From SebastianR: A nice and accurate record of my own [Biography] (22 Points)

I'm going to keep this one short.

This... tower is an award I won in a mordheim day event at a local Bristol club for having the most killy leader; specifically this vampire (I think).

 

Turns out giving vampires access to purchasable pregame buffs allows you to build something of a monster right off the bat. I do remember being quite proud of winning something as other than my inflated kill count (Kill Count geddit!), I did pretty underwhelmingly in actual missing wins.

The tower is a pretty shoddy 3D print job that looks like someones first foray into blender. It's designed to look like one of the towers of the Clifton suspension bridge with some scrap metal bolted on because... orks?

I realise I'm sounding churlish about my prize but I cant help shake the feeling that the organiser was trying to repurpose their early 3D print experiments. In any case, after sitting around pointlessly for over a year, it has now been given a quick airbrushing to somewhat resemble it's design inspiration, and to serve as terrain for Legions Imperialis. It has received the attention it deserves.

Peekaboo!

2 points for a 2.5*2.5*4" terrain

20 for the challenge

for 22 points

OK Sebastian... the tower is... a tower. Not gonna say any more about it than you did. It looks fine. And if you can live with yourself, I'll allow the bonus.

Dallas

From SebastianR: Neither big not clever (24 points)

So I have made some... spicy varnishing choices in order to keep the challenge ball rolling. I now have a comprehensive theory of frosting. It's just moisture. And sometimes a can going bad, but mostly moisture.

In order to get these warhound titans done I risked two gloss varnishes, and just about got away with it, despite it being ~10deg and damp. I wont be doing that again.

I shouldn't have to explain why these Legions Imperials titans fit the bill for Oversized Books. Are they the biggest models I've ever painted? No. (Although they might be some of the biggest I've painted since before uni). Are they the biggest 1:1 scale models I've painted? Also no. They're not even the biggest 1:1 scale models I've painted this challenge, with the Type 1934 being as wide in beam as the Warhound is tall (warhammer lore inconsistencies notwithstanding).

But they are the walking embodiment of the silliness of the 40k (or 30k as the case may be) setting. Proof that not only do sci-fi writers have no sense of scale, but that they think the square-cube law is for other, lesser, forms of nerds.

And I'm completely in love with them. As I assembled them, I was overcome with a real sense of adoration, to the extent that I've swiped myself a half price Adeptus Titanicus box set to augment my force of wildly impractical warmachines.

The colour scheme and livery is an attempt at the Fureans... er... legion (?), although sans flame templates I settled for the ubiquitous hazard stripe markings, and both yellows I used are probably too yellow; I must add more orange for subsequent engines. But I do love my big stompy JCBs.

I'm still learning lessons about masking and airbrush use.

They'll be matt varnished and flocked at a later date once the humidity has come down and I can avoid frosting them for a third time...

So that's 2 6mm vehicles... *raises eyebrow at Dallas* 2 six millimeter vehicles... *cough*...

2*6mm vehicles AT18 Warhound Titans x 12 points each for 4 24 whole points

Challenge location at 20 points

for 24 points

Sebastian, Sebastian, Sebastian... good try on the oversized books but it's gonna be a "no" from me. The spirit of the section is to submit a large model, and while these represent huge vehicles, there's no getting around the fact that they are... small models. I think that scoring them at two points is a bit miserly though. Delving back into the Challenge archives I've seen a score of 12 points awarded for an Adeptus Titanicus Warhound Titan, so I'm gonna go with that. Coincidentally it tallies with the points total you'd claimed anyway. I like the colour scheme for the Legio Fureans titans here. Good work!

Dallas

From KyleC - Reinforcements (Fantasy) (95 PTS)

So the Warriors of Chaos army project continues to grow.. though the lighting in my garage is not the best for army photos.. 😔

First with some Marauders and then also a powerful Chariot. 

So first up.. after the test model the other week, I spent the last 2 weeks working on these guys bit by bit. 

Spending a bit more time on each model to give a bit of variation on the skintones. Playing with basic skin colors but also different shades of grey and cream colors to give some hues throughout the unit. 

