From TeemuL: B Movie Mayhem and Escape with a Star Yacht [Babylon5] [Sarah's Star Yacht] (70 points)

Wise and learned Elrond showed us the way and found ourselves on the nearby planet Babylon5, the place of Opera and also Cheap Fun. They might mean the same thing, but usually not. On our Voyage it was mostly Cheap Fun - using b movies as inspiration to create non-licensed miniatures is pretty cheap, but fun.

So here we are, a mixed group of Pulp characters, which I picked up from the Crooked Dice sale a year or two ago (I have supernatural ability to buy miniatures when they are on sale - my less supernatural ability is to buy miniatures when they are not on sale). I primed them before the Challenge started, they are varied enough to fill (hopefully) some thematic goals or just pure fun to paint. They ended up being both.

There is a Jack Booted Sadist and a Time Lift Security Lieutenant pointing with his hand (vice versa in photos), both in blues and greys to match my previous TLS and other characters from the range Danger 5 and extras.

 

Schahführer Eric Köhner is wearing white shirt and camo trousers like his minions Nazi Lizards and Nazis.

 

And finally two villains from Outer Space, Otherwordly Invader and Inhuman Servitor (vice versa in photos). I had lots of fun painting the various browns on the Servitor and using bright colors on Invader (and Servitor's super high tech pistol).

 

 

I'm quite sure I purchased 7TV pdf rules some time ago and I have quite a lot of suitable miniatures as well, so I might need to try it out someday. These models should fulfill the requirements of Babylon5 and 28mm Pulp Squirrel.

Apparently Babylon5 was not the place where we wanted to go, so we quickly moved on Sarah's Star Yacht, accompanied with none other than young Princess Nirnadel from Middle-Earth. She is Mithril Miniature M32, invented by ICE for MERP (quite a lot of codes and acronyms for a fantasy model, but since this is a scifi challenge, I couldn't resist myself). There is not much to told of her background, like mentioned, she is not created by Tolkien, but ICE to use as RPG character: Princess Nirnadel.

 

 

I mostly painted her at the same time as I did Elrond, but since I needed her later, I held her back (I could have used Jack Booted Sadist as a ticket to Star Yacht, but it didn't feel right). I ended up using quite light colours on her and used my general brown fantasy basing technique. It is really nice to paint their older models every now and then, they are not filled with details and you can actually paint, not pick up details. I used stronger contrasts here than on Elrond, so the tones on the gown(?) are easier to see.

 

Red lipstick, red jewel...

Princess Nirnadel hopefully provides me a trip from Babylon5 to a hostile sounding Klendathu.

So here we have a total of 6 miniatures about the height of 25/28mm for 30 points.

Then 20 points each for Babylon5 and Star Yacht for 40 points.

That would be 70 points total.

My personal Squirrel count: 3

- 20mm Napoleonic

- 28mm Sludge

- 28mm Pulp

 

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Wonderfully characterful miniatures, Teemu! I particularly like that Servitor with the snazzy ray gun. It's funny, Princess Nirnadel would also be a great candidate for a Barsoom princess (vis a vis John Carter of Mars), though perhaps she has a bit too many clothes for the setting.

Great work Teemu and good luck on hostile Klendathu!

- Curt

KenR : 28mm Garabaldi Infantry Part 1 (90 pts)

 

I'm making the most of a few days off work to get going on this Project, the Artillery was a nice aperitif but its time to start doing the hard yards and get cracking through the Infantry for the Garabaldi Forces.

This is the first unit of 20 for the Army and represents one of the famous red shirted units that are associated with Garabaldis troops. I plan to do about 10 units in this manner before finishing the project off with some of the more exotic units from the Army.

The unit is made up of 24 28mm figures from Gringo 40 and they have been based 6 to a base with each base being 60mm x 60mm. The additional depth is to help protect the bayonets on the front rank of figures (something that I remembered on the first base and then forgot on the others 🤦)

Points wise I am only claiming 18 of the figures as one of the bases was done pre Challenge as a tester for colour and base layout etc so that will be 18 x 5 for 90 points.

I've tried to give the unit a ragged Campaign look with different hat types and colours as well as different colours of trousers. This is also my first full unit of Gringo 40 figures, larger than most other 28s they do paint up really well with some great faces. I think this will get more and more impressive as the Army grows.

