From JezT - Assorted Landsknechts - 25mm (60 points)

 Dear All, 

Yikes only a few more posting weeks in the challenge to go! Glad to finish off a few odd Landsknechts for my Renaissance armies though. They are mainly Steel Fist Miniatures figures, some of which I wanted to blend into existing units to add a bit more variety. 

Here are the figures before basing 

This is the first time I have painted figures from Steel Fist and personally I found adding the heads and weapons a bit fiddly, but pleased with the end results. Here are 3 Landsknecht skirmish crossbow.

Next is a single Steel Fist Arquebusier - which added to an existing unit.

Then I have a Light Gun set - the figures are from Steel Fist but not sure about the actual gun. I painted these to be part of the French Army "Black Band" Landsknechts. 

Here is another Steel Fist figure that I have added in as a replacement into a pike block to add more variety. 

Steel Fist figure next to old Irregular Miniatures figure. 

Finally a couple more Steel Fist Leader and Standard Bearer now added into a mainly old Hinchcliffe figure pike block. 

New "Steel Fist" Leader on right with Standard Bearer behind

Close up on the Leader with impressive hat plume!

Next is another Standard Bearer but this time a TAG The Assault Group figure - this was a very nice Thirty Years war standard bearer figure that I wanted to act as a replacement. Originally the figure had a "Morion" helmet so did a heads swap.

TAG converted standard bearer

Finally is a unknown figure that picked up somewhere and although Landsknecht have used to beef up and strengthen a Swiss Halberdier unit. I painted in light blue and white as part of the Zurich contingent. 

So in total it is 12 figures for 60 points.

Cheers Jez

Nice work here Jez! You've managed to blend figures from several different manufacturers together into a pretty cohesive unit, kudos for a good eye on that. I particularly like the stripey outfit on that dude from the Zurich contingent, very nice. Separate heads and weapons aren't my favourite things either and you've done a good job with 'em.

Sixty for your tally!

Dallas

From JezT - Early Samurai - 28mm From TAG (70 points)

 Hi All, 

Excited to post up these 3 Samurai packs from The Assault Group which is part of my plan to be able to field a Basic Impetus rules Early Samurai army. I can already field the Later  Samurai "Age of War" period and have matched armies based on Warlord Uesugi Kenshin and the Ikko Ikki peasant league. 

I have always had an idea to use some of these army figures and expand earlier and be able to field a Samurai army from the time of the Mongol invasions in 1274. Here the Samurai have very different early style armour, with no "sashimono" and still have traditional bow armed mounted troops. Of course with no arquebus.  

There are 8 infantry and 3 mounted in the three TAG packs - 

The Mounted Samurai are the stars - 

Next the Foot Samurai 

Sabot based so can use in skirmish games if I want

In Basic Impetus the Early Samurai fight as Light  Infantry

Finally some "Followers" - I painted these simply with plain black armour and white cloth and they can then mix with other figures I have from the later Ikko Ikki army, such as farmers, peasants and so on. In the Basic Impetus Early Samurai army you have 8 bases in total, 4 of which are these "Follower" Light Infantry. 

  

Pleased to get these 3 packs done, although felt with the Samurai armour and clothing I was reaching the limits of my painting skills. They don't have any immediate Mongol opponents, but that is another long term painting project for my brother ......

So in total 70 points recorded. 

Have a great week painting all! Cheers Jez 

Very cool samurai Jez! This is one of the periods I've often thought about (I loved the Dixon Samurai range with the football heads that used to be advertised in Wargames Illustrated eons ago) but the delicate painting put me off... you've done a fine job with these and I'm happy to chalk up 70 points for you!

Dallas

JezT - 28mm Venetian Standard Bearer from TAG (10 points)

 Hi All 

This is a simple single figure follow on from my last post, when I started down a "rabbit hole" of re-touching up and re-basing my old Gendarme figures. My new plan is using my very best Gendarme figures to intermix across different armies on individual sabot bases and have specific national army standard bearers. 

This has proved quite tricky as I have been fiddling around with a lot of old lead that is now quite fragile. Cant believe that my old Wargames Foundry Gendarme figures are now over 35 years old!!

Anyway just presenting a single newly painted The Assault Group Spanish Genitor figure. I have  painted it up to be a Venetian standard bearer though - the flag is from Pete's flag.

Painted in red and white as Venetian colours

So just a simple single cavalry figure 10 points for the Challenge but very pleased with the final look of the re-touched up figures. 

Cheers Jez

That's a good looking gendarme standard bearer there Jez! I like the idea of sabot basing, allowing you to use the same model in mass battle and skirmish games. Goof for you for getting paint on this model that's older than some painters here in the Challenge!

Ten points for you.