The armor I did not go full red as they are but Marauders. Not yet worthy of the fully blooded armor that the warriors receive. So between the darker black lower armor, the lighter sun averse skintones.. the reds they do get pop a bit further. 

Next real step will be to sand and paint the movement trays, but I do plan to do that for the whole army together. 

Now the big baddie here.. the Chaos Chariot blessed by Khorne. Ready to run over his enemies to feed him with skulls and blood. And even rocky terrain won't deter them from their mission. 

I have had this part assembled in pieces ready for painting since well before COVID was a thing. 

I am glad that I waited though as the motivation for painting it was much higher now, and the amount of effort I could put into it 

Plus for the first time in a long time I am liking how this red came out. A good mix of GW reds wet blended and stippled on top of each other. With a dark burgundy wash in the shadows. But I was finding it too unsaturated.. so I then glazed the Blood Red Contrast thinned over if all. Before tackling the highlights once more to just push it that much further. 

The base is corkboard, dirt, pebbles, and some resin printed bits before tufts of grass were added. 

Fantasy section completed now. 

So altogether we get a nice addition to the army and some points for the trouble also. 

9*5 pt Infantry = 45 pts

1*20 pt chariot/vehicle = 20 pts

2*5 pt riders = 10 pts

Fantasy section = 20 pts

Total 95 pts

Couple characters and more troops to come next.. 

Really nice Chaos models here Kyle! With the return of ersatz-Warhammer Fantasy Battle the thoughts of many are turning back to square bases and your work is really fuelling that excitement. I agree with you that the red looks great. Good work and 95 points for you!

Dallas

From AaronH - 16 Morranon Orcs (80 pts)

 This  week is more of the same, though less of it. I completed 16 Morannon Orcs with sword and shield. Actually it's 12 of those, two captains, a shaman and a banner. The Star Wars Legion stuff is still working its way across the table, but hopefully it will be ready for next week.

The rank and file are shades of brown but I did the Captains with red to help them stand out.

These are more of the GW plastics. They're fine for what they are. There's some nice variety in the sculpts and they look good at table top distance.

The four metal models have noticeably crisper detail than the plastics.

These guys will be the front rank of the orcish shield wall, with the spears from last week supporting them from behind.

This Shaman is, I think, my favorite of all of the GW LotR shamans. The details really scream out his nefarious magic and the sculpting is very clean and crisp.

This captain is pretty undistinguished. He really needed the red clothes to stand out from the rank and file.

I very cleverly managed to pretty much fail to capture that he is wearing a looted Gondor breastplate. You can just make it out in this picture.

This next captain is also not really a standout model. He also got the color treatment to make him more obvious.

The amor for these orcs is very distinctive and makes the Morranon's stand out from bog standard orc lads.

The banner is a pretty nice sculpt. I really like the way he's just sort of standing there watching the battle go on around him. I put it down to the fact that he probably can't seen anything out of his helmet.

The normal orcs off the sprue are varied enough to make an interesting group on the tabletop.

I, again, just grabbed multiples of each, two or three of a pose, and got them painted up. Most warbands for captains are 12 models so 12 spears and 12 swords.

This guy looks like Steve Bannon to me.

This mace is a nice change of weapons, though it does stand out almost as much as a spear.

The next bits of this army will be 12 archers, though those will be standard Mordor Orcs rather than Morranons, as well as a drummer and a troll.

16 x 28mm x 5 pts each = 80 pts

Nice looking bunch here Aaron. The standard issue plastic orcs are elderly sculpts but still really good. The metal ones are excellent, especially the banner dude. I like how the one guy is sporting a looted breastplate too. Good work and 80 points for you!

Dallas

From PaulSS: More Confederate Generals and Bushwackers - 80pts

 

A much more productive time this week with a trio of bases of generals for my Confederate troops and the rest of the Bushwackers finished.

The first command stand features General Robert E. Lee in conversation with Major-General Henry Heth.

