From TeemuL: AHPC XVI Wrap-up

It took longer than I thought to get this wrap-up post published, but other life has been busy - post poning everything during the Challenge has a price. :) Cleverly I had stored all the painted minis in one spot, so it was easy to gather them all.

I had a high goal, mainly based on the number of AHPC, and when I have usually gathered quite a lot of bonus points, the return of the theme rounds caused a slight drop on my points. But like others have said, the new system is less stressful, although it has fixed dates and the posts are on different blog area. There are pros and cons, I'm happy with either.

Being mostly a painter and not a gamer nowadays helps squirrel hunting and once again I made nice effort on that duel and finished third. To be able to win the squirrel hunt is not really possible, I should be able to paint a lot more to gather enough 25 point squirrels, but it is still fun. Especially, when there are not really any gaming related needs to get specific minis painted. Squirrel hunting and "maps" overlap a little bit, they sometimes work nice together, sometimes not. It might be easier to have just one of them? But like I said, I'm happy with both and even my metal level Resistance entry is just to humour people. :)

In addition of hunting squirrels I hunted quite a lot of skulls, finishing third in that duel, too. I managed to be on first position briefly after painting Nagash and Warmaster Undeads, but in the end I run out of skulls. Or I focused on squirrels. Or just finishing primed minis. Like squirrel hunting, I have participated Skull Duel many times, usually making a good effort, but never really thought to actually win it. If there is Shako Duel next year, I'll participate in that, too, but most likely won't be close to win it.

Next some close ups of the output:

Warhammer 40K with British Napoleonics. It was nice to finish a whole unit of Nappies and start my Eldar force. Old Chaos Dreadnought was nice to paint, too!

Here we have fantasy minis with cowboys, the Slayers were a pleasure to paint and the generic fantasy/history minis are nice addition to my collection.

Creatures from Middle-Earth and Glorantha, I hoped to paint more of LotR, but collecting squirrels was fun, too.

Start of another Delmonteland force for Insurgency Wars and storage pots.

I guess this is the history section, ancients and WW2.

Arabian Nights Dogfights, third one would have meant a squirrel! :)

Here's a bonus photo from Helsinki Design Museum I visited on Tuesday. Some inspiration for all who hand paint the shields, this is from 1800s, probably seremonial.

Thank you Curt and Sarah, all the minions and other participants! It was nice to read your posts and look at your painted minis, thank you for all the comments, I should have commented more, but quite often I browsed your entries on phone and it is just not that easy to write on that thing. See You in December!

From TeemuL: Rest of the British Napoleonics (40 points)

I promised last month to finish the British unit for Peninsular War this month and here they are, although almost on the last minute. I've been hunting squirrels and skulls, no time for these kinds of projects. A Shako Duel on the next AHPC, perhaps?

Nothing new with these guys, the same old Victrix plastics, four on the 40x40 base. These are meant for front row of the unit, kneeling soldiers allowing the back row shoot (or just look around). As I said earlier, this unit was assembled of the minis I had left from three different Victrix boxes and I had to use every single body to make a complete 24 strong unit. That's why the unit as whole might send mixed signals, if you are looking at it like a vignette. But on the table they will be in different formations anyway, so they will look funny at some point.

These are painted as 24th Warwick, as at least as my research on the box covers says. Mixed Contrast paints and traditional acrylics to get them done in reasonable time. Some time spent on regluing the broken bayonets...

At this point of the project and challenge, I guess a photo of the whole unit painted during this challenge is in order. Here they are accompanied with a commander stand painted in December. The commander is Uxbridge, thank you Curt for correcting that detail.

And below is the whole British Army at my disposal at the moment. The plan is to have two playable forces when I retire in about 15 years. Two units in a year should do it!

Not much more to say, 8 painted minis for 40 points. And I hope to finish an entry or two before the Challenge ends!

