From PeterD: Badass Female Pulp Adventurers 28mm (30 points)

I had a full serving of life catching up to me since Christmas, so have slowed down my output and lowered my expected output.  Instead I am trying to get a bit done and post what I can finish.  This week I have a set of 6 Badass Femme Adventurers, or at least that’s what the Kickstarter from Bad Squiddo called them.  I got in on this Kickstarter during the last Challenge but they didn’t arrive until after the Spring Equinox so I saved them for this year.

Like all Bad Squiddo figures they are nicely cast and posed, dressed correctly and I’ve no idea what I’ll use them for.  Maybe Curt has some Pulp Adventures rules that could use a gang of female bikers.  The biggest issue for me was they were cast without bases but ready to be used in Slotta bases.  Not being a GW fan, I had no Slotta bases on hand so I went to the local Warhammer Store.  Store manager was a nice guy, gave me excellent service and was able to order some in, since they’re now only used for Blood Bowl.  I’d go back again if he sold something that I wanted.  However the Slotta slots were too long and too narrow for the Bad Squiddo tabs, so out came the Xacto to make em fit and I plugged any gaps in the groundskeeping phase.

These figures came named as follow.

• Shiela has not let helmet head affect her fashionable Louise Brooks bob.  She wears a camel coat and high boots with a pistol to accessorize.
• Blanche has raided the toolbox and carries an adjustable spanner for close up work and a pistol for ranged combat.  Her jodhpurs will be useful to fill up on snacks at the Buffett table before the night’s adventures.

• Edna is going two fisted with a brace of pistols.  IIRC this figure has issues in casting so is a bit of a limited edition.
• Ruth carries a burning desire and a Molotov along with a pistol.  She has wisely kept her goggles and gloves on.

• Kathleen obviously leans left with her red beret, overalls and SMG.
• Violet has a more sombre coat and carries a long arm.  Her leather gloves will save her nails against recoil.

Basing issues aside these were fun to work with.  I claim 30 points for the six figures.  I’ll also make this my first squirrel 🐿️.

 

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Sylvain: Despite all the obstacles, you were able to bring these lovely adventurers to the gaming table. You did a very nice paint job and opted for classic wears, in line with the fashion in the 30s. I especially like the baggy pants, they is a "je-ne-sais-quoi" to them. Your basing also brings lots of variety to the batch. Excellent travail!

 

From PeterB - A drag race through the Abyss (125 points)

I have been busy this week checking off some of the challenge locations. One post per location is probably a bit much, so here is a quick run through.  Last week I was at Gluttony, so in my own personal need to try and visit each location without skipping, next stop Greed.

Greed is reserved for those that put money over anything else, willing to be a cold hearted killer just for a few credits for example.

Cad Bane the bounty hunter was an associate of the bounty hunter Jango Fett. When Jango was killed by Mace Windu in the battle for Geonosis, Jango's son Boba Fett swore revenge and asked Jango to train him as Bounty Hunter. Taking Boba under his wing and raising him, Bane eventually turned on Boba Fett when employed by the Pyke syndicate to "deal" with Fett.  

After a dramatic showdown, Fett killed Bane in the dusty streets of Mos Espa. Showing all that greed is definitely a path to the dark side.

Dramatic shot from below.

The model is from the Star Wars Legion range. These models can be a bit pricey as they come with a bunch of cards and tokens as well. I'm probably not going to collect too many, but as a family we love the Mandalorian series, so a Mando showdown may be in the future.

Next stop Wrath. How does that phrase go? Hell hath no fury... Well, this barbarian from Bad Squiddo miniatures certainly seems wrathful. 

In full berserk rage, forgoing any kind of shield, this warrior is up for maximum carnage by wielding two axes at once.

Next stop, Heresy. Well, when it comes to toy soldiers, there is one Heresy you cannot fail to consider, the Horus Heresy from the 40K universe when Horus turned against the God Emperor. This cultist is clearly a follower of one of the Heretical Gods of this universe, possibly a member of the Blood Pact with his red robes.

Next stop Violence. This poor cowboy has suffered double. Not only did he suffer a violent death at the hangman's noose for crimes we can only imagine, he has been brought back to an undead existence and is being violently attacked by a crow!

If he could just work out how to fire that six shooter, maybe he could scare the crow off and keep some of his brains.

The model is from Black Scorpion miniatures. They do a great range of dead and live Wild West characters.

Our last stop this week is Fraud. The bane of dungeon explorers everywhere. This could have been a candidate for greed, but this chest doesn't contain any treasure. Any unsuspecting adventurer that isn't careful will lose a limb to this mimic. It's fraudulent disguise tempts in unsuspecting explorers keen to find that plus one sword of smiting or magic spell scroll.

And that is it for now. 5 locations and 5 28mm scale models.

So points, 5 locations 5 x 20 = 100

5 models, 5 x 5 = 25

Total 125 points.

