SkullWatch XIV 4

StuartL consolidates his lead as DavidB jostles into second place. It's very tight in the middle of the pack.

• StuartL 426
• DavidB 159
• Barks 128
• CurtC 22
• PaulOG 19
• MikeW 18
• TeemuL 10
• TomL 10
• GeoffreyT 7
• ReillyOG 6
• GregB 6

Notable skullz:

I missed this lovely skull from Geoffrey T last month.

AaronH has skully headgear.

CurtC gets in on the action with some tiny skullz.

DallasE knows backbanners are back!

DavidB shows us the hard work dedicated skullcounters
undertake- can you see the second skull?

GeoffreyT has more skullz to share

KyleC suspects Khorne likes skullz.

MikeF knows skullz are for the steadfast.

MikeW likes skullz on poles...

... he really likes skullz on poles.

Millsy and Papa Nurgle like the skullz.

Backbanners, skullz, a Blood Angels boxnaught, goblin green-
I need a lie-down after this nostalgia hit from PeterB!

But he's got more!

StuartL bears word of skullz.

Sylvain enjoys a small pile.

TomL knows all bases are better with skullz.

To enter, tag your post with 'Skull Duel' and state in the post both how many skullz you have painted, and what your running total is. Feel free to enter the duel at any time in the Challenge.

Skull of the week:

JP's magnificent vignette

From MikeF - Steel Legion Commissar - 5 Points

 For Sunday I painted a Steel Legion Commissar for my Steel Legion Imperial Guard army for 40k. I picked him up during one of GW’s made to order offerings and painted him up in the traditional Commissar colors as opposed to those of my Steel Legion. Commissars serve a vital function in IG armies by instilling strong discipline in the command units. This is achieved through summary execution of the commanding officer should he be found wanting. Very inspiring!

1 x 28 mm mini = 5 points.

That’s it for a few weeks as I’m on vacation and don’t plan on painting on the beach!

Thanks for visiting.

Always was fascinated by the role of the commissar in the IG forces. Like.. hey.. do the job or I will be the problem here.. Lovely painting on him, and definitely has the role down for what is being asked of him!

A cool 5 pts given to you.. mostly in fear of being shot by the model if not provided!
Kyle

From Rhunt - Crashed X-Wing for Star Wars Legion (40 pts)

 This week I painted a crashed X-Wing for Star Wars Legion. I painted the pilot last week, she's blue.

These pieces are 12 inches by 12 inches and 3 inches tall.

The B1 is for scale. There are four sections. This is the biggest.

This set has four pieces and came with cards for playing a scenario. We haven't played that yet but I really liked painting this model.

The area around the ship can be difficult terrain and the ship is hard cover and blocks line of sight. Those are very important in Legion.

This piece is the tallest part, along with the other wing on the big piece.

It can't hide a whole unit but a hero can get really hidden behind this.

This piece is pretty boring but does give hard cover.

I painted these like there was fire or lava around where the crash happened. It just destroyed everything.

This piece has a dead astromech droid on it. That made me sort of sad.

All together these break up the battlefield a lot for movement and some for cover and line of sight. 

For scoring if we stacked these they would be six inches by six inches by 12 inches, so two Terrain Cubes (t) for 40 points.

Great work here Rhys! And perfect terrain pieces for Legion. I can already see Obi Wan and Anakin fighting near it, with Obi Wan having the high ground shouting something about being friends or something. 

The lava aspect is really well done here. If I were to give any advice to improve it, would be to perhaps give the brown rocky areas a bit of a drybrush in a slightly lighter color nearer the lava. To show the glow more, and to add a bit more to the transition there. 

Overall great effort here, and a cool 40 pts for you!
Kyle

From DallasE: More 15mm Space Marines! And Rhinos! (64 points)

So at the same time I've been working on Germanic Tribesmen and Romans, I've been interspersing some other painting work - namely these 3D-printed 15mm Blood Drinkers Space Marines. I burned through the first 20 of these quickly and enjoyed them so much that I had Challenger ByronM print me up some more of 'em, plus some vehicles. I particularly needed some heavy weapons and special weapons, and Sergeants to fill out the platoon.

I also had him print some Rhino transports. As with the Space Marines, I painted the vehicles Mephiston Red and highlighted them Evil Sunz Scarlet, then washed them with Nuln Oil, The tracks were painted Leadbelcher and washed with Nuln and Agrax Earthshade. Most of the insignia are decals from the Blood Angels 40K sheet, but the aerial recognition insignia on the rear decks are hand painted. Weathering was done with some sponge chipping using Vallejo German Camo Black-Brown and drybrushing dirt colours.

Here's the whole bunch that I've painted so far. There's three squads of 10, each led by a sergeant, including one missile launcher, one meltagun, and seven Marines with bolters. At the front of the photo I've put the extra dudes I've painted - more Marines with bolters, another missile launcher, and some random command-types.