***

________________________________

Lovely work Teemu! These new additions look great and I'm sure welcome recruits to your growing force of British Napoleonics. Remind me next time and we'll get a 'Shako Duel' on the books. I'm sure there are more than a few of us that would pick up the gauntlet.  :)

- Curt

From TeemuL: Resistance - The Missed Opportunity (0 points)

A little snack to keep one going during the last 24 hours of the Challenge. There were three bonus rounds this year, I had a clear and cunning plan for one of them (Resistance) from the beginning. The other two I managed to invent something during the course, but the one I planned never made it! I was too busy hunting squirrels and skulls, that once I realized the Resistance deadline was close, I already knew I couldn't make it. But here's something I planned for that round, finally somewhat finished.

These two are modular map pieces from the Mighty Empires campaign set Games Workshop released several years ago. I bought one second hand a few years ago and even painted some of them during the previous AHPC (curiously the previous AHPC was named AHPC X: Previously painted map tiles). I'm quite sure these would have seen much more action, if they were coloured cardboard hexes like Settlers of Catan, but sometimes everything is made from plastic. I used Contrast colours on these again, simple and bold colours, something you expect to see from a map for example. They are double sided and of course the one with the mountain range doesn't look too good when turned over (the ocean). One more reason for cardboard tiles, I guess.

And what do these have to do with resistance, then? Well, I'm taking this to the meta level and this entry resists the lack of map for theme rounds. There are pros and cons, but naturally there is some level of resistance and this entry keeps that voice alive. I might not be personally resisting the lack of map, but this entry does - in a same way as our armies on the tables don't always match our own ideologies or agendas. Another level of resistance of this entry is that both of these were partially started before the Challenge, the greens on the first picture were already painted years ago, but then I run out of the Green Contrast paint and forgot these. For couple of years there has been a bonus theme for finishing previously started minis during the Challenge, and this entry resists that, too - in a same way as it resists the lack of map. Scoring these would be difficult, but since they were already started, they count for zero points - simple!

P.S. I was planning to paint more of these for the Bonus round and use tiles which were not started, but then I got too deep in all the levels of Resistance, that I couldn't resist any longer. I hope this post has at least bought a grin on your face, if not laugh. :)

_________________________

When reading this I resisted not to laugh, but failed. I find your meta-level reasoning entertaining, Teemu AND I also really like these tiles, with their bold colours and contrasting hex-edge. I have something similar that I 3d printed, but I still really like the design of these Mighty Empire tiles. I hope you return to them for a future Challenge to show us an entire map!

The Map is Dead - Long Live the Map! ;)

- Curt

From TeemuL: The Last Ducks and Orcs (50 points)

My last post of the Challenge has elements of two of my favourite fantasy worlds, Glorantha and Middle-Earth. First Glorantha and heroic ducks. I recently painted first five of them here: Ducks from 2022. And now was the time to paint the rest and claim one more squirrel!

They being fantasy ducks and not real I was able to use varied colours - one of them is blue, another one is green, one yellow and light and dark grey pair to finish them off. I tried to again use a limited palette to tie them together, look unified, but not uniformed. So lots of greys, greens and browns, followed by wash and gentle drybrush. It is a miracle indeed how many colours you can shade with Reikland Fleshshade and drybrush with Caucasian Flesh and the end result is great! I give you hint, basically anything but blue and green on these ducks...

For those of you don't know, ducks from Glorantha are barbarians and live side by side with other barbarians following their Storm God called Orlanth. Ducks don't take criticism well, especially if it is targeted towards their height, size or skills with weapons. They are short tempered, I wonder if Donald Duck is related to them...

Times like these, Challenge coming to end, skull duel almost tied, every skull counting, it would be tempting to paint free hand skulls everywhere, for example on the shields of these ducks. But skull is not a symbol widely used in Glorantha, so one of them got a storm rune and other one got a luck rune. Whirling storm rune is also the mark of Orlanth. They are smallish minis, 20mm in height, but in 28mm scale and previously counted as 28mm so it would be 5 points per mini and total of 25 points and a "Glorantha Duck" squirrel.

