From JohnB: Sinews of War 1/43? Corgi Cameo Trucks Requisitioned for the War Effort (60 points)

Well my planned entries are slipping behind - story of 2024/25 it seems. Anyway I got in my now usual toyshow trip for inspiration at Yuletide. Except it was not the big Doncaster show, as my lift was unavailable, instead we made it to York in January. And it seemed very slim pickings - all 1/72 plastic kit stuff was £10 or above (some of these kits are available on the high street for £6!!!!) - zero bargains. The railway bits and bobs also failed to move on my money. Then I found in quick succession three old style trucks and somehow paid £3 for the lot as I was inspired by a logistics moment.

They are Corgi Cameo range grain trucks and apparently scale at 1/43 - but you will know if wargamers are quirky on scale its no different in toy car land. So my minion will need to rule if its 28mm or 20mm or something else. I have opted for 20mm as I think they will work whereas the 28mm figures will look too big?

Compared to my Nexus Space Warriors these guys needed just a prime (white - so I could see the detail) black undercoat and then Vallejo MC096 Camoflage Olive Green. A dry brush of MC124 Iraqi Sand finished the bodies.

I made a timber load area base for the truck missing its grain load - just biro lined card overpainted with Citadel Nazreg Yellow Colour Contrast. The Grain sacks were painted in a Yellow Ochre and again overcoated with Nazreg Yellow.

In true logistics confusion the lorries are returning fully loaded - which way to the front lads? No Dante Comedy aspect this time and I am struggling with greed at the moment. Hey Ho. Points are 3x15pts for 20mm trucks = 45pts with 0 Comedy contribution.

I had hoped to dodge the scale bullet, but dam**, here comes John. Ah well. To get the awkward part out of the way first: if the cars are 1/43 scale, that would translate to approximately 40mm. Obviously, that's to big, considering the size of the figures next to them. Now it is difficult to judge from the photograph, which is very nice by the way, as the figures are on bases and the trucks are not, but I think they actually might work with 25mm figures. I found an online dealer stating that the Cameo vehicles varied between 1/45 and 1/76, and that they classify all as 1/60 for ease of storage.  That seems sensible, and 1/60 roughly translates to 25mm. Therefore, I will score them as 25mm vehicles, and 60 points it is. Then the fun part: I really like your idea of repurposing these trucks, and I think they came out very well. The timber load is a nice little detail, and the finished vehicles look very good. Well done, John!

Martijn

From Mike W - 28mm High Elves & British Sudan Infantry (130 Points)

So this week has not been as productive as I'd hoped, with real life commitments getting in the way.

However I did finish 2 batches of figures and I have quite few 'in progress' on the workbench - more 28mm Arthurian Cavalry, some ECW types as well as some AWI figures and a bunch of Warlord Epic 15mm Carthaginians...

21 x Highland Miniatures, Aegean (High) Elves

Another view of the unit

And another....

But this week's main event are 21 x 28mm High Elves, which are 3D Prints from Highland Miniatures. They were a joy to paint and as such I have tried to align their colour palette withe the classic Games Worksop figures I completed earlier in this Challenge.

The command team, I love their long flowing hair, caught in the wind.

Group of four elves, in a variety of clothes
but all with the same colours to bond them together in a unit

I was originally going to leave their waist sashes white but these did not scan well, I then tought of doing them in turquoise blue but that would clash with the rest of their outfts so in the end I settled on yellow sashes.

Four more elves, in a variety of positions.
The figures come fully moulded with a set of inter-changeable heads to allow added variety

Another group, bases are 25mm MDF squares

Final two Elves

And a close-up on the standard bearer,
symbol was taken form an online illustration.

The other batch of figures that I completed were 5 x British 'Post Office Riflemen' from the 1885 Sudan Campaign. 

Five Riflemen in Sudan

These 28mm figures are old Wargames Factory guys, they are a bit crude, sculpt wise,  compared to more modern plastics but I fancied doing them due to an obscure family connection to this little known unit. 

Two riflemen in close-up

Two little guys shooting - I'll refrain from saying that
'the postman always shoots twice!'
Oops! I didn't!

Close-up of the final figure - although rough and ready,
by today's standards,  the sculpt does the job

It turns out that my Great Grandfather was a Post Office worker in 1885 and we'd always been told he was a Rifleman. He would have been 19 years old at the time of their second Sudanese campaign in 1885.  However, I have not been able to find any records of his service - so we are now thinking that this was a bit of a rather over-embellished story!