Now, that is what I call an effective bonus bounty hunt, Peter! Five miniatures for five locations, clever. You have chosen them well, I must say. There's another zombie to give me the creeps, and I like your Cad Bane, but the axe-wielding barbarian is my favourite. Good job!

125 very efficient points it is.

Martijn

From PeterB - The last visit to the Library with a few stragglers - 65 points

Are we really at the end already? It seems like five minutes since we started. My favourite thing about the challenge is that it fills that gap between Christmas and the first show I go to each year, Salute. Next month I will be off to London for the day where I will do my best to refill the leadpile again. These couple of months really keep my hobby itch occupied until then.

When I first glanced at the challenge map I wasn't sure I would be successfully traversing it, never mind visiting every stack. A task that wasn't necessary and only a crazy fool like myself would attempt. Last stop, Biography.

For this stop I have painted the historical figure of Jeanne De Clisson, known as the Lioness of Brittany. Jeanne was a French/Breton noblewoman born in 1300. In 1330 she married her husband Olivier de Clisson. Both of them were previously widowed and Olivier had a son from his first marriage. They then went on to have five children. In 1342 Olivier was captured by the English when they attacked the city of Vannes. His release was eventually arranged but the French Kings Lieutenant, Charles de Blois, declared the ransom too low and therefore accused Olivier of being a traitor and not defending the city to his fullest. After a failed attempt at a rescue by Jeanne and Oliviers oldest son, Jean, Olivier was beheaded in August 1343.

For her attempts to rescue her husband, Jeanne was now charged with Rebellion, disobediance and excesses against the King. (Oh and she also tried bribing the King's Sergeant) Jean died in June of that year and now Jeanne was tried in absense. Jeanne swore revenge against the King, sold all her estates, raised a force of 400 men and had three ships converted for Piracy. A 13 year career of piracy and privateering for the English followed. Jeanne died in December 1359 a few weeks after the death of her fourth husband Walter Bentley.

The model as you may have guessed (if you didn't already know) is from Bad Squiddo Games. She is sculpted by the talented Kev White.

The Space Orks painting has continued as well. A slaver and some Nobs. (They really did have fun with naming stuff back in the 90s.) The Nobs were all missing arms, so a good delve in the bits box later and some cutting and filing and I was quite pleased with the result.

As I have left it to the very end to complete all the stacks, I shall not be requesting a challenge from Head Librarian Curt for the last stack for Rare and Antique books as I have run out of time. I will however, give an alternative finish to the challenge that I have been saving from my old school 40K project. What better to paint for the end of the challenge than a Librarian?

Another model that I first painted back in the 90's, he has had a good dip in biostrip. He did have a couple of layers of paint on him. I first painted him entirely red, then discovered that in those days Librarians all wore blue and only had their army colours on one shoulder. Then he had another layer of paint from repainting all my Spam when I was enthusiastic about Brazen Brass shaded with brown ink. 

It took a good 24 hour dip to get him shiny and new and now you can see the details again that were lost in the thick crust of paint. I'm not overly happy with the banner, but I can easily print off some others to try until I am happy. 

So to my final points

7 x 28mm infantry. 7 x 5 = 35 points

1 x 28mm cavalry. 1 x 10 = 10 points

1 location = 20 points

Total = 65 Points.

From Millsy: Ahh..... seeing goblin green bases on orcs is like sitting in the sun, it's just good for the soul. Love what you've done with them Peter, especially the deep red and the arm conversions have worked a treat. I wouldn't have known some were swapped in had you not said so. Jeanne De Clisson is great work too and I really enjoyed the backstory. Nice work and another 65 points for your tally mate!

From PeterB - Into the final section with some more 2nd Ed 40K and friends - 145 Points

I've finally hit the last section of the library. As you can probably tell I am unnecessarily trying to cover every set of stacks. So first of all, Oversize books.

Having been playing some Gaslands, I felt I needed a vehicle with a bit more craziness. What can be crazier than a monster truck with oversized tyres. This beast is definitely going to be intimidating the other drivers.

The vehicle is originally a cutesy cartoon vehicle from a kids show and had a smiley face on the front. A no-prize to anyone that can name the character/show. Some additional bits added from the instruments of carnage sprue from North Star and it now looks the part.

Next up, we head to true crime.

In the Warhammer 40,000 universe, the job of investigating crimes and keeping the peace amongst the miserable masses falls to the local Adeptus Arbites. (At least from third edition 40K onwards anyway,) Amongst the underhives of the spire cities where gangs roam, they are mostly kept in check by these guys, keeping them from bothering the rich families of the upper levels. Quite obviously inspired by the Lawmakers from Mega City One in the pages of 2000AD, these Judges are also Jury and Executioner when required. 

Then we head to cookery. 

I struggled at first with this category, then a delve in my "to do" box and I found this Spartan taking a break on campaign. Not sure of the manufacturer unfortunately, it was a second hand gift from a friend amongst some other bits. I also pulled out some pots and fire left over from the Renada Viking House set and a bunny from Bad Squiddo Games. It looks to me like the soldier is wondering what he is going to cook that evening, then has inspiration when an inquisitive rabbit appears. Maybe he is about to cook up some carrot broth and will share the carrot tops with his new friend?

