From TeemuL: An officer and a Scotsman (15 points)

The way the timezones and locations on Earth work, I guess I'll have a second entry for today. Continuing my previous entry I add a command stand for my Peninsular army. I worked on these entries simultaneously, but this took longer to finish and I didn't expect to finish this so soon after the first one.

Here we have a commander and a trooper. I guess many "sirs" are mentioned on this scene, somehow the atmosphere doesn't feel very happy - might be composition or my imagination. The officer here is Picton from Perry's metal range, but due to previous errors, he is riding Uxbridge's horse... The models are designed for Waterloo, but I have done my research and Picton fought in Peninsular War, too. The Scotsman is a plastic Victrix, here in the colours of Black Watch - an unit I have previously painted.

Some parts are painted with Contrast paints, some parts with more traditional approach. Best tool for each job, they say? The base is mdf from Warbases and covered in sand, self made tufts and other materials. More attention to the base was used here, because there was more space. I just need a different backdrop for these, the dungeon doesn't look much like Spain...

I'm especially happy how well the horse came out, the browns are quite nice and work well with reds and blues. The red coat of Picton looks nice with fur lining, too.

I guess there is no question who is in command here and if the bad news are welcome or not...

I risked a close-up shot, too. Nice moustache and the details on the hat are now nicely visible. I guess this is 15 points, 10 for a mounted and 5 for kneeling model. Also I get my first squirrel: 28mm Napoleonic British. Next, something completely different!

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A very evocative if somewhat mysterious command stand, Teemu. I think you may have turned things around as the figure is actually Uxbridge and the horse he's riding is Picton's (Picton was famous for wearing civilian clothes and sporting an umbrella). It's all good as Uxbridge was in the Peninsula, but under Sir John Moore, not Wellington (He eloped with the Duke's sister-in-law and had to make himself scarce). Yes, it's all very complicated. Anyhoo, Picton's horse is excellent, Uxbridge's moustache is impressive and I really like how you did the kilt of the highlander. I can just hear the poor Jock murmuring, 'Jayzus, where did I drop those wee EarPods...'

Excellent work Teemu!

- Curt

From BruceR; Melvin the Magician and Mad Mick the giant, 10mm x1, 25mm x1, 6 pts)

Continuing my 10mm journey.  As my wee first submission indicated I'm traveling down the 10mm road.  We returned from Holidays in the Black Hills of South Dakota Saturday, and we are heading to Minnesota Lake Country for 4 days over the New Years Holiday.  This retirement life is tough (on the painting time).  I decided to paint the found GW wizard from early days Warmaster and while digging through trays of opportunity I found this Heresy Miniature of Mad Mick McMadd.  I thought he would make a great Giant for Warmaster and busted him out of his blister.  

I decided to brown base coat Mad Mick and Melvin.  I don't really prep for the challenge, I simply turn on the airbrush and base coat troops as I want them (having a large hobby dungeon is a plus).  The weather here in the Dakotas (Minus 4 F when I got up today) is not for priming.  Before priming I did pin his hands and head.  They have tabs, but I find a pin is usually the only way to keep the mini together.  

Lots of flesh and so decided some stripped pants were in order to jazz him up a bit.  I put down the base coasts and wash with army painter strong tone.  Melvin was given a quick slap chop of off white and initial colors were speed paints 2 from Army Painter.  After this I highlighted both Mick and Melvin to try some pop at this wee level.  

Melvin was also given a stack of books from the GW kit and a portal, which had demonic visage on the back, but I elected to simply set it on the ground.   I'm amazed at all the little bits Melvin has on  his body. Wands with skulls, Staff with skull, pouches, sword, dagger, and a wizardly Hat.  

Melvin is tapping the winds of magic, might be hitting some Warp with the green coming  off the sigil.

Mad  Mick was given a couple of tats from old GW Epic Space Marine decals.  I have way too much old stuff... One on the stomach.

One on the back.

Melvin and Mad Mick.  Either Mick is guarding Melvin or about to lay axe to hat.  

Points:

1 10mm foot    = 1 pt

1 25mm foot    = 5 pt

Total for 2025   = 6 pts

It's a marathon not a sprint.  

Happy New Year all.  I should have a month of painting upon my return before my next wandering takes place.  

Keep those brushes wet.

