IainW 28mm - Late Roman shieldwall unit (50 points)

 Last Late Roman shieldwall unit, like the other units second hand black tree design figures, nice to paint, although being second hand I now realise upon painting them that there are a couple of later dark age types with longer hair, no belt and a slightly different dress, but with the same shield, spangleheim helmet, mail and spear I think theyll do, no doubt Goths press ganged . Speaking of the hand painted shield, I only realised it was a cavalry design after Id painted it,whoops!

Like the other infantry units,all individualy mounted on 1p pieces and sabot based in a warbases 120mm mdf base, still got to finish an archer unit then this little army is complete.

10  x 5 gives me 50 points

Last post, I'd like to thank Greg , Curt and all the team, its been great fun as always and I forgot to mention the charity I contributed to in December is for Refugees which are no doubt even busier in the eastern Mediterranean now.

All the best 

Iain

From Millsy:

Good to see another Late Roman post in this Challenge. Seeing your work and that of others like JohnS has kept the fire alive for my own efforts, so thanks for that.

You've done a smashing job on these, particularly the lorica sclamata which I have a hankering to add some of myself. I'm tempted by the BTD stuff and might dip my toe in there. If they come out as well as yours have it'll be worth the effort.

50 more points racked up. Great choice of charity too BTW. Nice one mate.

Cheers,
Millsy

From RobH: A walk in the Sun (190 points)

Time flies. The month of February is the busiest month of the year for me at the office. It actually begins in mid January and ended last week. As a result I get next to nothing gaming related completed. But here goes.

1) This was a project I began on Thursday after I signed off work. Twelve Late Roman slingers, or a Saga Levy. This was 15 stages of work, completed at all hours of the day or night. From the first application of paint applied to the trousers (AV Game Color 72.037 Filthy Brown to the final stage of a coat of Mod Podge applied to provide a sealant for the Meadows of Purity Krautcover Scenics. I just wanted to see if I could push it throught in about 60 hours.

2) The second project was the completion of 10 Late Roman Cavalry.  This would be a Warlord and bannerman and a Saga Warrior Unit. This was the project that was start and go in the middle of the night during the long winter season.

3) Finally we have a walk in the sun. This was a freebie from Warlord Games showing off their French Line Infantry. I have some plastics but I prefer my mins to be metal. It had just the right amount of model work that appealed to me. Glue on a head, attach the backpack and roll. No fuss, no muss. I have never got into painting Napoleonics and I don't have a lot of knowledge of the period. This was an easy project simply because I thought, six figures and my Spanish Guerrillas needed someone to ambush. I went for a ragtag look. The greatcoat makes it an easy project.

18 25mm Infantry X 5 points = 90 points

10 25mm Cavalry x 10 points = 100 points

Total 190 Points. 

Very nice work here Rob and a nice variety of historical subjects! I have a large amount of 28mm Napoleonic British and French in a box, waiting for the right moment... I suspect they will be a retirement project. Your ragtag Frenchmen do look the part though!

One-ninety for you!

Dallas

From RobH -28mm Gallic Warband (100 Points)

My first entry for the 2026 Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge are twenty Gallic Warriors. This is a unit purchase from Black Tree Design that has been sitting in my pile of lead for somehere between 15 and 20 years. The unit deals, and even the Gauls are no longer available on the BTD website. 

20 Gaulic Warriors - 28mm

They are an easy addition to my SAGA Gallic Warband but are displayed here on prototype movement trays for a concept test for Infamy, Infamy. A fellow gamer here in Montreal did a 3D print of the trays for use for a Sharpe's Practice game later this month. 

On New Year's Eve I discovered I had no shields for these figures, which I imagine are lost in the mists of time. I placed an order to Warlord Games for shields that I hope will work with these figures. Howvever I wanted them posted for the Challenge as I am still awaiting an order that was mailed on Dec 5th, departed the country on Dec 16th and still has not arrived in Canada.

I feel your pain on the shipping times Rob, I do. But your Gauls look great, they're very colourful and I quite like the groundwork too. Black Tree models are suitably chunky and fun to paint as well. I'd like to see the movement trays when they're done.