POINTS

21 x 28mm Elves @5 Pts                  105 Points

5 x 28mm British Infantry @ 5 Pts     25 Points

TOTAL                                              130 Points

I always like Wargames Foundry, even though the sculpts may show their age a bit. These are very good too, and I like your paint job. A pity that you couldn't find anything about your ancestor, but perhaps in the future you will be able to confirm his heroic history! Those Highland Miniatures Elves look great also, in their somewhat traditional but rather splendid colour scheme. They are great designs, and the fully painted unit looks marvellous. 130 points it is.

Martijn

From PeterB - Old World Empire additions (140 points)

This week I am not claiming any location bonus. I have just been concentrating on some additions for my Old Work Empire army. Our local club is playing a lot of Old World, so it won't be long before these models are failing miserably in combat.

Firstly the Hellblaster Volley gun and crew. 

Next up, a model with some vintage, a Unicorn knight on foot.

I love this old model, it was in a mixed bag of items I got from somewhere and has been sat in my bits box for a while. It makes a great addition to the army as a Champion or Captain, Sadly I could not find a shield in my bits box with a unicorn head, but I shall keep looking. For now, the lion will have to do.

Some more Warlord games Landsknecht, this time with handguns and crossbows make up two units of line troops.

And finally, the Landsknecht box has enough parts for thirty models, so a couple of the spares with some parts from my bits box make up an Engineer and a standard bearer for my Longswords from a couple of weeks ago.

So that is 26 x 28mm models for 130 points and 10 points for the gun.

Total 140 points.

The Old World seems to be very popular since its release. Looking at these figure one can easily understand why, they have a very old style fantasy feel about them. The models themselves are very nice, and you have done a fine job with them, Peter! I like your lion unicorn knight, and the Hellblaster Gun is aways a favourite. Nice! 140 points it is.

Martijn

From AdamW :A break from Hell (72 points)

 This is my first entry that has nothing to do with the Hell/heaven challenge.   I do intend to get them all done (in fact I have one of the heaven entries finished), but I haven't finished the next one in hell yet.

My next one involves some big models I have had to design and make, so have yet to paint. Hopefully I'll get them done for next week, although with a new kitchen being fitted and the house in chaos, I'm not so sure.

Anyway, back to the business in hand.  One of our group wanted to put on WW2 Russian game this week. The battle needs several armoured cars and it was pointed out I only had three of them. A gap in my army that I never got around to filling.

So in true Russian style the factory (my 3d printer) has worked hard to churn out some more.  A simple paint job has them ready to be shipped off to the front.

The close up photography shows up the imperfections you get with filament printing, and my rushed 'tidying up' of the prints. Personally I am happy with the slightly rough look, as the real things were often crudely finished.

Apart from the cost saving, if I'd ordered some they may not have come in time for me to get them painted and on the table for Thursday. This is when I like being able to print off what I need.

So here are nine 15mm Russian BA10 armoured cars. Yes, I base all my vehicles , and that is not to everyone's taste. It is mainly to prevent wheels etc from being broken off, but also the magnetised bases make it easy to transport. I also like everything in the army to be on a matching base as it gives uniformity and a consistent height.

Points claimed

9 x 15mm vehicles @ 8pts = 72 pts.

Good job, Adam. Yes, filament printing does make its mark, but at three foot few will notice it, and as you say the cost savings are considerable. I think these armoured cars look absolutely fine. I also usually base my vehicles, for all the reasons you mentioned, and your bases look very good. Well done, and 72 points more for you!

Martijn

From LeeH: Moscow & St Petersburg Opolchenie (100 Points)

In addition to the regular Russian army, the Tsar could call upon a huge number of volunteers to provide reserves and garrisons, and even fight alongside regular infantry. The Opolchenie militia enrolled over 220,000 men in 1812 and became a vital element in Russia’s defence. During the French retreat from Moscow, the Opolchenie were increasingly used to pursue the French and in front-line roles alongside regular units, which were by this time tired and depleted. The training was rudimentary at best with an emphasis on musketry and the charge. 

These two units are Front Rank figures and represent some of the better-armed “Jager” Opolchenie equipped with a rudimentary uniform and a Musket. There were also some mounted units armed with lances and other foot units armed only with a Pike and an axe. These would often follow up the Jager units and some sources refer to these troops as ‘foot cossacks’. Although initially used only for reserve roles they were increasingly used to fill gaps in regular troops. What they lacked in training they often made up for in bravery and ferocity in melee. 

Both units have a Kaftan-style jacket and trousers, and a backpack with black belts which wouldn’t be out of place in a regular Jager unit. The Moscow Opolchenie are dressed in brown with a tall fur hat, while the St Petersburg militia are in green with a soft cap similar to the infantry forage cap. In both cases, they display a brass cross symbol on their headgear, a symbol of their loyalty to the Tsar.

