Side Duel Update February 21, 2025

 Another update on where everyone stands in the non-Skull related duels.  The scores reflect my download at 8am CST on February 20th, so won't reflect Duels Forms submitted after that time.  

First up an updated pie chart of activity.

SD1 (Moose and ) Squirrel Duel

GeoffT is maintaining his lead, although his challengers have narrowed the gap slightly.   He no longer meets the two power squirrel target.   Sadly no meese....

SD1 (Moose and ) Squirrel
GeoffT	11
Curt	7
MikeW	6
KerryT	5
Barks	4
MartijnN	2
PeteF	0
RobH	0

SD2 30K Heresies

With all of the upheaval and unpredictability in the world today, it is reassuring to note that Greg has taken the lead in the 30K Duel.  However, the Heretics have not been eliminated with Curt and PeterA within spitting distance.

SD2 30K Heresies
GregB	166
Curt	130
PeterA	84
DavidB	0
SanderS	0

SD3 Skulls


Scoring is pure head count (pun intended). This one will be adjudicated by Barks.

I will leave skull tallies to our resident Post-Mortem Phrenologist.

SD4 Mech Madness


While others have made movements, Sander appears to be romping and stomping away with this one.

SD4 Mech Madness
SanderS	95
TomL	25
Curt	15
DaniHG	2
DavidB	0

SD5 WW2 Duel

I am prepared to call this one a bust.  Six weeks in and we have a solitary Dutch Armoured Car as the combined effort from three gamers.

SD5 WW2 Duel
MattW	30
DavidB	0
Millsy	0

SD6 Napoleonics

I saw an update on this cartoon with Pitt and Boney's roles being taken by Trump and Putin, but couldn't relocate it in time to post it.   It seems apt given the hungry leer that the Orange Gelatinous Cube is casting on my homeland.

We have a race on! DaveD made a late charge to come up into second place, and everyone expects that Ray is sandbagging.  

SD6 Napoleonics
LeeH	563
DaveD	412
RayR	369
MattW	200
EdwardG	0
KerryT	0
PeteF	0

SD7 Can Opener


Kerry has widened his lead. I suspect Curt is culling the larder to eliminate tins made in the USA.

SD7 Can Opener
Kerry T	330
Curt	130
Barks	77
MattW	0
NickY	0
RobH	0

SD8 Retreat from Moscow

I suspect that this one will go to the end as Lee and Ray are regularly posting wonderful work on their projects.  I hope that we get an AAR at the end of it all.  I've heard rumours that DIY stores in Kent are running out of sandbags...

 

SD8 Retreat from Moscow
LeeH	563
RayR	369

SD9 Colonial Wars

RobH better take this cartoon's message seriously.  Dave has turned his eyes to the Zulu Wars and I fear that Rob will be overwhelmed by the Impis like Chelmsford at Isandlwana.

SD9 Colonial Wars
DaveD	72
RobH	5

From AdamW: Sticks and stones may break my bones (Ambitious) (44 points)

The joy of working nightshifts this week means I can slip in one final last minute post.

This is a unit I painted earlier in the challenge, whilst I was painting the Boers I think, but had to wait to post due to the linear nature of Dante's challenges.

So for my entry for 'The Ambitious' sphere I present a 15mm unit of peasants armed only with 'sticks and stones'. They are keen as mustard and probably overly ambitious if they take one anyone armed properly.  Luckily sticks and stones may breaks some bones, so they may succeed.

They are Peter pigs figures painted with Army painter speedpaints.

Points claim.

12 x 15mm foot @ 2pts = 24pts

Ambitious bonus @20pts = 20pts

Total 44pts

That's quite a funny take on The Ambitious, I love it! I'm not sure they will be getting anywhere soon, but it's the thought that counts. Nice models, and a good paint job. Well done Adam, another 44 points for you!

Martijn

From Mike W: Warlord Epic 15mm Numidians & Celts, plus some others! (185 Points)

 So this last week has been really disappointing in terms of free time that I could put towards painting for the challenge, with real life again throwing up unexpected obsticles to resolve! Who said being retired was easy, with nothing else to do except your hobbies, everyone seems to believe that you're the guy who can do everything at the drop of the hat! 😀

That said I have concentrated on trying to break the back of my 15mm Carthaginian army, with Light Infantry and Horse all lurching towards completion.

The bulk of this week's submission is focused on the Carthaginian's allied Numidian and Celtic forces, with the foot all being depicted as Light Infantry. I have noticed that Warlord Games do a close formation Celtic frame, so I'll be looking to acquire one of these in the near future - plus some elephants of course!

Anyway on to this week's figures, first the Numidians:

The Numidian contingent, Horse, Javelin men and Archers.

A close-up on the horse, 2 bases each of 5 men, all armed with Javelins
and their distinctive hand painted cow hide shields

Another shot of the mounted men, sorry having trouble getting a clear shot of these small guys

The Javelin men, again two bases each of five figures.

Two bases of Archers, again two bases each of five figures.

And with the rear rank brought to the front

A better shot of the Javelinmen

Now the Celts:

The Celt contingent, 2 bases of cavalry and two bases of skirmishers

Close-up on the Javelin armed skirmishers, shields are again hand painted

Another view of the Javelin men. 

Celtic Cavalry, javelin and sword armed with a mix of armoured and unarmoured figures

Another view of the Celtic horse.

And finally the others!

Two bases of Lybian Skirmishers armed with spear and shield

Rear rank brought forwards

Two bases of Iberian slingers

And the rear rank of the slingers brought forwards

Hopefully next week back to 28mm Arthurians - although I do have some 20 or so more Carthaginian Horse to get completed!

