From Kerry T: Men in Black II or Deja Vu - or out with the old and in with the new (240 points)

Morning, afternoon & evening all

Men in Black II, Deja Vu....

Now that line sounds like the start of a poem so maybe I'm a poet but I don't know it!

Seriously its new year and as the saying suggests - "out with the old and in with the new"......

 Thus, I give you "Men in Black" - but hang on that was my first entry in last years AHPC

My entry on 26/12/23

But red and blue as just so passe this year and so now its onto Men in Black II

My entry 31/12/24

There's no photo shopping here I promise just a bit of paintwork though I thought it might be fun to try and take a similar photo to last year. Last year's post is here https://thepaintingchallenge.blogspot.com/search/label/Kerry%20T?updated-max=2024-01-05T03:43:00-06:00&max-results=20&start=14&by-date=false

Today's entry is my latest attempt to continue to grow my Moorish/El Cid armies and are from Artizan Designs range of Moors. So more Moors (shall I get my coat?)

More specifically they are my fourth unit of Black Guard infantry and 3rd Unit of Hashim Black Guard Cavalry in a project that I think was started in 2011 when I first saw  the then Musketeer Miniatures Armies of the Caliphate range. That range is now available from Footsore. It sort of started with a Crusades project and then sort of wandered off into Spain and I've quietly been adding units from several manufacturers over the years..

The picture below shows a unit of Blackguard spearmen, 24 strong

Led by the Imam

I managed to rescue that flag after sticking it on upside down at first

The obligatory running away photo

All in a line

Next up is the accompanying cavalry, just 12 figures strong

The cavalry prepare to charge

I'd not realised I had run out of printed flags so quickly painted some

The cavalry ran away as well

Its funny how usually we rush to finish a project but in reality we all know that no wargames project really finishes, it just gets added to after lying dormant for a while. As time has gone on I've come to realise that this is one of the hidden pleasures of painting. An old blog post highlighted the state of play with my Crusades/Reconquista project in April last year

https://valleyboyinnz.wordpress.com/2023/04/30/crusaders-saladin-el-cid-normans-all-mixed-up-somehow/

Now that I've acquired a resin printer there's no doubt this project will continue to grow slowly as my roving eye has been caught by the siren call of Reconquer Designs though I doubt any more will get  painted this challenge. Perhaps that's how it should be, no mad rushing around, just a quiet plod over years adding units that take your fancy once the core troops have been completed. What I'm really pleased about though is the appearance of the recent Midguard rules. Played my first game 2 weeks ago with my mate, I lost but managed to kill off El Cid.

So if you feel daunted by the enormity of a project my advice is just plod along quietly and before you know it you'll get there, that is of course if you're like me and like collecting large armies to play big games

Blwyddyn Newydd Dda to you all

In summary

24 x 28mm Foot figures @ 5 points = 120 points

12 x 28mm Mounted figures @ 10 points = 120 points

Is this 1 Squirrel or two? Can't recall the rules

Many thanks

________________________________________

Beautiful work Kerry on these two units of Moors. They really look the business, ready to give El Cid a run for his churros and hot chocolate. Well done and Happy New Year!

- Curt