From GeoffT: More pirates (85 points)

Hello Challengers,

Recently I picked up about 100 ‘pirate’ models, in varying states of disrepair.  Some unpainted, some undercoated, some part painted and some painted.  All of them were heavily chipped and not in any state to game with.  They were in a wide variety of brands, and were historical and fantasy models, with quite a few not really pirate models. It was a big and enticing rescue job.  It has been fun to sift thru, finding napoleonic officers, French revolutionary mob figures and even a ACW figure.  However, some of the figures now are scraping the bottom of the barrel as far as being able to rescue.  I’ve yet to identify the source of all the miniatures, but brands here include Redoubt Enterprises, Old Glory, Eureka and Reaper.

This batch of 17 figures is from that collection.

These four did not have guns, so I am using them for Ghost Archipelago, a skirmish game with pirates that don’t have guns.

This one looked a bit like it was from Peter Pan, so will using it for DnD NPC.

This fellow will be used as a civilian model for Sharp Practice. Could not quite work out if he had an eye patch or not.

The remainder here will be added to my collection for blood and plunder.  Four of these models here and three of those above are reputed to be Anne Bonney or Mary Reed.  Seemed to be quite a lot of female models in the collection, with a dozen or so more barbie doll shaped fantasy pirates I have yet to rescue.

In total, there are 17 x 28mm figures in this batch for 85 points. 

GT

From Millsy:

Aaarrgghhh! Another wonderful batch of salty sea dogs to brighten up a wet and miserable afternoon at Chez Minion Millsy.

And what a batch! Wonderful, vibrant, saturated colours everywhere and so much variety. The females are probably my favourite as we just need more female miniatures in our games full stop, especially when they are not just there for decoration.

Cracking brushwork all around Geoff. Love em mate.

Cheers,
Millsy

From KerryT: Italian Wars cavalry (120 points)

Morning, afternoon & evening all

In previous challenges, a good proportion of my submissions were from one of my favourite periods, the Italian Wars though this challenge seems to be quite different. Not surprisingly perhaps I'm all over the place again but that does at least keep me productive. I've always admired the dedication of those who decide to focus on one army and project and manage to see it through. I just have to wander around though around several periods in order to keep my focus. In trying to add to my Italian wars collection, I have printed off some Wargames Atlantic Gendarmes but if I'm being realistic its seems very unlikely that I'll get to them this time. I have managed to get some paint on a dozen TAG Italian Elmeti though. These are another unit that were bought and prepped for last year's challenge

Putting them in front of the church reminds me that I do need to finish more Italian style buildings

I don't have many TAG figures but I've always enjoyed painting the ones that I do have

Flag from Pete's flags

I've just gone for a mix of colours in an attempt to make them a generic/mercenary unit

The horses are pretty solid and seem to take paint well

Running away

I need to flesh out some Italian states cavalry and I think I'll try and get a few more of these in the near future.

On reflection it may have been better if I'd painted them up as Venetians, Milanese or Florentines to bulk those evolving armies out a bit. They would probably look a little better with lances rather than spears but I must have used the remainder of my supply of lances from Wargames Foundry. I'll try and pick up some at Partizan I think but that means I'll see and want to buy more Gendarmes

So just a quick post from me this week, thank you all once again for your continued support and encouragement. Apologies,  I've been a bit slow off the mark commenting on others work this week but hope to catch up with my comments on the weekend

In summary

12 X 28mm Mounted figures @ 10 points = 120 pints

1 Squirrel

Best wishes

Valleyboy

From Millsy:

I never cease to be amazed at the speed you can paint cavalry mate. We were only talking about these just recently and you were trying to decide what colour to paint all the tack. All the various colours you've used really do look great and have repaid the effort in spades. Matched to the coat colours on troop's tabards it looks so cohesive and convincing, especially what paired with your usual high standard of basing.

The TAG miniatures are really good kit aren't they? I have some Ottomans to paint at some point and I'm a little apprehensive because they are so detailed and packed with flavour.

That's another 120 points add to your tally. You're just about at the 2000 mark now and with a decent lead over the rest of us. Cracking effort all round.

Cheers,
Millsy

From JohnS: The Carolingian army grows slowly (80 points)

Not much to say this week, time and motivation have been scarce.

I have managed to finish the second base of Frankish Heerbann militia which completes that unit. These are a variety of brands of metal and plastic including Crusader, Gripping Beast, Medbury and even a couple of Oathmark miniatures.

 Ten chaps that I have based Deep for To The Strongest.

 I have put them in rough and straggling ranks as i can imagine the Heerbann were not super keen or trained for war.

 And they are not armed with the latest weaponry.

 "Remind me again, why are we here? Those other chaps over there look quite unpleasant."

"I know, let's go home, drink some wine and invent some new types of cheese"

 Even more poorly equipped are these Generic Dark Ages Javelin Skirmishers

Armed with cutting edge "pointy stick" technology, these fellas are sent forward to soften up the enemy.

