From StuartL - Finishing at the Start - 75 Points

Hi all,

Despite a lot of real life stuff going on, I was able to finish off some minis just in time. Both of the batches below represent new projects for me, hence the title of the post.

Many years ago, I got into Napoleonics with some friends at my local gaming group. I bought a few brigades of Waterloo era British, while those around me collected French, Russians, Austrians and Prussians, though mainly for the slightly earlier period. Unfortunately, all of my opponents moved away or changed hobbies completely. This left me with a bit of a problem. Having only one force meant that they would never see the table. So, I figured that I would have to start collecting a second army. While I was tempted to get a Waterloo era French force, I decided to go for the earlier uniforms. I got a couple of boxes of Perrys 1807-14 French for Christmas, but I haven't had time to start building them yet. I did want to do something for the challenge, so I had a friend print me some artillery.

    These are some French Foot Artillery from Battlecat Miniatures on MyMiniFactory. They were fairly easy to paint up and the details were nice and sharp. The gun limbers have very deep grain on the wood, which doesn't look so realistic up close, but at tabletop level it should be fine.

    I did have some trouble getting all of the minis onto the bases I had, especially the guy adjusting the wheel position. Some parts of the figure are sticking out over the edge of the base.

    
    These are really nice minis and I am thinking to have my friend print a few more for me. I have a couple of French generals printed as well, but sadly time was not on my side. 

    The second new force is more Space Marines. I have way too many Space Marine armies, (cough, 14 different armies including this one), I think I may have a problem. My armies come in two types, Horus Heresy armies and Badab War armies. These are both primarily Marine Vs. Marine conflicts, which explains why I have so many. I have dabbled with the new Primaris figures, but sold them on as they weren't really my thing.

    These five minis represent half of an assault squad for the Star Phantoms Chapter for the Badab War. Painting this much white was not as much fun as you might expect. 

    The Star Phantoms' background hints that they are an offshoot of the Dark Angels Legion, from the Dreadwing formation, which uses the same iconography. Their preferred tactical doctrines are 'Scorched Earth' and 'War Crimes'. They lean heavily into the 40K skull motif too.

     I have a bunch more models for this force lined up, so hopefully there will be more to come in the next challenge.

    Well, that is about all from me for this year. So, this final group should score me:

2x artillery pieces = 20 Points

6x French gun crews = 30 Points

5x Space Marines = 25 Points

    That should add 75 Points to my tally, taking me well past my target number, though not as high as previous years. 

    This lot get me two last Squirrels and the Star Phantoms have 32 Skulls between them.

  My ongoing duels information:

Skulls - 271 (+32)
BSRoD - 17 (+0)
Squirrels - 20 (+2) - D&D Animals, 30K Militia, Plague Clowns, Afghans, Robots, Anglo-Saxons, Medieval Polish, Clan Smoke Jaguar, 81st West Africans, Undead, 10mm FPW French, Daemons of Khorne, Modern Vehicles, Turnip28, Space Wolves, Free French, Arabs, Snake Folks, French Napoleonics, Star Phantoms.

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I know you've been very busy as of late so it's nice to see you back for a final volley, Stuart. 

The Star Phantoms are very nice in their stark white livery and close combat weaponry. That being said, the stars of this post (at least for me) are the French artillery. I've seen several examples of Battle Cat figures during this year's Challenge and they look very nice (I think the deep woodgrain is a nice feature as it helps with painting). You've done a great job on this small battery and I look forward to seeing more from this project next Challenge! 

Until then have a great rest of the year!

- Curt

From MartijnN: Just past the post! (402 points)

Wow, I don't think I have ever been cutting it so close in the Challenge. I have been painting steadily throughout, if not as often or as much as I would have liked, but never seemed to get anything really done. So, I have only managed a few posts this time on my appointed Saturday (sorry, Sander!). However, I really wanted to get as close to my target as I could get, so here are my final contributions:

First, there are two more vehicles for my Bolt Action French army. As I said before, I really like the quirky French camouflage schemes, and these two are no exception. Here is a Panhard armoured car, a Warlord resin and metal model that arrived on my doorstep recently. It's a nice model, and I think the Panhard looks surprisingly modern.

