From BillA: Heroes of Horror & RATS! (38 points)

 This week, I've completed a few more horror-themed goodies; in a few weeks' time I'm going to be running a demo table of Planetsmasher Games' solo/co-op game "Perilous Tales" at my alma mater's annual gaming convention; 2026 marks 20 years since my first year attending, and while it's mostly a roleplaying and board game kind of convention, there's always a couple tables of miniatures demonstrations and last year they brought back Warhammer 40K tournaments for the first time in over a decade. This is my first year since 2006 for me to be trying to demo a wargame, so fingers crossed.

Perilous Tales produces games that feel like a good B-horror movie; a small group of heroes attempt to fulfill a set of randomly-determined objectives as a timer counts down and threats - including monstrous villains, sinister minions and environmental hazards - close in. Objectives can range from "defeat the master villain" to "get three figures to safety off the opposite edge of the table." 

I'd previously run a demo table at a one-day wargaming show back in September and it went well enough, but I decided I'd paint a few new heroes and villains for the upcoming convention. My first entry in this year's painting challenge were the master villain and henchmen I'm bringing; here, now, are the rest of my heroes and the last villainous minions I'd need.

As soon as I saw these "FBI Agents" from Crooked Dice, I knew I had to have them; X-Files scared the tar out of me as a sensitive kid in the 90s, but I've since become a fan of the "Monster of the Week" episodes (the overarching mythology episodes, not so much). Having Mulder and Scully on the table as heroes players could use was a must.

These are another two from Crooked Dice, though maybe less familiar; the armed cheerleader is a dead ringer for Kelli Maroney's character in the 1984 cult classic NIGHT OF THE COMET, while the teenage metalhead is just as clearly intended to be the character Eddie Munson from Netflix's "Stranger Things" series. I even freehanded the partial skull and crossbones on the bandanna he's wearing around his head. 

Finally, I needed multiple rat swarms to represent the lowest grade of minion serving the master demon; these are 3D resin prints from GreenStuffWorld that I found on a spinner rack in one of my local game stores. I like the little extras on these; the king rat directing his fellows, the wedge of cheese, the stack of newspapers. It gives each base personality. Each one is glued to a 25mm Renedra round base. 

So that's four 28mm humans at 5 pts apiece for 20... I'm not sure if the rat swarms should be scored as 28mm miniatures? Maybe count each one as half, as seems to be the case for prone figures? I leave it in my minion's capable hands whether this post as a whole qualifies for 50 points, 35 points, or some other total.

No new squirrel points, but two badass monster-killing women means I'm tagging Sarah's Choice.

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Sylvain: I love it when I can recognize a miniature based on a real-life character, and with your brush you did an excellent job at helping the viewer "read" the references in those figurines. I really like your skulking Scully. Now about this points business... I will count them for 3 points each, because of the cheese and stuff. Bravo!

From RichardH: One Last Hurrah (475 pts)

I missed the last few weeks of posting, just due to being pretty busy with work and never leaving enough time to get a post written up. This last push before the gates close will just be a big old compilation of things, and a mishmash of genres. I've organised things in a way that better fits with the studios map rather than the order they were completed in (works better when I am walking around the map).

First up following on from the general space elf theme from the last couple of posts, I got the pointy ears army all finished up, just a few command units on show this time.

Glad to have these all out of the way now, and ticking off that final gem on the last guy was a lesson (don't paint stupid gems on an entire army).

Points for these are:

Four 28mm foot @ 5pt = 20pts

One 28mm mounted @ 10pt = 10 pts

Sticking with the theme of silly space robot men types, a friend asked if I could do up a few of their favourite space marine chapter. In this case that chapter being Minotaurs, compared to some of the others it is a pretty simple colour scheme with only a few detail points, it was easy enough to get these knocked out in an evening.

Scoring on these is:

Eleven 28mm foot @ 5pt = 55pts

Getting focus now back to the studio map and picking up from the last bonus points of B&W I moved to grab the under construction points. I made a start this week on a small diorama featuring a giant squig, just because I have never painted up a squig before, so it was a cherry that had to be popped.

