From IainW - Lance Spezzate 28mm 80 points

Just back from a two week trip to Morocco, that wasn't planned before the start of the challenge so Ive missed commenting and posting  Im afraid but at least Id managed to hit my target before I left , there were a couple of units that still needed some work, so this is the first one. Not that long ago I hosted and played a couple of great Italian wars games, Fornova and Agnadello, I resolved that I needed more Italian pike and a unit is primed, some way down the painting queue and also some heavy cavalry that were more Italian and less gendarme like. Now, when I say recently, a quick look at the blog reveals it was April 2024, so not too bad, in the meantime I was gifted a pile of second hand assembled and black primed mounted plastic perry later knights by Des who realised that there weren't that many cavalry in the war of the roses, I gratefully accepted them, I had to add swords to them and swap a few heads but all good and mixed in was some metal Perry command, so with a little clean up, swords, additional priming and with the addition of a few more riders I now had 32 mounted later knights, so four units.

I have then  the first of my lance spezzate, professional heavy cavalry employed by the Venetian state, mounted on 45mm x 60mm bases from warbases and as usual eight to a unit, I've gone for some in darker armour, which seems correct, judging by contemporary art and helps to break up all that shiny steel colour, less elaborate than full on gendarmes but still later knight heavy cavalry, with flags from Petes flags, lovely things in their own right!

 Three more of these units and a couple of archer cavalry (another kind of heavy cavalry)

8 x 10 gives me 80 points

Hopefully one more post!

All the best 

Iain

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Great to have you back with us for the final push to the finish, Iain! Wow, what a wonderful gift of knights you received. Your modifications, priming and painting have really done them proud as they look fantastic in all their varied livery and coloured lances (and as you say, those banners by Pete's Flags are the chef's kiss). Well done!

- Curt

EdwardG: Sprint finish points bomb (376pts)

Hej hej all,

Thank you all for the kind comments on my previous post. Having been languishing in the doldrums for this Challenge I resolved to at least have a go at attacking my points target in the final week and a bit. 

Thanks to some long work meetings and a kind wife who indulged a few later nights of me painting. I think, if my maths is correct, that I've made it, and a little over. Be that as it may I'm slightly sad I wasn't on this kind of form for more of the challenge! The dent into the 28mm lead/plastic pile is noticeable, but there are still nearly 5x really useful boxes full to go! 😀 

But, enough waffle. I concentrated on first getting my basic English Saga force painted and then branched out to the Scots, via some mercenary troops. I managed the English and a fair number of Scots (32 remaining for the full schilitron!)

First up on the photos is Sir Thomas Grey, English Captain and all around sold soldiery chap (with a nice and simple heraldry, and a flag from Flags of War!). The Grey family had a handy run of about 4 generations of solid soldiers, fighting in all the wars versus Scots and Frenchmen in the period. They eventually made it to the ranks of the Earls under Henry V, with a large number of French estates, but seem to have lost it all in the 1450s and 60s.

Supported by his tried and true men-at-arms, and household knights.

And supporting him are his band of merry Archers. All of whom are wearing an unnatural uniform coat...but give me a chance, I painted them all in about 6hrs! 

His opponent from over the Wall, a place they call Scotland... is a deer stalking highlander with a mixture of close combat clansmen and pike armed yeomen. All energised into a combat frenzy by the sweet melody of the pipes! 

And then supporting whomever has just promised the larger pay packet, a bunch of axe happy Irish mercenaries. They began the challenge being painted yellow, but I lost the will to continue after base coating them. Coming back to them a few months later I went to recover the paint job and "start" with a black undercoat. I liked the under coat much more than the original paint scheme, so they became black coated Irish, rather than the "traditional" mustard yellow that is shown in the pictures of Irish of the period. 

A final addition were finished at lunchtime today. I found these chaps, undercoated from a previous Challenge, in a misc minis box and felt inspired having painted their 28mm Irish cousins. I belive they are Essex minis of a generic axemen/halbardier type. 

All of this effort equals points...at least that's the hope! 

English = 42 x 28mm foot = 42 x 5pts = 210pts

Scottish = 22 x 28mm foot = 22 x 5pts = 110pts

Irish = 8 x 28mm foot = 8 x 5pts = 40pts

15mm axemen = 8 x 15mm foot = 8 x 2pts = 16pts

Total = 376pts

Grand total = 74 + 376 = 450pts!! Phew! 

So long all and thanks for all the fish! Looking forward to seeing you all next year! 

Best, 

Ed 😀

What a paint bomb Edward, loving this.  Lord Grey is wonderful and I live his huge retinue of archers in their red livery.  It may not be strictly historical but it works and gives unit cohesion.  But most of all I love those Scots with their wild Irish merch.  Well done all around.

PeterD 

From MattW - Napoleonic, ACW, Roman’s and Aliens oh my! (140 points)

 Napoleonic, ACW, Roman’s and Aliens 

Finally back from our 10 week vacation in Australia, I was keen to hit the painting desk and have been really productive over the last 14 days getting a lot painted. I missed last Friday’s  deadline as I went to wargames and forgot to take photos…..

First up eight Perry Plastic dismounted Dragoons, these have been in my stash for over 10 years now, great to finally get them completed. 

8 Napoleonic figures @ 5 points = 40 points 

I also painted some  ACW bits, a Confederate band and a farrier from Dixon minatures range. 

9 ACW figures @5 points  = 45

Back to my neglected Roman’s for my Gangs of Rome project, I still have a lot more to do with this collection, including buildings. The figure will be able to be a civilian, slaver or a gang member, and two camels. 

Three 28mm figures @ 5 points = 15 poinrs

Finally for Christmas I received the Aliens another glorious day for the corps board-game, I decided to paint the Xenomorph’s first, I elected for a green blue colour on my first batch, quite happy with the result. 

8 x 28mm figures  @ 5 points = 40 points

Totals 

Twenty eight 28mm foot figures @5 points  = 140 points 

Squirrel 4 points 

Napoleonic 

ACW

Roman’s 

Aliens 

Cheers

MattW

From Millsy:

In a rush with real life so I don't have the time to say something pertinent I'm afraid! Nice work mate, especially the dismounted dragoons.

Cheers,

Millsy

From Iain W: 28mm Austrian uhlan regiment no 1 Merveldt (125 points)

This is a unit of Uhlans ,regiment no 1 Merveldt for the 1809 campaign based on the Perry plastic British light dragoons in the later uniform with overalls mounted on Warlord ECW plastic horses and with a mixture of Victrix and Warlord lancers arms. Their czapkas are Victrix wth more of a campaign look, more like this Rick Scollins illustration

The next unit will have full dress.

I always liked the rather business like uniform of the Uhlans. I might well use this unit as the Brunswick Uhlans for an 1809 campaign Ive been thinking of depicting the Duke of Brunswick's small force fighting its way to the coast, I already have the French provisional dragoon unit and have three primed Westphalian infantry units, its more should I use my nephews Peninsular Brunswick units or should I go with 1809 correct units?

Straight forward scores, 12 x 10, 120 points

All the best 

Iain 

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Wow Iain, I just love to see Uhlans!! Czapskas always look so great. I can see why wearing them on a battlefield became a terrible idea over time, but it just seems like we should still be wearing them to meetings and such. Right?

I also love this post because your long opening sentence fully captures the beauty, energy and somewhat nutty commitment that comes with the Napoleonic aspect of the hobby. Perry, Warlord, Victrix...a mix of bits...all to get that look that one feels is not only more accurate, but feels right. 

They painted up lovely, and totally look the business. I am awarding five extra points for the Airbus-level complications in the sourcing of the bits and making it all look sharp. 

GregB