KenR - The last 28mm Italian Wars Spanish Cavalry (75 points)

 

As it's the last one I thought I would start with a group shot ! 48 Spanish Gent d'Armes (12 done pre challenge) are complete, for now. If you think it's a lot it's half the size of Italian horde 😁

This week's entry is 6 28mm Spanish Heavy Cavalry from The Assault Group, based in twos on a 50 x 60 base, with Petes Flags to finish them off.

Points wise is 6 x 10 for the figs and a couple of Flags for another 2 making 62 points in total.

With about 3 weeks to go I need to crack on with the Pike and with two entries in this week, let's see if I can make it 3.

Just smashing work again Ken, a lot of eye candy to feast on here.  I am a little sad that this particular project has come to an end.  Surely you can find more can't you.  The opening shot is breath taking.  I am bumping your score to 75 to recognize the sale and quality.

From KerryT: Italian Wars cavalry (120 points)

Morning, afternoon & evening all

In previous challenges, a good proportion of my submissions were from one of my favourite periods, the Italian Wars though this challenge seems to be quite different. Not surprisingly perhaps I'm all over the place again but that does at least keep me productive. I've always admired the dedication of those who decide to focus on one army and project and manage to see it through. I just have to wander around though around several periods in order to keep my focus. In trying to add to my Italian wars collection, I have printed off some Wargames Atlantic Gendarmes but if I'm being realistic its seems very unlikely that I'll get to them this time. I have managed to get some paint on a dozen TAG Italian Elmeti though. These are another unit that were bought and prepped for last year's challenge

Putting them in front of the church reminds me that I do need to finish more Italian style buildings

I don't have many TAG figures but I've always enjoyed painting the ones that I do have

Flag from Pete's flags

I've just gone for a mix of colours in an attempt to make them a generic/mercenary unit

The horses are pretty solid and seem to take paint well

Running away

I need to flesh out some Italian states cavalry and I think I'll try and get a few more of these in the near future.

On reflection it may have been better if I'd painted them up as Venetians, Milanese or Florentines to bulk those evolving armies out a bit. They would probably look a little better with lances rather than spears but I must have used the remainder of my supply of lances from Wargames Foundry. I'll try and pick up some at Partizan I think but that means I'll see and want to buy more Gendarmes

So just a quick post from me this week, thank you all once again for your continued support and encouragement. Apologies,  I've been a bit slow off the mark commenting on others work this week but hope to catch up with my comments on the weekend

In summary

12 X 28mm Mounted figures @ 10 points = 120 pints

1 Squirrel

Best wishes

Valleyboy

From Millsy:

I never cease to be amazed at the speed you can paint cavalry mate. We were only talking about these just recently and you were trying to decide what colour to paint all the tack. All the various colours you've used really do look great and have repaid the effort in spades. Matched to the coat colours on troop's tabards it looks so cohesive and convincing, especially what paired with your usual high standard of basing.

The TAG miniatures are really good kit aren't they? I have some Ottomans to paint at some point and I'm a little apprehensive because they are so detailed and packed with flavour.

That's another 120 points add to your tally. You're just about at the 2000 mark now and with a decent lead over the rest of us. Cracking effort all round.

Cheers,
Millsy

From BillA: 20th Century African Militia and Mercenaries (65 points)

 This is a project I kind of stumbled into accidentally. A couple years back, I started painting and wargaming the 1980s GI Joe comic book and animated series in 28mm, and decided to add some local insurgent types - the idea being the terrorist organization Cobra funds and arms localized groups in Central America, the Middle East, etc. in addition to their own, more sci-fi oriented, operations. One of my favorite stories from the GI Joe Special Missions comic (which tended towards more realistic stories), appearing in issue#10, involved the Joes escorting the prince of Kalingaland, an equatorial African nation, home to assume rulership despite Soviet-backed efforts to install a Communist puppet government. I decided I wanted to include Kalingaland in my games, and that meant Cobra-backed rebels, leading me to pick up a couple packs of 20th century African militia from The Assault Group.

And then I got a few more. And then I bought a copy of "Wars of Insurgency," my friend Mike's rules for wargaming the various bush wars and small conflicts around the world from 1945-2000. And then I bought a few more African militia to round out a complete force for "Wars of Insurgency." I have no idea if I'm ever going to play Wars of Insurgency. I have more African rebel militia than I'll probably ever field in a GI Joe game, which I usually play solo. Anyways, here are the last of them, painted up.

There's a lot going on here, so let's break that up.

I did one pack each of Militia with Handguns and with SMGs:

These two packs were combined, with a guy holding a RPG, to form a single militia unit for Wars of Insurgency:

I also painted a pack of "Wild Geese" style mercenaries with AK-47s; these are intended as bodyguards for the force's commander, who has previously been painted.

