ByronM - Maggotkin of Nurgle: Daemons, Warcry Warband [115 Points]

For this entry I am submitting my pestilent Maggotkin of Nurgle: Daemons warband for the Games Workshop game of Warcry.  Warcry is never a game I really wanted to get into as it is really simplistic and doesn't have much tactical depth, however...  I ended up jumping in on it for two reasons.

First, both of my sons started playing it recently and kept bugging me to play it with them.  Since they have never before really shown interest in many miniature games, despite years of trying to get them to play, I figured I kind of had to jump in with them.  Secondly, I have lusted after the Nurgle Plague Drone models since they came out years ago, thinking they looked too cool and would be a challenge to paint.  

So with those two reasons I jumped all in and got some Plague Drones, and dug up a box of Plague Bearers from my endless pile of GW shame and got to work on my warband.   With my slightly evil and warped sense of humour, I affectionately refer to my warband as "The Vaccinated" as they have lovingly accepted every injection of filth that Grandfather Nurgle has offered.

These models were a lot of fun to paint, but a pain in the @$$ to photograph, and the pictures still didn't turn out well after almost a whole afternoon of trying to get good ones.  The issue is that they are missing so much of the glazes that show up in person.  They have multiple glazes of greens, oranges, blues, and purples in different shades that show up as rotted/bruised flesh, but no matter how many pictures in different lights I take, they just do not show up well.  So the images you see are all you get, as I gave up in frustration.  

The painting method was pretty simple, I primed brown, then zenithal highlighted bleached bone.  From there it was a matter of various Vallejo Xpress colours layering over the primer to build up greens and then reds around wounds, then blues, purples, oranges around the sours and various skin areas.  Once all that was done and dry I used dead flesh to highlight all the edges and the pustules.  It was a fairly easy process that looks great (to me at least) in person, but shit in these pictures, sorry guys.

For the weapons I used silver then build up layers of browns, reds and oranges for a super rusty and old look.  The banner was done as bronze and then a layer of verdigris was added to give it that old weathered look.  I might have to go add some more, but I haven't decided for sure yet.

The Plague drones were something I have wanted to do forever, hence the Lust points for them, but was never sure I could pull them off, and unfortunately I don't know if I really have.  They are certainly filthy and disgusting, but I am not sure I got the wings or carapace right, but not sure what else to do with either item, so am open to ideas from you guys.

Overall though, while there are parts of these models that I know others could do better, I am actually happy with them (which is very uncommon for me) and proud to show them off, although I wish they showed up here as they do in real life.  But I still think they look good and feel the plain grey base helps make the figures themselves pop a bit more, and the brightly coloured flowers help add a bit of an alien feel to them.

Lastly, if anyone out there wants to try Warcry, in a very NON-GW move, GW has all the rules and faction lists up online for free here: Warcrier.net.  Overall it's not a bad game, and I get the appeal of a lot of the rules and how it plays, it's just not my cup of tea, but for a chance to play with my boys, I had to paint up a force for it.

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Wonderful work on this host of Father Nurgle, Byron ('The Vaccinated' prompts a big eyeroll, but whatever). They look suitably and impressively revolting (and I say that in the nicest possible way). I like all the colours and textures that you've provided - amazing. Painting figures in order to play with your kids sounds like a great idea even if the rules are not to your liking. It won't be long when spending time with you may not be their first choice so I agree that you should grab the nettle while you can. 

We'll put the Plague Drones as 15 a piece giving you a grand total of 115 points. Great work and enjoy rolling out these little monstrosities against your boys.

- Curt

From GeoffT, Lust, Sexy Nurses (45 points)

Hello Challengers,

The theme of lust is well represented in fantasy art, with the ubiquitous chain mailed bikini clad barbarian well represented in paintings, illustrations and miniatures.

When Malifaux burst onto the miniature scene in about 2007, they had an amusing new take on a number of tired tropes.  One was the zombie hookers from the resurrectionist faction.

