Ready KentG 1 Razide, French Dragoons plus a few WWII Winter Germans (145 Points)

 Here we Have another figure from probos games

This guy is called a Legion Razide, rather big gun

 And then we have a few more winter troops

 a friend of my told me today that they need red arm bands

so maybe sometime i might add that

 So here we have another 12 Dragoons

 i decided i needed to replace the 12 that i sold and 

i really liked the pink so hopefully ill keep these ones

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The Kent Painting Machine grinds on! Beautiful work mate. While Razide's gun looks like he's compensating for something I do like his blue-grey skintones. The volksturm trio, even without the red armbands, look suitably cold and resigned to their grim fate. But for me the stars of the show are the regiment(!) of French Dragoons, especially the French trumpeter in his reversed colours of pink and white (it takes a big man to pull that off).

145 Points to help reinforce your top position in the points standings. It also vaults you over the 5K barrier. Bravo Kent!

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From SidneyR: Le comte de Garnier's Alsatian Horse, 1688 (145 points)

My final entry for Challenge VIII, my thirteenth (no, I'm not superstitious), is a squadron of Horse from the regiment of le comte de Garnier, from the province of Alsace, around 1688. 

Like the Lorrainer horse, featured in my last submission, the Alsatian horse regiments in the Hapsberg Imperial army had a good reputation on the battlefield, supplementing Spanish and Imperial armies in late seventeenth century campaigns in the Low Countries and along the Rhine.  As such, the squadron is a good inclusion for my Spanish and Imperial forces focused on the fictional Flemish Free-City of Laarden around 1688, drawing on the uniforms and standards of the time (when I can find them).

I've again used Dixon Miniature's Grand Alliance figures for the bulk of the cavalry, with the addition of some Wargames Foundry horses, trumpeter and mounted standard-bearer.

The two cavaliers on the separate base are generic cavalry brigade commanders, really painted to fit with the Alsatian and Lorrainer horse squadrons.  Again, they're a mix of Wargames Foundry and Dixon Miniatures figures.

I added green-stuff to some of the figures, mainly adding feathers and some additional lace on the officers' uniforms.  Nothing to really change the figures, but enough to make them just a bit different for each unit formation.

So, for le comte de Garnier's squadron and the accompanying commanders, 14 cavalry figures and 140 points.

So, apart (possibly) from one very small, final entry this evening, that's my challenge for Challenge VIII completed.  I've had a lot of fun creating and painting figures from a sometimes-forgotten part of the late seventeenth century.  Thank you, everyone, for bearing with me!  

And, thank you to everyone for your wonderful support and comments, particularly the brilliant Monday crowd, the Minions, Tamsin, Sander, Miles and, of course, Curt and Sarah themselves.

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What a fantastic unit of cavalry Sidney. I love how their bright emerald green coats are set against the bay and grey of their horses.  A very pretty unit of Imperial horse.

Sid, it's been a real treat to watch (and read) the history of Laarden further unfold over these past three months. As an observer I have see that each unit and personality has been carefully considered and created to fit within this wonderful, quasi-fictional universe. It truly is an amazing project. In addition, it has been great to see you having probably your most productive Challenge to date. You were on fire my friend, and am happy to concede the Renaissance Duel to you and your battle weary brush. Well done!

With a few points added for the lovely banner, lace and feathers I put this at 145 Points. 

Now, once the dust settles, lets find time to open a bottle of Rioja and get back to finishing those 2mm Thirty Years War rules, shall we?  :) 
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From AlanD - By the skin of my teeth... (54 points)

It was touch and go to meet my modest target this year, but I've managed it. It has been great fun painting western desert forces with Paul and John for Battle Group Tobruk, and for the last entries I've finished some British trucks and tanks.

First, some wonderful clunky tanks from PSC. One box furnishes four A10 Cruisers, and an A9 Close Support tank.

 

And also from PSC, four CMP 15cwt trucks. All the vehicles are done in the dreaded 'Caunter' camo scheme, which was intimidating at first!

That's it from me this year. I have not been active with comments, and apologies for that. I'm looking forward to a long, leisurely catch up with everything people have submitted this year when life permits. Thank you everyone for taking part, the Minions, and most of all to Curt for creating this wonderful Geek Zone.