POINTS

10 x 15mm Numidian Horse @ 4Pts ea           40 Points

20 x 15mm Numidian Foot @ 2Pts ea             40 Points 

10 x 15mm Celtic Horse @ 4Pts ea                 40 Points

10 x 15mm  Celtic Foot  @ 2Pts ea                 20 Points

10 x 15mm  Iberian Slingers @ 2Pts ea           20 Points

10  x 15mm  Lybian Foot @ 2Pts ea                20 Points

TOTAL                                                           180 Points

Ah, a slow week. Only 180 points! Oh my. Well, at least you made the effort, Mike! All joking aside, you have been busy. I always like your Epic contributions, and this is no exception. A fine and varied entry. I particularly like your Celtic troops, but the others look good too. I'll top you up to 185 points for the handpainted shields, they really do something for these 15mm figures. I am looking forward to seeing a group photo of all your epic troops when you have finished them. Well done!

Martijn

From PeterB - Worms!!! (and ogres) (365 points)

Bit of an unusual one today. 

Last year Mantic games did a kickstarter for Worms the boardgame. For those that do not immediately recognise thus, it is from a video game franchise where players use teams of worms to fire rockets and other weapons at each other in a side on view of a landscape. A bit like those games we played on BBC micros back in the 80s for learning about angles and trajectories. (I think we were being trained up as child Mortar teams in case World War three ever happened.)

The Collectors edition promised more worm models than the retail version, so I bit the bullet and signed up. The only issue was these worms all came in grey plastic.

Well, I definitely couldn't have that, these little dudes were begging to have some paint slapped on them.

The game takes place on a set of hex shaped cardboard pieces that are laid out in a  random pattern and yes, sections do dissappear if they take too  much damage and any worms at that location fall in the sea.

The much loved mines, exploding barrels and weapons drops are included as well as banana bombs and exploding sheep.

The models themselves bear no resemblance to what they are armed with in the game, cards are drawn to select weapons.

Each team have a set of coloured surrounds that the worms clip into to identify their own pieces. This does mean any paint on the base edge is likely to be scraped off, so I have not made any attention to the edges.

I love the various characters, there is a lot of variety. There are some repeats, but not a huge amount. A couple of the classic weapons number in up to six.

This special edition has enough for six players which means lots of carnage on a club night.

I have given them a good coating of Army Pai ter light brown Super Shader which gives them some durability like a varnish coat. It does give them a shine, but I think it works with the cartoon style.

In total we have 65 worms and 1 super sheep. The worms are around 28mm from eyebrows to end of their tail, so I am claiming five points each.

66 x 5 = 330 points

Additionally I have done a little more for my Old World army

The Ogres box set had some sprues left that I hadn't used. There is now an option to take an allied unit of Empire Ogres in the Empire army and arm them with a mix of weapons. I have already used them in a game against Orcs and Goblins and although their multiple wounds make them tough. They cannot hit a barn door with those black powder weapons. I don't think I hit a single thing all game.

They are intimidating enough though, so I might use them again.

They are 40mm tall so

5 x 7 = 35 points.

Grand total for the week 365 points.

Well, those worms might like to throw explosives around, but you definitely dropped a points bomb here too, Peter! What a wonderful wacky whopping worms horde. You have achieved a very fitting cartoony effect with them, and I am sure playing the game will be much enhanced by these lovingly painted pieces. Th Ogres are quite impressive too, and as long as your opponent doesn't realise their lack of proficiency with their weapons you should be fine I think. Not that they need those anyway... 

365 points it is!

Martijn

From AdamW: 15mm Chinese rocket battery (The Inconstant) (66pts)

A quick last minute entry for this week.

 After a long time in hell I have finally reached paradise!  Some rapid painting and basing and I present my entry for the first Sphere, the Inconstant, something which may try its best but often falls a bit short.

For this I present a battery of Chinese rockets in 15mm.  Throughout history rockets always seem to be fairly erratic and inconstant in their accuracy, so they seemed a good subject.

In our rules we usually make them less accurate than other artillery, but more deadly if they hit.

The rockets and most of the figures are Museum miniatures, with three Lancashire games figures added for variety. 

Points claim

15 x 15mm crew @2pts = 30pts

4 x artillery pieces @4pts = 16pts

Inconstant bonus @20pts = 20pts

Total 66pts

A very fitting subject for The Inconstant, Adam! They are very nice models, and you did a great job on them. Now let's just hope they will not backfire too much... 66 more points to you.

Martijn

From JP: Dead Man's Chest Vignette - Ral Partha Legacy - Greed (55 points)

 Some of you may recall that last year I entered this vignette:

I am back this year with another Ral Partha Legacy vignette sculpted by Tom Meier. I just can't resist these throwbacks to my youth. This one is called Dead Man's Chest and I am using it as my Greed entry courtesy of the Sarah heroine.

For those of you who followed the adventures of Fineous Fingers in the early Dragon issues, this may ring a bell in terms of style and situation!

This was a sizable challenge for me in terms of detail,  choosing colours and patterns to give me what I hope does justice these wonderful figures.

I am claiming the following:

3 x 25mm figures                                                15

4 pillars and each pillar's quarter of the floor     20

Greed                                                                  20
                                                                            55 points

Martin, if you feel my claim for the pillars and their quarter of the base is too much, shave away!

Thanks for looking folks!

Oh yes, I remember last year's vignette very well. And this one is just as spectacular, JP! The vibrant colours really bring this piece to life, and the painting is immaculate as always. I love those pillars with the ranks twisted about them, and the treasure chest, and the floor details...  A great scenic vignette! I'll go along with your calculations, so 55 points it is. 

Martijn