Looks to me like you've painted 20 28mm infantry models here which at 5 points each, equals 100 points for your tally. This one was easy for me to figure out but in future could you please indulge me and list the number and type of models, scale, and points claimed at the end of your post? Thanks!

Dallas

From SimonM: Ben & Victorian Policeman by "Black Tree Design" [Local History] (43 points)

This 28mm metal single-cast figure is sold by by "Black Tree Design" and is available as Code DW151 - Ben from their "Doctor Who" miniatures range. Sculpted to represent "an able seaman on a shore posting", the miniature is clearly based upon the First and Second Doctors' companion Ben Jackson, who first appeared in Ian Stuart Black's 1966 BBC Television story "The War Machines".

Initially primed using a mixture of "Vallejo" Surface Primer Black and "Warlord Games" Pitch Black, the Royal Navy sailor was subsequently heavily dry-brushed with “Vallejo” Heavy Charcoal and given a healthy dose of "Citadel" Nuln Oil. I then painted his trousers with a lick of "Two Thin Coats" Marine Blue, darkened them down with "Citadel" Nuln Oil, and later applied some rough highlights, courtesy of dry-brushing (more) Marine Blue by "Two Thin Coats" across the clothing's folds.

Finally, I dabbed some "Vallejo" Gold onto the buttons of Ben's duffle coat, before carefully applying some "Two Thin Coats" White Star and "Vallejo" Pale Grey to the top of his cap. I did also consider providing actor Michael Craze's character with some sort of jumper, which looked liked it was poking out from under the top of his coat in the 'official' paint-job. However, the figure itself didn't look as if it had any such garment on, so I simply stuck with the open neck look - which is how the time traveller actually appears on the small screen.

Alongside Ben, I have also pigmented another 28mm figure from "Black Tree Design" and their "Doctor Who" miniatures range. Available as Code DW415 - Victorian Policeman, this model is based upon the constables seen in Robert Holmes' 1977 BBC Television story "The Talons of Weng-Chiang".

Originally given a coat of "Vallejo" Surface Primer Black and "Warlord Games" Pitch Black, the "Peeler" was treated to a couple of layers of "Two Thin Coats" Marine Blue and a good dousing in Oblivion Black Wash. He was then enthusiastically dry-brushed with (more) Marine Blue by "Two Thin Coats", before having all of his buttons and belt buckle spotted in "Vallejo" Gold and a smidgeon of "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade.

The British Bobby's cape chain and helmet badge were later 'picked out' with a little "Two Thin Coats" Sir Coates Silver and "Citadel" Nuln Oil. Whilst the Policeman's wooden truncheon was given a blanket of "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade. I also traced along the lines of the stout fellow's facial lambchops with some "Citadel" Abaddon Black.

Considering that Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, the rest of His Majesty's Naval Base, the D-Day Museum and the Explosion Museum of Naval Firepower are just a couple of miles away, I thought this figure of Ben Jackson wearing a vintage (Sixties) sailor's uniform would make an excellent submission for the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge's Local History Library desk - especially as the fictional able seaman himself was based at Portsmouth according to the 1968 "Doctor Who" Annual. In addition, Explosion specialises in the history of Royal Naval uniforms, and even goes so far as to mention the duffle coat and cap Ben is sculpted wearing as being an example of a sailor's "working dress" following the Uniform Regulations of 1856 in its excellent "Researching Your Items: Identifying Uniforms" pamphlet. 

Furthermore, due to Portsmouth Central Police Station being in a similarly close proximity, I thought my Nineteenth Century Policeman would equally hit the criteria for the Challenge's Local History Library desk. The original station was actually established in Albert Road in 1872, so harks right back to the Victorian Period when officer's wore the famous cape, tunic and custodian helmet depicted on my miniature - and a display mannequin wearing this uniform is currently on show at the local Hampshire Police and Fire Heritage Trust Museum. Indeed, funnily enough, Portsmouth City Police grew in size due to the Royal Navy's presence in the town getting ever larger (and the city resultantly increasing its number of public houses to over a hundred and fifty), hence I thought a two-pronged proffering for this bonus challenge was rather appropriate.