Points on this are pretty straight forward as it isn't finished so I can only claim bonus points. 20pts

A few folks at the local gaming club have been really getting into Stargrave recently and along with doing up a crew for the game, I also knocked up an iconic piece of scenery (while waiting on layers to dry for the above minotaurs). So this little number is grabbing me the Casting Couch as it basically saved the day for the second film.

A single 28mm foot (granted it is bigger but the scheme is so simple it feels criminal to try and claim it as a vehicle), for 5pt and the bonus of 20pt = 25pts

So keeping with the sci-fi stuff and Stargrave as the focus we have the crew all dolled up and ready for some bug hunting action, sadly Ash isn't quite finished yet so has to sit this one out. All of these and the power loader are from the Humans v Aliens packs of 3D models sculpted by Papiskels, stunning little models that slot right into any game.

Scoring on these is ten 28mm foot @ 5pt = 50pts

Also the first mate of my crew being a woman is hitching us all a ride in a limo for the next stop on the studio tour = 20pts.

Having now ticked off five of the green locations I thought I would bag a blue also. This next one is actually a gift for someone (Feb and Mar are big months for birthdays around here and I tend to lean on the side of making something where ever possible). But given I have another couple of gift entries I wanted this one to bag me at least on blue studio location.

A relative is crazy about fairies and dragons so I figured combining the two has to be on a winner. Plus I had been itching to have a large scale practice of painting a galaxy style layer, and relished the challenge of having it split into sections. The model itself is a 3D sculpt from FotisMint and while great looking and full of character it feels odd sitting on a tiny base from the print, naturally the only option is turn it all into a chunky diorama, add in some drama and story and bang one gift ticked off and I am considered the best for another year. The final piece was put into an acrylic case to keep it free of dust, but it turns out that totally kills any chance for getting pictures.

Points on this one are :

One 28mm foot (giant spider so technically worth 8 feet right?) @ 5pt

One 28mm vehicle (the dragon itself is around the right size for this) @ 20pt

One 6" cube terrain piece @20pt

Bonus studio fantasy @ 20pt

Total 65 pts

So another game by the same designer as SG is Rangers of Shadow Deep, and it is equally great. I've played it off an on for some time, and finally wrangled, bribed, threatened a few others into playing it also. So we are getting things set up for a large campaign run. One thing I never really had made as swanky terrain was some nice big forested tiles and something specific for a scenario which is trees infested with giant spiders. The big forest tiles are currently about 5% through their first half life of drying time, so the only terrain I could squeeze in for this are the trees.

Used my normal method of an armature, glue on some seafoam, then using spray glue and handfuls of flock you cover the thing. This time I just beefed up the trunks, and finally got to play with some spider serum from GSW. You spray it with an airbrush and get instant magic spooky spider webs, the stuff is so much fun.

Points on these are:

One 6" terrain cube @20pt = 20pts

One final thing for me before it is back to the gift giving (damned folks expecting presents and thoughtfulness). The local club decided this was the right time to start a Blood Bowl league (not sure why now, but any excuse to get in games and I am on board).

I originally went looking for some nice dwarven sculpts to print off, but came across something magical. An absolute genius "Chih-Te Yu" on MMF designed an ogre team with a samurai/sumo theme, all the ogres are big bellied sumo types and the gnobblars are all dancing around with scrolls or picking noses, or farting (good healthy gnobblar activities). That was me sold, and decided I was winning no matches this season but would have a team that everyone would still envy. The green boys are still on the bench so just the big chaps for now.

Scoring on these is:

Five 40mm foot @ 7pt = 35pts

Ok so three more entries on this and I am spent, all three involve a trip to the gift shop (two birthdays and one anniversary). First up is a small person gift, they are someone who also likes fairies and the sort, but also loves reading and yet they don't have a night light. Obviously the only right thing to do is rummage in the big greeble box, and break out the pringles cans, some egg cartons, and a few LEDs. One wave of the magic glue stick and you got yourself some odd shaped tower light thingymajig.