These nurse models are from the same faction, they are not zombified, nevertheless somewhat an amusing bent from the standard tropes.

The whole gang.

These models are a part of a set of five miniatures I painted from the first edition McMourning starter set.  I do very much enjoy these starter sets, they are great fun.  I got this from a bargain bin, the theme of my challenge this year.  These models are highly detailed sculpts, so were pretty hard to paint.  The detail was a bit beyond my aged eyes and old school painting methods, but I tried my best.

Points:

5 x 28mm miniatures = 25 points

Lust theme = 20 points

Squirrel count +1 for Malifaux Ressurectionists.

Kind Regards

Geoff.

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Great work on these Malifaux misfits, Geoff. For 'Lust' I knew we were going to hit the usual suspects and you're first on the board with 'the sexy nurse' - congratulations! :) I have to say that even with your aged eyes and old school skills you did a magnificent job on this team. I quite like the doctor snapping on his gloves like Frank-N-Furter. Great stuff!

- Curt

AdamW - 15mm Limbers for Limbo! [215 Points]

My first time here as a challenge participant and my first submission.   As a newbie I thought I'd just add a brief introduction. I'm an historical wargamer, mainly in 15mm. I play once a week with a group of friends in Sunny North Devon in the UK, and we fight historical battles, as opposed to made up scenarios.

I'm hoping to make a dent in the lead pile by taking part, but also want to try and complete the side challenge 'Divine Comedy' for fun.  As an historical gamer this is a little trickier, but I think I have plans for all the sections with some cunning thinking.

My first entry here is for the First Circle: Limbo.  I apologise in advance, as they aren't the most exciting subject.

 I have been playing some Hungarian revolution  (1848-1849) battles and have picked up various figures to bolster the forces.  I was short of limbers and managed to pick up a bunch cheaply. They needed some wheels and a shed full of horses, so I've dug deep in the spares box as well as purchasing some used ones. I've also picked up some new horses from Irregular miniatures.

Some of the limbers I have painted in green to be used for my Russian Civil war troops as they are short of limbers Comrade.

In the pictures are 32 limbers, 128 horses and 30 riders, HOWEVER, I have only painted 54 horses and 29 limbers. The rest were already painted, and just needed some touch up work and basing.

So I'm only claiming for:-

15mm horses x 54 @2 points = 108 pts

15mm limber x 29 @2points ?? = 58 pts

Limbo bonus = 20 pts 

Total points = 186 215pts

I will work on the photography and hopefully some of my other entries will be a bit more exciting than these rather dull limbers. 

Good luck all of you and I look forward to seeing what everyone paints.

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First, welcome to the Challenge Adam, it's terrific to have you join us this year!

Nothing wrong with an artillery park as your debut post. ;) That is a tremendous amount of teams and limbers, but then again artillery takes up a significant amount of space on the battlefield and what better way to illustrate that but with scads of limbers, teams and caissons. Well done! I look forward to see what else you have for us over the next few months. 

We'll score the limbers at 3 points each which will increase your total to 215 points. A very tidy sum for you opening volley!

- Curt

From BruceR: Sarah the Succubus offering Nelia Reaper Cleric, Roman archers 7th Circle Violence, (90 pts)

Made it home from the ranch, and now off to MN for lake country over the New Year holiday.  Before I forget, Happy New Year to you and yours.  On to the challenge.

Sarah the Succubus: Travel from the 5th Circle to the 7th Circle: Violence

I've leaned into the side hustle of Dante's Divine Comedy and have elected to offer this great miniature received as a bonus figure when ordering from Reaper.  Done mostly with speed paints (I've been using them regularly and highlighting after). Prep is base coat black and slapchop white prior.  The figure is Sister Nelia  Cleric.  Might be able to hire as a tag along for my rangers.  A little more flamboyant in dress and sporting a mean mace and protective shield.  Pity the undead coming this bada@@ cleric's way.