I'll finish off with a picture of the Project to date. Next up will be another unit of red shirts, this time in a firing pose. I am going to try and plough through as many of this type of unit as I can before I switch to anything fancy. I've already got 12 of the next lot done so hopefully there will be another unit before the new year.

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Beautiful work Ken. Like you, I really like these hefty castings that you're using for this project. It's always satisfying what a simple colour shift in headgear, trousers or coat can do to troops that are similarly posed. Lovely stuff.

- Curt

From PaulSS: American Civil War Confederates (Caprica) - 142 points

I was trying to get my painting desk cleared before I started the challenge so I'm rather tardy for my first entry, but, I'm finally there.

Two small 12-man units of Confederates, I've been enjoying the Pickett's Charge rules of late so as well as rebasing the entire existing collection (yes Ken I know!) I wanted to add a few more units so I can get up to four or five brigades per side.

Of course as soon as I started painting I realised that I'd forgotten to order any standards, so an order from Flags of War is on it's way, but in the meanwhile I added some Warflag ones for these two units, will I get around to replacing them, likely not!, but all the new units I'll be adding during the challenge will be getting Warflag ones.

Both units are made up from the Perry Miniatures American Civil War Confederate Infantry 1861-65 but as I'm making multiple smaller units I also bought some additional Confederate Command frames.

I think that the Doomed theme for Caprica likely fits them well, they lost the war and under my generalship that will be doubly so, losing the war and losing the battles! 

A twenty four 28mm figures, a couple of flags and the location bonus should start me off with 142 points on the board.

American Civil War Duel Totalizer: 24 foot (142pts)

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Welcome back to the Challenge, Paul!

What a wonderful looking unit of Confederates. I've always enjoyed your brush style Paul, so smooth and precise, really beautiful work. But rebasing? Ugh. Many of us feel your pain. I hope it goes quickly and without too many mishaps. The good news is that it's all for an excellent set of rules, as 'Pickett's Charge' just oozes period feel and has a lot of cool mechanics. I look forward to the upcoming units with the more snazy colours. 

Lovely work Paul.

- Curt

From ManusH: Conán of the Fianna and an Ammunition Cart (60 Points)

In this post, I've completed my first piece for the Quadrant Challenge! I've landed on the verdant world of Arda with a figure of legend from Irish lore. The theme of this planet is "fantasy, Tolkienesque", and I think Irish myth suits it quite well - it's full of great heroes and powerful magic. 

Tolkien himself did not enjoy his time in Ireland, and drew far more inspiration from Welsh myth. I was however interested to find that some elements of Lord of the Rings might originate in Irish myth. Wormtongue is strikingly similar to the Irish character Bricriu Nimhtheanga (Bricriu Poisontongue), while Gollum has been said to be inspired by the Poll na gColm cave in Clare. 

This figure is "Conán of the Fianna", a 28mm model by Lucid Eye. Their range is inspired by Jim Fitzpatrick's paintings of Irish mythological figures. In the Fiannaíocht, Conán Mac Mórna is a gigantic warrior of the Fianna warband, led by the famous Fionn Mac Cumhaill. He is a comic figure, usually blustering around looking for food! He was said to be so hairy that a cloak could be made from hair shaved off his back once a year. I don't know for sure, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if Robert E. Howard used his name for Conan the Barbarian. Irish myth can get very "sword and sorcery". 

The base features Conán's name in Ogham, the old Irish rune alphabet 

I tried to copy the original painting for this model. There are lots of cool textures that were really fun to replicate. 

I'm afraid I don't know the lady's name; she isn't mentioned in the myths 

My second piece is an ammunition cart for my Sharp Practice 1798 Rebellion Project. It's a scratch-build I've had lying around for a long time! The horse is from a Wargames Illustrated issue, so I think it's by Warlord. The wheels are from Warbases. All the rest was made up of scrap MDF, coffee stirrers and Milliput! The hinges on the caisson were made from strips of aluminium from a Coke can. This is a great material, especially for flags! 

I tried out a piebald colour scheme on the horse. It's not as easy as I expected! Still, I really enjoy having a broad range of horse colours in my collection. The cart itself is very generic, and could be used for United Irishmen, British forces or the French Expedition. 