I still have the Company command section, their Rhino, and a Land Raider to paint and post. Depending on work, that may even happen next weekend. After that this mini-project will be finished and it'll be back to Legionaries and hairy Germans.      

Points:

20x 15mm infantry = 40 pts

3x 15mm vehicles = 24 pts

TOTAL = 64 pts

Catch you on the flip!

Great job once again Dallas on these mid sized marines here. Does the trick with the reds used here, and basing style combined. Not sure what system or style of gaming you would use them, but if they do get an outing, would love to see photos!

64 pts for you

Kyle

From DennisC 28mm Colonial British and 18mm Prussian Jagers (113pts)

Work has been keeping me from my usual pace (no longer WFH), but I've managed to finish off 2 units of 16 Prussian Jagers (64 pts 48 pts), and then switched gears and painted some more Colonial British (Hollywood british with the white pith helmets like in Zulu) 

10 regulars (50pts), 1 foot officer (5 pts, Michael Caine in his cape coming off the Cheetah hunt) and a mounted officer (10 points)

Nice work here Dennis. Some lovely painting overall here. Maybe a better/wider shot of everything would be helpful to see the full group of models, but some great close ups here on the Officers there! 

Also, I had to adjust the points slightly here. As we don't have a 18mm, just a 28mm and a 15mm section. So I put them closer to the 15mm, with an extra point per model for now as a compromise. As you had them set at 4pts, vs the 2pts that 15mm gives. So middle ground this time for 3 pts a model. 

113 pts for you here

Kyle

From Codsticker: Bloody Miniatures- The Flying Picquets(20 pts)

 Here I am trying to sneak this post in under the wire- there is still 13 hours and 17 minutes until Sunday is over in my part of the world!😁

The second pack in wave four from Bloody Miniatures is BM 21, The Flying Picquets:

These would best represent dragoons, dismounted and patrolling on foot.

Sniffing around, trying to secure provisions or scout the enemy.

These minis have great poses; all of them at the ready.

Perhaps it is post battle and they are out rounding up the defeated stragglers; if they are lucky they may find someone of import hiding in an outbuilding.

A simple straight, forward 20 points: 4 28 mm minis @ 5 pts each.

And a second post here! Wonderful! And more of these sculpts which is great to see! 

"Easy" 20 PTS for you here

Kyle

From Codsticker: A Tootle Around The Library(70 pts)

 I took a brief (very brief) break from my main project, painting the Bloody Miniatures range, to return to the Challenge Library. Having already claimed the bonus for History, I have returned to New Acquisitions/Front Desk with a couple of metal Mordor Orc archers from the Games Workshops LoTR range.

Not particularly inspiring models to paint; but fairly straight forward and easy to get to a table top standard. 

That is the end of the interlude from painting Bloody Miniatures. 

I submit one of The Gallant Ladies for Sarah's Library Cart. This young lady has dared to dress like a man. I shudder to think what could happen to her if a mob of militant Puritans got a hold of her.

They would have to get past her pistol and sword first though- I imagine she knows how to wield them.

She is my ticket to vault to the third floor and the Biography section...

Charlotte Stanley, the Countess of Derby was one of several British noblewomen who played active roles in the English Civil War. Born Charlotte de La Tremoille in France to the second Duke of Trouars and the Countess of Nassau, she was a grand daughter of the Prince of Orange, William the First, on her mother's side.

She is best known for her defense of Lathom House which was besieged by Lord Fairfax from February 27th until May 1644 when Lathom House was relieved by a force led by Prince Rupert. Parliamentarian forces made several offers of an honourable surrender; she refused them all,on one occasion responding:

"... tell that insolent rebel (Colonel Rigby), he shall have neither persons, goods, nor house. When our strength and provisions are spent, we shall find a fire more merciful than Rigby; and then, if the providence of God prevent it not, my goods and house shall burn in his sight; and myself, my children, and soldiers rather than fall into his hands will seal our religion and loyalty in the same flames."

After the siege was lifted, she relocated to the Isle of Man which she held for the King until 1651. After the Battle of Worcester saw the destruction of what was left of the Royalist hopes, and the execution of her husband, she surrendered; hers was the last Royalist stronghold to surrender in the three kingdoms.

Like the two figures above, the remaining two are from the Gallant Ladies Pack. 

This poor girl was born with a bit of odd nose (or, perhaps, it was a fall from the painting desk mid-paintjob).

The dresses on these ladies are beautifully sculpted.

So, for points I have (I think...):

6 28mm figures @ 5 pts each = 30

Sarah's Library Cart= 20 pts

Biography Section= 20 pts

Total= 70 pts.

Wonderful models here and a great tribute to Sarah to move along in her cart. I do suspect they would be quite the defense and a surprise to boot. 

70 pts for you

Kyle