<Enter some quack jokes here>

And lets move on. Here are five more Uruk-hais for my army. You might remember my earlier entry where I said these were surprisingly easy and fast to paint. So I primed five more and they were still easy and fast to paint. I need to remember that, because I have quite a lot of them waiting for paint.

The recipe is the same and since there are dozens of entries on the final hours, I'll save you from long rants. 5 minis for 25 points, no squirrels or skulls. 50 points total. Thank you and "See You In December!"

From Millsy:

One of my favourite aspects of Gloranthan lore is the quirkiness of it and the ducks are the epitome of that quirkiness. I would never have though to use such bright colours on them as you've done mate but it really works.

Lovely work Teemu and another 50 Lunars added to your tally.

PS. I tried to think of a duck joke that would quack you up but couldn't manage it.

Cheers,

Millsy

From TeemuL: Warmaster Undead (47 points)

Just collecting some skulls and "Warmaster Undead" squirrel this week...

...and of course adding to Warmaster army some new units, the true meaning of the Challenge.

I have previously painted some units for the army during the past Challenges, but I guess I have already enough for a small game. Let's see if that happens sooner or later. These are the latest additions, one unit of foot infantry, one character and one war machine called Skull Chucka. I bought all the minis I have second hand they were mostly painted. They might have been mostly intact, too, but I'm not sure. Anyway, Skull Chucka is missing the crew, so I guess it works by magic now, and character should have another companion, one with a banner, but they are all missing at the moment. I couldn't find them in the box I stored them, but may be I found them from somewhere else.

There are lots of different kinds of bones on the base, and some weapons, too. A good supply, if you need to raise some bodyguards?

I chose green as the main colour (after bone), which is used in the shields. Cloaks are purple and shafts are red. That's pretty much it! I used Contrast paints except for the metal parts, which are traditional acrylics. Quite fast to paint once you have all the colours defined. I painted all the other characters last year, but left this one for the Challenge, because of the mountain of skulls. I gently highlighted all the skulls on the mountain with bone colour, trying to keep count of skulls, but most likely the final count is incorrect. Shields and weapons bring some interest to the bone mountain. Skull Chucka was very quick to paint, so the 3 points awarded for a crew served weapon is quite right, even though it is a big one.

There are 45 skulls between shoulders visible enough to count on the rank and file units and on the character. Then 42 freehand skulls on the shields and banners and 1 sculpted. 8 skulls on the catapult and 1 more in the banner pole. I counted 30 skulls on the base of the character, most likely incorrect to some way or another. Total amount 127 skulls. I just noticed that my close rival in the Skull race, BruceR, also painted some 10mm Warmaster skeletons. Great minds think a like!

3 points for the crew served weapon and 44 points for the infantry (there are 43 full "bodies" and 3 crawling up from the ground), total 47 points from the Undead.

List of squirrels (15): 

28mm Napoleonic British

28mm Fantasy Dwarfs

28mm Fantasy Mercenaries

28mm Fantasy Orcs

28mm Warhammer 40k Imperium

28mm Warhammer 40k Chaos

28mm Warhammer 40k Eldar

28mm Post WW2 Alternative History

28mm LotR Forces of Good

28mm LotR Forces of Evil

28mm Old West Gunfighters

25mm Classic Fantasy

15mm WW2 Soviets

15mm WW2 Germans

10mm Fantasy Undead

What a great army Teemu, you have really re-created that awesome old-school look with the green bases as well! And what a great score on the Squirreling Duel mate.

 

Well done, Sander 

From TeemuL: Bifröst civilians (25 points)

I'm not sure what I can finish this week, since I'm away the whole weekend on a basic scout wilderness training (loosely translated) and if I manage to finish minis and take photos, I write the text beforehand and photos later and if I don't, then I can happilly just leave the finished entry as ready and this one as draft. Almost like free fire period, but too soon. And while I remember, thank you Sander for minioning our Saturday crew, I'd hoped to see more of your output, but sometimes life is what it is. Last minute edit, I have managed to finish these, but I still haven't packed for the weekend... The choices we make.