Dallas

From JezT - 28mm Hungarian Hussars circa 1526 (91 points)

 Hi All 

Exciting second post as this is creating a new Basic Impetus army option for me - Hungarian Renaissance, specifically aiming for basing this around the Battle of Mohacs 1526 when they took on the Ottomans and got totally wiped out. 

My brother Matt is taking up with the Ottomans and bought figures from TAG (we might see some this Challenge - no pressure Matt but stop painting fantasy and get on with these). I get to be the mad impetuous Hungarians, but was quite pleased as I already had suitable Landsknecht type infantry and Men at Arms cavalry, so really just needed the specialist Hungarian Hussar light cavalry options. 

After searching I eventually decided upon Warlord figures and bizarrely these are actually sold as Ottoman Turks.  I personally think they looked more European and critically for me they had the "signature" shooting bow pose, with curved shields and plums that I wanted. So I ended up with 3 packs and a total of 9 mounted to paint up to create 3 light cavalry bases. 

First up is the Hussar light cavalry (in Basic Impetus parlance VBU 4/1), these can shoot and also charge in with lance. 

Then I have two more bases of light cavalry bowmen, as these are more specifically skirmish cavalry shooting only (in Basic Impetus VBU 3/0), I decided on two figures per base and added on extra bows, so every model looks like an archer. 

With the final two figures, I knew a definitely need a Hungarian themed commander figure.

There are weapons and a horse swap here - think the horse is an old Redoubt sculpt

As I got rid of the original sword, for accuracy felt needed to add in a new sword pommel

Think red and white are key Hungarian colours 

Finally for the last figure I decided to base them on a sabot base as a standard bearer so they can mix with my existing Gendarmes and make a fully Hungarian Men At Arms unit. 

Pleased with sabot base in action and now touching up more of my my older Gendarme figures.

So in total 9 mounted should be 90 points. 

All the best Jez

Nice looking Hungarians here Jez! Good idea to sabot-base these models as it'll let you use them fir skirmish games as well. Good work on the flags and shield also - I'll chuck in another point for those. Ninety-one for your tally!

Dallas

From JezT - First Post Gripping Beast 28 mm Dark Age Infantry (20 points)

Hi All, 

Happy to make my first post this Monday 12 January and looking back my first ever post to the Challenge was on 12 January 2017 - at that time it was some 28mm Goth Archers. It seems a long time ago now. I think Curt "won" that Challenge year with his brilliant Battle of Pavia diorama. 

Anyway my wargaming interests have pretty much remained the same. I like painting 28mm Ancient to Renaissance figures and mainly play games using Basic Impetus rules. I especially enjoy the speed of the rules, so a game is usually over in a couple of hours. Most recently I have really enjoyed using the new "scenario" options for the game set up's. 

My first post is just a simple 20 points for 4 x Gripping Beast Dark Age figures. These are based individually so when I use them in Basic Impetus I fit them into sabot bases. These figures will boost up and be used when I am playing Picts or Welsh armies as Light Infantry with Long Spear. The pointing figure might also find his way into the back rank of a Heavy Infantry Romano British "Arthurian" army. 

I am based in Kenilworth UK and these are Gripping Beast figures from just down the road in Evesham. They are great fun and easy to paint. I just use simple Games Workshop paints.

Thanks all and hopefully will be something different ready for next Monday. 

Cheers Jez

***

Hi Jez - GregB here, acting as temporary Minion for Dallas while he enjoys a well-earned break in a place where the January weather is much more tolerable than the Canadian prairies :)

First off, welcome back once again to the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge! We are thrilled to have you with us.

I will always love me some Gripping Beast castings! So beefy and full of character. Some of the molds on their classic ranges are starting to show their age, but damn they still look great. As you say, great fun to paint! And you have done them fine service here. 

That is 20 points to get you on the board. 

GregB

From JezT - Final Sign Off - Renaissance Townsfolk - 28mm (10 points)

 Dear All 

Cant believe where the time went on this Challenge! I lost focus in the last month and spent quite a bit of time on a re-basing project. Still one upshot was that found some great character figures on the Warbases site - I didn't know they did some figures as well.

Best keep up-wind of the Plague Doctor

I think the figures are very good value in the pack and still got a couple of others to paint up! I wanted to give a more Renaissance rather than Medieval look and really like the Plague Doctor figure. 

Just a measly 10 points BUT pushes me over the 200 mark! 

Thanks to everyone - was another brilliant Challenge and saw lots to inspire me. Special thanks to Curt and also Teemu for looking after everyone in the Thursday group. Now will be able to use my newly painted Silver Bayonet figures out and got a couple more options to play in my Basic Impetus army options. 

All the best, Jez.

___________________________________

I agree Jez, that plague doctor is an ace model and your brushwork does him great justice. I didn't realize that Warbases had these kinds of figures so I'm going to have to check them out.