The next birthday involved something small for someone with a total devotion to their dog. Rather than go all out on this, I figured keep it small, simple and fast, aiming for something they can put on any desk or shelf they want without fear of it being monstrous in side or delicate. Just a dry brushed mini, some sculpted background, and a quick dab of a resin pour was all that was needed.

The final entry then on this mammoth last post was also the biggest actual model, given to someone nuts about Harry Potter as an anniversary gift. There was a bunch of easy options on this one but at the same time I wanted something to have some practice on. Lately I haven't done a lot of detailed blending to try and simulate light (silly space robot men and their plasma guns don't count). so I jumped on the idea of a big old phoenix bird, I came across an amazing sculpt with a really dynamic pose and figured it was perfect. The print part was nerve wrecking enough as even though it is a multi part model, each part was still pretty big, and the entire thing took about 2 days to print out. To give some sense of scale the base I made up for this was around 160mm wide (anything smaller had zero chance to support the model), at the top of the wings is around 220mm.

Even with that base things just weren't sitting right, knocking up a 3D perch fixed the issue, it allowed the feet to be glued, and also three areas of the tail to glue straight to the base. It also gave the overall snapshot look of a bird coming in to land, which was a happy accident at the time.

Painting really was nothing complex, just lots, and lots, and lots, and lots of hours spent repeating the same patterns on every single feather (it felt like those damned gems again).

 But overall I am happy how it came together, and a little quick and dirty osl of the base helps sell the effect.

Scoring on these is:

Tower Light - two 6" terrain cubes @ 20pt =  40pt / bonus gift 20pt = 60pts

Dog Diorama = One 28mm foot @ 5pt & one 6" terrain cube @ 20pt = 25pt / gift bonus 20pt = 45pts

Phoenix = One 54mm vehicle @ 30pt (wasn't sure if this thing classes as bigger or not due the size) / bonus gift 20pt = 50pts

At the end of play my studio map looks like this:

I had grand ideas of what to do for at least 5 of the other locations, but as always things get in the way. Well they will at least be good projects for the rest of the year.

This leaves me as just over 1000pts total for the challenge and really puts things in perspective about expectations and how fast the points rack up. I'm glad I only started out with a low and realistic first time target (300pts), but now on wards and upwards for next year, thinking to set that target now at at least 1500 pts. It's been a blast.

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I'm delighted you had a good Challenge Richard. You really pulled out all the stops on this final entry! I especially like the various gifts you did for your friends - those trees (in all their forms) are fabulous (the Pringle can treehouse is truly inspired).

Thanks for joining us this season. I hope you can make it out again for the next edition.

- Curt

From StuartL - Lizard Lord - Casting Couch - 70 Points

Hello all,

Last week, I left off with a limo ride to the Casting Couch area of the AHPC Studios, so it is from here that I will pick up this week. 

Last year, I started to paint up a Lizardman army, first with a post for Noel's Comet, then for the Challenge Star and finally in my last post of the challenge. Needless to say, I have done absolutely nothing with the army since then. When I got to the theme of the Casting Couch, I saw a great opportunity to make some more progress with the army and get one of the centrepiece models out of the way. 

While I already have a general in the form of an old Slann Mage-Priest, I wanted something with a little more bite to it for a more melee focussed force, and you can't get much bitier than a giant dinosaur being ridden by another dinosaur.

This model is a Saurus Old-blood mounted on a Carnosaur* by Games Workshop. It is a fully plastic kit, but I added a resin ruin to its base to help stabilise the model as all of the weight is on its back leg. The resin terrain comes from Green Stuff World if memory serves.

As well as being an awesome model in and of itself, it also comes with a couple of skulls to add to my tally for that side duel. The total for the monster and the rider should be enough for one Squirrel.

And because I have a tendency to paint several things at the same time, here are some Gnolls from the Reaper Bones range.

