Final 'Free Fire' Starts Saturday

 

Hi All!

Just to let you all know, it will be 'Free Fire' from Saturday until the end of end of the Challenge (midnight Monday). So go bananas and enter as much as you like during that time. Me, along with the rest of our doughty Minions, will do our utmost to keep-up with your paint-splashed industry.

Thanks and Have Fun!

Curt

From ByronM - Western Town from Northern Lights Terrain (220 Points)

It's really been a bit of a slow year for me this painting challenge, and I am sorry about that.  With the end of the challenge coming up oh so quickly, I really wanted to get a project done that I have needed to complete for the better part of a decade!!  When I started laser cutting terrain it was 2014 and one of the first sets I launched was a line of western buildings which was finished and for sale by early 2015.  Since then, they have sat unpainted in a bin, getting pulled out to play with (unpainted) but otherwise untouched.

The biggest issue was that I didn't really know what I wanted to do with them.  I thought about just painting the signs and leaving the rest wood, or painting them all but not really sure how to go about doing an aged wood look, so they just sat.

Well, I resolved to get them done this year, and since I had such a slow painting year, I decided I needed to bang out something big for the end of the challenge, and this happened to be it.  You can find my whole line of western buildings for sale over at Northern Lights Terrain.

I ended up deciding on a worn wood look, but wasn't sure how to pull it off without spending a ton of time.  I figured going with a brown base, dry brushing grey and then various washes over it would work but wasn't 100% sure.  So I used a lifeline and called Curt to discuss options.  He had pretty much the same idea / colours in mind but suggested that I start with grey to skip the brown undercoat and then proceed to washes of browns, greys and maybe some greens.

I wasn't too sure, so tried it out on the outhouse first, and was really happy with the results.  I think it looks great and was relatively fast as well!  I used a medium grey as a base, washed generously with a dark brown (burnt umber ink from Liquitex, but you could use Agrax Earthshade), then dry brushed back a bit of the medium grey, then a light grey, both trying to be rough dry brushes and following / creating what would be the grain of the wood.  I then went back over it with a thin brush randomly creating darker runs of the ink and then with a lighter brown ink, and then lastly added some green for rot or moss in the corners and the odd area.

I then went about painting the fronts of the buildings in some various bright colours, and cut some lettering for the signs.  I kept all the trim on the buildings a bright white to make it pop.

The gallows was painted the same as all the building just without any bright coloured details, as were all the boardwalk sections that tie the town together so that the "ladies" don't have to walk in the muddy roads.

Last up was the church, which I painted in a traditional white and black colour scheme.

While I am unhappy that I had a slow painting year this year (due to way to many various reasons over the winter), I am thrilled to have these buildings painted and we have already fought several games of "What a Cowboy" over them. The only building in the line that I did not get done as I couldn't find the assembled one I have (having just moved in the fall) was the barn.  Now I have a few more buildings to design though!!!  As we felt we need some old sheds for non town fights, a Bank as an objective building, a stable and blacksmith, and maybe even a train station!  So maybe I will be back next year with some more western buildings.

As for points, each of the regular buildings are about 7" x 5" x 5.5" so I am going to call each one a 20 point cube of terrain as I feel it's close enough.  There are 6 of those, so 120 points so far.  The gallows is slightly smaller, but if I add the board walk sections and outhouse to it, that should be another cube, so up to 140.  Then the church is bigger at about 1.5 cubes and the saloon is a massive building at 9x8.5x8.5 so over 2.5 cubes, so adding these together should be 4 cubes or 80 points for a grand total of 220 points.  I am ok with more or less as the judges decide. I am just happy they are all done!  I might be back with a few more odds and ends before the end of the challenge, but if not, awesome work everyone!

***

Well, our "free fire" submission period will not commence until Saturday, technically speaking, but Byron is a friend and so I am abusing my powers as a minion to welcome his post into our final round of Wednesday submissions. Welcome Byron!

And what a fine submission it is! I will always make cracks about painting terrain, mainly as a weak way deflect from the fact that I am just dreadful at ever getting it painted. But this submission is a clear demonstration of the value that excellent terrain designers such as Northern Lights bring to our hobby. The kits are great, and they are fabulous once painted up! I think your approach to painting the wood has absolutely achieved the right "look".  This is totally a wonderful table set up, and I can already picture a variety of Hatfield-and-McCoy disputes being settled with pistols and rifles! 220 points well earned!

GregB  

From BrianC - Flames of War 'Nam, Fallout, Greeks, and Zombicide (149 points)

Hey all. Looks like this will be my last post for the challenge. It was awesome and I'm looking forward to the next one! Another post of this and that painted miniatures. No library journey in this post. Let's roll! 

