From JimG: Ork Trukk, Overdues and Returns (50 points)

Hey there! Long time listener; first-time caller. 

My first post for the challenge is one of the most long suffering models in my backlog: the humble Ork Trukk. I've had this kit for at least 8 years.

I haven't played a game yet of 10th Edition, but here we are with a model so coveted in the current meta that you can't find them online. Clearly, painting this thing is far overdue.

There are plenty more Orks to paint in the backlog that will involve significant kitbashing, so I decided this one should stay basic. I've swapped the heads out on driver and gunner, but otherwise everything is stock.

As a former librarian and current professor, I definitely dig the whole library challenge this year. Who knows, I might even find an orangutan in my pile to paint up...

POINTS:

28mm Vehicle = 20 points 

Overdues and Returns = 20 points 

Total = 40 points

________________________________________

Welcome to the Challenge Jim! 

Your opening entry is a doozy! What a magnificently shambolic Ork Trukk. There is so much to like with this model, especially your work on all the various details and the overall weathering. I'm also quite impressed with your apocalyptic backdrop and photography - it really sets the scene for the vehicle and its loonatic crew. 

I'm going to give you a few extra points for the driver, gunner and sheer size of the model.

Terrific work!

- Curt

From KyleC - Winter Viking (25pts)

So a bit of a massive shift from the Death Guard tanks... but here's a slowly freezing viking model by Loot Studios. 

A few buddies from Turkey are planning a painting jam on this model. Was offered a chance to paint it up also so this was my vision. 

However I wanted to give snow and cold a shot as I have a fairly massive Space puppy army for Horus Heresy. And they will have snow on their bases so this was a great trial model to see how it works. 

It's a fairly standard model,.and straightforward as it's just one piece altogether. Making some parts of the model harder to paint than others. 

I referenced Roman Lappats Snow and Ice PDF for how to do the snow, and took the make the base blue too far it seems. But that's part of the learning phase and still gave me a very cold feeling (something I am feeling right now in our attic). 

I did my best to incorporate the blue cold reflection on his clothing and shield. While also adding specks of snow on his clothing. 

In the end.. a good palette cleanser before tackling a ton of LI infantry.. and a fun little exercise to trial snow and cold colors. Can't wait to trial this across an entire army! 

Being a single 32mm model that's a whopping 5 PTS for me. Plus maybe 20 PTS for History being he is a Viking? 

____________________________________

Lovely work on this chilly chap, Kyle. I like the snow effect, and the blue tones from the base and his clothes nicely reinforce the cold weather he's having to endure. Really, the man needs to go inside for some warm spiced mead and a slice of pie!

Well done!

- Curt

From SylvainR: Tray 1 - French 1939-1940 - Artillery and transport (106 points)

 Good day Challengers, it's good to be with you all again this year.

I suspect I must be the most predictable painter of the lot. This year again, I'm working on WW2 6mm armies. For those who don't already know, a friend of mine, Robert R. who collected armies for years retired from the hobby 2 years ago and generously gave me his collection.

Last summer, after I finally got my 3-month-delayed package from England containing the staff cars I ordered, I made a little diorama of him as "Colonel Robichaud", commander of the first French forces to fight the German Blitzkrieg near Sedan. The seasoned officer is seen here inspecting a famous "canon de 75" close to the front line on the last day of the Phoney War.

Anyway, over the summer, I spent some time re-basing the miniatures in the collection that were painted while putting aside for the Challenge what was not painted. Here is the first tray with a few units to complete my French 1939-1940 army, namely some artillery pieces and some transport elements.

First, let's take a closer look at the Renault AHS trucks. I needed transport for the third French company of the motorized infantry battalion (fusiliers portés). The French motorized companies have 3 platoons each as opposed to 4 platoons for the non-motorized companies. But then I realized that if I want to use the French army as proxies for other early WW2 armies, like the Greeks or the Poles, I need trucks for a 4th platoon. So that is why some trucks are coded in red or blue, while the majority are coded green.

A close-up on the trucks, showing how a paint job in 6mm scale could look great on the table but sloppy when looked at very close. The models are from GHQ.

Below, eight 105mm howitzers, Schneider modèle 1913, with four 155mm howitzers, GPF (Grande Puissance Filloux) modèle 1917. These were designed for WW1 and still could provide good service in ww2.

A closer look at the 105mm, with a camouflaged shield. The guns and servants are from Heroics&Ros.

And the 155mm with it's very long carriage. I almost had to use a bigger base to fit this gun. The guns and servants are from Heroics&Ros.

Finally, a bunch of staff cars for various duties, like transporting observers and officers. I did a camouflage on some of the vehicles, but the wash on these vehicles turned out to be a little too heavy. I decided not to repaint them, I will just pretend that these cars need to be washed. For the vehicles in the foreground, I sculpted the base as paved road instead of dirt road, for a change.

Close up on the support staff cars. Models from Heroics & Ros.

And a close up on the dedicated transports for the captains of the infantry companies. Models from Heroics & Ros.

Now for points:

48 artillerymen at 1/2 point each = 24 points.

12 artillery pieces at 1 point each = 12 points.

35 vehicles at 2 points each = 70 points

Total = 106 points.

This will also count towards the "Really Little Guys" duel.

Thanks for reading!

__________________________________________

Fabulous work, Sylvain!