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Ahh, it's brilliant to see this great dash to the finish Alan! 

Your Western Desert project has been a pleasure to watch unfold. I like your approach to the Caunter camo scheme and the weathering on the vehicles is excellent, without being too overdone. I'll keep an eye on your blogs to see how these fair in your upcoming Battle Group Tobruk games. 

Congratulations on hitting your target Dux! Until next time, sir.
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From David: So Four Wookies Walked on my Desk... (108 Points)

I did place all my unpainted Imperial Assault miniatures on my painting desk at the start of the Challenge. The wookies were to be my first entry, but after I base coated the brown, I ended up painting lots of green orks, then cultists,.....

Along the way, Han got some paint. I couldn't finish Chewie without Han being there.

If you start painting Han and Chewie, you have to include Luke!

Lando is part of the gang too and he has all those wonderful shades of blue!

But Lando owns Cloud City! he needs an entourage!

Better get the Ugnauts done as they are blue too, and Bespin workers!

Luke, Bespin... lets just add the Jedi as you can't have a good Star Wars game without Jedi mind tricks!

A rebel officer and trooper to pad the ranks with 2nd string heroes.

I bought the Bespin Gambit just to get this miniature. Ithorians (or hammerheads) are a very smart and peaceful race. Their primary expertise is negotiating as neither party will truly get a better deal than the other. they are experts at treaties and diplomatic solutions. For this Ithorian to be packing heat...somebody must've done something really bad to force her to set aside her pacifist beliefs!

I loved painting them all, but she is my favourite. The pen is not mightier than a sword as it can't win battles. The sword cannot write poetry. But mighty is the hand which knows the proper tool to use at the proper time. ;)

I cleared a lot of miniatures this time around, but I really wish the world didn't intrude quite so much in the challenge for me as it did. Although I didn't comment on each post (I'll catch up before April! I'm currently still in Feb!) I really enjoyed my morning cup of coffee reading the AHWPC emails. There was an exceptional amount of eye candy for viewing. Maybe next season Gov and work wifi will allow visits to sites with the word "game" strongly featured!

even now I'm doing 18hr days with work and am off to Chicago Wed for a long planned vacation. Adepticon! maybe I'll run into Brett and a few others there.

My brushes are cleaned and stowed and empty paint pots are noted. Most important of all, Thank you everyone for a grand bit of fun and escapism, this was a "monstrous" good time!

Star wars Bohemian Rhapsody

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An excellent Star Wars finish to your Challenge gambit, David! 

I always thought that Fantasy Flight Games really hit it out of the park with these figures and your brushwork makes them all the better. Of course I love the Han, Luke and Chewie trio but I think I have to agree with you that the Ithorian is the star of this group. I really like the colour combination you chose for her layered cloaks and staff. Terrific stuff. 

I know from my own collection that those Wookies are 40mm tall so let's put the entire group at 108 points. Beautiful stuff. Thanks so much for your participation David. Your well-thought, considered support of ALL the Challengers is greatly appreciated. Have a great time at Adepticon, keep those wonderful girls of yours painting and I look forward to seeing you amongst the ranks next December. 
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AdamC: Random "Monsters" (31 Points)

My Final entry of the Challenge this year. My Thanks to Ray for his able handling of the Wednesday crew. My entry last week was derailed by snow.  Snow days used to mean extra painting time when I was an apartment dweller now as a home owner it means extra time with a snow blower. 

Enough moping about a the weather I have 5 Bones "Monsters" to share with you today

 First up an Oni (some times called an Oger Mage by the D&D crowed).  The miniature has great details on the body but the face is a bit mushy.

 For skin tone I tried to go with something that wouldn't look too outlandish if I put him in with three ogres I painted earlier in the challenge. Also Oni are traditionally shown as red.

 This fellow has quite a club its a bit too spiky for a true Kambo  but it should get the job done.  The fellow does look like he could be casting a spell which is a bonus. 

Another figure inspired by Asian mythology.  This fox woman hold up a treasure perhaps taunting a foe to come closer.  The Blue and yellow really worked well and set off the red fur nicely.  The white under the chin is intentional not a lack of paint :)

 For some reason the fur details photographed a lot better on the trail than anywhere else.

