From TeemuL: End of Challenge, Start of an army [Mars](60 points)

Photos coming up early my morning, just before Challenge midnight...

Somewhere in the comments sections I mentioned I'll be starting a new game, Flames of War, following a pair of friends. They had chosen late war Germans and US, so I couldn't continue my DAK project. I chose Soviets, since they are a big force, lots of options and involved everywhere.

I ordered a starting force, but while waiting for it, I searched my existing FoW minis, second hand purchase some years ago. They were late war Soviets, too, on-the-side purchase of some fantasy minis, if I remember correctly. Lots of infantry and these five T-34 85s, quite iconic and very common vehicle of WW2. These are resin-metal-combos and no magnet holes for tower. I need to some corrections, because the magnets are bit too thick and tower is now too high...

I painted them dark green and added a simple red star and single number, a design which I found from internet used by a Guard unit in operation Bagration. Simple and easy, too.

Then the planet bonus. I'm from Finland and one of our neighbours is current Russia, former Soviet Union. It has been quite mysterious for a while now as it was while it was Soviet Union. I hope this counts as Mysterious Neighbour and grants me 20 points. If not, I'm ok and already over my target.

5 times 15mm vehicle, 40 points in total and 20 from planet bonus plus 20th Squirrel.

My personal Squirrel count: 20

20mm Napoleonic
28mm Sludge
28mm Pulp
28mm Warhammer 40000 Xenos
28mm General (including Gloranthan) Fantasy
1:300 Cruel Seas
6mm Epic Imperial Fists
28mm ADD Boardgame
28mm Runewars Waiqar
28mm Blood Bowl
28mm Simians
15mm Mid War Germans
28mm Age of Sigmar Sylvaneths
28mm Warhammer 40000 Imperium
28mm Warhammer Fantasy Orcs & Goblins
28mm Lord of the Rings Mordor
10mm Warmaster Undead
28mm Late 15th Century Italians
28mm Pathfinder
15mm Late War Soviets

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Haha! Fabulous work Teemu. I like in your final post you start a new project. What a Tanker indeed!

Well done Teemu. Thank you for being with us once again. I look forward to seeing more of you and this project in Challenge XIII. :)

- Curt

From StuartL - The Final Whistle - Lady Sarah's Star Yacht & Noel's Comet - 155 Points

Hello all,

It looks like I have just enough time for one final post before the challenge comes to a close. So without further ado, here are my final models for Challenge XII.

Last time around I was on Arrakis, but I need to be back at Noel's Comet, so another trip on the Star Yacht is called for. For my ticket price, I offer this evil female warrior, courtesy of Reaper Bones.

A quick and easy paint job as most of the model is clad in plate armour. The relief on the front of the shield is meant to be a succubus or something, so you know this fighter is a baddie. (Or the shield has really good stats and the character doesn't care about the obviously evil design).

So, off we go to Noel's Comet. My entry for the comet was a Lizardman warrior that I had bought years ago, sold to a friend and it had then come full circle back to me via another friend.. Along with the original GW Lizardmen, my friends had added some of the newer versions of the models between the time I sold them off and bought them back. So, here are some of the models that my friends had added in the meantime.

In total I finished off 21 of these guys. They are all based individually for use in skirmish games.

I also built a movement tray for them to use in big battle games. If you read my original Noel's Comet post you may recall that I am working on some simple rules for playing games with one of my close gaming buddies.

To decorate the base I found this old stone head that looked like it was from the jungle. I think it is from a company called Grendel.

At the back corner of the base is a dice tray that I can use for my own rules or even for representing ranks and files if I want to use these minis for Warhammer Fantasy Battles.

And that's me about done for this year. I'd like to thank Curt for organising this challenge and PeterD for minioning for me this year. Thanks to everyone who commented on my posts and a huge thank you to everyone for all the beautiful models your painted and the awesome atmosphere throughout the challenge.

Okay, one final model to post up. I find myself stuck on a comet with no more painting to do, so it's time to call upon Lady Sarah's Star Yacht one last time. 

This model is from Wyrd Games and is part of their Malifaux game.

So, for my final post and my final score.

23x 28mm models for a total of 115 Points.

2x trips on the Star Yacht for 40 bonus Points.

A grand total of 155 Points.

Plus there are 4 skulls on the Lizardmen bringing my closing skull duel tally to 136 Skullz

So, where to next? Second star to the right and straight on till morning.

