm pretty happy with the result.

Natasha is hitching a ride to somewhere with a little more sand...

Finally, the reason why it has been all quiet on the painting front is that I've been focused on a miniature of a different sort. I was lucky enough to welcome our second child, a lovely daughter, at the start of the month. Bub and mum are both doing very well, even if we are all a little sleepy.

Cheers,

Steve

PeterD at the minion wheel again.  Excellent work on Black Widow, and congrats on the 1:1 sculpt.  Take advantage of her sleeping while you can.

Points wise that 7 for the 40mm sculpt and 30 for your first balloon ride.

From JamesM: Moar 15mm Colonists (Lady Sarah's Balloon) - 14 points

Hi folks,

Following swiftly on the heels of my fifth Challenge Island entry, I'm once again sacrificing paint and time in order to summon the mighty Balloon of Sarah!

I have to say, in MartinC's honour, that it's been Totes Emosh.

Unfortunately, today's sacrifice to Lady Sarah are two startlingly familiar sculpts. I's almost like they come two to a pack or something.

These young ladies are, however, not wearing the same colours. In fact, neither of them are the same colour as their twin.

Edit: missing picture:

Apologies Lady Sarah!

Again, these are 15mm armed colonists from GZG. These gals will inevitably see action against my security drone force at some point, although perhaps not soon.

While there are a number of fellow colonists on the painting desk currently, I am going to brace myself for whatever the Big Man on the Mountain decides I need to do to earn a treasure, and re-focus onto painting 10mm fantasy stuff in the time remaining before the Hammerhead show in March. This will also involve time spent basing the figures kind people have been sending me for the Joshua project.

And in case anyone hasn't seen it, I have a Facebook page up specifically for the project:

https://www.facebook.com/ForJoshuasArmy/

Anyway, points:

2 x 15mm figures = 4 points
1 x Glass of Bubbly = 10 points.

Total: 14 points

And off to the The Big Man's Mountain I go!

PeterD here again and it's Deja Vu all over again.  I could've sworn that I saw these dame casts very recently.  Great job on the not-twins.   I'm not sure if the bubbly still counts on your second balloon ride and there's no photographic proof of said second bubbly.  

However I am subbing and trying to get stuff posted and ForJoshua project is so worthy project that I'll spot your the 10 points.

PeterA: A Few More British Paras from FAA (78 points)

Earlier in the Challenge I painted up some old FAA British Paratroopers for Millsy's Millpond, which had languished deep in the lead pile for many years. I was quite pleased with how they turned out and last week I had a push to get the rest of them done.

These are intended to be used for gaming Market-Garden, hence the autumnal feel to the basing. First up is a HQ element for the platoon. Unfortunately, over the years some figures have gone MIA, so there should be a figure carrying a 2" mortar but he has long since disappeared. There are also a couple of Battlefield/Blitz figures in there to make up the numbers (lovely figures, just a shame so many of their ranges are no longer available). Leaders are on hexagonal bases as I also intend to use these figures with Chain of Command rules, so keeping them easily identified is a plus. To help identify different units on the tabletop, I experimented with painting the platoon leader's Denison smock a different base colour, but I wasn't happy with the look so went back to the previous colour scheme.

Then we have the second section:

The Bren team and rifle team:

I also had a firing PIAT and 2" mortar team. They would be allocated to a different platoon which has lighter webbing, so theirs is painted to match. Of course, once they were completed I read that many paratroopers avoided applying too much Blanco to their kit as it stood out too much - typical!

Points:

19 x 20mm figures = 76

1 x prone 20mm figure = 2

TOTAL: 78

Finally, a group shot of all the FAA figures done during the Challenge - the lead pile is now just a fraction smaller!

PeterD here, Miles has some family business today so we're going to have some pinch-hitters stepping in at the minion seat today.  Great looking red devils Peter, I really like the autumnal basing that you've used.  Your Para force is shaping up very nicely - thanks for the group shot.  I concur on your scoring- 78 points it is!

Sander and Arthur Reach Snow Lord's Peak

Arthur reaches back and helps his father to clamber the last few yards to the summit. They both lean over to catch their breath, taking some time to absorb their new surroundings.

This week's Snow Lord's Peak brought to you by Mount Edith Clavel, Alberta.

The Snow Lord ambles over to the two adventurers and says, 'Hello boys. Did you have a good climb up?'

Arthur squints up at the big blue beast to take his measure. Completely unimpressed he rattles off, 'Yes, but my dad slowed us down on the way up. He says he's getting too old for this kind of stuff. You don't look that mean. Why are you blue? Where's the treasure?'

The Snow Lord's face looks impassive, but his eyes betray his mirth, 'Keep your clogs on young man. I can be nasty if I really set my mind to it, just ask Ray.'

Arthur wrinkles his nose, 'Isn't he the funny fellow with the big floppy hat and no trousers? We met him on the way up here. He seemed quite cross with you and said you could take this whole challenge business and...'

Sander pipes in quickly, 'Right! About the treasure. What sort of boon would you like me to provide?'

The Snow Lord smiles at the interruption and takes a long moment to think. 'I seem to remember that since you were a boy, not much older than Arthur's here, you've been a huge fan of 'GI Joe'. So, with this being the case I'd like to see you do up another unit, vehicle or vignette from that setting AND I want Arthur to help you with it. Then you can claim your treasure.'

______________________________________________

Okay Arthur and Sander, I look forward to seeing something from the forces of Cobra or GI Joe! Hope to see you back soon.

-Curt