Some years ago I bought this set from Warbases, a bunch of simple civilian minis originally for my son, who disliked the overly detailed GW minis I offered him to paint, but then his interest shifted and these sat for some time. AHPC is good opportunity to paint some fine metal minis and give a nod to a long time sponsor of the challenge. Bifröst is original miniature range by Warbases, created based on the needs of the owners, if I understood correctly. Similar to Perry Miniatures, I guess, nice to have an own company to make miniatures if you miniatures. :) While the range is quite wide, this set is quite general and usable on many games, worlds, battlefields, eras and so. Very nice from gamer point of view, a bit problematic from a squirrel point of view (see later).

I based these on small Renedra bases, which come in some of the Perry boxes. I like these smaller bases, they don't take too much space, but are large enough to keep miniatures standing. And as these are civilians, it is nice that they don't take too much table space. I have in the past used 25mm bases, so these are much smaller and "a new idea" to me. There's some sand to hide the metal base, brown wash and highlight and some tufts. I have not painted the eyes, at the moment I believe that with my skills the minis look better without the eyes, at least on models this style.

Characterful but rather simple minis, there are several layers of clothes on some, but still quite easy. I painted the guy with a sack as a jester even though he is missing the bells, but otherwise he looks like one. On the website he is described something as a "shady character", but naturally I painted first, read second. I gave him (and others) quite dull, muted colours, they are civilians - not brightly coloured soldiers or nobles. Jester is clearly not part of the royal entourage - at least yet, may be when he gets couple of coins and can buy brighter clothes.

The farmer should have a shovel, but my version came like this. And again, I checked the website after painting, so didn't realize that. Now he is just holding a stick, which I guess is good enough to poke the ground. The plague doctor wears all black and silver mask, the holy and pure material most likely protecting him from the disease.

Two ladies have a bit more colour, but not much. One is selling frest meat (still with fur or feathers) and another one is just looking important. These are mainly painted with just a basecoat and a generous wash - I only used brown, green, blue and purple washes using them on many different colour. The black robe being exception, black cloak is highlighted with couple of shades of grey. I bought some new grey paints recently and they seem to be too light when used straight from the pot. I need to do some mixing or buy a darker grey. It's a pity that paint pots get empty or dried.

I'm not sure if these count as a squirrel, since I have already painted "28mm General Fantasy" squirrel and these are not that much different. But Squirrelmaster General has been quite generous, so I'll try and be happy with his rulings. Scoring wise this is easy 25 points for 5 minis, no skulls, but couple of females for Sarah.

 

 

 Teemu, this is a brilliant set of NPC civilians to be used with any and all RPG like games and as table dressing. Your painting really enhances these venerable sculpts so thanks heap for sharing these with us.

 

Cheers Sander  

From TeemuL: Orclike creatures (70 points)

Couple of weeks ago I posted an entry about all things green. Today I'm not far off that subject, but this is more a study of orcs rather than of a green. And the "study" is created while typing, after I managed to create a topic which would gather all the models of this week. Orc is a tricky word, I believe, everyone knows what orcs are, but no-one really knows what orcs are or what they look. :) It is a specific but generic term with many different points of view, different lores and different authors/artists.

These are Uruk-Hai from Games Workshop Lord of the Rings range based on the movie trilogy by the same name. In the movies Uruk-Hai are creatures created by Saruman, in the books they come from Mordor, but Saruman just manages to enhance them to not be afraid of daylight.  Tolkien's orcs were originally corrupted elves, Jackson's version is mix of orcs and goblin.

I chose to paint 5 of these, just enough for another squirrel, but they were so quick to paint, that I primed another 5, which might get painted later in the Challenge. I have largish collection of painted Uruk-Hai, but only 3 with pikes before this. Definitely need for more, luckily I have lots to paint. These are 20 years old or so, gathered from here and there over the years. These "orclike creatures" are brown skinned and heavily armoured and have long pikes, which gives them unique fighting abilities in the game. Very quick to paint, like I told. brown skin and armour cover almost everything. The photos are quite bright, but there are two layers of black wash over the plate mail to give them darker and more industrial look. Brown bases to finish them off, green tufts to add some colour to all brown, black and metal.

