From TamsinP - NSL Reinforcements (142 Points)

This entry is rather picture heavy, but there is a lot to show, so no apologies from me on that score!

I had decided that my NSL forces were in need of some reinforcements. After all, Panzer grenadiers do need some Panzers and APCs otherwise they'd just be, well, grenadiers.

All figures and models in this entry are 15mm from Ground Zero Games.

The Vehicles

I'd decided a while back that my NSL would utilise hover technology for their armoured vehicles. This was on the basis that it would give them mobility over a wide range of possible dirtside terrain whilst being easier (and cheaper) to repair and maintain than grav vehicles - Teutonic practicality is alive and well in the future!

The radio antennae are plastic bristles from a washing up brush.

Wombat Armoured Personnel Carriers

Four APCs

Flatbed, command APC and missile APC

If you look closely, you will spot that a couple of these APCs have been in prangs and lost headlights.


Rommel Tanks

Three gun tanks

SLAM artillery tank, air defense tank, missile (AT/AA) tank

These were mostly done with an airbrush - the first time I've used it in "combat". They were primed Dunkelgelb then the camo scheme was added. First layer was Hull Red sprayed straight up. The second layer was Dark Grey Blue sprayed though diamond pattern wire mesh - this didn't work as well as I'd hoped; I need some more practice to get the distance from brush to mesh and mesh to model right. The top layer was Camo Light Green sprayed through a mesh with round holes. This worked better - obviously I was getting more practiced. The detailing was then done by hand.


Power Armour Reinforcements

I'd come to the conclusion that my Power Armour company needed some reinforcements, so this is the core of the heavy weapons platoon and some specialists to add to the "rifle" platoons. I'll probably be adding another "rifle" platoon and finishing the rest of the heavy weapons platoon at some point after the Challenge.

These were primed with the airbrush, then painted by hand.

Plasma Gun Squad

Plasma Gun Specialists

SAW Gun Squad

SAW Gun Specialists

Support Weapons

I've also painted up some support weapons which can be used to provide extra firepower for the Panzer grenadiers or power armour troops.

These were primed black and basecoated in camo dark green with the airbrush, then finished by hand.

Hover Drones

Missile armed drones

Tri-barrel cannon drones

Mobile Autonomous Weapon Platforms (MAWPs)

These MAWPs are hover tech, for the same reason as with the armoured vehicles.

Plasma cannons

I quite like how the blue glow of the plasma coils has turned out

AA/AT missiles

Tri-barrel cannons

Phew! That's a lot of pics!



From Curt:

Wow! What a wonderful looking force Tamsin. I have to say that my eye was first drawn to the burnt and mottled groundwork - I think it provides a terrific 'alien battleground' setting for these models and really sets the tone for them.

Like you, I really like the effect of the vibrant blue glow of the energy weapons and the various lens colours add a nice contrast to the olive green armour. 

My only suggestion would be to drybrush a slightly lighter tone on the groundwork to the rear and sides of the hover vehicles to reinforce the impression of them blowing a dusty wake. 

Again, a great looking army Tamsin.

From RichardC - It ain't half hot Mum! (12 Points)

I'€™ve finally get around to posting something for the challenge, and it was inspired by Curt himself. Once I'd decided on Napoleon and Ozymandias, I had some bits left over from the other two figures from the Brigade Games pack, and the obelisk from Element Games. I then saw Curt's (well deserved) 2nd place entry for the Hot bonus round, and was inspired to pick up my brushes. 

So here's my interpretation of that figure. I painted him as a General de Brigade (red sash, red panache and a blue and white plume). It was a really nice casting. I wish I could say the same for his camel – there was a really large mould-line which took ages to reduce (in fact it never totally disappeared).

As usual, the paints are Vallejo, brushes from Rosemary & Co, the base from the good folk at Warbases, and the sand from Tim Primrose's garage floor!!!

 

Here is a photo of yours truly on board a ship of the desert (albeit nearly 15 years ago). It'€™s a pity the French Army in Egypt didn't have colourful woolly muzzles for their camels like this chap as it would have made it even more fun to paint.

From Curt:

A wonderful vignette Richard! I really like the varied colours you've chosen for the saddlery and tack (if camel accoutrements are even called that) - my version seems frightfully pedestrian in comparison! :)

I had the same problems with the casting line running across the camel's body and blankets but you did a great job in cleaning it up. Also, the shading on the camel is excellent (I particularly like it's dusty muzzle). 

