From TeemuL: Outer Ring [Istvaan V] [Solaris] [Arda] [Caprica] [Death Star] (125 points)

Note to minions: I know it is free fire time, but I really like to have this entry to be posted on Wednesday, you'll understand. Yes, Tamsin, I know you are very efficient, but please leave this one for Wednesday. :)

After a quick visit to Vogspehere, we'll climb back to the Outer Ring, walk through the already visited Klendathu and Glorantha and arrive to...

Istvaan V, something for betrayal, howabout a Ringwraith from Middle-Earth, one of them is even named as Betrayer by Games Workshop for their excellent game Middle Earth Strategy Battle Game. Once a king of men, then corrupted by power and Dark Lord, he betrayed his people (willingly or unwillingly).

Babylon 5 and Vulcan are familiar ground, so we move on to...

Solaris, which calls for something "Deception, Illusion". Ringwraiths are corporeal creatures, quite invisible, but often wearing black cloaks to give them form. When wearing the One Ring, they can be seen as they perhaps used to be on earlier days as King of Men. That is of course an illusion, because in "reality" they are invisible. We can of course speculate which is illusion and which is reality, but that could be very deceptive...

Well, we move on and arrive to...

Arda, something Tolkeinesque is asked for an I present one of the Ringwraiths in Twilight mode. Ringwraiths are creature of Middle Earth, created by Tolkien, so I suppose they fit the Tolkeinesque requirement, or at least the Fantasy.

Lots of these Ringwraiths here on the Outer Ring, we quickly depart and jump to...

Caprica, where we are not ambushed by invisible corporeal creatures, but those creatures are doomed to serve their Dark Lord indefinitely (or at least until the One Ring (not related to Outer Ring) is destroyed. Doomed to serve and be slave, they can be banished, but their spirits will stay and they will continue their grim service.

We leave the doomed one and move on to...

Death Star, sound like a home of big guy in black or bunch of recruits in white, but actually it is just hubris. I'm not a native in English, so I had to do some research on that. From wikipedia,  Hubris: describes a personality quality of extreme or excessive pride or dangerous overconfidence, often in combination with (or synonymous with) arrogance. 

To me, that fits most of the bad guys in literature and movies, but right now it screams Witch King of Angmar, overconfident and arrogant minion of the Sauron saying "You fool. No man can kill me. Die now." mere seconds before killed by a woman and a hobbit. Arrogant, overconfident, so hubris.

In the movies these are kind of a reversed black-and-white and I tried to do something similar, but more colourful. So I started from white, drybrushed with green, blues and black to get the strange and disturbing look, that something is not right. The colour transitions looked good, but from white to green the leap was too much. I should have started from off white, I guess, but it was too late. I decided to try to add some yellow ink to the white parts to create an effect of transition from white to yellow to green. It helped a lot, but I'm still not 100% satisfied. Of course they don't look "right", but they shouldn't look right, they are corporeal creatures, which you only see when under magical influence (the Ring), so may be they are right. I don't know. They are not exactly what I was aiming for, but at least they look different than my barrowwights (which is good, because these are not basically ghosts) and different to my Army of Dead (which is again good, because these are different kind of magic ghosts). They could be neater, I admit that, being nice metal sculpts, very powerful creatures in the game, they should look more finished, but that would mean to start all over again. I'll get a new set from the next MTO... :)

There are only 3 different sculpts, but I was able to make some variations, since parts of the crowns were separate pieces.

That is 5 metal miniatures by Games Workshop in 28mm scale, 5 points each so total of 25 points. Planet bonuses from Istvaan V, Solaris, Arda, Caprica and Death Star totals to 100 so 125 points. Add one squirrel for MESBG Army of Mordor. I could have done something else, but that would not have been very Wednesday-way to put it, right? This should see me crash my points target, too.