I have the distinct pleasure of being able to game with Sylvain and enjoy his wonderful toy soldiers, so it's great to see him adding to his collection with these fine early war French. I especially like the Robichaud command stand with the General inspecting one of the famous 'Soixante-Quinze' (also a great cocktail). Also, fantastic basing and labelling, which is paramount with these little fellas. 

Well done, Sylvain. I look forward to our next game so we may see some of these on the tabletop.

- Curt  

 

Ken R : 28mm Garibaldi Wolf Company and History Library (100 points)

 

Entry number 2 of the Challenge for me is more Garibaldi troops but this time something a little bit different. This unit is called "The Wolf Company" and let's face it if you are building an army that has a unit in it with that name, your painting it !

When I walk into a Library I will always go to the History section first so here's the History of this unit to gain me another 20 points and a foothold in the entrance to the AHPC Challenge Library.

The Wolf Company formed part of the The Eber Brigade which was part of the Turr Division when they fought at Volturno in 1860. It was composed of the Bassini and Cossovich Regiments, the Bersaglieri Tanara Battalion, the Foreign Company Wolf and the Hungarian Legion.

The Company was formed by around 250 Swiss defectors from the Bourbon army. They initially wore a dark blue jacket with red facings. Carlo Agrati in his "From Palermo to Volturno" says that the foreign company had new Bourbon uniforms "found" in a warehouse in Caltanissetta. They were blue jackets with green facing, caps in the same color and red trousers. I have represented the unit in the latter "borrowed" kit, there's a bit of guess work involved but I think it looks the biz.

The figures come from the Piedmont range from Gringo40s and are large scale 28mm. The unit has 16 figures based in skirmish order (2 figs per 60 x 30 base) so with 5 points a fig that's 80 with a nice top up of 20 for the Library, 100 in total.

I have a bit of time of work in Jan and Feb so I'm trying to front load my Challenge and get some points on the board before I get busy towards the end of the three months. Next up will be my final unit of Red Shirts

Regards Ken 

The Yarkshire Gamer 

_______________________________________

Lovely brushwork as usual, Ken! I really can't fault you. If there was a unit called the Wolf Company in the mix of the bog-normal-rank-and file, you can be sure I'd be painting it too! They look very smart indeed with their red trousers, blue coats and fancy forage caps.  Well done!

- Curt

From Millsy: 28mm WW2 Aussies in the Western Desert (305 points)

G'day All!

I hope everyone is well and enjoying a safe and relaxing break with plenty of hobby time. It's great to be back amongst the best people on the planet and participating in my 12th Challenge! I feel even more like a grognard typing that but it's something I'm proud to have in my hobby history regardless.

My first post this year is a sizable chunk of stuff for a long overdue project from my POV - 2nd Australian Imperial Force (AIF) for the Western Desert in WW2.

Since I started wargaming I've been fascinated by the Western desert campaign and the achievements of the Australians at Bardia, Tobruk, El Alamein and beyond. I've had a matching 15mm Flames of War force for a loooooong time and am always ready to take on any and all comers. The boys never disappoint, even when on the losing side.

Stepping up in scale with the Aussies is something I've really enjoyed. The Warlord Games models are for the most part very nice indeed, with just the odd pose you can mostly work around with some creative modelling. These infantry are almost exclusively from the newer Commonwealth sprues which are good overall but do have some weird gaps like no separate weapons. This meant raiding the bits box to arm a few prone figures but you can't easily tell the weapons are incorrect.

I've also included a number of Eureka Miniatures heads in the iconic slouch hat as the ones on the sprue are too few in number and a bit samey-samey. The sniper team is also from Eureka and very nice indeed. I think it is meant to be a jungle themed set but the bare chest and slouch hat are perfect for the desert. The mortar and MG teams are metal Warlord Games kits.

I won't go into exhaustive detail on the various teams and sections here. There's a command with hangers on, at least one of every basic weapon team option and four medium sized rifle sections. I've limited myself to typical 1941ish Aussie infantry battalion armament so there's no SMGs (proper NCOs carry rifles!) and the Boys AT is the heaviest hitter here. That'll make it a harder list to play vs. vehicles but my main opponent is Italian so apart from (hilarious) light tanks and armoured cars I won't be facing anything armoured anyway.

All up this is 53 infantry and 2 crewed weapons for a total of 285 points. I'm also submitting this as my History entry for the Challenge Library bringing the total to 305 points to start off. The qualified librarian in me wants you to know these will be filed under DDC 940.542 - History and Geography > Europe > Europe1918- > Military History Of World War II > Campaigns and battles by theatre. You learned something today!

Coming up next for this project is a couple of Universal Carriers and an iconic 25pdr howitzer. Eventually there will also be a Matilda II tank and maybe one or two other fluffy items.

Cheers,
Millsy

_____________________________________

Fabulous opening barrage, Millsy!

I admire you painting almost as much as your grasp of Dewey Decimal Classification, young man. I also like your use of Eureka head swaps to add that little bit more Aussieness to your force - well done. Finally I think your desert groundwork spot on. It makes me want to reach for sunscreen and a cool umbrella drink.

305 points is quite the stonk, and puts you at the top of the roster (for now). Congrats! look forward to the upcoming additions to these hard-fighting Rats.

- Curt