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What a wonderful way to conclude your Challenge, Stuart. Both of the female figures are terrific, thought I think the swordswoman in the blue dress is my favourite. I also like that you've revisited your Lizardman army with some additional recruits - I love the whole story behind that army. 

Thank you for being with us again this year, Stuart, and for serving as Squirrelfinder General (no easy task, that). In nine months I will look forward to seeing you in the ranks for our 13th edition, and who knows, perhaps I can convince you to serve as a Minion. *Laughs Maniacally*  :) 

- Curt

From PhilH: Bureaucracy, Money and Corruption at Vlogosphere (24 Points)

Funnily enough, the location bonus Bureaucracy/Black comedy had me thinking up a range of bleak takes on the theme. With the final days of the Challenge ticking down, I just about had enough time this week to turn out this billboard terrain for Marvel Crisis Protocol.

Well, modern bureaucracies thrive on private finance and ‘outsourcing’ services. Cutting costs for the taxpayer, while the fine upstanding entrepreneurs make a few *cough* bucks on the side: win-win, eh? But jaunty slogans aside, it probably ends up that once the money is made, no one takes out the trash. 

Fisk Industries seemed to hit the theme: upstanding citizen and entrepreneur Wilson Fisk, who as nefarious supervillain alter ego The Kingpin opposes the NYC heroes like Spider-Man or Daredevil and friends in the recent Netflix TV series. The design references Wilson Fisks’s doubtless corrupt reconstruction of New York after the joint got trashed by an alien invasion in the MCU Avengers.

The billboard is a 3D print, a neat little design free on Thingiverse. For the image I resized a handful found on the official Faceache group for the game, and the same source for the newspaper sheets.

This is the back of a billboard and it’s not very interesting. I’d quite like to get some pigeons to roost on top, add some pigeon poop, you can imagine their little pigeon butts to make this photo more interesting, if you like.

It’s maybe 20% of a standard reference terrain cube, so 4 Points plus the bonus and I’ all done for Challenge XII. 

Thanks as always for having me along for the ride, it’s always fun however much actually gets painted. I am ever appreciative of the efforts of the wonderful Snowlord Curt, ever-patient Sarah and the Minion crew. 

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Very cheeky, Mr. Hawkins, but being it's the final few minutes of the Challenge, I'll take it. :)

Thanks for being in the mix with us this year, Phil! I hope to see you in the ranks again next autumn. 

- Curt

From TamsinP: Operation Rescue Oscar Part 5 (47 points)

Extract from the Journal of TamsinP: Time Traveler, Society Girl and Adventuress

"Please don't let it be that place again! Please don't let it be that place again!" I repeat under my breath as we pass through the rift.

"It's OK. I think you're safe to open your eyes now!"

"Huh?" I take a sniff - no smell of badly tanned furs. Maybe it's not there? I steel myself and open my eyes. Thanks heavens! I'm not half-dressed in furs! Actually, this is rather a cool get-up! Leather jacket, knee boots, denim trousers, flying helmet - thankfully no wet celery or egg whisk!*

"See, I told you!"

"You did. Maybe this isn't Robert E Howard's homoerotic dream, but nevertheless do keep an eye out for a tall, powerfully built chap in a suit and Panama hat!"

"So, do you think he's still here?"

"Oscar? Let's see." I check the instruments. "He could very well be - the readings suggest we've arrived a few minutes behind him!"

"That's positively brilliant news! I guess we'd better go and find him."

"I seem to have acquired a flying helmet!"

"You have. I wonder if the outfitting glitch is caused by time-travel device proximity?" I ponder.

*BOOM*

"What on Earth?"

"Sounded like a cannon."

"Oscar! Oscar!"

"Oscar! Oscar!"

We start calling out his name - maybe he'll hear us.

"Oscar! Oscar!"

"Oscar! Oscar!"

*Row-row!*

"I think that's him!" Curt exclaims, ""Oscar! Oscar!"

"Oscar! Oscar!"

"It is! We've found him!"

"Hello, yes, I've missed you awfully! Ewww! Whatever have you been eating?"

"Hello, Oscar" I greet him, "Peter D wasn't wrong about him being a crotch sniffer!" I joke to Curt.

"Hold on - what's that noise?"

"Sounds like lots of horses, and they're heading this way!"

"Oh, crap! It's those bloody barbarian cavalry. This is his bleeding dream again!"

"Scarper time?"

"Most definitely!"

"You take the guns, I'll get us out of here" I call to Curt, "Oscar - in the front with me!"