My personal Squirrel count: 16

• 20mm Napoleonic
• 28mm Sludge
• 28mm Pulp
• 28mm Warhammer 40000 Xenos
• 28mm General (including Gloranthan) Fantasy
• 1:300 Cruel Seas
• 6mm Epic Imperial Fists
• 28mm ADD Boardgame
• 28mm Runewars Waiqar
• 28mm Blood Bowl
• 28mm Simians
• 15mm Mid War Germans
• 28mm Age of Sigmar Sylvaneths
• 28mm Warhammer 40000 Imperium
• 28mm Warhammer Fantasy Orcs & Goblins
• 28mm Lord of the Rings Mordor

Really? Claiming five planets from five very similar figures? Really? That is stretching things somewhat - I think I can see why you wanted this held over for Wednesday, but as Greg has an emergency at his cabin you've got me minioning it after all!

It's definitely a stretch, but I think that you have justified the planets and might have got away with it apart from a slight hitch that you seem to have overlooked - to get from Istvaan V to Solaris would require a trip on Lady Sarah's Star Yacht and there's no female figure (or Yacht trip claim) in this post.

Tamsin

Edit to Update: I'd missed Curt's reply to a query on the Quadrant Map post saying that you can skip planets that you've already visited. Points for the other four planets have now been added.

From Tasha H: Final lap around the Outer Ring [Caprica] [Istvaan V] (57 points)

Because I don't have a lead pile to draw from, descending to the Quadrant Hub is not part of my Challenge journey. However... my brand new, sparkly 3D printer arrived last week, so my goal of completing all the planets may be achievable!

I'm currently on Terra, but my submission for this planet is not even close to ready! I am going to leap from Terra, into the Great Abyssal and fall, zoom, vaporize (?) myself to the Outer Ring. Flying past Skaro and the Death Star, as I have already paid my dues there. I find myself now on Caprica.

Caprica's requirement for completion is 'Doomed or Ambush'. A bit melodramatic, no? Ha ha!

 

 

I submit to you a Lightning Elemental. She is a force to be reckoned with! You would not want to be ambushed by her, as you would certainly be doomed on the tabletop! (See what I did there?!) i did look up what a lightning elemental can do and, played correctly, they can bring about some serious devastation. Cool.

 

This figure is from Printed Obsession on My Mini Factory. I know it isn't painted in a typical colour scheme for this type of figure, but I was trying to mimic the colours of a prairie sky during a lightning show. I used Aethermatic Blue Contrast an added Vallejo Model Metallic Air in Steel (71.065) to it with a heavy hand of water.  This created a nice shimmery wash. Over the bodice of the figure, I utilized the same technique, substituting Shyish Purple for the blue. The base and tips of the figure are coated with Dragon Glaze topcoat from Folk Art.

 

We have one planet left in this ring! Off to Istvaan V!

I had no idea what I was doing for this planet. I looked up about 100 things. I actually have two other figures printed, but I just felt 'meh' about them.

It is no secret that I don't have a clue about most of the gaming world, or the majority of science fiction references in the Challenge. I'm also not a history buff. I accept this about myself and thank the universe for google.

For this planet I went religion literal, rather than gaming lore literal.

"Heresy in the Catholic Church is the formal denial or doubt of a core doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church."

I present to you an altar of skulls. Barks, this one is for you! Even though I'm not in the Skull Duel, I wanted to finish the Challenge with at least one skull entry. Here are 200 skulls in heretical wonder!

 

One would have to think that worshipers at an altar of skulls would be in denial of at least one doctrine of the RC church. Also, I'm 100% sure that many of these skulls were obtained for the altar by some means of betrayal.

The altar is from Cults3d, as are the torches. The torches were not an easy print. Of 6, these were the best 2 and they aren't that great. I made them work, because I had a vision in mind and dammit, it was going to happen! I used a lot of Skeleton Horde contrast paint for this altar There are many layers of contrast, Nuln Oil and assorted shades of dry brushing. I picked out random skulls and added some lighter tones to give some depth. I am pretty happy with how it turned out. You may recognize the cultist from a previous entry.