I'm not sure if Conán counts as 1 figure or 2! I'm going with 1, as it's one casting, but I might be wrong. I've counted the cart as a "28mm mounted figure, artillery piece or crew served weapon" just because I think it's the most accurate category. 

1x28mm foot figure @5 points

1x 28mm mounted figure, artillery piece or crew served weapon=10 points

Quadrant Challenge bonus=20 points

Total =35 points. 

Thanks 😊

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Love this post, especially the short tour of Irish mythology - wonderful!

That Saleh's vignette of Fitzpatrick's Conan is tremendous and you've done a really wonderful job on it Manus. I'm particularly admiring the various colours, textures and even the runic name on the base! Spectacular work. I have a bunch of Lucid Eye stuff sitting in the wings and this really makes me want to pull them out for some attention. 

The cart is a very useful piece as it could be used in a variety of settings. I'm scoring it as a vehicle, plus single horse (10 + 5). Conan I'm scoring as two figures as I'm feeling that Goodwill to Mankind thing. It's a brief condition - I'm sure it will pass. :)

Great work Manus, keep them coming!

- Curt 

From ChrisW - Martian cavalry + BoB tank + 2 Russian provocateurs + planetary bonuses (170 points)

Hello all!

First off let me thank Curt for granting me entrance into this august event. This is my first time participating in this event or any such event. I have very basic goals, I just want to get motivated to tackle my all too large horde of unpainted lead, plastic and resin. My self styled nickname is the unfocused gamer and I very much live up to that sobriquet as will soon become apparent by the random nature of my painting output. I suspect I may well be joining the squirrel contingent.  While I have vague plans on what I would like to paint for this challenge, and have laid out many of my items on the underused gaming table, there is not a chance that I will adhere to any plan. Case in point, the Martians were not even a thought until I suddenly decided to tackle them!

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First up is my visit to the Death Star. Here we find Tanya and Lepa displaying the fruits of their great espionage. Having stolen the plans for Britain's next great tank, they have seen the plans made real by the might of the Soviet industrial juggernaut. 

Behold the Vickers Peoples Independent tank, fresh from her test trials.

Lepa on the left Tanya to the right

A thing of beauty, who cares if it "drank oil for a pastime" or that it seems that the British were not so impressed with vehicle, it is a glorious example of all that a tank should be.

So for those not in the know, only one of these were actually built, they were woefully under powered, and not functionally sound. A very questionable design...

The figures are Artizan and/or Copplestone, while the tank came from Empress miniatures. The rectangle shape on the sides of the tank should actually be an opening, not solid, but I have not yet decided how I should paint it to make it seem like an opening. For now it remains as is. There are no markings on the tank, in part because I never seem to get around to doing such things, and in part because, despite the above story I have not yet decided which Back of Beyond faction will wind up with this tank. 

28mm tank (20 points) + 2 x 28mm foot (10 points) + (20 points) for the Death Star = [50 points]

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After the questionable success of their joint venture, Tanya and Lepa have decided to get away from it all, and take a tour of the outer rim. Sarah.s choice takes them to Vulcan, the home of logic and of pointy eared beings.

Now, the sinister troop of royal cavalry may not be possessed of logic, judging by their gauche uniforms, but they certainly do have the requisite pointy ears! These troopers plan to link up with the Empress, once she arrives and are her loyal bodyguard.

 

As a side note I had planned on painting the princess, but found that I had no suitable Martian princess, apparently Mars needs women...(sorry)

The figures are from Grenadier, that I had picked up a few years ago. They are Dark Elves I believe, but will do well as Martians and blend in well enough with my RAFM stuff. My colour scheme for Martian flesh is based on Space 1889. My colour scheme for their uniforms is the result of almost random choice of some metallic paints that I have. I did not regret my choice of colours until the 2nd or 3rd figure, why I did not switch out my choice I do not know, suffice to say it was a pain to paint, and painful to view the finished results. Thank goodness for sepia wash it brought down the hideous contrasting colours to something more manageable to the senses.  

