From BruceR: FIW Companies Franches de la Marine and Huron allies [Maritine] (85 points)

Huzzah, this is the Challenge helping to finish projects.  We play Sharp Practice FIW, AWI and Napoleonic's.  Last year I joined the Lard Zone at Adepticon and ran a pirate SP game, with many of the figures painted during the challenge.  This year I decided on FIW and even though the locals would loan their figures I decided to add some additional French so I had both forces.

This is my second batch  of allied, Hurons, to assist my French in battling the red coats and rangers.  I didn't use contrast paints as I did on the others and I'm more pleased with these.  I did use a 3 tone action for the skin.  Close up looks choppy, but at distance stands out on the table.  I also highlighted the warpaint slightly after feeling it was a bit drab.   Again, the figures are Galloping Major, purchased as a starter  pack and getting the leader figure free.  

caution as we approach the settlement

leading and given the rank plate by the Francie  

Next up the group of  Companies franches de la marine.  I love skimming the internet to see paint schemes and to learn more about the figures I'm painting and playing with. When the call for troops came in New France the Ministry of the Navy (my submission for the Maritine Book Stack) was given the task of providing these troops to the colony.  Recruited in France and sent to Quebec in 1683.  They became their own organization and as the group grew would be tasked with raids, with their native allies, into the contested areas of the new world.  Usually at least a company being sent with their unpredictable allies on raids.  They became adept at brush fighting and were seen as somewhat lazy in garrison compared to regulars as they did not parade.  The Troupes de la marine became integral to  the areas they were in as they would be paid extra to assist in farming or road building due to labor shortages.  Again, the heft of the Galloping Major miniatures makes painting them a joy. I am struck as to the lack of facial hair  on these figures.  I would imagine, as they turned into a wilderness fighting force, the great French moustache or beard would have been rather standard.  Also, as they were under their own command so such an appearance would seem logical.  I've not located any source to say mustache or no mustache (and I'm not trying to model facial hair).   They units did grow and locals were not allowed to join, again due to the labor shortage and recruits came from France.  The marines took to wearing allied garb, which only makes sense as they were operating in wilderness areas.  The units grew to even battalion strength and were used in some of the larger actions.    

This completes my French force for the FIW scenario I'll be running at Adepticon.  I have 18 other figures from Old Glory already painted, the Galloping Major figures are more robust and I prefer them.  They will mix in nicely and are great troops under the Sharp Practice rules either as skirmishers or rand and file.  

Companies franches  de la marine: 

I imagine they started to work as skirmish pairs around this time, one firing the other reloading and searching for targets.  

Maritine Book Stack:

Raised by the French Ministry of Navy and I chose to "attempt" an anchor on their cap.  I've seen both the fleur de lis or the anchor depicted on their uniforms.   

Points:

13 28mm FIW @5                = 65 pts

Maritine book stack              = 20 pts

Total                                      = 85 pts

Keep painting and stay warm (heat wave here today at 27 degrees F).  

Painting Interruptus:  

Warning painting can be slowed by gaming, here is a quick shot of The Silver Bayonet (my troops painted last year in the challenge).  Four of us threw down this past Saturday.  The Spanish cannot be seen in this scrum.

French, English and Russian bands fight it out with a Revenant (Alternative Armies)

Cheers,  Bruce

TeemuL: What a wonderful set of minis, Bruce! And you have painted in such a nice way, I especially like the Hurons and their striking warpaint. The blue caps on marines are almost as striking. Well done. And nice to see you have seen some action outside the painting desk, even when it slows you down. All the best for your Adepticon game!

From BruceR: FIW natives, bits and bobs (42.5 points)

Not as productive as I should have been with temperatures well below freezing as the northern plains rival even the snow lords temperatures. And no Teemu we are not barbequing. Another reason as my gaming compatriots agreed to venture out in the cold and play a game of bolt action. We did early war and I created 2 forces with my French legionnaires and French colonials. I had some points left over and went looking for the motorcycle I'd painted for a BA gathering in Minneapolis last year (which I didn't make due to closed interstates and snow).  Ah, based and primed, not painted. To the paint desk. So, my first submission is this French motor bike, without riders. This is a 3d print I picked up and I may get to the 4-5 mounted bikes I have from the same purchase. Base coated grey and I hit it with a Contrast green. I did some weathering (makeup brush) and painted some unit numbers and colors. Add some ground paint, highlight and tufts. I use these models dismounted and firing. I liked how it turned out, not sure about the blue head lamp as I saw photos of the screened lamp with the slit, too late as it was needed on the wargames table. Senegalese painted last year for the same gathering. For points I'm not sure. A vehicle, but seems small so I'll tally 10 points and Teemu can deduct if he feels it is slightly high.   