Let's begin with some 15mm minis from Flames of War "Nam! Here we have a platoon of PAVN.

Next, I have some Warlord Games Metal Greek Thessalian Light Cavalry. These are very brittle minis. The ankles of the horses barely hold up the body. I lost one because the ankles broke and was a pain trying to superglue the horse's body. So it was tossed. 

Ok, the rest of the painted minis are single miniatures from Fallout Wasteland Warfare, a Warlord Games Greek Commander, and a Zombicide Undead or Alive miniature.

Fallout Wasteland Warfare Settler

Fallout Wasteland Warfare Survivor, Nora.

Fallout Wasteland Warfare Ghoul, Raul.

Zombicide Undead or Alive Billy The Kid

Warlord Games Greek Commander

That is all I have. No need for a "Library" picture since it was not being used.

SCORING

37 x 15mm foot = 74pts.

5 x 28mm mounted mini = 50pts.

5 x 28mm foot = 25pts.

Total = 149pts.

 

***

Thank you for sharing your hobby efforts with us Brian, and this is such an ecclectic assortment to conclude things with. Not everyone can transition from "Fallout Wasteland Warfare Ghoul" to "Greek Commander" in one post, but such variety is a cornerstone of the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge - know your contribution has helped to grow it!

 

149 points for you - and a couple of days will remain should you wish to add any more!

 

GregB

From DaveD - 44th Foot , Last Stand at Gandamak - (90 points)

Well I am signing off this years challenge with something that’s been set up on the paint desk since Christmas Eve with an odd twiddle of brushes every now and again . 

As with most challenges this one involved ending  up going down a route that wasn’t anticipated so this is from that particular fork in the road. I blame MartinC for talking us into a visit to the Hindu Kush .. but perhaps I am easily led. Anyway having bought Afghans various (not done yet ) and having knocked off my Ghurkas I then remembered that I had bought the wonderful Last Stand at Gandamak set from Iron Duke Miniatures  (sculpted by Paul Hicks) after it was first released and it has seasoned in the lead pile for a few years . The set is modelled on the painting by William Barnes Wollen which now hangs in the Regimental museum.

The 13th of January 1842 saw a battle near the village of Gandamak on the road from  Kabul to Jalalabad The 44th foot were the last remnants of the 16,000 that tried to retreat from Kabul in the First Afghan war.  . It depicts their last defence of a rocky outcrop just outside the village It is said that bones could still be found at the site of the battles up to the late  1970’s . Lt Thomas Souter wears the regimental colour wrapped around his waist under his Poshteen coat - something that saved his life as when captured they thought he was important enough to ransom. There was one acknowledged survivor of the whole column who made it out to Jalallabad , but several hundred others who were captured and eventually released .Of course it’s another in the line of great colonial disasters depicted in pictures of the time .

Lt Thomas Souter wears the Regimental around his waist to protect it.

 

 

The last group cling to the rocky outcrop .

Consultant geologist Martin C says it’s made of sandstone ..

 

And here is the picture 

And just a little bit of creating it . Figures are based on 20mm MDF circles. 

The large display base started out as various MDF bases and was built up.

Eventually covered in tile grout, rocks , PVA and sand.
With the figure positions marked out .
 I also has to make about 200 snowy tufts !

These should do nicely for Martins next visit up the Khyber 

16 figures = 80 pts 

So that is me done . I have posted every week - the painting target points wise has been met with it nearly all being actual painting not just bonus stuff and a number of collections have had some love. There are a few quick wins to do after the challenge , I need to give the 10mm AWI some attention , and of course there are still some hangers on that  will be held over until next time. I normally write out an Autumn / Winter wish list - so here is the progress , a good 50% completed 

I will see what can be moved into Spring /Summer list coming up . 

If any of you are getting your 10mm stuff from Pendraken then you might just find me making it as I now have a hobby job casting toy soldiers for a few  hours a week . Toy soldier heaven .😀😀. 

If you are in the UK and attending Partizan in May , please pop by , the Sudan stuff will be out for a demo game (look for North Riding Wargames Club).

So thats me - over and out - Huzzah! 

***

 

Thanks Dave for this wonderful entry, and for another terrific Painting Challenge. I have to say, this whole "I know, I'll do a list" thing seems a touch heretical to me, but you can't argue with results. 

This submission is particularly lovely, very well done, and will be inspiring for a number of us who have some projects on the go for this general period and setting. And it's always great to see a Challenger complete something that has been sitting on their shelves for a while!

Given the terrain work, and what a hassle that can be, as well as the general awesomeness, I have added 10 bonus points - so that will be 90 points for you!

Great stuff Dave, a wonderful Challenge!

GregB