Sister Nelia

Roman Archers:

Painted at the ranch, without basing material.  Finished up the bases and photos this AM at home.  I'm plucking the Seventh circle as a wargamer gimmie as I didn't feel it fair to take one next door with the cleric done and beseeching Succubus Sarah to move about Hell.  These Roman archers are here to unleash violence in the 7th circle of hell.  I immediately thought of one of my favorite movies "Gladiator" when the archers hit out at the Germanic horde.  

Oops, I googled unleash archers and got this, as a musical fool, I figured add them to this gig.  Never heard of, but with the name and a Canadian band how could I go wrong before the Snow Lord.  

Roman Archers unleashing Hell.  I'm a metal head (miniatures not music).  These Victrix Roman archers scared me as I've done chariots only from this company.  We ran out Midguard Heroic Battles written by James Morris and produced by ReisswitzPress and enjoyed the game.  I had Romans v Celts and was short of archers.  So went looking and found the best deal in the states to be Victrix.  I bit the bullet, bought and not too many bits.  Seem fragile and will see how they hold up.  The different poses are great, with loading, firing, pulling arrows from quivers.  I also like the different heads, as I chose mostly mustache sporting heads for that foreign look. 

7th Circle of Hell, Violence.

Last submission for the year.  Looking forward to 2025 reducing the pile of opportunity and to the world in general with trepidation.  I guess bring it on.

Points

9 25mm @ 5 = 45 pts

Succubus Sarah = 25 pts

Seventh Circle of Hell, Violence = 20 pts

85 pts

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Your last post of the year is terrific, Bruce. I really like Sister Nelia, especially her vibrant tabard and tunic. I'm also impressed with her fleshtone and eyes. Very nice. 

While you may be a bit suspicious of your new-fangled plastic archers they really are a treat. Being a moustachioed fella I like your choice of barbarian auxiliaries. I also love the pose depicting them pulling arrows from their quivers. Very cool. 

Great work Bruce and a Happy New Year!

- Curt

Work Slowdown for Birthday Celebrations

Hi All,

Just a quick not to say that the posting today will be a slower than usual due to it being Lady Sarah's birthday with all the fun and festivities in which to mark the occasion. 

Do not fret, I will be back later on to catch you up on all the magnificent work that the Challengers have been submitting this past day!

Until then!

- Curt

From RayR - Marshal Ney & Chums Retreat From Moscow 1812 - 25mm - 23pts

 

Well hello once again fellow Challengers and thanks for taking a peek at my first entry into this years Challenge.

As you may be aware, fellow Posties Reject LeeH and myself are heading on a Retreat From Moscow adventure. Lee is painting up the Russians and already has a unit painted and posted. I'm doing the French!

And for my first figure I wanted to paint up Marshal Ney, who is synonymous as being the leader of the rearguard, during the retreat.

I was aware of a few other manufacturers, who make a Ney figures all dressed up and posed as in the famous painting by Adolphe Yvon. I chose the figure from the collection of Wargames Illustrated magazine as I think it just looks pretty darn cool.

So for the rest of my Sharpe Practice army I shall be filling out the ranks of Ney's Third Army. Which has a lot of non French units!! My plan is to have some units as actual units and some with the mixed rag tag look.

Third Army Corps Marshal Ney

10th Div (Ledru)

Brig Gengoult: 24th Light Inf 4 batts, 1st Portuguese regt 2 batts
Brig Marion: 46th Line 4 batts
Brig Bruny: 72nd Line 4 Batts, 129th Line 2 Batts

11th Div (Razout)

Brig Joubert: 4th and 18th Line 4 Batts each
Brig: Compere: 2nd Portuguese regt 2 batts, Illyrian regt 4 Batts
Brig d’Henin: 93rd Line 4 Batts

25th Div (Marchand)

Brig v. Hugel: 1st and 4th Wurttemburg regts 2 Batts each
Brig v. Koch: 2nd and 6th Wurttemburg regts 2 Batts each
Brig v. Brusselle: 1st and 2nd Wurttemburg Jagers, 1st and 2nd Wurttemburg Light Inf, 2 Batts each, 7th Wurttemburg regt 2 Batts (joined in November)

