From StephenS: Desert Snowtroopers (45 points)

G'day Everyone!

It is good to be back again, and I hope everyone had a terrific Christmas and New Year! 

My first entry for Challenge XV is a unit of Imperial Snowtroopers and an E-Web Heavy Blaster Team to support them. Both units are 32 mm plastic figures from Atomic Mass Games (those these guys might be old Fantasy Flight figures) for Star Wars: Legion. I'm watching Skeleton Crew with my kids at the moment, and really getting back into a Star Wars groove.

These guys have been sitting primed for a while now, so I went for a quick paint scheme to get them tabletop ready. Just a coat of contrast/speed paints and then some bright highlights and dry brushing to make them pop a little. The poor blighters are running around on desert bases to match the the rest of the army. Maybe it gets really, really cold at night on alien planets in a galaxy far far away.

All up that should be nine figures for 45 points.

I hope you enjoy the rest of the fantastic figures the Monday crew are no doubt showing off.

Cheers,
Steve

From Millsy:

Cracking working on the "bad guys" Steve and a great way to start the Challenge. Just the right amount of shading to keep them visually interesting which is never easy painting white uniforms.

I think you mentioned the other day these are for Tatooine games which explains the basing. All my stuff is for Tatooine too so it'd be cool to see some pics of them in action. Despite the fact they are snow troopers I think they work well for the desert. The extra kit would be cooling and keep the sand out of places you don't want it, something Aussies know only too well.

45 Challenge shekels to kick of your tally mate.

Cheers,
Millsy

From: KentG 28mm ancients Goth force, cavalry and foot by Footsore Miniatures (530pts)

So for my second entry I chose to do a Goth force by footsore miniatures 

I really love footsore miniatures the details are so nice and sharp.

 I did get a bit carried away and on Boxing Day painted from about 9.30 am through to about 1.30am the next morning 

I have to admit I am envious of most of you who write so many great

Things about your minis and why you are doing them, I’m not really that great at that part 

So I hope the pictures show my passion for painting.

These figures are going to a friend who I did a swap painting for his minis. 

I then sold his minis to help raise funds to build tiny homes in Ukraine. 

Also thought I’d say for photos do don’t use any programs to enhance 

The photos I just use an A1 white piece of light card bent at a 90 degree bend

With the LED light I use for painting, the camera is an older digital cannon

Below a couple of quick shots of the figures together 

Ok so we have

31 x 28mm cavalry @10pts = 310pts

44 x 28mm foot @ 5pts = 220

Total 530pts

From Millsy:

The one thing I know when I see a post from you Kent is that I'll be staggered by your output. I shouldn't be after all this time, especially talking and painting together every week, yet still it happens.

This is an astonishing amount of stuff, as much because of the consistency of high quality as anything. The amount of colour variation and all the shields just adds to the wow factor.

Well done indeed mate. 530 points catapults you to the top of the chart, ending my overnight reign of terror in one post. Love it!

Cheers,

Millsy

From GeoffT: The Apes of Wrath (110 points)

Hello Challengers,

Long before Steinbeck, there were angry hominids.  They would tell you why they are angry, but their vocal chords have not fully evolved.

These miniatures are from Lucid Eye, I will be using them for the Pre-Human faction for ‘Tribal’ by Mana Press.  Their ‘Primeval’ supplement is based around clashes between various hominid species.

There are 18 x 28 mm figures for 90 points, and their aggressive stance would suggest they are full of Wrath for a bonus 20 points.

This also adds a Squirrel for Pre-humans.

Kind Regards,

Geoff.

From Millsy:

You can never have enough plastic dinosaurs (so said Dave Faulkner from the Hoodoo Gurus) and I'm now convinced that applies to angry hominids too.

Great brushwork Geoff, you've managed just the right amount of highlighting on the fur and exposes skin to keep them both eye catching and realistic at the same time.

110 points added to your tally mate. Nice one!

Cheers,
Millsy

Monday Madness 01

G'day All,

Monday Minion Millsy aka "Triple M" reporting in for the first time. Thanks Curt for herding the cats through the holiday madness, you can now put your feet up mate.

We've got a lot of cool stuff in the works today from multiple Challengers - dark ages, fantasy, pike and shot, sci-fi and more including a mahoosive points bomb form a serial offender in that department. Stay tuned for what's in store, I can promise you won't be disappointed!

Cheers,
Millsy

From BenitoV: Uruk Hai leader, Rulers and Tokens for Midgard (15 points+?)

This is my initial post for this year's Challenge, presenting an Uruk Hai leader and some tokens and rulers to use with Midgard, the recently published system to play battles in the Heroic Age by the Reisswitz Press/Too Fat Lardies stable. 

For those in the unknown, Midgard covers both historical and fantasy-based medium sized battles (between 60 and 100 minis) focused on the action of heroic leaders. Having stopped playing fantasy battles for almost 2 decades, this was an excellent opportunity to undust my old GW LOTR  minis and add some reinforcements.

My first project is an Uruk Hai army. I already owned enough models to create a 200 points army, short of the 300-350 minimum needed to play a battle. For this reason, I'm looking now for reinforcements, and the first step is this mounted leader (or "hero" in the Midgard parlance), to be followed by a couple of warg-riding units.

The models presented today are 3D printed minis in 28mm from the Medbury's orcs range.   

Additionally I have printed and painted the rulers and tokens needed to play with these rules. The rulers are used to move units and to measure distances to charge or shot missiles. The tokens represent units with close combat advantage (red arrows with swords) and units that have already shot in the turn (green ovals with the quiver and arows).

In terms of points the post is worth 15 points for sure (10 points for the mounted model and 5 points for the model on foot) and I will leave to the discretion of the minion-on-duty to account some additional points for the rulers and markers 

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Welcome back to the Challenge Benito!

Great and terrifying addition to your Urak Hai army, that warg is especially fearsome!

In addition to your 15points, I will assign another 2pts for the 3D printed tokens/markers for a total of 17 points

Cant wait to see the rest of your Midgard project

- Sarah

RhysH - Gandalf and Balin from Games Workshop (10 points)

This is Rhys' second entry. In addition to Dunlendings, he received Thorin's Company for Christmas. This set includes all of the dwarfs, Gandalf and Bilbo.

The first two off the mark are Balin and Gandalf, based on ease of painting more than anything else. In addition to painting, Rhys also took the pictures this time. The Challenge is really expanding his skills in a lot of ways.

He went for a cave rubble base.

We worked on his flesh tones with these two. Balin is his first attempt to put into practice what we talked about.

He did the edge design free hand and tried for a dirty and distressed look to the jacket.

Gandalf is one of Rhys' favorites and a model he didn't have yet. With this acquisition Rhys has the entire Fellowship.

Gandalf's flesh had been washed into black obscurity so Rhys brought it back up after our lesson.

Dirty hands but you can still see that he made the top lighter than the bottom.

We also talked about edge highlighting and you can see some of that on Gandalf's had.

Rhys also remembered the advice from last year and painted his base edges.

This entry is only two models, for 10 points, but it shows Rhys putting in practice on the new techniques that we've been discussing, as well as bringing back classics from this group last year.

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Hello Rhys

I really enjoy seeing the results you have achieved ... you really embody what the Challenge is all about! And your Dad, Aaron is an excellent mentor.

 I know Curt gets a bit frustrated with me ... I listen to his advice and tips and then generally do my own thing!

10 points for you and I'm super excited to see your next entry

- Sarah