Then, there is a Hotchkiss light tank. It is a 3d printed model, designed by Counlane Models. It is a very detailed model, and it went together nicely; it would have been even better had I used a less flexible resin. However, the end result is quite acceptable.

Then, I printed and painted more of the excellent Colonel Muller figures. Here is another squad of reservists, complete with VLB grenade launcher.

I also painted two LMG teams. I put them on a single base, just so that the loader is always with the gunner, and I like them that way.

Finally, a few regular infantry and an officer. In all, there are 20 28mm figures.

Then, I have painted my first "mass" units of 28mm Napoleonics since the 1990's. They are two 24 man battalions of the 28th French Line Infantry, the first battalion with the eagle and the second with the fanion, No, that is not a white flag, thank you very much. I also painted two mounted officers to go with them. The first battalion are Warlord plastics, the command figures and the mounted officer in metal; the second battalion are the gorgeous Piano Wargames figures, now also available in plastic, but these were 3d printed by myself. I have since switched over to a more flexible resin, which is just as well for the first bayonet has already broken off and disappeared into the unknown, However, the unit still looks good I think.

So there you have it. I'll claim 2 points for the Panhard commander, so as not to go down the 0.5 points route. The tally should be, then:

2x 28mm vehicles @20 = 40

2x 28mm mounted @10 = 20

68.4 x 28mm foot @ 5 = 342

For a total of 402.

Must be the most points I have ever gathered in a single post! And hit my target after all, phew.

See you in the wrap-up!

Martijn

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Martijn, lovely work on this veritable points bomb you have for us! I've very much enjoyed watching the progress on your WWII early French project. The armoured car and Hotchiss look suitably en français in their distinctive ameba camouflage. I also like your soon-to-be-demobbed reservists (and agree about having the squad weapon loader based with the gunner). Finally, your first mass units since the 90s! Well, that is something to celebrate, especially when they look as good as these. Again, I have to agree with you in that those Piano models are very nice (and now available in plastic, no less). The only thing that would make them better would be them in the early Empire uniform, but that's just me. :)

I'm delighted that you hit your target with this last post, Martijn and I hope we enjoy your company for the next Challenge.

- Curt

From PeteB - Wargamer Bonnie The Empress - 5 Points

 Today I present to you a naughty little lady. This figure is from the company Wargamer from Poland. It is a 28 mm high white metal figure that I bought at the last CRISIS show. I first thought I bought a resin or 3D printed figure but after a good look I saw it was white metal with parts that had to be glued. And I hate glueing metal. At this moment I get a good result with superglue and white (wood)glue. There were also some trciky edges that were hard to reach with the brush. But at the end I'm happy with te final result. Have a look for yourself.

As you can see she's riding a pet peeve (stokpaardje in Dutch), so technically she is cavalry! 😁 But I'm not so naughty as her. It's one figure. I add also some pictures of the box and a text that is written on it. Have fun reading it.

Being a boss of a big corporation is always a huge challenge. And when it is a French corporation... hmm... Say no more... Bonnie sometimes really has had enough. Worst of all is all that managing staff. If you watch them, they do what they are supposed to do (though behind-the-scenes intrigues, never-ending pressure for promotions and pay raises and constant flattery are pretty tiring), but when you let them out of your sight, it all goes like a house of cards. Merde! I think it will come to shedding this work and go to take a rest somewhere on the edge of the world... Maybe to some island?

And some more pictures I took outside.

Thanks for watching!

Points: 1 x 28 mm foot figure = 5 Points

Oh Pete,this cracks me up! I have bought the exact same figure at the Crisis as well! I will not be painting her this Challenge but it's a joy to see her here so well done by you! Chapeau!