These figures complete this force, and I have a partially painted UN Peacekeepers force to oppose them; whether I'll complete the second half of the Peacekeepers before the end of the Challenge or not remains to be seen.

That's another 13 figures for 65 points, and another Squirrel point, bringing me up to 4 (Modern Horror, Maya, Dinosaurs, and 20th Century Africa.

=======================

Sylvain: You bring to the Challenge a type of skirmish figures that I've never played with and never seen at conventions. Your brushwork brings out the ruggedness of the militiamen. I will watch closely what you will bring next week! Génial! 

 

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

From MattT, Wallachian Voynuks (35 points)

This week sees me pressing on with my Ottoman project that should keep my brother happy. I have completed a base of Voynuk infantry. Figures are a bit of a mixed bag with a couple of head swaps thrown in. I have painted them blue for no other reason than that's what Angus McBride painted them in. I think most of us will have made painting choices based of his illustrations. Those early Osprey books have been essential reading over the years.

The unit is being led by Vlad himself. Shamelessly stole the idea from the Camisado Blog. Thanks for the inspiration. Mini is from the Assault Group hidden in their fantasy section

I have also been trying to improve my photography and have bought some new gradiated paper as a backdrop that hopefully helps improve the images.

7 x 32 minis = 35 points

From DaveD . They are looking good Matt . I think the photo set ups are improved with the new set up . It helps to show off your skillz alright . That Vlad figure is great . There are various interesting things on the TAG site if you can find them . The blues are great shade on the infantry . 35 it is .

KenR - 28mm Spanish Heavy Cavalry 4 & 5 (124 pts)

 

Not one but two units of Spanish Heavy Cavalry for my Italian Wars collection this week, a slight brain slip meant I ended up doing two horse units back to back as I forgot to do the planned infantry unit in between !

You should be familiar with these by now, 28mm figures from The Assault Group (TAG) based 2 per base on 50 x 60 bases with 6 figures per unit, horses painted in oil, figures in acrylics, flags by Petes Flags.

Unit one in a red, yellow, white and black scheme (based on the flags), I realised after doing the photos that the centre bases were in the wrong units !

Unit two in a yellow, red and blue scheme. Points are 12 x 28mm mounted at 10 points each plus 4 flags at a point each giving 124 points.

And finally because I know you like to see here are the Spanish Gent d'Armes so far, just 6 more to go, which could be done next week. On the table at the moment are the Prussian Landwehr Battalion I should have done this week 😆

They may be early, but they are a wonderful sight Ken.  Fantastic as always. Now put a sticky note up to work on the Prussian Landwehr. 

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

KenR - 28mm Spanish Italian Wars Heavy Cavalry Tres (70 pts)

 

No alarms and no surprises with the 2nd entry this week, it's the ongoing saga of my Spanish Gent d'Armes for the Italian Wars and here is the third of six units I have planned.

As previously the figures are 28mm from The Assault Group and Flags from Petes Flags.

6 x 28mm Cavalry at 10 pts each and a couple of Flags for 2, gives me 62 pts.

So that's half of these done, and there's just time for a couple of group shots (cause I know you like them !) of the completed units to date (plus the two pre Challenge)

See you all next week with some Swiss.

Another fine set of Spanish HC Ken.  I've bumped up your points score for the overall impression of the work  you've done on these riders.  That groups shot at the bottom is marvellous.  Does the tabeltop shake when they gallop across the field of battle?  The flags really help make the scene for this period.  Well done, and I for one am looking forward to seeing more Swiss next week.    

From MattT : Ottoman Janissaries, ( 35 points )

 For this years Impetus Army project I am painting up some 14th / 15th century Ottomans. Its been an army I have wanted to paint for some time due to their colour and unusual units. My brother has already posted up the first of his Hungarians on the blog that will be their main opponent on the tabletop.

Been a change in pace to paint some cleaner colours after my last few grimdark posts. I'm quite taken with using static grass flowers on my impetus army bases as a unifying feature to tie them together and for this army I have gone for some white daisies to pick up the white in the minis. The minis themselves are lovely sculpts from The Assault Group.

7 x 28mm minis = 35 points

From DaveD . A colourful little collection of Jannisaries indeed . The flowers on the base have worked well here I think . I do like TAG figures , always nice to paint , and you have done a fine job . 35 it is .

KenR - 28mm Spanish Heavy Cavalry Uno - 62 points

 

The Italian Wars will form a good chunk of my Challenge efforts this year and here is the first of the bunch, a unit of Heavy Cavalry for my Spanish. The figures are from The Assault Group and Flags from Petes Flags.