Furthermore I've also managed to complete a second Myrka figure by "Black Tree Design". This 46mm long metal miniature was painted in precisely the same manner as my first one - predominantly using "Vallejo" Heavy Green and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade. However, I did apply a gloss varnish to the maritime monster, and thought it made it look so suitably water-logged, that I went back and gave my other model a coat too.

Lastly, I've finished an old 15mm scale Orange Adder Combat Car by “Alternative Armies”. This infantry support variant can be purchased as Pack Code IAF035D from the company’s "The Ion Age" range and comes armed with "a 50mm Grenade Launcher in a turret mount."

Just prior to being super-glued to a Large "Flames Of War" plastic rectangular base by "Battlefront Miniatures", I gave the underside a generous application of "Vallejo" Surface Primer Black and "Warlord Games" Pitch Black. The entire vehicle was then slapped in "Vallejo" Dark Grey, shaded in "Citadel" Nuln Oil" and dry-brushed with (more) "Vallejo" Dark Grey.

I next 'picked out' all of its wheel trims, any visible/reachable undercarriage or axels, as well as its main weapon with a combination of "Vallejo" Gunmetal" and "Citadel" Nuln Oil". Before carefully applying some "Two Thin Coats" White Star and "Vallejo" Pale Grey to any lights I could see. 

Three x 28mm scale foot figures = 15 Points

Local History Books Bonus = 20 Points

15mm scale Vehicle = 8 Points

Total = 43 Points   

Another pair of nice figures, Simon. I like the policeman, he has a very martial and determined look about him. The armoured car looks also good. And who would not want a pair of Myrkas watching the garden pond? As for the Local History bonus, with the background you have provided us here I think that is well deserved, well done!

43 points added to your total.

Martijn

From SimonM: Myrka & Robo-Men by "Black Tree Design" [Maritime] (35 points)

This 46mm long metal miniature of a "large species of reptile used by the Silurians for heavy backup in times of war" is produced by “Black Tree Design", and can be bought as Code DW509 Myrka from the manufacturer's "Doctor Who" miniatures range. A 'modified descendant of a unique species of dinosaur', the deep-sea creature first appeared in Johnny Byrne's January 1984 BBC Television story "Warriors Of The Deep" and was only finished "about an hour before it was scheduled to be used" by its two puppeteers on set.

The Myrka was first super-glued onto a "Citadel" 75x42mm oval base, primed with two coats of "Vallejo" Heavy Green, and drenched in "Citadel" Agrax Eartshade. The infamous monster was then heavily dry-brushed using (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Green, so as to bring out the detail of its thick, rubbery skin and "large webbed feet". before subsequently being washed with "Citadel" Biel-Tan Green.

After a second (and final) dry-brush of "Vallejo" Heavy Green, the Myrka's "wide, pale eyes" were 'picked out' using a combination of White Star by "Two Thin Coats" and "Vallejo" Pale Grey. Finally, the four-legged reptiles's base was gritted with fine modelling sand, undercoated in "Citadel" Abaddon Black, dry-brushed in Doombull Brown and Rakarth Flesh, and subsequently washed with "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade.

Considering that this beast is believed to have existed as part of a vast colony which survived the dinosaurs extinction due to living in the depths of the ocean, I thought it would make an excellent submission for the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge's Maritime Library desk. It's certainly "something wet and offshore", having been documented attacking Sea Base Four on the sea-bed in 2084 A.D.

Alongside my "large marine monster" I have also completed two 28mm metal Robomen by "Black Tree Design". Available as Code DW127 Roboman from their "Doctor Who" miniatures range, these sculpts are slightly different to the five figures I've previously submitted to the AHPC. But are still based upon the Dalek's minions from Terry Nation's November 1964 BBC Television story "The Dalek Invasion of Earth".

