From TomC: When the last humbug has been eaten* [Swords & Sandals] (30 points)

 

 Ahoy, hoy! Like Mr Burns, I too have a) not posted in a long time and, b) worse, not commented on anyone else's wonderful entries. I promise it's not because I'm terrible, my cat was very ill (she didn't eat my homework, she has a form of epilepsy!), and it's taken some time to get the right care for her. She's doing well enough now to get some brush time in though, which I desperately need to have any hope of hitting my challenge target!

 Today's studio destination is Swords & Sandals, with a roguish cast of two of the Warlord Games's Bandits and Brigands set from when they carried the Test of Honour skirmish game. They're a great assortment of period characters, intended as roaming thugs, and ideal villains to set against more honourable Onna-Bugeisha, Sohei monks or other staples of the genre.

 These metal Test of Honour miniatures are some of my favourites from Warlord's selection, I've been working on the box on and off for... some time now, so this was a good opportunity to finish off a couple extra! I have just one left, who was disqualified from this studio for bringing a musket. As befitting eclectic low-lives, they have an un-uniformed appearance which I wanted to emphasise with a loose colour scheme of greys, greens and off-whites. 

 Alright, so he looks like a peppermint humbug, but I'm at peace with it, the sculpt is cool enough (in my eyes!) to carry such a fashion faux-pas. I've painted a lot of the gang with black hair, so I made Humbug Hanzo a silver fox, whether he's a sly veteran or an Uncle Iroh is yet to be seen!

 Our other vagrant, by process of association either Masanari, Genji or Zuko (depending on your preferred reference...), has a slightly less saccharine sartorial style, with just a pop of purple and a jazzy (if perhaps historically inaccurate) sword for street credentials.

 

    

 Back when I started with this set I was using metallics, I've generally moved to NMM now because I never really mastered getting reflective metallics to look the way I wanted and... still haven't! A challenge for another time perhaps.

 Scoring here is simple enough, two 28mm miniatures at 5 points apiece, both equipped with swords and sandals for a 20 point studio bonus and a grand total of 30 points.

 Now I've got a week to get a Western in, so I suspect this will be my last Friday post, and so big thanks to Phriday minion Phil for enduring my 'jokes', eleventh hour posting and naval miniatures!

*With apologies to poor Sidney for further degeneration of his planned ruleset title... it's for a good cause?

Friday Minion: Welcome back Tom, glad to see you making a final bid for points. Sorry to hear about your poorly cat, glad to hear she's on the mend. Do we get a picture of the troublesome moggie? 

And what an entry - I love these Japanese ruffians and their boiled sweet themed fashion. Top work on the stripes and subdued basing. 

30 points for your tally, will you fit another entry in to creep over your points target?