Bruce

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Melvin and Mad Mick look the business, Bruce. I love all of Melvin's multicoloured paraphernalia - he seems a very high maintenance chap. One of those guys that has complicated coffee orders at Starbucks. Mad Mick is a very scotch neat in the keg kind of fella. His tats, striped trousers and pipe ready in the rope belt are the bomb. Well done!

- Curt

 

AndrewB - Big ol WWII bundle! 465pts!

 Back for another year, here I come with the traditional freak giant bundle painted(now to maintain for at least another week or so)!Locally, folks have been really excited about Bolt Action, especially big multiplayer games.  

Unfortunately, most of my bolt action forces are geared towards two player games, so I’ve been painting like mad.  Unfortunately, I completed 50 something Russians immediately before the start of the challenge, but then on the 21st, I sat down and painted a boatload of ‘Tractor Factory’ T34s for a Stalingrad themed game. Gotta love the ability to churn out armor with home 3d printers(that’s a theme for this post). These were a bit of a challenge, as I have no idea what they should really look like, but I figured overall brand spanking new coats of paint to protect from corrosion was probably best.  I also put a newly turned barrel on one, and muddied up the hulls on two which were used as transports for a couple squads of SMG guys.  

That game went over well, with requests for a Normandy themed game.  Naturally, this meant large forces of Americans and Germans taking to the table, with traditional American armor(Shermans and Stuarts), as well as some less traditional German AFVs. First, the Americans!

They’re all 3d printed, with additional resin stowage items I’ve had for years and finally found a good use for!   I attempted to freehand the normal stars, mutilated them horribly, and reprimed, starting over.  I got the tracks dirty after attempting a stippled lightening of upper armor plating, then hit them with a light dusty drybrush one of my local buddies swears by.  I’m not mad with the results. 

Okay, the center guy isn’t technically an M5, but the stubby 75 on the M8 has always been a favorite.  These had the same star issue, but the additional stowage and recognition panel or maybe captured flag on the Scott makes them quite fun and a table favorite.  

The German armor was quite fun, with their command vehicle being a StuG III, with a pair of Wespe and converted R35 tank destroyers mounting Czech 47mm anti tank guns. These were present on the Cotentin peninsula, and made for a breath of fresh air against the standard PzIVs and whatnot seen in the late war. 

As always, wargamers have to agonize over the pointless decisions, but I eventually settled on a two-toned scheme similar to the converted R35 at the panzer museum at Thun.  It’s always fun to try something different, and a similar dirtying up and dusty brush kept these looking uniform, like they’ve been rolling the same dusty roads in June of 44.  

You all know I won’t leave you without infantry, so I knocked out a bunch of American riflemen and a bazooka team I got years ago in a Kickstarter, I believe for Disposable Heroes 2.

 

Looks like a guy with an M3 snuck in there too!  These are painted to represent standard infantry from slightly after the invasion through the end of the war, so they’re a bit boring in their entirely green uniforms, but that’s okay, I’ll find some colorful stuff to put on the bench before long!  I based these guys with one of the mixes from Turf Warz, which I’ve really come to appreciate. These guys preformed admirably in today’s game, so huzzah for painted and based figures!

And now we come to every wargamer’s favorite subject, MATH!  I’ll double check, but to break it down, 25x28mm figures makes 125pts, and 17x28mm tanks makes for 340!  465 might be the largest total for a first post that I’ve ever made!  Lots of work over the past week, but getting them on the table immediately really brings a good feeling.  Now back to the table to keep up momentum!

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Wow, our first real points bomb of the season!

An amazing piece of hobby industry here, Andrew. Working on models for an upcoming game is always a great motivator, and we can certainly see that with your output here! Bolt Action is a great, fast system, and perfect for multi-player game, especially with the random activation system - keeps people on their toes. 

Your math is spot-on! Your output for this post is basically what I'm aiming for this Challenge - Wowzers! Well done.

- Curt

KenR - 28mm Spanish Heavy Cavalry Uno - 62 points

 

The Italian Wars will form a good chunk of my Challenge efforts this year and here is the first of the bunch, a unit of Heavy Cavalry for my Spanish. The figures are from The Assault Group and Flags from Petes Flags.

I've got 36 heavy and 24 light ready to go. During the course of the year I have started to paint groups of 6 Cavalry in between larger units of foot and its really helped with motivation, it keeps things fresh and its amazing how quickly the horse builds up doing it this way.