Perhaps unsurprisingly though, both fellows were painted in precisely the same way as I've previously done their hapless, zombie-like brethren, using a combination of "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna or Heavy Brown with "Citadel" Agrax Brown for their trousers, and "Vallejo" Heavy Charcoal over a "Citadel" Abaddon Black basecoat for their jackets...

Three x 28mm scale foot figures = 15 Points

Romance Books Bonus = 20 Points

Total = 35 Points

And it gets even darker! Your robomen are certainly on a par with your previous entries, Simon, you are acquiring quite the squad here. The Myrka is very fine too. I am not entirely convinced of its place in the Maritime section of our Library, but as it is indeed wet and offshore I'll find a place for it on its shelves. I just hope I don't get an official reprimand from the boss for it...  I'll better make a note of where I put it. Anyway, that's 35 points for you.

From SimonM: Robomen Guards by "Black Tree Design" [Overdue and Returns] (40 points)

These four 28mm metal Robomen Guards are manufactured by "Black Tree Design" and can be purchased as Code DW129 Roboman Guard from their "Doctor Who" miniatures range. "Humans converted by the Daleks into wholly obedient slaves", these mindless minions first appeared in Terry Nation's November 1964 BBC Television story "The Dalek Invasion of Earth".

The quartet were initially primed using a mixture of "Vallejo" Surface Primer Black and "Warlord Games" Pitch Black, before being heavily dry-brushed with “Vallejo” Heavy Charcoal and soaked in "Citadel" Nuln Oil. I then worked on their trousers, using a base layer of either "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna, Heavy Brown or Sombre Grey. The pants were subsequently shaded using some "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade or Nuln Oil as appropriate, and roughly highlighted using a careful dry-brush of their original base layer colour.

Their "large, helmet-like headsets" and firearms were simply 'picked out' with "Vallejo" Gunmetal and "Citadel" Nuln Oil. Whilst their shirts received a lick of White Star by Duncan Rhodes' "Two Thin Coats" and a splodge of "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade to dirty them up. I also decided to try and break up the monotony of the group by selecting one figure and painting his jacket "Vallejo" Sombre Grey. This coat was later washed with "Citadel" Nuln Oil and dry-brushed with (more) "Vallejo Sombre Grey.

These Robomen Guards have rather embarrassingly been loitering unloved inside a drawer for many a year. Indeed, I believe these particular miniatures might well actually pre-date "Black Tree Design" acquiring the range's licence, and hark back as far as 1996-1997, when I first started playing "Doctor Who: Invasion Earth" by "Harlequin Miniatures". Designed by Daniel Faulconbridge, this tabletop game attempted to recreate various scenarios from the aforementioned First Doctor's broadcast adventure "The Dalek Invasion of Earth", and resultantly required me to paint several of Davros' Mark III Travel Machines.

To be honest I still recall the feeling of dread this gave me having to first carefully 'pick out' all the Dalek shell's "hemispherical protrusions" black and then blob them with a light blue colour - so as to match their colour scheme during both William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton's tenure as Doctor Who. However, in an effort to circumnavigate this issue, I promptly bought these Robomen instead to use as the robotic Masters of Earth's minions and reduce the number of actual Daleks I needed. Sadly though, it would appear I never managed to pigment these figures, so felt it was high time to make amends and simultaneously earn me some much-needed bonus points at the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge's Overdue and Returns Library desk.

Four x 28mm scale foot figure = 20 Points

Overdue and Returns Books Bonus = 20 Points

Total = 40 Points

Another great submission, Simon! Your black is great again, and the eyes came out very well too. And who doesn't love Dr. Who? As vintage 20th century figures, they surely fit the Overdue and Returns criteria, so 40 points for you.

Martijn

From FrederickC - Early War Germans [Overdues & Returns] (160 points)

I find myself a bit slow out of the starting gate. It is already New Year's Eve, and I still haven't posted anything yet. No opening salvo to start this year's painting challenge, but perhaps a reconnaissance in force. My force of early war Germans consists of a squad of nine cavalry, nine casualties to act as pin markers and another truck specifically to be used as a weapons tow.