Congratulations on hitting your target this year Jez, and thank you for joining in again for this bit of hobby madness. Until next year!

- Curt

From JezT: Mixed Crossbow - 28mm (35 points)

Hi All 

Small post from me resulting from a "stock check" of my Crossbow figures. I usually play Basic Impetus Bolt Action but for some armies I have based using sabot bases so I can play smaller skirmish games such as Saga using the figures individually. For my Late Crusader army and Normans I was cross mixing using the same figures - I could get away with it although the bases were different. 

Anyway now solved this problem! Firstly found a few old Gripping Beast figures which I painted up for the Late Crusaders - 

Painted to represent City of Jerusalem

Painted as Knights Hospitallers

Next is a pack of Footsore Crossbow painted up to use in the Norman army. These Footsore have a bit more dynamic poses and will match in as I have the Footsore Norman archers and spearmen. 

One was promoted to a Spearman - or is that demoted?

So just a simple 7 foot figures for 35 points this week. 

Cheers Jez

TeemuL: Simple 35 points, but very good brushwork and nice to hear your plans to use these models in your various games. I love the light blue colours on the first one.

From JezT: Arthurian Mixed Bag - 28mm (53 points)

Dear All 

Happy Thursday all and late post this morning UK time so hope came be posted today. 

Last Challenge painted some Arthurian infantry on round sabot bases and the idea was to mix these with my Saxon Levy spearmen and make a new Arthurian Post Romano-British option. For the cavalry my idea was always to use my existing Goth cavalry bases. However when I set up the army the two parts did not gel and lacked impact. Basically I was missing the signature "White Chi-Rho" shields carried through on the cavalry. 

My solution has been to touch up the Goth cavalry shields with a more general white and red design and select some for sabot basing, to this I would add in some purely Arthurian characters. 

The one newly painted figure being presented is this Arthurian standard bearer painted using some unused Foundry left-overs I had. 

I am adding a few pictures just to show how he fits on the sabot base as part of the unit. I had to have an Arthur so just painted up the shield on an existing Goth captain, 

Also I realised if I followed the same idea I could "convert" my Welsh Dark Ages army into a Pict army as opponents for the Arthurian army - my brother will eventually finish off his Early Saxon army for the classic battle match up. 

So these are the new Pict character figures painted up - again these will fit on sabot bases for the Basic Impetus units. 

These are new Figures from Footsore the light cavalry part of the Welsh range:

Finally a couple of odd foot that painted up and gave square shields to give some Pict character.

Altogether is 3 x cavalry and 4 x foot 28mm so should be a simple 50 points for me and looking forward to trying these out in a game shortly. 

All the best Jez

TeemuL: Fine additions to your projects, Jez! And don't worry, as you can see, your post is in good hands. There were 2 entries ready yesterday, couple of more came during the night, so this is a quiet day (for a Thursday). I'll give you couple of bonus points for the handpainted shields and banners.

From JezT: Silver Bayonet Part 2 - Assorted 28mm (22 points)

Dear All, 

Its a Thursday so must be time for some more snow bases and Silver Bayonet figures? This is my second batch and just four figures for 20 points. Pleased with these as they mean I can now field a squad and hopefully shortly play my first game. All were painted with Games Workshop paints. 

The basing style came about by chance when I was doing Part 1 as I started using some clear bases and initially just placed some snow basing on the metal part of the figure; I liked the way it looked as the terrain sheet will show through the base on the table and I am only planning to use these as individual skirmish figures. 

In more detail - first up we have the squad leader. The leader is Marshall Ney from Giants in Miniature to which I made a few conversions. I beefed up the musket as the original was a bit skimpy, I especially wanted a cartridge box and added this and a backpack. Originally I tried to sculpt a cartridge belt with Milliput, but the result was a bit clunky, so I pragmatically decided to paint it as a blanket role.   

As I am using a French squad option I really wanted to include a Vivandiere. I am not sure of the maker origin of the female figure and don't think it was a Napoleonic figure; I added in the wine bottle as her sustenance for the squad (not sure if that will go very far). 

The next two are North Star figures and painted them to fit in with the French squad. I like the sculpting of both of these and the male figure can take on a variety of squad roles - Junior Officer, Veteran Hunter and so on. 

So four figures and just a simple 20 points for me.

Cheers Jez

TeemuL: You are absolutely right, snow bases, Silver Bayonet and Napoleonics are exactly what the world is expecting from Thursdays and that is exactly what Thursdays are delivering! Nice addition to your squad and good luck with your games. Interesting to hear your story about the discovery of the basing style, sometimes accidents are great innovations. As it seems to be a tradition of today, I'll give you two bonus points for conversion work and telling the story of the bases. :)