From RossM: Romans, Spartans and a Skeleton (60 points)

 It's getting late for scribbling and scratching on the paper, not long to go now so time to show some more painted figures. 

This entry, my fifth in this Challenge,  has more Romans from Corvus Belli and Essex, Spartan cavalry from Xyston and a retro Citadel skeleton. 

In reverse order then, the skeleton from the Second Citadel Compendium in 1984, this was one of the first miniatures that I bought back in the day. This is the same figure, cleaned down to the base metal using cellulose thinners and repainted for your viewing today. 

If you follow the link above you will see the others of this motley crue. Over this year I hope to paint them all again and the release them to a gaming table at some point after all they can only die again.  

Next are the Spartan cavalry from Xyston. Never the strong point of a Spartan army, cavalry does however have it's uses so here they are. The slight shine is due the picture being sans matte varnish; a school boy error that will be rectified shortly. 

As always with Xyston figures, very nicely sculpted and cleanly cast. 

Lastly, for this post are a few more Early Imperial Romans. The legionnaires from Corvus Belli - the original metal casts - and supporting saggitarii from Essex Miniatures. 

The shield transfers are from Little Big Men and really bring the unit together. 

The double depth basing on a 40mm front is for use in ADLG and works well aesthetically as well as providing a more realistic look that the standard single rank on 40 x 15mm. 

There will be Romans in the next two weeks with the last legionnaires, auxilia and cavalry alea joining the finishing line for the 19th. 

So, how does this tally for the Challenge? 

1 x 28mm infantry figure: 5 points

3 x 15mm cavalry figures: 12 points

20 x 15mm infantry figures: 40 points

For a total of 57 points, taking the Challenge total so far to 118 (23.6%) with another 110 points nearing completion. Not the full amount however, it will see the Romans finished for now. 

Cheers for now

Cool mix of figures Ross.  Really like seeing the veteran Skelly come back to life (sort of).  Fine work on the ancients too.  Spartan overly does have it uses, scouting, flank protection, being something to thow away so as to give the phalanx another turn.  According to Xenophon, they hired Mercenary Cavalry which could be of better quality than the citizen cavalry.

I am rounding you up to 60 points.

From RossM 28mm Undead and Livestock - 90 points

Ten days to go and only my second entry to this year's AHPC; hangs head in shame. It has been a hectic first few months in 2022 and the result of this is real life has overtaken hobby time. So now that the excuses are over with here are the first few pictures for this week's entry:

Three different sets of Undead figures from three different periods of gaming, starting with the retro figures from Citadel and Marauder Miniatures back in the late 80's or early 90's.

The shields are from more recent plastic Games Workshop figures sourced from a rummage on the internet for bits and bobs. 

Next are six archers from Oathmark's plastic skeletons including one metal Champion figure. Easy to assembly, paint well and look the part as individual figures for skirmish games or ranked up for larger type games. The recommended base size of 25 x 25mm just didn't look right, the figures don't have the heft for my eye on this base size. 

Another hero and musician are next to me on the painting tray just now and looking to see these done before the finish line. 

The last Undead for this entry are from Northstar Figures Rangers of Shadow Deep range and won't be the last from this line to be painted here. 

The central figure is a Shadow Knight, and in game terms I have no idea what this means. However, as a

figure for tabletop gaming, the miniature rocks. Great sculpt with a sense of power in it; you wouldn't want to meet this on a dark night on your own. 

The Shadow Knight's armour was a bit of an experiment in using Contrast Paints over metallics; in this case Aggaros Dune over Army Painter Plate Mail. To bring the highlights out on the armour the same colours were used mixed to layer upto Plate Mail on its own as the final highlight. 

With the skeleton's either side of the Shadow Knight, they could easily be seen crossing the fields surrounding the Barrow Downs in a mist shrouded, haunted landscape. 

Lastly, are the Mouflon Sheep from Warbases. These are for general use in both fantasy and historical skirmish games regardless of period. 

So, in terms of points this gives the following:

Retro Undead - 2 x 28mm infantry - 10 points

Oathmark archers - 6 x 28mm infantry - 30 points

Shadow Knight and followers - 3 x 28mm infantry - 15 points

Arda bonus for Shadow Knight and followers - 20 points

Livestock - 3 x 28mm figures - 15 points

Sub total - 90 points

Running total - 120 points from 750 (16%)

Being realistic at this point I have about another 140 points worth of figures nearing completion that can be finished by the end of this Challenge. A bit disappointed, however, I have enjoyed painting the miniatures that I have and that is what this is really about. 

Cheers for now. 

From DaveD, Good to see you again. life gets in the way of important things sometimes . nice skellies indeed

From RossM -28mm SAGA: Age of Magic - 30 points

 A month in and here is the first post from my 11th Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge.

After a great start on the preparation front for this year's challenge the painting mojo left for a couple of weeks after the new year. Reason: too many too on the painting table:

• 28mm Skeletons for Age of Magic and Dragon Rampant
• 28mm Carthaginians for SAGA
• 28mm Fallschirmjager for Chain of Command
• 15mm Assyrians for DBA and ADLG
• 15mm Crusaders for DBA
• 15mm Early Imperial Romans for ADLG
• plus a few other odds and sods here and there

So, after some deliberation and a prompt from Curt, I made a conscious effort to put my mark on the Challenge roster before the end of this week. 

First up, there are four retro skeletons from Citadel and / or Marauder Miniatures. These have been painted to match in with a group previously painted in AHPC IX and were probably bought at the same time. 

The intention with these was to capture the detailing on the skeleton with as little work as possible. So, out with the rattlecan of Skeleton Bone from Army painter, contrast paint Skeleton Horde and Vallejo Ivory with a dry brush. 