The nine cavalry figures are by Crusader Miniatures. The first three I got at least 25 years ago as a free sample with an order of primarily late war British/Canadian infantry packs. What do you do with three cavalry? In my case, you assemble and prime them, and then put them in a storage box for a quarter century. When I recently put in an order for more minis from Crusader, I decided to get two more packs to flesh out the original three to a total of nine. The Bolt Action rules don't have any provision for Heer cavarly, only SS units. I am not sure if they will see action on the table top, but most German infantry divisions in 1939-40 used cavalry for reconnaissance. They were painted using Vallejo acrylics with a variety of Games Workshop washes.

On an interesting note, the three original figures I received as a free sample had horses that looked more like plow horses than cavalry mounts. The more recently acquired figures had nicer sculpts for the horses, but being somewhat thinner, there was a noticeable gap between the horse's body and the saddle blanket.

 

The three free cavalrymen from Crusader Miniatures

Command group

'Forward at the trot!'

Early war German army cavalry on patrol

The nine casualties figures are by Black Tree Design, although I bought them when that line was still known as Harlequin Miniatures. They came as a pack with three minis of each of the three poses, one with a leg blown off, and another missing an arm. I am not sure what plans I had for them at time. Again, like many miniatures I have purchased, they sat in a storage box for at least 25 years. More recently I had mulled over plans to use them as pin markers for Bolt Action, and I had a few ideas on how I would do it. In the end, by the time I finally got around to doing something, several others had already done something similar. A case of 'great minds think alike'? I cut bases for them out of old plastic gift cards the same size as those I made for my cavalry figures, and then made a small box using a thin 2" strip of card scored every half inch so that it could be folded to form a square. The sides around the box were built up using Spackle, and then the base was coated with sand. The figures were painted as for the cavalry

 

9 pins markers for Bolt Action

A close up of the nasty wounds, and the box to hold the dice

The final element is a Krupp Protze Kfz 69 to act as a weapons tow for my Pak 36. I had painted up three of these trucks during AHPC XII, but did them as troop carriers. While on my re-enacting travels in April I stopped in at a hobby store and found they had one box of the same kit from Rubicon Miniatures that has the necessary parts to do either version of the truck. Just what I was looking for. The truck was painted using AK Interactive Dunkelgrau, and then given a wash of Vallejo European Dust Model Wash.

Rubicon Krupp Protze Kfz 69

A top view of the Protze. The Pak 36 is not part of the submission

While a variety of Library categories could apply to this submission, I am going to claim 'Overdues & Returns' which I definitely think applies to figures that have been sitting in the 'Pending' tray for at least 25 years.

 

The points being claimed are as follows:

5.5 x 28mm foot figures @ 5 points each = 27.5 points

9 x 28mm mounted figures @ 10 points each = 90 points

1 x 28mm vehicle @ 20 points each = 20 points

Library section 'Overdues & Returns' @ 20 points = 20 points

__________________________

Welcome back to the Challenge, Frederick! 

Great looking early war Germans! I particularly like the Heer cavalry and the Protze light truck. These are the kind of units you don't often see on the tabletop and a nice change from the ubiquitous later war Big Cats and Splinter Camo. As its the holiday season I'm rounding up on the half figures n' such (I know, how big of me). :)

Lovely stuff! Wishing you and yours a Happy New Year!

- Curt 

PS: Remember to put in your metadata labels for future searches. :)

From SimonM: Silurians by "Black Tree Design" + Children's Books Bonus (40 points)

These four 28mm scale metal reptilian humanoids are manufactured by “Black Tree Design", and can be purchased as Code DW308 Silurian from their "Doctor Who" miniatures range. "Generally a peaceful race", these Homo reptilia first appeared in Malcolm Hulke's January 1970 BBC Television story "Doctor Who And The Silurians".

Quite embarrassingly these "three-eyed land-dwellers" were actually bought from the Penzance-based manufacturer way back in July 2016, and were due to be part of a much larger Homo Reptilia force I started assembling some three years later for a "Doctor Who" aliens/monsters galactic conquest campaign using some homemade rules.