Cheers Sander 

From: LeeH & RayR - A combined project round-up (and punch-up)

Ray and I got together yesterday to bring both sides of our Retreat from Moscow project together in the Rejects Shed-o-War. Laid out on the table we are more than a little amazed at how much we have got done during the painting challenge. Once again this amazing event has stimulated our creative juices, whipped up our enthusiasm and kept our brushes whirling in a way we never normally manage to replicate at any other time of the year. 

Ray beat Lee on points... so we recreated that beating in
front of our combined output from the Challenge 🤣

We've had a good long chat about our respective armies and have already made a list of extra units we want to add. We have already started making some of the terrain we want for this project and yesterday we made agreed what to buy next and exchanged ideas of items we would like to see on a future battlefield. So while the frenetic pace of activity during the challenge will abate a little over the next few weeks, we are hoping to keep that enthusiasm burning throughout the year. Ray summed it up perfectly when he describe our efforts during the Challenge as "phase one of the project". 

From DennisC 28mm Napoleonic Cavalry and civilians 100pts

Winding down and I got sidetracked with a few things so not able to reach my goal of 750 points.. however the 'sidetrack' meant painting up some Wolf Brigade Cavalry for my French, famously in Sharpe's battle with all the wolf pelts, plus I have a Ducos (Sharpe's again, will be my Exploring Officer) and 2 civilians for the game Sharpe Practice, for a total of 100 points

"Sharpe, I poleece deez mountaynes....."

Wolf Brigade made from plastic Hussars and Dragoon helmets

Greenstuff wolf pelts on the helms

Whole unit done, need to paint!

Bases and horses done.. will need to do some painting over lunches at work to get this done in time!

'productive' lunch hour.. some people go for a walk I painted sheepskin saddles..

All done

Pelises with 'gold braiding' which is just Biege Brown and Desert Yellow

detail shot

Ducos the spymaster from Sharpe... bad lighting he isn't this swarthy in normal light

Clergy and random female civilian, for Sharpe's Practice

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Wonderful work on these enemies of Sharpe, Dennis! I really like how you kitbashed the Wolf Brigade from the two Perry plastic cavalry boxes - the final result look terrific (the lack of lunchtime walks paid off, I think). Also excellent work on the spymaster himself. These will make very worthy opponents for future Sharpe Practice scenarios. Well done!

 

- Curt

From KentG: Everything from Napoleonic to Custers last stand (92 pts)

This week has been a bit of a shish mash of figures

some I just really wanted to do other were either left overs from

groups of figures I'd already done for the challenge but miscalculated and

 done extra horse here and there

This first one is a wargames Illustrated 

moments in history set and was a hoot to 

paint, I had so much fun with this one

poor old Custer meets his end

This 40mm perry Miniatures, when I paint the other figures 

I had missed this one so thought I better get him done

This is another moments in history set 

by wargames illustrated, this one is another great wee set of 28mm figures

A few more pirates 28mm you can see the one with the sword

 above is on my new base that I got made, the other ones whoever glued those

 into the bases did a really good job and I can't get them apart

These figures are 28mm outlaws from the Barons wars range, 

I thought a quick easy paint but they have very fine detail and I ended up

 spending a good amount of time on them

When I did the Dragoons early on in the Challenge I mis calculated

here's the extra figures like the one below put on a base, I had to do a 

little painting on the ECW trumpeter but most had already been started before

 I realized I didn't need him to complete the unit

                Points

                2 bases of history in time 5 x 28mm = 25pts

                1 x 40mm Napoleonic foot = 7pts

                4 x pirates 28mm foot =20pts

                4 x outlaws 28mm foot = 20pts

                2 x cavalry 28mm = 20pts

                                                            Total 92 points
 

From Millsy: I was so tempted to leave the title as you typed it Kent... "Clusters last stand" is a pretty accurate description of how that played out I'd say. But if your attention to grammar is light on your skills with a brush are quite the opposite mate. The last stand is just wonderful and the lance dividing the base in two adds a nice element of theatre. 92 more well earned points for your total!