Next a related pair of sheep from sources unknown. These will appear in future games of SAGA along with several other prize items of livestock still to be completed. 

Painted very quickly using block colours then washes and dry brushing; nothing fancy or time consuming and yet here we are at the last call for entries to remain in the challenge and they are part of my first post. 

In terms of points all six figures are 28mm in scale so this will be 30 points towards my total or 4 %. 

Looking forward to a very busy painting February to catch up and get some points marked on the roster!

Cheers for now. 

From DaveD

Welcome to the right side of the cut Ross. Ah the old too busy a paint table problem - we know it so well!  Grand Skele's and prize sheep will as you say kick you off and over the line - Huzzah!

From RossM: Citadel C06 Northern Dwarves 60 points

Second stage on the challenge island at Millsy's Millpond a perfect topic for me being retro figures.

In several if not more previous AHPC I have submitted retro figures from my favourite period of Citadel Miniatures, that is up until circa 1985.

The two Northern Dwarves below are from this period and their back story will follow:

Bought in the Hobbies and Models shòp in my home town at the pricely sum of £0.45 each. (Shudder to think what the finecast versions would cost).

The purchase would have been made midweek after school most likely on route to the library, ironically one of the libraries I worked in later in life as a librarian. This would have been circa October 1984.

Both figures were painted at the time in a mix of enamels and oil paints. Yes, I used oils at this time before purchasing my first set of acrylics early in 1985.

The figures were used to portray two Naugrim brothers in MERP, both Scouts who were members of the Order of the Axe. Conn Sure-shot and Finn Swift-bow.

The Order based in the Blue Mountains actively sought to regain lost treasures of the Dwarves in any form, however Mithril was considered the most precious.

Travelling south through Dunland to Rohan, the brothers and other Order members were beset by many challenges before arriving at the gates of Moria.

Moria proved too big a challenge and the brothers and many others of the Order did not return. The next game different figures from the above range were used.

Now, in 2020 I have collected all of the above, granted not all are yet painted.

So, on to the points

Two 28mm Dwarves : 10 points
Millsy's Mill Challenge: 30 points
Pre 1990 figures: 10 points
Back story: 10 points

Total: 60 points
Running total: 164 points (32.8% of Challenge total)

Hope I have this right.

Cheers for now

Well those are two veteran Dwarves if ever there were.  Great work on the figures and a fine back story.  I can remember those figures from War-games mags in the early 80s and it's great to see that you got the whole clan back together.  
Peter D

From RossM: Final post for AHPC IX (160 Points)

So, we draw near the end of yet another fantastic Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge and this is the eighth I have participated in.  Before I introduce the entrants for this post; just want to say a huge thanks to the minions, fellow painters and of course the Snow Lord himself - Curt. The challenge makes the dark months of the early year fly and is a highlight the hobby year.

This figure is this year's Curtgeld and his brethren have been used in past games of MERP as Black Numenoreans. Given the theme of Fellowship and the request for enemies, I looked for something just that little bit different to pass on and a pre slotta Citadel C09Dark Elf was just the ticket. 

Now I have a confession to make; the figure is based on a 25mm hex base and has been since undercoating. Normally there would be nothing wrong with this, however the Curtgeld figure would sit on a 25mm round base. The dilemma that I faced as I continued to base and flock this figure on a hex base rather than rebase it. Hope that is ok, Curt?

More retro figures from Citadel and more of their classic Skeletons, another six to be precise. Not much more needs to be said about these to be honest.

No kilts to lift here

Yet more 15mm Late Crusaders from Gladiator Miniatures, this time the cavalry arm of a Late Crusader DBA army. Following suit from the earlier figures from this army there are both Brother Knights in red surcoats and Brother Sergeants in black surcoats.

More infantry for the same army and two additional command stands for the same army in ADLG, have the figures and enjoy the game so might as well.

All of the Crusaders as a group shot.

Two stands of Arab swordsmen to oppose the above. Don't know who makes these, probably Minifigs or similar. The undercoat has gone a bit grainy on these and unfortunately this has effected the final wash on the figures. Too old to try and strip them so grainy they will remain.

Another stand of Late Romans that required three figures to be matched in to painting from approx 15 years ago. The figures are front left as seen in front rank and the first and second figures from the left in the rear rank.

The figures are from Wargames Foundry and are still some of my favourite for this period, if perhaps a bit small in comparison to the likes of Gripping Beast and Footsore.

I cut the spears to the wrong length and didn't notice until the figures where glued in place in the unit.  Oh well, its only a couple of mm.

Shown with their fellows who are waiting on basing

Shown below is the entirety of this year's challenge from me and this year I have learnt a couple things for next year:

• Don't change your mind 3 weeks into the challenge and start prepping other figures

and

• Never, ever start rebasing the largest ancients army you have in 28mm, or any scale for that matter 

In terms of points I make this

1 x 28mm figure (Curtgeld) - 25 points
6 x 28mm skeletons - 30 points
15 x 15mm cavalry - 60 points
15 x 15mm infantry - 30 points
3 x 28mm infantry - 15 points

For a total this entry of 160 points.

This will take my overall total to 354 points out of 500 planned for (see comments above)

Thanks again to everyone and I am looking forward to Challenge X later this year.

Cheers, Ross

______________________________

First, thanks so much for the wonderful Curtgeld figure Ross. I love these old school Citadel models and this guy's an absolute corker (don't sweat the base, it looks wonderful).  

Wow, what a great assortment you have for us as your closing entry. Skeletons, crusaders, arab swordsmen... this has all the makings of a fabulous adventure movie! I have to admit that my favourite of the lot are the Late Romans, bravely holding the line in their matching shields and Imperial standard - wonderful stuff.

Great work Ross and I look forward to you being with us for Challenge X.

- Curt