Mr. Primrose's sand was a great touch! If I could give one suggestion that would be to try some diluted brown inks mixed with a touch of thinned-down white glue in order to give the sand a 'wash' (an old eydropper works for this if the sand is unstable) - When I've done this I find it binds the surface texture together and gives the pale sand greater depth of colour.

I also really like the half-buried obelisk, though the inscribed pattern on it seems (disturbingly) more Cthulhuesque than Egyptian! The Old Ones are everywhere...

Lovely work Richard!

From SanderS - 20mm Grenouille au Vanille (96 Points)

Dear Ladies and Gents,

Even though my Hobby-butterfly-syndrome takes to almost all spectra of the miniature gaming universe, I always return to my greatest love: Napoleonics. Today's update brings you a French Infantry regiment and to me nothing is more boring than regular blue-coated French line infantry. I always compare them to the Ultramarines who are called "Vanille-Marines" in some circles of the 40K gaming scene since Vanilla is about the most default flavour one can imagine. To me, that's precisely what these Froggies are: Grenouilles au Vanille.

The miniatures are the HäT pre-1812 French line infantry from their "big box" issue. There are now newer and better proportioned versions in the works, but I still have loads of these lying on the pile.

I've done up the voltigeurs on separate bases in order to put them in front of the unit as skirmishers when required. The bases are Renedra bases and I like these a lot. You'll have noticed there's no colour fixed to the pole and that's because I can't decide whether to use a pre- or post 1812 pattern one. I know the uniforms are pre-Bardin but many regiments didn't receive their all-new kit promptly and had to wear out the old stocks. When I have decided the flags will be printed from the excellent warflag website.

So that's another unit finished and with this unit (worth 96 points) I am past my 1000 points target, if I am not mistaken. So after much deliberation I have decided to up the target one more time to 1300 points, but that will be it! I will not raise the bar a 4th time so it would be great if I'd be able to reach the 1300 points benchmark at the Challenges end but we'll have to see.

Cheers Sander

Modus Reg Magni Momenti! 


From Curt:

Ah, it's great to see more Napoleonics come out for a lick of paint, even if they are the plain ole dogface infantry. We can't begrudge them as they are the meat and potatoes of any French force and usually end up doing most of the heavy lifting (or dying) on the battlefield. 

You've done a great job on them Sander. A nice, man-sized battalion. (Arrr!) I like that you've given them a motley assortment of trousers to reinforce that these guys have seen some hard campaigning. That being said I also appreciate the extra time that you've obviously spent on the drummer's more colourful uniform. Well done. 

By the way, what rules are you using for these?

Finally, congratulations on reaching your second points target Sander! I'll mark you down for 1300 points for your final dash to the finish line. Good luck!

From SamuliS - 15mm German anti-air (48 points)

Not much progress painting wise as I've been struck down with a rather nasty flu. That couple with a demanding puppy has kept me from the paint desk more than I would like.

Still I've finished another entry in the familiar theme of Early War Germans. This time with some mobile anti-air in the form of four Sdkfz 10/5 2cm Flak half-tracks. Battlefront offerings as usual and quite a bit higher quality than some of their other products that I've done during this project. They are quite tricky to put together though as there's quite a lot of parts that are not that well supported, like the sides of the truck bed that are held on just by superglue and a resin edge about 1mm wide. Also the gun barrels are very thin and are extremely prone easy to bend and I've had to mend them quite a few times already. I mounted these on large bases to make things easier as they come with trailers and two of the crew are on food in addition to the two that are manning the gun and driving the half-track.

I wasn't too lucky with their delivery either as these were ordered in September and I only got them in the beginning of February and even then they arrived in a cardboard box that was totally wrecked with a hole on the side and the box crushed. Two of the four blisters were split open, but miraculously all of the parts were still there.

Nothing special about the painting with a Dark Panzer Grey bascoat and a drybrush of Green Grey. As this is a Luftwaffe unit I painted the uniforms with a blue grey colour instead of the normal Feldgrau. Not much of a difference, but enough to distinguish between the different arms of service. To add some variety to the bases I added a bit of foliage and a small tree on one of them.

2 more platoons to go still, but I don't think I'll be painting them up during the challenge as these only need to be ready by August and I have some projects that need finishing up before that. Napoleonics especially have been neglected far too much lately.

From Curt:

Great work on these Samuli! I really like that you've used the larger bases to create interesting mini-vignettes incorporating the trailers and crew. I have a quad version of this model and can attest to how fiddly some of the parts were to assemble - nonetheless, as we can see with yours here, they do produce a very nice looking model when completed. 

I look forward to seeing some Napoleonics from you before the Challenge wraps up, but before then, please get well and enjoy your time with your puppy!