From BartekR: Stumbling out of the Studios - Conquest Hundred Kingdoms unit [140 points]

[So, just as I was getting this ready to post last Sunday we had an electrical storm that fried my modem - technicians words, not mine -- so,...a few hundred dollars and a week later]

Back after a hiatus (excuses, excuses - a few weeks adjusting to being back at work after a few months off as decompression from finishing up overseas last October). With time ticking down in the Challenge, my planned circumnavigation trip around the Studios was sidetracked: my brother - definitely in the 'gamer, not painter' category and having seen my work on his Chaos Warriors in my first post - asked me to paint his Conquest: The Last Argument of Kings army.

Since he'll always be my little brother, how could I refuse this  'commission'?

So, in today's post, we have - from his 'Hundred Kingdoms' human faction - a unit of fifteen men-at-arms, a veteran, a 'null mage' (a kitbash conversion) plus three objective markers.

For those not familiar with Conquest (like me), its a fantasy rank and file game (although with lowish model count it seems) published by Para Bellum Games. The rules were written by Alessio Cavatore (of Bolt Action, Mordheim, a bunch of other GW stuff...fame). My brother has been very complimentary about it. Worth mentioning (at risk of sounding like I'm spruiking it) that all the rules, army lists and setting background are free on Para Bellum's site. 

 

 

What I found most interesting about these is that they are 38mm scale - bloody massive compared to what I'm used to. The figures themselves: sculpting on the Men-at-Arms is fine though they are apparently a  early release and I think it shows. There were a few places on them where I wasn't sure what I was painting (eg, is it armour or, fabric?) or what was on the front, say, didn't match up to what was on the back (the chainmail neck collars were one example). That said, could have just been me and not a showstopper. All that said about those, there has been a decided evolution in the range: the mini used for the kitbash null mage (a "hunter cadre") is a later release and a lot sharper.

Veteran and null mage

The null mage was also my favourite when finished. Feel like the OSL suceeded after some pucker factor and worry that I was going to mess the figure up and have to redo him. And have to admit I dig the  similarity (coincidental, intentional?) of his facemask to that of SlipKnot guitarist Mick Thomson (though I didn't channel Slipknot; thinking back I spent more time listening to Canadian metal band Woods of Ypres while painting it).

 

When not playing guitar, Mick likes to do battlefield magic...

 

Paints used were the usual mix on my bench (Citadel, Vallejo and Army Painter, including Contrast and Speedpaints). Basing is Army Painter grass and LeadBear's Tufts...tufts and flowers (LeadBear is a one man business from South Australia - strongly recommended for the Aussies here). I also took the opportunity to try out  Dirty Down verdigris and rust effects, bought earlier this year at CanCon, applied on the swords on one of the objective markers. 

The objective markers

 

 

Got to use the Dirty Down verdigris and rust effects paints on the swords - not bad

In terms of painting technique, I intended these to be an experiment in slapchop (cringe at the name) but reverted to more familiar methods to get the level of detail or colour depth I wanted. That said, I do see the potential especially for smaller scales. Even with my obstinate tendency to overdo, my painting is getting incrementally more efficient. More importantly, getting more confident and comfortable with it, and readily picking up the brushes rather than umming and ahhing about it - counting that as a win as it was a major personal aim for this challenge.

Down to hard tacks - given 38mmis closer to 40 than 28mm, I am claiming each as a 40mm foot miniature (scandalously, even the objectives - I need every point I can get at this stage - though will defer to Martin's adjudication): 

16 Men at arms (inc Veteran) (40mm foot)

Null Mage (40mm foot) 

3 objective marker bases (40 foot)

20 x 7pts = 140 points.

Next week - the last dash towards the finish line through a few of the Studios.

Fantastic work on these figures. As for Slipknot