I start the engine and press the button I've pre-programmed to return us to Curt's "secret lair".

The rift opens, and I drive through...

"That's a shame - I didn't get to shoot those Lewis Guns!"

"Yeah, sorry about that." I lie, glad to have got out of there so fast. "Still, here we are back safe and sound, with Oscar."

"Well, yes, but it's still a shame. My word, is that Byron still there on the loading bay?"

"It is indeed." I check the instruments "Well, that's a bit of a shocker - we've been gone for exactly fourteen days and one second!"

"Incredible!Well, I guess I'd better get this scamp home where he belongs. Thanks awfully for sorting out the rescue!"

"My pleasure!" I lie again. "Now, before you go, let's just check that we've got all the devices. Obviously we have the vehicle-mounted one, here's my replacement one that Dave knocked up...hold on...where's the original one, that Oscar took?"

We hunt around through the ice cream van. There's no sign of the device.

"You don't suppose he dropped it back there do you?"

"I guess he must have."

"Well, there's no way I'm going back there to retrieve it. I've had enough of Robert E Howard and his flaming homoerotic dreams about muscular barbarians! "

"It's not as though they'd be able to use it" Curt says hopefully.

"Let's hope and pray!" I say, cautiously. "Anyway, I'm going to take both of the ones we have with me, just to be sure there are no more dog-related accidents with them!"

"Yes, that's probably a good idea. It's such a shame that dogs can't talk - just think what tales he must have!"

"I imagine it would be just lots of food scrounging and barking at squirrels, knowing him."

"You're probably right about the squirrels, but he looks rather thin to have been scrounging food."

"Hmmm, he does look rather less beefy than he does in the photos." I reply. "Goodbye, Oscar! Oh, I almost forgot - here's a big bag of English Squirrel Droppings** for you!"

Oscar's ears prick up as I give him the packet.

"Toodle-pip, Curt! Don't call me - I'll call you!" 

"Yes, toodle-pip! my dear!"

I set the device to return me home for 6pm on 20 March. The rift opens and I drive through. "Oh, hell! It must have been set for 6pm Regina time, so it's midnight here! Crap! And the vehicle hasn't changed! Crap - where the heck am I going to park a huge ice cream van at this time of night?"

* some people will get the reference

** see my first post from 21 December 2021

The Rescue Party

OK, I might have gone a little bit overboard! Originally it was just going to be the vehicle and crew, then I decided to get the foot figures and alternate crew (mainly because the car came with female driver and gunner).

The car and drew are all from eureka's Maximillian 1934 range; Oscar is the third one I painted from the pack from The Assault Group, which I left out of the scoring for my first post.

Such a happy boy!

Switching over the driver and gunner:

The gunners:

The drivers:

On foot:

As this is my last post for AHPC XII, I will do my customary "Vote of Thanks":

• To Curt, without whose insanity there would be no AHPC and for all of the organisation he does behind the scenes to pull it all together. Huzzah!
  
  
• To Lady Sarah, for keeping Curt caffeinated (and moderately sane) and simply for your very presence behind the scenes and, indeed, this year in the scene - it's been lovely having you along as a participant this year. Huzzah!
  
  
• To my fellow minions for all your hard work. Huzzah!
  
  
• To the sponsors whose generosity allows Curt to bestow various prizes. Huzzah!
  
  
• An finally to my fellow Challengers, an incredible ninety-six of you! Your posts have kept me amused, sometimes bemused and also challenged to both increase my output and quality of painting. Huzzah!

****INTERMISSION****

The Adventures of Oscar: Time Traveler, Slayer of Squirrels and Very, Very Good Boy

Epilogue

Tamsin was very nice - she gave me a big bag of English Squirrel Droppings! I love those! I guess I'll have to share them with Felix though, now that I'm back home. Anyway, daddy-Curt is driving me back there now, ooh! We're turning into the driveway! Row-row! And there's Felix! And Mummy-Sarah!

"Oscar! Oscar! Where have you been? You've been gone for simply years!"

"I've been time traveling, Felix!"

"Time traveling? Don't be so ridiculous!"

"It's true! I was looking for Christmas presents and found a box that smelled of Tamsin. I knocked it over and this device fell out. Anyway, I pressed one of the buttons and it took me back in time!"

"Noooo! So, where have you been?"

"I've been to the jungle - the smells were fantastic and swamp water tastes delicious! So does the rotting vegetation! But nasty Japanese men kept chasing me away and then two other men wanted to eat me!"