Disappointingly though, these particular models were never properly completed, and after so many years of being jostled together in a drawer, their original partial-paintjob was barely visible in places. As a result, I thought I'd re-start them from scratch and resultantly submit into this year's AHPC.

All of the miniatures were (re)primed with "Vallejo" Heavy Brown, heavily washed with "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade and dry-brushed with (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Brown. They were then treated to some strategically-placed spots of "Citadel" Biel-Tan Green in and around their heads, necks and hands, before being given a second, lighter dry-brush of (even more) "Vallejo" Heavy Brown.

The quartet's claws, which were somewhat difficult to 'pick out' at times due to some occasional miscasting in these areas, were given a coat of "Two Thin Coats" White Star and subsequently dirtied up with a generous splosh of "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade. Lastly, their 'third eye' was spotted with "Vallejo" Heavy Red and later shaded using a dollop of "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson.

Back when I was first starting to get into "Doctor Who", the only way I could 'catch-up' with Tom Baker's predecessors was to read the story novelisations by "Target Books". One such book was "Doctor Who and the Cave-Monsters", which sported a marvellous cover illustration by Chris Achilleos of the Third Doctor, a terrifying Tyrannosaurs Rex and a lone Silurian. Published in 1974, this book had a particular impact upon me as a child as it also included some wonderful black & white interior sketches of the Silurians by Achilleos too.

As a result I thought it would make an excellent subject for my visit to the Children's Books area in the Challenge Library.

Four x 28mm scale foot figure = 20 Points

Children's Books Bonus = 20 Points

Total = 40 Points

_________________________________________

Simon and the Silurians. Hmm. You know, that would be an excellent band name...

Seriously, great work on these venerable Doctor Who monsters, Simon. I particularly like your use of green in the recesses. I really enjoyed reading about the young Simon catching up on Doctor Who lore by reading old novelisations. That's very cool. I could see that particular book being quite scary, but then again all of us as kids loved this sort of thing (though our parents would have flipped if the knew some of the stuff we got up to). 

Great work!

- Curt

From StuartL - Into the Void Once More - Lady Sarah's Limousine - 75 Points

Hello again,

To continue my exploration of the AHPC Challenge Studios, GmbH., it is time for another trip in Lady Sarah's Limousine. Once again, I will be offering a miniature from the Void range as payment, and this time heading to the Historical Drama area.

This is another marine from the VASA faction of the game. Void was ahead of its time in offering mixed units of men and women, but still a bit behind the times in terms of design. The men are generally in shooting or action poses, but the women are in more of a 'posing' pose.

As I used the same design of figure for my last trip, I thought I should show you both side by side to prove that I didn't just repaint the skin and call it a day. This brings me to the last of my painted Void figures, so I am going to have to start looking around for more female minis if I hope to continue enjoying the luxury of the limo service.

And to help fill up this post, I also painted up a bunch of Arabian troops for Saga.

These ten figures are a mix of Gripping Beast plastic and Black Tree Designs metal minis. The two ranges scale pretty well together and the BTD figures will help break up the monotony of the 5 poses in the GB figures in my force. 

For historical figures like this, I tend to go for three colours for a force and repeat them for the main items of clothing, in this case their robes and their turbans. This helps to give a slightly uniform look to the force on the table, while still making them look like a bunch of individuals. I haven't done much with the shields, so I may revisit them when I have had time to look up some suitable designs.

So for scoring:

11x 28mm infantry = 55 Points

Lady Sarah's Limousine = 20 Points

Total = 75 Points.

My side duels:

Squirrels +1 = 18

Anglo-Saxons, Vikings, Dwarves, Fire Giants, WW2 Polish, Daemons, Viridians, Vasa, Junkers, Turnips, Necrons, Tau, Genestealers, WW2 Japanese, Teutonics, Lizardmen, Gnolls, Arabs

Skullz +0 = 188

Turnips +0 = 85 Points

Brilliant use of purple here. Love the Arab chaps as well.