I think I am going to buy more Opolchenie although I think my next lot will be the pike-armed variety plus some cavalry… yet again I am expanding the army before I have even finished painting the first batch! 

(Scoring: 20x28mm Foot = 100 points)

More fine Russians, great! Your army grows at a steady pace, and each new contribution continues to delight me. These militiamen definitely look ready to defend Mother Russia from the Corsican Ogre! They do have, indeed, a rather regular look and I like the drab colours on their uniforms. And of course, you will need further reinforcements. We always do! Very well done Lee, 100 points added to your total.

Martijn

Yet again Friday

 Ande so another Friday comes along. Today, we will have another visit to the Abyss, with Heresy. As Curt put it, "something that breaks with the accepted code". So we will look at the Dulle Griet.

Dulle Griet is a painting by Pieter Breughel the Elder from 1563. Bruegel has combined two opposites in this work: Dulle Griet (dul means savage, angry, and griet means girl or woman) in the foreground is the woman who behaves like a man, with the focus on greed with opposite the Giant in the background who represents the man who behaves like a woman, with the focus on waste. This is set against the backdrop of hell, where other sins are addressed by the fighting females, the devils and the loving couples. A perfect Umwertung alle Werte!

Dulle Griet is also a Belgian beer. Dulle Griet is a dark chestnut brown high-fermentation beer with an alcohol content of 6.5%. It is a powerful beer, with a mild aftertaste. The beer has slightly sweet aromas, of licorice and candy, and a fruity and spicy taste. Dulle Griet has been brewed since 1999. Originally, it had an alcohol content of 8.5%. It is brewed by the Scheldebrouwerij in Meer. Originally the brewery was based in the Netherlands and Dulle Griet was also brewed there. In 2008, Scheldebrouwerij moved to Belgium. The name refers to the Dulle Griet, a bombarde (cannon) of Ghent from the 15th century. The beer's label shows a large cannon carried by two wild men. These are typical of Scheldebrouwerij and refer to Bergen op Zoom, the Dutch municipality that bears two wild men in its coat of arms and is the birthplace of the brewery. On the cannon sits a “dulle griet.”

Dulle Griet is a monumental iron bombard in the Belgian city of Ghent. Because of its original red color, the cannon was also traditionally called groten rooden duyvele, the big red devil. The bombard dates back to 1431 and was probably manufactured by Jean Cambier, the major arms supplier of the Burgundian Duke Philip the Good. It was brought from Oudenaarde to Ghent in 1578 along with other weaponry to be used in the fight against the Spaniards. Whether the cannon was stolen or a gift is unclear.

As always, drink responsibly and enyoy today's contributions by the Friday Crew!

Martijn

From PaulSS: A Sharp connection of Lust and Gluttony (55 points)

 

I was suffering a bit with "the Lurgy" this week but wanted to give Teemu a break from the 6mm Napoleonic onslaught I've been subjecting him to.

So I pulled out a couple of figures in the 28mm Napoleonic backlog that I think are perfect for the Lust and Gluttony circles of The Abyss.

First up is Colonel Claude Runciman, Wagon-Master General, he is described as an obese, indolent man, who because of his post as wagon-master general, attempts to get Richard Sharpe to refer to him as "General."

Sharp fandom wiki

This figure was the show figure, I think from a couple of years ago that chum James picked up for me knowing I would be interested.

I think he fits the Gluttony quite well, chowing down on his chicken leg in this sculpt.

The second figure represents Josefina Lacosta, Sharpe coveted her, but is told he'll never be able to afford her, so that fits right in with Lust. 

Sharp fandom wiki

This is a Brigade Games figure.

I rather rushed this one and the flesh tones have come out pretty terribly, I'll likely redo the skin tones.

I think many a lustful though was had when Katia Caballero played Josefina in Sharpe's Eagle and then especially when Elizabeth Hurley played her in Sharpe's Enemy back in the early 90's

One, 28mm mounted, plus one 28mm foot plus the two location bonuses should net me 55pts and take me over half way to my target!

TeemuL: I must say Paul, your skills with these 6mm Napoleonics are excellent, they almost look like 28mm minis! Hats off! :)

I'll buy your explanations on the theme rounds, very nice entries. I especially like the general, but Josefina looks fine, too. Maybe your redo of the skin will make her even better. You are now over half way of your target while the Challenge itself is not, so you can breathe a bit and fight that lurgy and reach your target in schedule. I just wonder what you might be painting next. Snow? Silver Bayonet?