I probably mounted Heth a little too far back on the base and Lee a little too far forwards. It looks like Heth is talking to Lee but avoiding eye contact, maybe some difficult questions about "Why sir, are we on this field at all?"

Lee's horse is my first attempt at a dappled grey, I think I need a bit more practice.

The next base features Lt.-General James Longstreet and Major-General J.E.B. Stuart already aware of Lee's ire at Heth, Stuart likely seeks out Longstreet.

If you saw the earlier post you'll note that the Longstreet model is actually the Hood model from the pack, I think it's a good fit anyways.

All the models of the generals in this post are from the two Perry Miniatures packs; ACW46 Confederate mounted Commanders and ACW47 Confederate mounted Commanders 

The final command stand this time features Major-General George E. Pickett

This stand is finished off with a couple of infantrymen left over from the Virginia firing line that I did a few weeks ago. The figures are from the ACW39 Confederate Infantry command standing pack.

The standard is from GMB Designs. I noticed when preparing the photos that it's gone a little chalky, so before putting the figures away for a future battle I've given it a coat of gloss varnish to hopefully sort that out. 

I grabbed the Hood stand from my previous post to show six generals, and attendants together.

The last four Bushwackers were also completed and based up. 

These four are from the Crusader Miniatures ACW051 - Bushwhackers pack and are very characterful models.

These bases will serve as skirmisher stands for our Picketts Charge games, and on that subject I played my first wargame of 2024, travelling down to Galena - where General Grants house is - to play a Peach Orchard scenario with the guys. Lets just say my Union forces came second!

Here is a parting shot of the Bushwackers with the rest of the figures done last week.

Next week I plan to be back to painting Union troops for the collection.

This week, five 28mm mounted plus six 28mm foot should add 80 points to my total. 

"Virgil, quick come see, there goes Robert E. Lee!" as the song went, that was one of the Snowlord's favourites that we used to listen to in his gaming room. More really lovely models here Paul, as I've said before I really like the style you've used to paint these. Just really crisp and clean. Eighty big points for you!

Dallas 

From SylvainR: Tray 7 - 6mm Early WW2 Polish vehicles (82 points)

 

I figured out early in my WW2-6mm project that the only way to ever bring this endeavor to completion was to adopt a very systematic approach, which means that for each army I paint units in a pre-determined order: infantry, support weapons (from smallest to largest), trucks, armored cars, light tanks, medium tanks, heavy tanks, Battalion HQs. So, after completing a battalion of Cossack cavalry as proxy for Polish cavalry, the "plan" required that I got to work on some vehicles for my Polish army.

First, sixteen "Ursus A" trucks. These flat bed vehicles were used to rapidly carry TKS tankettes where they were urgently needed. It also saved on maintenance, since tanks wear off their tracks quickly when operating in the field. The German army also used similar vehicles for some of their lighters tanks, early in the war.

Nothing special here but good ol' trucks. I wander if, next year, I should start a "truck duel"? Hmmm...

These models are from Heroics and Ros and the details are OK.

 Next is a small reconnaissance group of 10 early Polish armored cars. All the models are from GHQ.

The smaller ones are wz-34 with the basic three-color camouflage pattern of the Polish army.

 The larger armored cars are wz-29 and their size is almost double that of their smaller brothers.

I opted for this intriguing camouflage pattern. It kind of evoke painting flames from the hood of a muscle car. Maybe it was intended to make the vehicle look blur when cruising fast.

Lastly, a small company of TKS tankettes. Armed with a 20mm gun, they could cause serious damage to the under-armored early German tanks. All the models are from GHQ.

Again, the standard three-color camo pattern of the Polish Army was used.

Whenever possible, I try to vary the poses of the tanks on their base, which ends up not being much... In the picture, below, the tankette bounces off while speeding cross country.

 Points claimed:

- 41x 6mm vehicles at 2 points each = 82 points

Total = 82 points

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

Thanks for reading!

More great Really Little Guys here Sylvain! Camo on 6mm models is always a challenge but you've carried it off well. Your groundwork is consistently good as well. Nice tray!

Dallas