 

Because this altar is printed with smoky black resin, if you hold it to the light, it appears to glow. Nifty.

 

Points:

Lightning Elemental  - 80 mm (I didn't scale it - oops) - 10 points

Skull Altar - 2.75x.75x1" - 4 points ... terrain scoring is a science unto itself. Please adjust as necessary!

Planet Bonuses - 40 points

Total - 54 points

From here we travel to the middle ring with our sites set on Arrakis.

Those two pieces look fantastic, Tasha! I'm going to treat the skull altar as a 40mm figure for points - scoring it as terrain would come to nought-point-two points {20 x [(2.75*0.75*1)/(6*6*6)]}.

Tamsin

From GeoffreyT: Muskets and Tomahawks (Istvaan V) (56 points)

This week I will start by presenting six 28mm highlander light infantry from Northstar's Muskets and Tomahawks range.  The are a component of a slow grow collection of figures I have for FIW and AWI era gaming using Toofatlardies Sharp Practice rule set.  I have about 200 foot now, but still need some cavalry to finish the collection.  The collection includes French, Indians, Continentals and of course British.  Being not so fussed by uniform details, these two eras blend together quite well for my purposes.

The tartan I did using a new technique I thought of.  Rather than painting the whole pattern, I added some flecks of coloured paint on green back ground to look like an indistinct pattern you cant see.  Seems OK, at least no worse that my previous attempts at tartan, but much quicker.  

The bonnie blue bonnets look like the wrong kind of blue.   I probably have the uniforms all wrong on these as I didn't research them.  If they are bad enough people will tell me and I can modify them. Probably should shade more between the different white straps, then are not distinct enough.  I should have started the base coat on straps with tan or the white contrast paint instead of cream.  However, they will be fine for bulk troops.

I have done the troops on 20mm bases for this collection.  We have played napoleonic sharp practice with 15mm figs on 10mm frontage, and 28mm figs on 25mm bases, in each case the game was radically different with extremes of mobility, due to amount a block can wheel.  The width of the block frontage also affects how much area they can control with musket fire.  Remembering in sharp practice, movement distances are same regardless of basing convention.  I'm hoping this 20mm size makes for a happy medium.

For Istvaan V bonus, I'll be painting a loyalist.

The Loyalist is a 28mm British line infantry officer, also from Northstar's Muskets and Tomahawks range.  I am calling him a loyalist, as I will be using him Toofatlardies Marion the Swamp Fox campaign, where he will be loyal to the crown fighting against the patriots.

For the 'big-men' I am using 25mm bases to distinguish them.  I have some more from this range that may appear later in the challenge if the urge takes me.

All up, there is 7 x 28mm miniatures = 35 points

+20 bonus for Istvaan V

A squirrel for 28mm FIW british

And in the all important alphabet soup challenge:

K is for Kilts

Kind Regards

Geoff.

Very nice work- I think your tartan is super and deserves an extra point. Basing is an eternal dilemma, and I'm glad you've found your solution. I would like to see more from this from you if we can!

Barks

From AlanD: Covenanter Dragoons on Istvaan V (115 points)

I'm back teaching this week, so production is slowing somewhat. However, I've been pushing on with Covenanters for Pikeman's Lament while I wait for a few more Romanians to arrive...

This week, I present a couple of units of dragoons with some prayer support. One of the things I like about the 3-2-1 basing suggested in Pikeman's Lament is the flexibility it gives. These troops can be mixed up to show a couple of units of dragoons, with some mounted and some on foot, or I could just use the foot figures as a unit of commanded shot. The figures are from Bicorne Miniatures, the first figures of theirs I've painted, and I enjoyed the range of poses and deep detail.

Supporting the dragoons is a Covenanter preacher from Warlord Games, although I chopped off his hat and gave him a bonnet. Istvaan V is a particularly apt planet for this force of Covenanters to land on. The events we (inaccurately) call The English Civil War were precipitated by Charles I's clumsy attempts to impose his brand of Anglicanism on the Scots, the first shots of the war being the objects thrown at the minister using Charles' Prayer Book in Edinburgh in 1637. The Scottish Covenant signed shortly after was a response to the suspiciously Catholic appearance of Charles' religious policies, which reeked of heresy to Scots Presbyterians. 