Senegalese w/ LMG and driver (Fez's painted last year)

As I went to grab the two tanks and armored car that the rules allow for two forces I noticed a missing commander on my AMC 35. Lost to the travel gods I imagine. Well, again to the paint desk. Sitting on a pin is a primed vehicle commander. Not sure if French or Italian, well being cavalry I'm sure he would be all in for nonofficial attire. So, he has a pith helmet of some sort, with a band, and great moustache. He was told to jump into his mount and counterattack immediately (after some paint). The AMC 35 (dubbed by the French Automitrailleuse de Combat) did not live up to its great name. Fired once missed and then was taken out by my gaming nemesis dice rolling and a PAK 36.  

I present Pepe Le Pew tank commander of Automitrailleuse de Combat 35.

Lt Le Pew

Gaming done and back to the paint desk. I'm running a FIW Sharp Practice game at Adepticon so I need to crack on with some French forces for the game. Earlier in the year I purchased a starter force of French from Galloping Major consisting of 12 Huron allies, 6 Canadian Militia (Milice), 6 Compagnies Franches de la Marine, with two leaders, which are great. I previously painted up the Milice and leader prior to the challenge.  My British force is done and ready. First up are 6 natives out of 12+leader, the other 6 should make next weeks tally. I flip back and forth using contrasts or speed paints. With all this flesh I decided to give them a go and did most of the 6 with contrast. Not super happy and did some additional highlighting to get them to a reasonable state. Tried to give them each a different warpaint type of extra. The next 6 and leader are 80% done without contrast so I (and you) can compare the results. I'm happy with how they both look and they should give participants decent troops to push around. 

Thats one group done. I'm going to run the natives as skirmishers rather than tribes (6per group rather than 12). Different folks have lobbied for this type of use and an article in the 2022 Lard Magazine has them set out as sneaking about the bush firing rather than a horde charging about the table. The game will be a very small scale (40+ figures per side) battle with light troops battling it out for the most part in the NE wilderness (of course contesting for Grey Hair's daughters).  

Score

28 mm motorcycle                = 10 pts

28mm French cavalry ldr      =  2.5 pts

28mm natives 6@5              = 30

Total                                         42.5 pts

Temps above zero today which is a nice break from the subzero shite we have been having. 

Paint on and be well all.

Bruce 

TeemuL: Good job, Bruce! I guess the closest match for the motorcycle is cavalry. Bike and horse are quite the same (from scoring perspective) and the sidecar is like a rider. So ten points. No point problems on others, very neat paint job.The blue headlight might a reflection from the sea and screens can always go missing in the middle of the war. I like the colourful natives, too.

From ScottM: F&IW British Militia (60 points)

This post is a just a small quick one. These 28mm metal figs are from Galloping Major and their French and Indian War range. These are British Rangers/Backwoods Militia.

So that should be:

12 - 28mm foot figs = 60 points

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Brave chaps these are, going out to face those savages and their French Canadienne overlords. 

I hope they keep their scalps!

Cap'n Wednesday

From ScottM: Referee for Teleportation & some Rangers (65 points)

The first part of my post is my tribute for teleporting from the Knights Solar to the Lair of the Great Beast. This 28mm metal fig is from Impact Miniatures.

I think I must have picked this fig up back when I was still playing Blood Bowl a fair number of years ago. Simple easy to paint fig.

The second part of my post is this group of British Rangers/Backwoods Militia for the French and Indian War. These 28mm metal figs are from Galloping Major Wargames.

These are the first Galloping Major Wargames figs I've painted up. They're pretty nice, my only quibble is their hands tend to be quite large. Otherwise they're nice figs.

So that should be:

1 - 28mm foot fig + relocation bonus = 25 points

8 - 28mm foot figs (Rangers) = 40 points

For a total of 65 points.

I do hope that the match is being played somewhere warm - that referee could catch a nasty chill in that outfit.

Nice work on the rangers.

Tamsin