I've got 36 heavy and 24 light ready to go. During the course of the year I have started to paint groups of 6 Cavalry in between larger units of foot and its really helped with motivation, it keeps things fresh and its amazing how quickly the horse builds up doing it this way.

6 figs is our usual size unit for Gendarme style Cavalry in the Italian Wars as they would usually operate in Squadron sizes of 100 - 120 (plus squires etc). Points wise it will be 6 x 10 for the 28mm Cavalry plus 2 for the Flags giving a total of 62.

Below is a picture of the new unit along with the other two I did earlier in the year, I think it's going to be pretty impressive at the end of the Challenge with 12 units all together.

I've got a unit of Arab Cavalry for the Crusades nearly done as well and they may make the cut before Curt hands over the reigns, if not then it will be on the first Minion Tuesday.

_____________________________

Gorgeous work, Ken! These Spaniards look magnificent with their lances and pennants. I love seeing Italian Wars stuff. It makes me want to return to them for another run. Perhaps I'll have to try your approach of breaking up the units in more manageable (and varied) chunks. Great stuff and I look forward to seeing more!

- Curt

From KerryT: "Some of my favourite things"- Polish Winged Hussars (60 points)

Morning, afternoon & evening all

I am sure as wargamers we all have our favourite units, those  figures that called to us from their place in those early magazines in our formative years. For me, there were so many, though I suspect that I'm not alone in experiencing that siren call.

The problem was that there just wasn't one unit or type, they were multiple, and they left an indelible mark in your psyche. O how  I longed to see my table replete with ranks of massed charging Napoleonic cavalry, the massive gun battery and the thin red line. Then there were the ordered ranks of Roman legionaries, large blocks of Landsknecht, the gaudy Gendarmes and slashing Samurai. Through time came their modern counterparts in the Sd.Kfz.234 or Puma and the M3 Stewart or maybe even a Tiger....... I could go on...and on and...

Somewhat oddly now I find myself thinking about Julie Andrews ! What have Julie Andrews and wargaming in common then? Nothing I think is my answer!

Growing up, I was probably too young to think of Julie Andrews as a bit of totty but a song she once sung comes to mind!

"Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens

Brown paper packages tied up with strings

These are a few of my favorite things"

Nah, Mrs JA, I'm afraid that's all sentimental bollocks😀

What about Polish Winged Hussars then eh? Why aren't they on your list? This is where I confess that theses are one of my favourite things and so on my list

I'm really not sure why but it probably was a picture in early editions of Miniature Wargames and Wargames illustrated, perhaps these

Wargames Illustrated 1986

Miniature Wargames 1983

Somewhat inexplicably then I found myself painting a few of these again

TAG Polish Winged Hussars completed years ago

Those 6 figures were completed probably more than 10 years ago in one of the Lead Adventure Painting Challenges, I forget which one

They've now been joined by another 6 figures, newly painted and based today

Another new 6 figures will make up the unit size now

Most of the old unit had 2 wings, these only have one

Some figures are sculpted with animal skin cloaks

Hand painting those lance pennants took me all morning!

Lots of bling and a Tiger skin

These guys are so fearless they'll even charge a wall

This is the end result of doing too much thinking lately with retirement approaching (a mere 3 weeks away). I know that I need to rationalise my collection. So what have I done? added another 6 figures to the unit to make them up to a 12 strong unit. This is going to go one of 2 ways now - I'm either going to stick with my plan of painting them up and selling them off in an attempt to make my hobby spending neutral or something bad will happen - yeah, I'll buy more and start another project. Hmm I do like the idea of an Ottoman army! Siege of Vienna anyone?

I'm sure you all know its hard work being a butterfly with a short attention span, after all I was just thinking... "oh look shiny"....

The full twelve now

I summary then just 6 figures though making and painting those lance pennants took a morning and consequently I'm well behind schedule though hope, by the grace of Millsy to sneak another entry in later tis evening!

6 x 28mm Mounted figures @ 10 points = 60 points
1 Squirrel

With apologies to Julie Andrews

Many thanks

Valleyboy

From Millsy:

Polish Winged Hussars are one of those things a lot of wargamers have considered painting at some point. Most of us either sober up or take our meds, recover and get on with our lives. Just occasionally though, just every once in a while, you see someone who takes the other road and dives joyfully into the deep end.

Amazing work mate, just wonderful. I know it was a lot to get done in a week but you're to be congratulated! 60 points seems a paltry return but them's the breaks!

Now sit quietly while I call you an ambulance. There's a good chap!

Cheers,
Millsy