As first class arrow catchers, they quickly deplete the enemy of ammunition while threatening them with the aforementioned "pointy sticks".

Here they are demonstrating their tactical Running This Way and That Way technique.

 Including their Tactical Withdrawal So We Don't Do Too Much Winning.

So much winning.

That's a total of:

28mm Infantry x 15 @ 5 pts = 75 points. 

From Millsy:

I know how long these have been hanging around as you tried to find the time to work them John so it's great to see them finally done and ready for the table.

I love the composition on the deep base of spear and shield warriors with the pointing chap at the front. There's a real sense of something is about to happen and you don't want to be on the wrong end of it. 

Some great colour choices and some very tidy hand painted shields really lift these up. They feel like you've invested a lot of time and effort and it has paid off.

Lovely brushwork all round mate and I have added another 5 points for the shields. Cracking stuff!

Cheers,
Millsy

From KentG: 15mm Old Glory 1812 American Wars (144 pts)

This weeks submission is a little different

It's  a commission unbased which means of course less points

I was hoping not to be doing any commission work over 

the challenge but couldn't hold off any longer

They are American infantry from 1812

there are 144 figures in this first lot and tonight I will be starting another 144

figures before i do the artillery and a few other minis, I don't do a lot of 15mm any more

but it is where I began my painting for other people.

The figures travel to the other side of the world so the customer

has asked for them to be unbased

well there we have it 144 figures, the lace and piping took me way longer 

than it should but they are done

points

144 x 15mm foot = 144 points (half points for unbased miniatures)

From Millsy:

I was wondering if we'd see these this week after the discussion on uniforms, colours, etc.

You've done a cracking job I have to say, especially given you painted so many of them in one batch. I know painting in bulk is your schtick but even so that's a lot of stuff. I hope the second batch is not too painful mate!

At "half price" for unbased minis this still nets you a tidy 144 points for your tally.

Cheers,

Millsy

From AaronP: Ok so here is the story of these space marines... (30 points)

Ok before I get into it, me and my family are back from the hospital. My daughter is doing really well following her surgery. It was a shitty, stressful month, but now I am on parental leave for another 13 or so weeks with my family and it all seems like a bad dream. :-) 

Thanks to everyone for the support and well-wishes, it genuinely helped.

OK so the story about these space marines. When the Leviathan box came out I was like, "You know what, I haven't painted a space marine in a while. I am going to buy it."

I clicked the purchase button and while I waited I considered what chapter I would do. I wasn't going to use these models for Warhammer, no no no, so the decision would come down to what I thought was cool, not what was going to not going to suck to play. 

I thought it would be cool to have a group of space marines that had landed on a planet controlled by a corrupt governor. They had to operate in the shadows and arm the local human militias to do most of the fighting as there was still some political tensions as the governor was very influential in the Terran Court. 

I thought it would be cool to have the tactical marines (or whatever the primaris tactical marines call themselves) to be loaded up with gear they were transporting to the militia. There was going to be a whole kitbashing of medieval minis for the militia and I ended up deciding that Ravenguard best suited what I was going for.

I grabbed one of the minis, the fella in the middle pointing to the word "space" (at least on my screen he is) and painted him up like a Ravenguard... and hated it. Every step, EVERY part. I hated painting black armour, I hated the highlights. It was a whole lot of ick. So they ended up in a box...

...until last week.

I was digging around looking for things to paint and I found these guys. Ugh, I thought. UUUUGH. I don't want to paint Ravenguard. I should have just painted them red, I like painting red, but they have all these feathers on them... wait a minute. Blood Ravens are red, and are Ravens. They could have feathers. But what about all this crap they are lugging around...

Oh Blood Ravens like to steal stuff (so says the memes). OK, Ok I can work with these. 

BEHOLD my blood raven tactical guys who stole a bunch of stuff including a charcoal chicken.

I really wanted to move away from the standard poses you see with Space Marines, so I chopped and glued these guys into some more interesting positions. I think my fav is the guy stepping over the metal bar thing.

Anyway, That's 5 "28mm" space marines for 25 points. Not heaps this week, but its not nothing.

Thanks all.
Aaron

From Millsy:

The best part of this post is the first couple of sentences letting us know your family is doing well mate. Our little warriors matter to us but not nearly so much as the little real life people in our orbits. Such good news on a Friday.

Given everything else that's been going on you'd be forgiven for letting standard slip but you've done quite the opposite here. The red armour has amazing depth and is backed up by some wonderful secondary colour choices and brushwork. That white arm on the medic is superb!

I love the way you've added all the extra clobber to their backs to riff on the theme of supporting the militia. I can't remember ever seeing anything like it on a Space Marine before and it's awesome.

Cracking effort all round. Now you have some more time to yourself hopefully we'll see more of this kind of stuff. I've added 5 points for the backpacks for a tidy 30 total for this effort. Nice work!

Cheers,
Millsy