The next one is a mean, green killing machine, so I'd say an orclike creature. For Toy Story bonus round I painted a Centurion tank for my Delmonteland project, but since Wars of Insurgency rules are not really about tanks, I thought the jungle troops would need another kind of vehicle. The answer came from the box of toy cars I bought Gaslands in mind, but this 4x4 Cherokee is claimed to be 1/64 scale, so the same as the Centurion, so it should be a perfect fit.

I painted the car green, then added lighter green highlights, painted the windows and tires black and bumpers brown. A little bit colour to the lights and then some muddying. The freehand palm tree and slogan on the roof were painted light grey and highlighted with white.

The trunk opens, so I painted the inside yellow, looks quite practical. Some thin lines to windows to mimic reflections. Not necessarily the best effect, but at least something to break the blackness.

In the photo below I have included two jungle warriors I painted before to better show the size and scale. Looks may be a bit big, but probably just big business... "Let's go Bananas" is something I invented tongue in the cheek, something eager mercenaries might think when going to fight in the jungle. Afterwards I learnt that there is a Canadian TV show for children with the same name, so salute to Canadians is included (unintentionally).

Another size comparison, this time with Warlord Games WW2 jeep. Again, looks a bit bigger, but clearly the design is not so Spartan, so not a problem for me. Someone might argue about the correct scale for 25/28 minis, but for me this is close enough - especially when this was supposed to be a cheap side project.

The following 3 photos show the Cherokee before my salvage job. I liked the red paint and "Mad Bull" text, may be I should have stick to that instead of "Let's go Bananas"?

It can clearly be seen that this toy car has seen lots of action and most likely love. I hope to field it for my games so it can enjoy the new life and love.

And the last photo shows the technical details, 4x4 Cherokee by Majorette, Made in France, 1/64 scale and No 256.

And then some actual orcs, at least the Games Workshop version of them. Games Workshop orcs in the Fantasy (or Grim Dark) setting are greenskinned. They are not evil as such, they just like a good fight and enjoy destruction. Back in the days orcs were considered brave warriors, nowadays they are cowards hiding inside armours, made of metal gone through pigs... This entry shows the more heroic orcs rather than those cowards. These are (or were) called Savage Orcs and as you can see, their equipment and weapons are from the lo-tech end of the technology tree.

Yes, good old metal orcs with goblin green bases and red weapon shafts! I guess I'm bit of a dwarf and savage orc inside me, dirstrusting pretty everything too new and modern...

I added some variety, each one has different coloured skin or fur and there are actually 5 different sculpts here, even though two pairs look quite the same - but not exact. Shields are quite modern, but they are rather rough, so they fit these savages better.

In general they were painted basecoat, highlights and gentle wash, but there are some variations here and there. The bone weapons of the boss guy have severel layers for example where as the red eyes have just the basecoat.

What might surprise you, there savage beasts (as some imperial scholar might call them) have zero skulls on them! Bone and stone weapons, feathers, severed head, all kinds of armbands, bracelets and nose rings, but not a single skull. Well, if you want skulls, you'll have them next week!

"28mm LotR Forces of Evil" squirrel, no robots or skulls, 25 points for 5 minis.

25mm vehicle for 20 points, no skulls or new squirrels.

"28mm Warhammer Fantasy Orcs" squirrel, no robots or skulls... 25 points for 5 minis.

Total 70 points, 2 squirrels.

With all these points I reach the halfway of my target with two weeks to go!

Oh boy Teemu, what a great mix of offerings you have for us today! I do like both the versions of that architypal enemy: the trusty Orc or Ork. Those Uruk Hai really look good, but I like the Savage Orcs better they are goofy and just ooze charakter! That Cherokee is the cream of the crop for me, what a nice rescue job, the banans theme does really work well indeed, so get those brushes started and try to paint some more we sure like to see more of these kinda posts!

Cheers Sander