These were first undercoated in brown, and given rough drybrushes of various colours followed by an all-over brown wash. Fast, simple and suitably bestial. Three of the models are identical, but since they will probably just be meat-shields and mooks to be killed by various heroes, that is fine. Five models should also net me a Squirrel here.

So, the final scores for this post:

6x28mm infantry (5 Gnolls and the Dino-rider) = 30 Points

1x28mm monster = 20 Points

Casting Couch = 20 Points

Total = 70 Points

My side duels:

Squirrels +2 = 17

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

Skulls +2 = 188 

Turnips +0 = 85 Points

I abslutely love lizardmen, and have vast army. Loving the dinosaur and rider

ScottR 28mm Hail Caesar Greek and Celt (70 points)

 With litlle time left before work cuts into my painting time I have been using all my spare time to get things painted.  My goal for the Analogue Painting Comp this yeat was 700 points.  Well happy to say i ahve already met and passed my goal.  I have about a week left before I start travel with work and therefore will lose the next 3 and half weeks.

Now enough of my woes.  Yesterday i managed to build and paint two 28mm large models.  

The first is a Warlord Games Elephant for my Hellenistic/Successor Greeks.  Sorry no special requirements for this.  Just straight out of the box with Javelin thrower in support.  Javelin thrower is from Victrix.

So here is the elephant finished off.  I used the same basing materials as I did for the Phalanx posted earlier.  This will be the 'Mediterranian' scheme for the Greeks.  The bushes give a nice contrast to the yellowish base colour.

So at the same time I worked on my Celtic Terrain piece.  This could be used as an objective, baggage or even a command base at a pinch.  The Cross I picked up at Colours in Newbury in 2018.  It has been sitting around waiting for me to do my Celts.  The Female figures are from Stuart at Colonel Bill's.  Again, I have had this since Colours and would be a part of the Cross piece.  The General is either a Warlord or Black tree Design figure.  Not sure honestly.

I did do a bit of scratch building with this.  I took the heads and staff being held from the Victrix Chariot box to make the Totems.One head, the Roman legionaire with bandage was taken from the Warlords veteran box.  This just required a bit of cutting and gluing.

The flagstones around the base were a plan in the making for some time.  I had picked up one of the Green Stuff World rollers a few years back from my local store.  Using DAS clay I rolled out a set of patterns.

The roller
is easy to use and a bit of water sprinkled on the clay stops it from sticking.

Once this was dry i could cut them up into paving blocks, break them, etc for a more realistic look, well sort of.  They were then laid down onto the basing surface while it was still very wet.  The surface was manipulated with a brush to partialy cover, andget in between the stones.

These wre then painted, washed, drybrushed.  Then once the base was dry a bit of grass and foliage was added.  Again, keeping with teh same style as the rest of my Celt Army.

Once this was done the Totems were then glued into place and the terrain piece was finished.

So here are some close ups.  Sorry the colour from my camers is a little off and a little out of focus.  not the best for Macro shots.

Ok so there we go. A nice days work.

I have a week left. So trying to get as much in as possible.  Next up on the bench I will be going back to my 15mm Australians.  This time to get the Vehicles done and out of the road.

As for points. well Curtis this will be up to you.

Hellenistic Greek Elephant

28mm Vehicle (Elephant @ 20 points.

4 5 x 28mm figures @ 5 points for total of 20 25 points

Total 40 points

Celt Terrain/Objective Piece

Celt Cross and flagstones terrain piece...... ?  5 Points

4 x 28mm figures @ 5 points for a total of 20 points

Both projects are 60 points plus whatever Curtis wants to add. 

Those models all look great, Scott. I like the basing effect on the cross you used, I think my local hobby store carries those rollers, I may need to go and take a look now. The heads on the spears are a great way to get some use out of the bits left on sprues after finishing a unit. I really like the elephant and its crew too, the metalwork on the armour is very smooth.

Points wise, I am not sure how large the cross is exactly, but I figure 5 points should cover it. I also counted 4 crew and the javelin thrower on the elephant, so I have increased your score accordingly.