From Kerry T: A visit from the wargames weights & measures bogeyman- Landsknecht (120 points)

 Morning, afternoon and evening all

It happened last weekend, I don't mind telling you, it was terrifying - he came at the crack of dawn, there was a hammering on the front door and the sound of a yappy bark...

He said his name was Narvik Mentana and looking me in the eye said that it was grim and serious. He said it was official and that he'd been sent by the Department of Wargames Weights and Measures. He had come to confiscate my figures and that he had a warrant. 

He looked a bit odd in his uniform, the flat cap didn't quite fit and with the whippet that was with him barking all the time it was hard to hear what he had to say. 

The whippet was the better looking of the two

Overcoming my initial fear and trepidation I realised that somehow, somewhere I'd heard that voice somewhere before though.....

"Hey mate, you're a bit short"

Startled, I said "yes I know - but at least I'm perfectly formed. Its not my fault, you know,I can't help it if my mum was only four foot eight and generations of males in my family spent their years working down the mines and never saw any sunlight. That's probably why I'm so short and stunted"

"Not you"he said, "the block"

"The block? what block?"

"The Pike block, yes your pike block- this one, the one you posted on Farcebook a few weeks back -this one - look, its short, its probably only about 72 figures, that's well short of the requisite 96 for god's sake....

The middle block,there

"I'm afraid you're going to have to hand them over, we can't  have you doing that, is sets a bad example, if we allow that - before you know it some cheap sod or every man and his whippet will be showing off his 4 man pike block. Give them here, C'mon. Hand them over now and I'll go easy on you lad"

"Wait" I said, "give me a little time, just a chance, err I'll paint a few more and make it up to 96 in a week or two"

"You've got till Monday and then I'll be back..... that's of course if you make it worth my while, nudge nudge, wink, wink, say no more....

It was then that I finally realised what he craved for and wanted. That folks is how I manged to get rid of him. He'd obviously heard about my mushy pea tree....

Psst don't let on its an Avocado tree

"Look at the size of those peas" he exclaimed...and promptly farted.... sorry I mean fainted 

Now I know it looks like I've lost but focus again, but that folks honestly (without the word of a lie ) is why I needed to radically change my painting plans for this week. There I was, on track painting my Jocks and they're straps, only now to find myself suddenly and hurriedly painting codpieces and scrambling to put together the stragglers to make up a 96 man pikeblock. All to make sure that the "Wargames Weights and Measures bogeyman " wouldn't take them away.

24 Artizan Designs Landsknecht Pikemen

I needed more with levelled pike in any case

Vicious wire spears from Northstar

Extended bases are definitely needed

I decided to add a bit of water to the bases

Bit of a close up

Running away

Phew, saved in the nick of time,the unit is now complete

The original figures were painted more than 10 years ago hence the base depth discrepancy 

I think its more than 96 strong now

I forgot to count and I'm away on holiday writing this

Can you spot Wally?

Well that's it for this week

So the moral of the story is... don't live dangerously and paint undermanned pike blocks.....

But if you do make sure you have the odd mushy pea available to ward off the bogeyman

In summary and with apologies to Ken, whose projects are always inspirational

24 x 28mm Foot figures @ 5 points = 120 points

1 Squirrel

Many thanks, no post from me next week as I'm now away on holiday

Valleyboy

From Millsy:

My Word! That was a lot to process in one go and totally worth the effort! I never considered the idea of an actual mushy pea tree and now I will spend the rest of my life lamenting the lack of them in real life. Avocados? Bah! Mushy peas every day in preference.

Culinary deliberations aside this is another splendid post mate. More gorgeous pikes painted in more gorgeous colours. Those final shots of all of them arrayed together are truly something special. Congrats on what will never fail to impress on the table!

120 more points it is!

Cheers,
Millsy