From BenitoV: Panzer I Ausf A with 20mm Breda Gun (20 points)

In my final entry for this year's challenge, I present one of those armour "rarities" from the Spanish Civil War - the Panzer I A tank with a modified turret designed to mount an Italian Bread 20mm gun. This tank was primarily used by Franco's forces.

The history of this model is closely linked to the T 26 tank. During the Battle of Seseña in October 1936, the rebels were taken aback by the firepower of the Russian T 26, which outmatched the lightly armed Panzer I and CV 35 tanks supplied by Germany and Italy at the beginning of the war.

The response to a new threat was to mount the Bread 20mm gun on a Panzer I hull, which had the capacity to penetrate a frontal 40mm armour plate. Four tanks were quickly converted in 1936. However, after the Nationalist army captured and put into service a significant number of T 26s, the project was abandoned. 

Hence, the Breda Panzer was rarely seen on the real battlefields of Spain in the late 30s. Nevertheless, it will make a nice addition to my gaming table.

This is an Eskice 3D printed model in 28 mm. Although it has a simple design with not a lot of detail, it is enough to add something different to my table. Most Panzer Is used I Spain were painted in the typical panzer grey color of the Wehrmacht. However, I have found evidence that at least one of the Breda models was painted with the cammo scheme used in my model, a sort of yellow-ochre tone (the sources are unclear) over the original grey.  

This entry adds 20 points to this year's Challenge scoring.

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Very interesting research behind this model, Benito. I find it fascinating reading about in-theatre weapon system design as you sense the almost frantic readjustment of plans as events unfold at the front lines. I also really like the one-off camo scheme that you've reflectet here. I think I may have to hunt down this STL file for my own SCW collection. Finally, thank you for joining us this year, Benito. It is always a pleasure to have you in the Challenge.

- Curt 

From GeoffreyT: The last post (15 points)

Hello Challengers,

This I think will be the last post for this season.  Here I have a couple more things I finished this week.  Another of the Silver bayonet miniatures by North Star.  

A spectre, by Grenadier, a very old and very nice sculpt, but super-simple paint job.  It is quite emaciated, but not a skull to count for the skull challenge sorry.

That is 1 x 28mm foot = 5 points and 1 x 28mm mounted for 10 points = 15 points.

Signing off

Geoff.

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I nice sendoff for your last post, Geoff. Love that venerable Grenadier sculpt. I very much enjoyed your work this Challenge, especially your figures for Silver Bayonet (the beadwork on this fellow's straps is marvellous). I hope to see you with us the next time we leave port.

- Curt

From JezT - Lady Sarah's Cart and "Odd's and Sod's" (75 points)

Hi All 

Thanks to everyone for another great challenge. With this post counted I will have made a personal best and made over 600 points for the first time. I have enjoyed being part of the Library Challenge and have one final post for this. 

So far I completed 4 rooms in the entrance block, then used Lady Sarah's cart to enter the back room and completed two rooms there - to finish will drop by the Cafe and Gift Shop with a final Lady Sarah's cart to move from the Biography room to the Gift Shop. 

This entry adds to my Edwardian figures from Ironclad Miniatures - the armed flower seller!

Next have some "odds and sods" that nicely finishes some of the projects I did this challenge. I started with some Gripping Beast Arthurian figures but as I changed my mind on the basing style after purchase had an odd pack unpainted. Glad to get these painted up ....

Four new figures ....

On impetus bases with earlier figures behind ..

Also finished off the Gripping Beast pack of disorder marker wounded figures with two models painted but will count as just 5 points.

New figures in front with earlier posted behind ..

Next switching to Footsore Miniatures and have a pack of 3 Priests painted up. Here painted one for my Crusader army with desert basing and the other two for my Dark age Anglo Saxon / Welsh armies. 

And a final two more character figures from Footsore as Dark Age archers - will most likely use these in the Later Welsh army.

Points wise should be 75 in total. 25 for Lady Sarah figure and bonus, 25 for the 5 Gripping Beast and 25 for the 5 Footsore Miniatures. 

Great being part of the Challenge again - take care everyone, until next year!

Cheers Jez

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Fabulous work on this wide selection of minis, Jez! It was great to have you with us again for this year's Challenge and I'm delighted to hear that this was a personal best for output - Bravo! Of this assortment, I have to say my favourite is the Edwardian flower seller. Not a lass you want to shortchange for a rose. Formidable!

Thanks again and hopefully we'll catch up next winter!

- Curt

From Matt W - Egyptian APC & Trucks (75 points)

This week the weathered improved and reached a high of 18 here in the Upper Loire France, so I cracked out the airbrush and got some paint on some Arab Israeli war kit. I then panel lined then weathered with pigments. A simple job on these, a bit frustrated as I cannot find vehicle tactical markings or sense to Egyptian Registration plates for 1973 war. 

When my SHQ order arrives I will stick in some crew 

Three transport trucks

BTR 152

Rocket battery 

20mm vehicle @ 15 points 

5 x vehicles 75 points. 