Next we head to self help.

As everyone knows, the keeping and caring of plants is also an excellent balm for the mind. I myself am not that green fingered but do enjoy planting the odd bulb here and there to make the garden look nice. Although after completing this project my fingers were indeed definitely a shade of goblin green.

Some of you old school 40K players may recognise these plants as inspired by all those magnificent battle reports from old White Dwarfs that have been the inspiration of my main project this year, 

Yep, you too can have dangerous alien plant life as terrain on your wargame table by shoving some cocktail sticks into polystyrene balls. (Some are actually egg shaped, handy it being Easter soon.) The whole project took a lot longer than expected due to the layers of cheap craft paint taking an age to dry and needing multiple coats. The balls were attached together with very careful application of hot glue, too much and the polystyrene would just disintegrate. PVA glue however just didn't cut the mustard.

Scale shot for reference

The cacti are around 3 inch cube and there are six of them, so probably 15 points?

Finally, not for any location, just a little bonus for those of you that were missing the back banners and skulls. I present Zodgrod Wortsnagga. (That is a mouthful of a name.) Zodgrod is a slaver amongst the Ork society, preferring the company of Grots/Gretchin. 

A member of my local club very kindly swapped some old school Orks with me for some Chaos Dwarfs, so I had to paint this chap up this week for my retro Ork army.

To the scores...

1 x 20mm vehicle = 15 points

5 x 28mm Arbites infantry. 5 x 5 = 25 points

1 x 28mm Spartan infantry = 5 points

4 x locations. 4 x 20 = 80 points

terrain points = 15 points

1 x 28m Ork infantry = 5 points

Total = 85 points 145 points

 

 Sylvain: Nice completion of locations this week! Your "Big Foot" vehicle is hilariously tire-obese. Fantastic submission.

From AdamC: Bear Cub - Nature (25 points)

Family health issues (nothing serious just persistent and annoying) have limited my painting but I have been making progress and did finish this little fellows.

He's the last of a set of a mother bear and cubs the others have been made into Christmas ornaments for my wife (these have appeared in other challenges). They are some of Annie at Bad Squiddo games excellent collection of 25 mm animal miniatures. 

This fellow is a bit cheeky with his tongue sticking out. 

My daughter Evie is starting an RPG with me, and another adult and their children. The Game is called "Perils & Princess" and the character has an animal companion and I hope this fellow might work.  For points, it's a 25 mm figure so typically 5 points it's a bit small so a reduction may be appropriate. Nature should get another 20 for 25 in total.

Sylvain: This week, you bring a cute little fella to the Challenge. It's an easy pun, but the animal and your name remind me of "Grizzly Adams". I am sure the games you will play with your daughter will be lasting memories. Nice work! 

From PeterB - A Time Traveller and another Dreadnought (90 points)

This week we start on the first floor Rotunda. With one subject left to visit, the travel section. Well, with this travelling there is only one thing to say, where we're going, we don't need roads. This traveller is of the time travelling kind of course.

I have pictured him with his travelling companion just for interest, the young lad was painted pre-challenge so I won't be claiming points for him.

I had a good delve in the garage to find something to cover the Naval category and found this French WW2 Marine from the British Model Soldier Society. Needless to say after finding him I discovered a slight error, so the category remains unticked.

So, swiftly moving on, a quick jump on Sarah's cart to travel over to the gift shop. To pay for the journey this offering from Bad Squiddo games. 

For the gift shop I present another Dreadnought. After last weeks vintage Dread, my youngest son got this brand new one for Christmas. Previously he has declared his wish to paint these things but then a change of mind meant I have ended up doing it. This new kit was a bit of a nightmare to be honest. It was so many parts, supposedly made to be adjustable but then once painted they don't anyway. The shoulder connections needed filing down so they could swivel, otherwise the dreadnought would be pointing it's gun and fist to the sky. It comes with a choice of two guns as well, I did paint both, but I suspect repeated swapping of weapons will weaken the connection.

The points

Two stack visits 2 x 20 points = 40 points

Two 28mm models 2 x 5 points = 10 points

1 trip on the cart = 20 points

Total = 70 points

Sylvain: I instantly recognized "Doc" from "Back to the future". Very good paint job on these miniatures. And the dreadnought is very impressive.

As for points, the minions discussed the "double dip" phenomena and would recommend that a single model be used for a single location, so the young lady should be used to claim points for either the "gift shop" and "cart trip". So that would bring your library bonuses down from 60 to 40 points.

However, the good news is that GW Dreadnoughts are considered 28mm vehicles at 20 points. So this would bump up your score by 15 points.

Grand total: 65 points.

Nicely done! 

Sylvain: Some amendments need to be done, as described in PeterB's comment, below. The revised total is now 90 points. Thanks for catching my mistakes!