"They wanted to eat you? Noooo!"

"They most certainly did! And I didn't find any food there, but I did slay a jungle squirrel!"

"You slayed a jungle squirrel! I'm sooo, sooo jealous!"

"Yes, I did. I also slayed some ancient reddish-brown squirrels in Europe!"

"Noooo! Stop making me jealous! So what else did you see?"

"I saw lots of hairy men who threw big sticks at me and chased me off. And  I saw what Daddy-Curt calls "Romans" and they through smaller pointy sticks at me."

"It sounds very dangerous! I'm glad you made it out alive!"

"So am I! I had so many close calls! I even saw a battle!"

"A battle! Sounds exciting!"

"I thought it would be too, lots of men on horses killing each other but it was all over very quickly. And then I got chased off. Oh, and I've been to the future too!"

"The future?"

"Yes! I found this brilliant playground. But it was in a  desert so it was very hot, dry and there was no food! So I got bored and left there after a while."

"No food? How awful!"

"It was! So I went back to the jungle and almost found food, but got chased off again! Then I did get some food from some British soldiers - they were nice and gave me some beef stew, but it wasn't a lot. And there were lots of big explosions so I got out of there!"

"I don't blame you. Loud explosions must have been very scary."

"They were! Oh, the future. Yes, I went to the future again, but it was a city this time and I almost got food but there were lots of robots fighting so I skedaddled!"

"Robots fighting! You have seen a lot!"

"Yes, and then I met this strange man who seems to know Tamsin. He gave me some chewy beef, but then ran off for some reason after seeing some big, muscular chaps. I thought he was excited by them, but I think he must have known what they were going to do."

"Very odd - what did they do?"

"They put something in a big tube, put a flame to it and then there was a big *boom* so I skedaddled!"

"That does sound scary!"

"It was, it was!" And then I heard someone calling my name - it was Daddy-Curt and Tamsin!"

"I did wonder where he'd gone!"

"But then there were muscly men on horses chasing us, but we got away and now I'm home!"

"And it's so good to have you back!"

"And it's great to be back! I've missed you sooo much! But it was fun, and maybe you'll get to go with me next time."

"Next time? How?"

"Well, Tamsin didn't see, but I did - Daddy-Curt slipped my time travel device into his pocket..."

For Scoring

4 x 28mm foot @ 5 = 20 points

2 x 28mm drivers @ 2.5 = 5 points

1 x 28mm vehicle @ 20 = 20 points

1 x dog (count as 15mm foot) @ 2 = 2 points

Total = 47 points

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Hahaha! That was just brilliant Tamsin. I especially liked it when you had Oscar recount his story to Felix, very clever. 

Now, that jalopy and crew is simply superb, so wonderfully mad. I think I need to get some of these for my collection - an early 20th century version of Gaslands perhaps ('JazzLands', hmm, I LIKE it. You heard it here first, folks!). Now we'll just have to see if Felix and Oscar have continuing time-travelling adventures in Challenge XIII... Until then, I think the Boyz need to have a good nap.

- Curt

From PhilH: Unveiling the Dark Trooper Project at Skaro (76 Points)

With deepest thanks to Lady Sarah for the list, we make it to Skaro. And with a Star Wars project on the go, and having greatly enjoyed the Mandalorian TV series, 'weird robots' had to be the Dark Troopers reintroduced there. Though as a SW nerd, I remember their first introduction in the vintage Star Wars Dark Forces video game *nostalgic sigh*.

With the most adorable SW character to date as the Mandalorian's macguffin, the Mandalorian needed a scary big bad for the series, and these indomitable automatons did the trick. Armed to the teeth, nigh-impossible to destroy and relentless in pursuit of our heroes, awesome stuff. 

Oh and our heroes Luke and Din Djarin had to make an appearance to do battle with them.

This set of 8 ranging from pristine to battered and bisected are 3D prints from Skullforge Studios. 

Eight 40mm or so miniatures and the Skaro bonus is 76 Points. Oh, and that's my third (!) squirrel! 

Now, is there time to navigate the Great Abyssal and fit one more entry in? 

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Oh, these are rather fabulous. I loved the introduction of these and I too remember them from the Dark Forces video game (though I like the Mando versions better). While the pristine ones are all great and nasty, I have to say my favourites are the bashed ones, especially the rather shocked one whose experiencing a lightsaber induced split-personality disorder. So awesome. 

Next!

- Curt