Istvaan V's theme of loyalty is also relevant to the Covenanters. Their opposition to Charles' religious policies made them initial allies of the English Parliament, culminating in them handing Charles over for trial in 1647. However, in 1648 the Covenanters changed sides, invading England to try to restore Charles to the throne after Parliament failed to follow through on their vague promises about making Presbyterianism the official religion throughout Britain.

With that, the figures here should gain me 95 points with a 20 point planet bonus, for 115 in total. Happy weekend to you all!

Another lovely unit of Covenanters! I really like the colour tone you have achieved here, and your basing works well with the backdrop.

Barks

From StuartL - World Eater - Istvaan V - 45 Points

Hello again.

This should be the first of several posts today as I finish working my way around the outer reaches of the Challenge Sector. The theme for Istvaan V is Betrayal, Heretics and Loyalists. The Horus Heresy (or Warhammer 30,000) is one of my favourite settings for a wargame so I have several armies in various stages of being built and painted. Sadly the official models tend to be on the 'selling a kidney' end of the price scale, so I am always looking for ways to get away with cheaper options. As the models are still usually from Games Workshop, cheaper is a very subjective term.

This model began as a Warhammer 40,000 venerable dreadnought. I added some 3D printed arms (though they are a fraction too small) that a friend printed for me to equip it with Volkite Culverins, essentially death rays. I scraped off the Imperial iconography on the torso and added a 30K style helm for the pilot. Finally, some large spikey bits and some skull adorned chains finished off the model with a more brutal look.

The model is painted in the colours of the World Eaters Legion, one of the traitor factions that joined the Warmaster Horus in turning against the Emperor and was present at both Istvaan III and Istvaan V, two of the most notable events at the opening of the Heresy. The white armour is actually very light grey, as it is much easier to get a solid covering with that.

This model should score me 20 points for a 28mm vehicle and a further 20 for the planet. It also sports 12 skullz (not including the decal on the leg armour).

Skullz Total: 29

You have my sympathy for paying GW price for anything, but I am always happy to see folks do an end run around them.  I really have no idea what this thing is, but it looks bloody marvellous.    I always like to see some kit bashing, so am tossing in a few points for the work that you've done.  What 30k doesn't look better with spiky bits and Skulls (Barks is the Skullometer picking these up?).

For a more appreciate review see GregB's inevitable 30k fanboy gushing below.

From JohnE - 28mm Devil - [Istvaan V] - 25 Points

Years ago when my friend was learning digital sculpting, he told me he made me something and it was in the mail. This is what came. It's based on a wood carving from the Reformation showing the Devil playing a monk's head as bagpipes. I'm planning on using it as a Lovecraftian Servitor for 7TV Pulp. Hopefully this counts as heretical.

The Original Artwork

Points Summary: 

1 x 28mm foot @ 5 points = 5 points

Istvaan V (Outer Ring) bonus = 20 points

Total = 25 points

From DaveD

That's a dark figure alright , though he's wearing some dandy threads by the look of it. Another 25 to good.

From MikeF - Horus Heresy World Eater Legion Rampagers (Babylon 5) and World Eaters Tactical Squad (Istvaan V) - 140 points

My first post really came down to the wire this year. I can blame Manitoba's provincial government for that thanks to their decision to have one week of at home learning. The lesson on rock, paper, scissors was especially useful I thought. That was a real thing! That was a thing that happened.