Corps Cavalry (Wollwarth)

Brig Mouriez: 11th Hussars 4 Sqdns, 6th Chevau-Legers Lanciers 3 Sqdns
Brig v. Walseben: Wurttemburg Mouted Jagers 4 Sqdns, Leib-Chevaulegers (Wurttemburg) 4 Sqdns
Brig Beurmann: 4th and 28th Chasseurs a Cheval 4 Sqdns each
Brig v. Breuning: 1st Wurtemburg Chevaulegers 4 Sqdns, 3rd Wurttemburg Mouted Jagers 4 Sqdns

I did a bit of experimenting with some figures I had left over from my Haitian Revolution. To see how I could make up some Officers look a tad more chilly

I'm quite pleased with my efforts, if I say so myself. I do have loads of Officer figures to paint up, so this my go in the rank and file pile??

All three figures are from Essex Miniatures

And so to the points

4 x 25mm figures @ 5pts each

Gives me a total of 20 pts

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Welcome back Ray! Wow, this is a serious project you and Lee are undertaking. I know it will look magnificent when it's all completed. Your Ney looks magnificent. Fabulous brushwork. I also am very impressed with your cold weather green-stuff modifications to these three officers. They look brilliant! Along with Lee, your snow base effects are spot on (I should know as we've been trudging through a lot of the white stuff here in the Canadian prairies). I think a few extra points are warranted for these. A grand opening volley to your project!

- Curt

From GeoffT, Gluttony, Oni no Tsuburi, (50 points)

 Hello Challengers,

These beauties were retrieved from a bargain bin.  They are called Oni no Tsuburi.  Their faces are fabulous, I really like these models and will be keen to find a role for them in a game.  I didn’t bother reading the lore on these as I am pretty sure they are gluttonous.  I did identify they belong to the Clan Wars game, from the Shadowlands faction.

They are truly massive lumps of metal, I can only conclude that metal was much cheaper in real terms in the era they were made, mid 1990s I think.  They are 60mm tall, but have a huge 90mm arm span.  I have put them next to a few other models to show the scale of these monstrosities. 

They could be considered to be 28mm vehicle sized for 20 points a pop, but not quite there I don’t think.  Or maybe just saying as a 54mm fig for 10 points a pop.  But their girth would suggest 10 points is an understatement.  They certainly took a long time to paint, and depleted my supply of flesh colours. However, such claims for heady points values will need to go to the adjudicator I feel.  I do certainly hope they are worth at least 12.5 points each so they are worthy of a squirrel.

Points:

2 x 28mm big things = 30 points as a guess.

Gluttony = 20 points

Squirrel +1 for Clan Wars Shadowlands.

Kind Regards 

Geoff.

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Great looking Oni Geoff. I love the way you've painted them - their mouths are super disturbing and scary. I'm thinking that these would be fantastic for Hametsu.

Let's go with your suggestion of 15 each. Well done!

From AlanD - Queen Zenobia and a Project Finished (80 points)

Hello everyone - it is great to be back in the Challenge this year! 

My first entry for the year is Queen Zenobia and some Palmyran light infantry, all from A&A Miniatures. Last year, I was fortunate enough to receive the Challengers' Choice for some of the early figures for my Palmyran army, and these are now the last. 2024 was not a massively productive hobby year for me, but whenever I had a chance I chipped away at the Palmyrans (so many archers...argh!), and I'm chuffed to finish the year with the army done, hopefully to see battle in a game of To the Strongest! soon. 

Here are Zenobia and friends, for 80 points.

...and here's the whole army complete. 

I'm not sure what to paint next...

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Welcome back Dux! It's wonderful to see you return with your storied Palmyran project from last year's Challenge. Zenobia and her standard bearer look suitably magnificent mounted on their camels. Also, your last unit of archers are terrific as well, especially that chap in the blue jerkin with the white embroidery. Lovely stuff.

You can bask in the sense of completion while you ponder on your next project. I look forward to it.

- Curt