6 figs is our usual size unit for Gendarme style Cavalry in the Italian Wars as they would usually operate in Squadron sizes of 100 - 120 (plus squires etc). Points wise it will be 6 x 10 for the 28mm Cavalry plus 2 for the Flags giving a total of 62.

Below is a picture of the new unit along with the other two I did earlier in the year, I think it's going to be pretty impressive at the end of the Challenge with 12 units all together.

I've got a unit of Arab Cavalry for the Crusades nearly done as well and they may make the cut before Curt hands over the reigns, if not then it will be on the first Minion Tuesday.

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Gorgeous work, Ken! These Spaniards look magnificent with their lances and pennants. I love seeing Italian Wars stuff. It makes me want to return to them for another run. Perhaps I'll have to try your approach of breaking up the units in more manageable (and varied) chunks. Great stuff and I look forward to seeing more!

- Curt

From Millsy: Kicking off with some Star Wars Legion (45 points)

G'day everyone!

It's great to be back on the Challenge tools again for my 13th time around. Really looking forward to seeing all the cool and cooky stuff people share once again. This year I am kicking off with a bunch of relatively simple stuff - a bunch of stuff for Star Wars Legion.

Rebel AT-ST

I already have one of these but it's such a cool model and performs so well in games I had to have a second one. Easy to assemble and fun to paint. What's not to like?

Nice legs!

Rebel 7-47 Airspeeder

I've always wanted one of these and when I found one for $10 on fleaBay it was a total no-brainer. It needed some TLC and I have to 3D print my own base but that's a small price to pay, and given I wanted a much shorter flying stand it worked out better that way anyway.

Masking the red markings was pretty satisfying and a breeze by comparison to painting the windows in. I spent a fair bit of time colour modulating the panels with careful dry brushing and then weathered most of it over with dirt and scratches but it was fun and at least I know its there :-P.

Two 32mm vehicles and one rider = 25 45 points. A small start but a fun one. Thanks for looking!

Cheers,

Millsy

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Welcome back to the Challenge, Millsy! Thirteen editions?! Wow, a true veteran of the Psychic (or is that psychotic?) Wars!

The Star Wars universe excels in featuring vehicles that make you wonder why they were even made, but they look so cool that no one really wants to wreck it with logic.  Both the walker and the airspeeder are terrific. Wonderfully battered yet perfectly serviceable, ready to take their places in the fight against the Empire. Great recovery work on the airspeeder (look at those freakin' cool windows!). I smile at the pilot (driver?) of the walker as he has his laser rifle prepared, probably fully expecting the slung cannon to pop out a 'BANG!' flag instead of the satisfying 'PEW! PEW!'  Wonderful stuff.

You cheated yourself on some points but I got you covered. Well done, Millsy!

- Curt

From ByronM - Kingdom Death: The King in Yellow (25 Points)

It was a busy Christmas so I didn't get much painting done, but I did manage to get some base colours on a bunch of models and at least this one model done, so I am posting it alone this week.  It is a figure that has caused much consternation with the wife, as she despises the colours I am using.  However, how could I not do an evil demonic king in any colour other than yellow?  So, I present to you my version of the Kingdom Death (KD) king as the King in Yellow.

I wanted to do him yellow since I first got him a few years ago, but delayed and delayed as painting anything in yellow sucks!  It's such a hard colour to work with, and its so easy to get it wrong (which unfortunately I probably did as I am not super happy with it but nothing I did made it better so I just left it). Over all though, despite the yellow being a bit muddier than I wanted, since I was looking for more of a shade of ochre through yellow, I think it suits the model.  It makes the fleshy bits a little harder to see and they blend in a bit, but overall I am not un-pleased with the result, just not thrilled with it either, if that makes any sense.

This is a huge model at almost 6" tall as shown with the already fairly tall KD survivor next to it!

 

As with all KD models he is full or strange, dark, twisted details.  For KD that usually means tentacles, penises, extra body parts (normally arms and hands), and babies and the King does not disappoint. While there are no tentacles or penises, the whole King appears to be made up of human arms and hands and babies.  No idea why, and really not sure I even want to question or know.  All I know is that it is creepy and disturbing to many people, but I love it! Heck, he even has a flowing chain of babies around his neck and back.  I normally don't paint pupils on models as it always looks like they are shocked with wide eyes, but I felt in this case that look would work on the babies, as it gives them a confused "why the F am I here" look to them, so I went with it.