 

10 x 28mm cavalry (100 points) + 20 for Vulcan = [120 points]

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 170 points in total for my first post

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Haha! This is a wonderful first entry to the Challenge, Chris. Welcome to the madhouse - it looks like you'll fit right in. :)

I really like your 'Back of Beyond' sensibility with this group. That tank is an absolute BEAST! Perfect for any pulp adventure on the Outer Rim (until it breaks down, of course). I love Copplestone's minis for this genre, and you've done a fine job on Lepa and Tanya. I'm also admiring the looks of that cavalry unit. Even though they are fantasy High Elves, they fit perfectly as denizens of Barsoom. Look out John Carter!

In the future, for the sake of our Minions' sanity, please break up your posts, one for each location. Thanks and, again, great work!

- Curt

From BruceR: Elena Montero, 28mm Vengeful Huntress, For Passage on Sarah's Star Yacht (25 pts)

For offer is Guerilla fighter Elena Montero of Vega's Vengeance.  Elena has lost her family to the butchery of either Monster or French, it does not matter to this huntress of Iberia.  She is nimble and a master of cover in The Silver Bayonet universe as an irregular soldier.  Again, she will play the dual role of a skirmisher for Spain in Sharp's Practice.  

Elena has been tasked with a side mission of using her skills to seek transport on Sarah's Star Yacht.  Using her abilities, she approaches the Lady Sarah to request transport from Istavann V to Solaris to the price of this female figure.

This is the 8th party member of the Spanish force from Northstar and completes my Spanish party.  A characterful miniature with the hair done in what my daughter claims is a "messy bun" to keep the hair long and out of the way, yet useful for shadowy camouflage.   

ELENA MONTERO "HUNTRESS"

Elena in the wild

Seek Passage from Istvaan V to Solaris

1 28mm foot                                     =5 pts    

Passage on Sarah's Star Yacht          =20 pts

Total                                                  =25 pts

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Oh, she's a wonderful looking figure, Bruce. The 'messy bun' gives her a particularly terrible visage. I pity the French, or the Pit Fiend, that tries to cross her!

- Curt

 

From PaulOG - Dungeon Bowl: Into the Shadows (80 points) (Glorantha)

Like several fellow Challengers, I am a Blood Bowl fan boy devotee tragic - have been since my teen years and then dragged my son Reilly into it before he was 10 years old. We are loving the recent GW attention to this game so the re-release of Dungeon Bowl last month was a no brainer for us.  I mean, its fantasy rugby/gridiron played in a Dungeon with exploding treasure chests and magic teleportors - whats not to love?

Dungeon Bowl is quite differently managed in comparison to the more traditional above ground leagues. Underground, teams are sponsored by a different Colleges of Magic and comprised of mixed race players. 

Skaven team members

This is the College of Shadows - one of the 2 teams that come in the new boxed set, comprising Dark Elves, Skaven and Goblins (though I added the latter models from our stash, they don't come in the box).

Dark Elf players

Each college has a theme colour and the College of Shadows has adopted (perhaps unsurprisingly) grey. I embraced the colourless tones overall with a saturated green for the Goblins to really leap out, and kept this same spot colour to get a consistent team look.  The dungeon styled bases are home made (3d printed) and the dungeon they are standing in is a project you will see more of later in the Challenge :-)

The Goblins are fun, but..not the most valued players in the team!

The Team's legendary female Captain is Harriett Heart-Stealer, so named for her long line of heart broken suitors. And also for her penchant of actually removing this vital organ during matches and then keeping them for some kind of secretive, post-match ritual that sensible people don't ask about...

In their quest for on-pitch glory, adoration of cheering fans and the attention of high paying sponsors, the heroes of this College of Shadows team are assigned to the planet Glorantha. Overall this submission is 14 figures, but 2 were pre challenge colour testers, so only 12 for scoring (60 points) plus the planetary bonus for a total of 80.

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I think it's terrific that you and Reilly have been bitten hard by this game, and that you share a history of Blood Bowl back to your early years. 

I like how cohesive your team looks, further reinforced by the excellent dungeon tile bases. Really sharp. I particularly like Harriet 'Heart Stealer'. She's a bit literal, but you have to applaud her fashion sense (though not suitable for Saskatchewan at this time...). 

I look forward to the post where you talk to us about your 3D dungeon tiles/walls. It really fits the bill for this project!

- Curt