Cheers

Matt

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Great looking Egyptian vehicles, Matt. It's interesting to see the unique silhouette of the BTR and the Russian designed rocket launcher - definitely vehicles of their time. While the trucks are less-than-exciting, they will provide important logistical support to your on-table troops (and tempting targets for the Israelis). Well done! (...and Sarah and I wish we were enjoying the upper Loire right now...)

- Curt

From MilesR: Yee Gads yet more 10mm Russo-Japanese War and 15mm Russian Napoleonics (1,048 points)

Will this 10mm Russo-Japanese War project ever really end?  It's a question I keep asking myself and the answer is unknowable but, maybe, I'm getting close, so close....  Anyway I have completed another 6 Infantry and 1 Cavalry division with their sabot bases that I designed and cut on my laser cutter.

I like the sabot bases a lot as they have a little tray that holds a die for casualty tracking that have proven to be really stable in game play testing.  The name plates will be magnetized.  The bases also have their center point engraved as a tiny triangle for measuring firing distance and flanking.

With the addition of these divisions, I have enough troops to do even the battle of Mukden at a regimental level (each 3 stand sabot base is a regiment) so I've got enough to run the campaign at the club and as a participation event at this year's Historicon.

Here's a shot of some of the troops above along with others completed earlier in this challenge during a test game at the club - We were refighting the winter battle of Sandepu (Jan 1905).  It did not go well for the Russians....

Speaking of Russians, I needed a break from 10mm RJW and, I know this will surprise all of you, I may have a rather large lead pile - particular when it comes to 15mm Napoleonics.  With the publication of the new version of General d'Armee - very creatively titled General d'Armee 2, I was very keen to run a game up at the club and decided to paint up a bunch of Russian troops.  Maybe horde is a better term.  Anyway over the past 3 weeks I've been slapping paint on 11 infantry battalions and 4 cavalry regiments.  All of the artillery and officers were actually done as part of an earlier challenge (no points for them).

So here is the start of my Russian army and enough to run a good sized game of GdA2 on March 18 at the club

On the left we have 8 regular infantry battalions of 24 figures each

and on the right we have 3 Guard battalions and 2 small and 2 large cavalry regiments.  I just don't have time to finish the 4th guard battalion.  Sadly, this has not put a major dent in my Napoleonic Russian lead pile.  The figures are a mix of Old Glory and AB.  I did cheat on the basing as I used some of the Geek Scenics base ready mixes.  I really like them.  

So whats the tally?

10mm

288 Infantry at one point each = 288

24 Cav a7 3 points each = 72

15MM

264 Infantry at 2 points = 528

40 cav at 4 points = 160

That's a grand total of 1,048 points which should bring me above my 3k goal.  

I haven't been as active as usual this challenge due to work (I've had to step in as a CEO for a portfolio company, which is never a good thing and rather time consuming) but did any of you think I'd miss my target.  There are things that are important (work) and then there are things that are IMPORTANT (like the Challenge).  I may have one smallish post left in me but lets see how the next day or so passes.....

Oh, Gus just got groomed Friday and insisted that I post of picture of his new ultra fluffy look

 He really is rather fluffy.

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BOOM!

I was wondering what may have happened to our storied mathemagician, and so I'm very happy at seeing your return to the warm embrace of the Challenge.

Wow, you have been industrious over the intervening weeks, though. Both your RJW and your Russian Napoleonics look tremendous, Miles. I'm particularly impressed with the design of your sabots - they look very posh indeed. The trouble of showing these off makes people (me) want to contact you for their very own versions. :) Beautiful work Mr. R. With your attention to detail (and invaluable playtesting) I know your Historicon game will be a huge success.

I look forward to seeing another post from you before the Challenge concludes for the seaon!

...and Gus is a very good (and fluffy) boy!

- Curt

From TeemuL: Scifi and Peninsular War [Science Fiction] (100 points)

While working on the Rare and Antique Books I wander to the new section, Section 5, and to the Science Fiction topic. Here I present another 4 Grey Knights, finishing another 4 previously during the Challenge. They are from Games Workshop for their Warhammer 40k universe, I initially planned them for Kill Team, but the squad is growing and soon I might be able to field an army for 40k itself.

Three of these are metal minis and one (the one with two swords) is a plastic one. I added quite a lot of purity seals and other trinkets on them, trying to emphasize the motion of the minis, where possible.

I went with the silver power armour and red, blue and yellow details - a working combination. The same combination is used on my Imperial Guard 40k penal division (or re-enactor) army, so it gives a link there and allows a nice possibility to field these together. One of the knights has this small shield on him and I have painted it with a simple checkered style, which is a visual link to Howling Griffons space marine chapter, another small contingent I have painted over the years. I run out of the yellow paint I used before and these guys have a bit brigher yellow. To my eye it looks too bright and the highlights are not that visible, but they might mix up nicely on the table.

There are lots of skulls. And purity seals, but mostly skulls. I tried to count all of them from weapons, backpacks, trinkets, helmets, armours etc and got a total of 13. Quite nice from four minis. There might be even more, small ones, that I didn't recognize/paint.