 

Anyway, since we have always counted KD as 40mm scale, I am submitting him as a vehicle/monster of 40mm scale for 25 points.  Please feel free to adjust as required if that is incorrect. 

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Yes, Kingdom Death figures are typically very strange and disturbing, and this one certainly does not break from the norm. That being said, as a study in yellow, I think you hit the mark, Byron. It has depth and warmth while the grey bits provide a nice contrast. I also find that the colours benefit from the high definition of the figures details. Very creepy but well painted. Mission accomplished!

I'll go with your points assessment and mark you down for 25 points. Great work Byron!

- Curt

From MartinN: Sigurd - Fáfnir's Bane (17 Points)

Continuing on from last years theme I'm back, or better still painting away on my Middle Imperial Roman project for Midgard. My Romans are more or less done, so I've to do the opposition now it seems.

Last year I painted Brynhild, so I thought it only sensible to now paint Sigurd (Siegfried for us Germans). While the whole epic cycle around Sigurd probably refers to a later period than what I'm going for with my 3rd Century Romans, we don't really know and that's excuse enough for me.

The figures used are from Footsore Miniatures, Victrix and Armorum & Aquila Miniatures and go together quite well. Converting the chap mockingly holding up the severed head, was fun and indeed the reason to paint this whole little vignette. Sigurd and his banner bearer were collecting dust in my stash for over a decade already, but I couldn't think of a way to tell an interesting story with any of the figures I found. I love the defiant pose of the sculpt, so it had to be something special. And when I happened upon the Dark Age Archers set from Victrix I instantly knew I was on to something. Good thing I'll need archers anyway for this project, eh?

Points wise this will see me enter the roster with 17 points for 3 standing and a prone figure in addition to whatever points our Maximo Lider sees fit to throw in for the hand painted shields.

Cost of Entry

Since the beginning of the full scale invasion of Ukraine, I'm donating monthly to Ukrainian charity Come Back Alive Foundation who provide both lethal and non-lethal aid to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Also US based Renegade Relief Runners Foundation, who deliver aid to settlements as close and sometimes closer to the frontline as is safe(-ish), gets a monthly donation. Both do sterling work, so go and check them out.

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First, welcome back to the Challenge, Nick!

I love that you've completed the book-end to your Brynhild with this fabulous Siegfried vignette. As usual your brushwork continues to amaze, only to be outdone by your subtle conversions and additions. I find your fleshtones, fabrics and painted shields are simply incredible - a tour de force to be admired. Well done, Nick (and another 5 points I think is warranted for the work)!

Also to be credited is your donations to the two Ukrainian charities you mentioned. Those folks need all the help they can get. Very worthwhile.

- Curt

From AdamC "Milady de Winter" (5 points)

Hello AdamC (aka Fencing Frog) back after a year off because of family obligations. Mind you those obligations aren't any less this year but I feel a bit more on top of most of them and maybe I need the distraction of the challenge more this year.

A friend of mine wrote a set of rules called Plum and Blade  it's quick play and based on the best of the swashbuckling genre of both books and film.  I'm happy to say I got a mention in the dedication for my input on historical fencing methods.

I don't remember the manufacturer it might be Blue Moon but do recall it was lady de Winter the femme fatale of the Three Musketeers. I like her balanced stance, if she doesn't trip on it her long gown will hide her footwork (which can throw a male fencer off as I know form personal experience).

Historically a fair number of noble women did in fact learn fencing and could be quite dangerous.  I did her dress in deep sky-blue, the shading isn't all would like but I didn't want her looking Dirty.  Gold lace, red slashed sleeve complete the look and she has heavy leather gauntlets to protect her hands.  

She's a single 25mm figure for 5 points getting me off to a start.  

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Welcome back to the Challenge, Adam! It's great to have you with us again.

Milady de Winter looks the business, especially sporting those formidable gauntlets. I like like how you did her puffed sleeves and gold accents on the gown. A beautiful and dangerous character, to be sure! Will there be more figures for 'Plum and Blade' coming up in the Challenge? It's such a colourful period to work in.

5 points for your return to the ranks. Well done!

- Curt