 Indian Jone's nightmare a giant Cobra/  I decided to make this one albino just for the cool factor.

 The figure comes with one of those terrain pieces I wish Reaper would sell with out the miniature.  Pieces of an Egyptian monument and a pair of canopic jars.

 This one is a favourite of mine the Bug warrior.  I painted him in metallic blue.  This could be his exoskeleton or body armour.  The cape seems to be the only article of clothing other than a harness system holding several daggers.

The swords look a bit like bee stingers.  This guy would be great for Sci-fi or super hero games he even has cape.  I oped for  jewel tone green.

My last Lycanthrope of the challenge a classic Werewolf (it seemed like the proper last entry. I painted him in dark grey then did a black wash.

 I then did a dry brush of silver gray on top.  I love the way he came out he looks a lot like several real wolves I have had the opportunity to see up close (at Wolf Hollow)

The details on the month came out great and I feel this fellow was a strong finish to my Challenge.

Thanks all for a fun challenge.  I believe I can claim victory in the New Parent duel as I believe hit my target first, I would ask my fellow duellists to confirm or deny.  to My time spent with Evelyn watching me paint has apparently been well spent as she gets very excited about painting at Daycare.  Look at that concentration!  Maybe we'll enter a co-challengers in a few years.

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This is a wonderful final flourish of monstrous creatures Adam - well done.  I think my favourites have to be the giant cobra and the werewolf (my childhood spooks for them cannot be denied). Evelyn has the look of a Challenge contender and I can easily see her putting her father through his paces in a few years time. 

It's been wonderful to have you with us again this year Adam and I hope that we see you on the roster for our next run through winter (or slog by the look of the snowfall there!).
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From NoelW: Building up to an ending: (30 points)

I've a couple of posts to make in the next 24 hours, before it's all over for me. That'll at least make life interesting for Kent, Miles and Byron...

So here's a castle - or parts of it.

I've had these pieces in a drawer for about ten years, from the days when I used to game heavily in 10mm (mainly Warmaster). As I've now returned to 15mm, I think it will do fine for the slightly larger scale, so time to paint it up. Although it's pretty clearly high medieval English, perhaps dating around the mid C15th, perhaps a bit earlier, I'm most likely to use it in the Middle East, and for any period up to Napoleonic, so I decided it should be a sand coloured stone, and look rather worn - perhaps a Crusader castle somewhat worse for wear over the years. I plan to get hold of a couple of more Eastern looking buildings, or perhaps a couple of domes, to change its character a little more.

The model is made from a light resin, which I think is pretty much ideal for gaming scenery, as it's light, robust and takes paint pretty well. I believe it came from Ian Weekley's terrain range, but that might not be the case.

There are 12 pieces which, unfortunately, can't be configured into a standalone castle using all the pieces, with or without the ruined wall piece, as there's no way to create a parallelogram from them. But I expect I'll mainly be using them as table-edge fortifications in any case - and I do have some other similar pieces, already painted, which I might repaint to match.

As for points? 

The large tower is 5 by 3 by 2.75 inches. The four small towers are 2 x 2 x 4. Two gateways are 2.5 x 2.5 x 1. Four unbroken walls are 5 x 2.5 x 1. The broken wall is 5 x 2.5 x 2.5. I could attempt the complex cubic calculation that others have suggested, but that seems a bit - er - pointless. If I bundle all the pieces together, they form one lump that's a little over 6 x 5 x 5 and another that's a fraction under 5 x 4 x 4. That suggests to me they can be compressed to about one and a half 6 inch cubes, though I'm not sufficiently adept at Tetris to make it happen. Of course, if I fixed them to a baseboard and called them a fort, the area/volume they'd occupy would be quite a bit more! So does 30 points seem about right?

From Byron:

I did the complex calculations and it comes out to 202.75 square inches and 216 square inches = 20 points.  However, These have a lot of surface area being thin and small compared to something like a simple 6x6x6 cube.  Therefore I am more than happy with your 30 point estimate, as I find terrain highly subjective anyway.  Sure the size matters (PHRASING!) but its also about what the model is and how much detail is there.  

This is a great little(ish) piece and you gave it a great paint job.  Awesome work Noel, keep it coming!