Details on the shield and deamon's head

The next group, I'd like to say, that they were "inspired by my travels", but I never been to Peninsular War area, so that would be a lie to grab bonus points, so I won't. One drunken trip to Barcelona and another to Lisboa and Faro won't count, I guess. We mainly saw exotic drinks and azulejos plates. So no bonus points from here. There are Victrix miniatures, British Napoleonic Highlander Flank Companies to be exact, painted as the 92nd reqiment.

This is my first time with 28mm Napoleonics, I got the box and couple of others quite cheap last summer and decided to bite the bullet. I painted one base of 4 last year as a test and I have been slowly painting these as a side project alongside everything else. I set a target to paint a base of four in a month, so that means I should have 12 bases (or 2 units for Black Powder) in a year. If I keep that pace I should have an army or two ready when I retire...

I have experimented with different paints and techiques between the bases (or even in a base), trying to get a nice and rather easy/fast way to paint these. Yes, they are Highlanders and they have tartan, so not the easiest way to start a Napoleonic project, but I figured out, if I can handle this, then I can handle the rest, too... :) Some of the red is for example painted with traditional acrylics, some minis were painted with contrast paints, for example. Then some washes, some highlights, sometimes drybrush, sometimes not. The bases are cowered with sand and brown coarse turf.

The tartan was rather simple to do, although depending on my choices with paints, the pattern is not that visible on all. It is the red-white checkered pattern on the socks and "bandana" (I guess there is a proper term for that thing, but I'm a young newbie) that tries to kill me... And I didn't paint the regiment number on their water bottles.

I should have the first regiment of six bases ready before the summer and then I can start the next one (the box has 60 minis, so enough for two units and some command bases).

The all four bases shown together

4 28mm Grey Knights = 20 points

1 Science Fiction location = 20 points

12 28mm Highlanders = 60 points

Total 100 points

13 skulls

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Wonderful work Teemu! I really like the vibrancy of your Grey Knights. I too have a small contingent of these for Kill Team (some painted by our GregB no less!), but I've not expanded it beyond that. Your efforts makes me want to test the water again.

Starting with Highlanders for Napoleonics! Wow! You're a glutton for punishment Teemu! Nonetheless, as you say, if you break your duck with Highlanders then all the other stuff will be a walk in the park. These Jocks look terrific and I think your approach to their tartans works just fine. By the time you're finished the army we'll both be retired and able to get together for a game. :)

Well done, but now get back to your Rare & Antique entry... ;)

- Curt

From KyleC - Let's Go! (116 pts)

So we are down to the line, and the painting desk has been heavy in painting to get ready for more gaming in various games. 

First up is the leader of my Legion forces, Mortarion. Although no rules exist for him, yet, I am using him for my Legions command base. He is an absolute unit of a model when compared to the normal troopers, and fills out a base like he is a dreadnought ready to smack units around. Sadly the legion command base is not as tough so its all intimidation tactics being used here instead. 

Speaking of absolute units.. these Deredeos are also impressive compared to their plastic counterparts. Mostly due to me incorrectly guessing their size when printing and making them about 20% larger than needed. But when on the table, it is barely noticeable. 

Switching over to units used in my game this week are 2 units of 6 Javelins. Only got to use one, the missile launchers, and overall they failed to do much in their game. Though hoping to bring them back into a game once more this Sunday. I do hope that they help more in clearing buildings as I suspect many a Raven Guard will be squatting in more than one on Sunday. 

Flipping to over to their heritage within the World Eater faction... are their forefathers from the god of war. Rounding out the first main unit of Warriors now with 6 more to join their cause. 

This now gives me a solid unit as an anchor for the army, and I will get my first game in this coming Tuesday ( club night ) with them. 

To join them though, and this was a rough unit to get finished, are the chaos knights. 

Every time I had thought they were finished, I found new parts or details that needed dealing with. 

I do hope that this is a hammer among hammer units from all the work I put into it here. 

They join their brothers now ready to go to battle very soon!

So a bit of painting this past week, and I have some more to go over the next few days.. as I hope to get in another game this Sunday with Legions. So plenty of WE units to get finished for that game ( or as much as I can ). Let's see how I get on with it all!

Points wise.. 

18*6/8mm Vehicles/Monsters - 36 pts

6*28mm Infantry - 30 pts

5*28mm Calvary - 50 pts

Total here - 116 pts

Skulls - 30 between the Khorne models and Mortarion ( he had 6! )

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Fabulous work Kyle! I'm very jealous with all the Legions Imperialis gaming you're getting in. We've had a few great matches to date, but I'm eager to get in some more. 

Your 8mm Mortarian is awesome. Are there rules for the Primarchs for LI yet? If so, I'm sure they're awful/wonderful depending on your perspective or side of the table. I'm not a fan of the Deredeo design, but your renditions here look great, even if they are a little over scaled (but this is 30K where EVERYTHING is over scaled). 

Your 28mm Khornate brethren look amazing. I really like the oversaturated shades of red set against the blasted groundwork. Very nice.

- Curt