 Like many in this challenge have already mentioned, plans had been made and subsequently dropped. I was going to spend the challenge working on Stargrave, but the likelihood of playing that anytime soon is slim. Instead I decided to start a new 30k Legion project: The World Eaters. First up is a unit of Rampagers with jump packs. They'll be invading Babylon 5 first! The description mentions low budget fun. This unit is made up of bits and pieces I had collected for other projects. The bacpacks were from Kromlech and were originally intended for another legion. The close combat arms are a combination of Kromlech and Mark III arms. The Mark III marines were sourced from eBay and the Forge World chain axes and pistols we're found while I was dumpster diving behind 7-Eleven! Lucky, eh! Far better than the $140 CAD Forge World wants for kinda crappy looking models.

Next on the invasion tour is Istvaan V! The World Eaters were both betrayer and betrayed at the battle. Because the World Eaters Primarch was such a douche his legion had the largest number of loyalists of any traitor Legion. Angron himself even had to get in there and slaughter his own men because it was taking too long. The World Eaters are the one legion that would have really benefited if their Primarch had been aborted while gestating on Terra. This unit is a simple Tactical Squad equipped with bolters and a chainsword for backup.

I'm fairly happy with the result, although I find the Forge World red transfers don't show up well on the blue. The blue is as light as I want to go, so I ordered some appropriate icons from popgoesthemonkey. I also will probably dial back the weathering on future units. I used the sponge technique, but find it a little hard to control. I think I'll go with the more subtle method I used on my Alpha Legion. I think it's fine for the rampages though, since they're all psychopaths with brain damage and probably aren't worried about the state of their armor. 

 That's 20 28mm models for 100 points plus two locations for 140 points!

Thanks for visiting.

From DaveD

Another scramble to the line sees a fine entry from MikeF - I really like the colour renditions and there is something about seeing a whole larger unit in the same paint scheme - welcome aboard! 

From DougM: A Mixed Bag Magical Planetary Spin Cycle... [Arda] [Vulcan] [Babylon 5] [Istvaan 5] [Glorantha] (242 Points)

Continuing my circuitous route round the outer ring, the next planet is Arda, Fantasy... or Tolkienesque. I have a few lurking fantasy figures in the Stash, this one I have no idea where from, was an impulse eBay buy along with another 11 mates. 

I hate close ups of single figures. They always show you all the flaws... sadly most of this post is single figures. 

 

Having just completed some complex colour schemes, (see below), I kept this one very simple, three shades of blue and various 'whites' plus metallics.

Next up a hop, skip and a jump to Vulcan via Lady Sarah's Star Yacht, with Jo Grant as the price:

Did someone say 'Pointy Ears'? Alternative Armies... this chap is more like 40mm and has splendid trousers. 

And now Babylon 5, and could there be anything more Operatic than the uniforms of Austrian Hussars? Hum the Radetzky March and enjoy the jingle of silvered bits and gloriously laced pelisse. The 7th Hussars. Perry plastic 28mm Austrian Napoleonic Hussars. I started these and kicked myself realising I could have spray painted and washed 18 WW2 GI in Greatcats for the same points..  30+ colours later.

Pretty happy with these. But no more Hussars for a while...  Where to next.. ok. Istvaan V - Loyalists...  and who could be more loyal than the ever dependable Sergeant Benton!

There's a bit of a theme developing here. I had better make sure there is something in the stash for Skaro!

Next up Glorantha, and not having any ducks or Broo to hand, how about this hero? My favourite Doctor.

 

Figure originally by Harlequin I think. Collected as part of a job lot over time...  and I think that's it for the time being...  Scoring - let's see.

5 x 28mm Single Figures @ 5 = 25 (Although big ears is more like 40) 

9 x 28mm Mounted @ 10 = 90

5 x Locations @ 20 = 100

Lady Sarah's Star Yacht @20 = 20

For a total of 235 I think? 

And 4 squirrel points to add to my previous 1 for a total of 5. 

From DaveD

Jeez I am dizzy with that whirl around the rim..thats a bounce around alright - I have topped up the lad with fine trousers for his mighty stature . I do like the Opera link for the Hussars i can almost hear them singing . Your favourite Doctor is indeed the correct choice - lights blue touch paper...

Altogether the Spreadsheet-O-Doom makes that a nice  not rounded "242"