From StefanK - Wars of the Roses Billmen and Hay Cart (30 Points)

The painting challenge is near its end but finally I manage to create my first post besides the bonus rounds. I'm very satisfied to have submitted them all but other painting came off badly. Anyway finally here are some miniatures I painted simultaneously to Richard III. for the antihero bonus round partly as test figures for the armour:

These are six figures from the bills and bows box Perry miniatures made for the Wars of the Roses. Actually they shall serve as mercenaries during the Burgundian wars especially during Charles the Bold's siege of Neuss in 1474. I painted them to get used to the new historic period and the experiment with colours for medieval clothing and armour. Altogether excellent plastic miniatures which are a pleasure to assemble and to paint.

In addition I assembled and painted a small piece of scenery: Warbases' hay cart.

It's a eight or nine piece MDF kit which comes perfectly cut. It doesn't need much cleaning and is easily glued with super glue or PVA glue. A very nice piece by Martin and Diane which I painted without priming it. Since the MDF soakes up the paint this worked rather well. The hay load is a nicely cast resin piece which fits onto the cargo area very well. I didn't glue it to have the chance to use the cart with or without hay.

Honestly I have no idea whether the cart is worth any points for the painting challenge but I wanted to present this nice kit anyway.


From Curt:

It's great to have you with us in the main 'arena' Stefan, even if it's for the last push to the finish.

You've done a lovely job on those billmen. I'm especially taken with your approach to their 'white' armour - very nice.

The hay cart is a great piece of kit. I have a couple of these as well and am always amazed at both their simplicity and utility on the tabletop.  That being said I do need to get some of those removable 'hay loads' - brilliant stuff.

SteH - The Last Post! (45 Points)

Or something to that effect. It's been a hectic old week, a bit manic at work (new job!), the missus had her first village fair (new business) and the boys graduated from their swimming classes (their both in starfish now (they're only 4 & 5). So there hasn't been much time to paint however I've been conscious of the end of the Challenge and really wanted to hit my target (750 pts). Finding time to paint was hard but I think I've about managed it with this final post!

9x 28mm GW Uruk Hai.


That's right I'm going out the way I came in, with more of those dastardly devils from Tolkiens works (as adapted by PJ). I'm sure you can guess that I like the imagery seeing as I keep painting the minis. 



Anyway I used my tried and tested technique - block colour, dirty wash and simple highlight although these guys you will note have green cloth, hinting at their involvement in the in the battle at the Ford's of Isen.



The captain has had a hand swap and this time I gave him blonde hair, that's right he's a surfer and possibly missed most of the battle at the Ford as he'll have been wasted after catching too many waves! And I'm keeping to my goal of giving my mini's the gift of sight, I'm still struggling with the technique but at least he's not cross eyed!



Many of you will know of fellow competitor Scott and his ongoing interest in The Lord of the Rings, anyway he's already hinted at he and I having a post challenge game with many of the models we've both painted preceding and during the challenge. Therefore stay tuned and we'll aim to get something documented in the not too distant future (once he's done with the the Gallipoli project!). Oh and hopefully he'll take the pics as he's far better at them than I.

Anyway that should net me 45pts closing off my participation for this year and bringing me to my Challenge goal of 750pts. Now then what shall I have as my own personal theme for the sixth Challenge?


From Curt:

Wonderful! Bravo on nailing your points target with these fierce fellows. I really like the captain with the yellow-blonde hair - I like doing the same with some of my orcs as I reason that they share some of the same genetic 'stuff' with the elves. 

I look forward to seeing a post-game report from you and Scott. It will be great to see all these models in action together.

It was a pleasure Ste! Best wishes to you and your family as you settle in your new home in New Zealand.
 

From PaulS - The shuffling bomb (325 Points)

This entry is a bit of a surprise, even to me. After finishing the gladiators the other day, I wasn't expecting to find the time or the impetus to actually finish much else before the deadline.  To be honest, I wasn't expecting to put in another entry at all. Turns out I was dead wrong.

This morning I woke up early, so while Claire was asleep, I stuck on Season 3 of Arrow and started on the Season 1 box for Zombicide as it was a fairly mindless thing that could be done while half asleep and watching tv. 4 hours later and I appear to have blitzed through a whopping 65 zombies! That is 40 Walkers, 16 Runners, 8 Fatties and 1 berzerk walker that I appear to have missed in the last batch. She had somehow rolled under the shelf on my painting tray and been missed... obviously a lurker that one!

Here is the new horde in all it's black and white glory... in full colour. I think that graveyard must be on top of some horrific mass grave to have spawned that many zombies!

When the Challenge is finished, I'll try and take a photo of the full horde... the numbers are bordering on the ridiculous.There were too many to fit in the lightbox, hence the in-situ shot instead.

So, 65 more 28mm zombies to the total please Curt. I believe that is 325 points in total... and yet another goal smashed! Put me down for 1750 next please. With 5 days left and no spare evenings, I'm not reliant upon sleepless nights to meet that one, small though it may be.

I really am going to have to do an end of Challenge photo as the model count is getting silly for me. I don't think I've ever painted this many models! 


From Curt:

Awesome job Paul! That is an incredible amount of figures to get done in 4 hours! You obviously have a good pattern worked out for churning these little horrors out. Not bad for someone who had an initial points target of 500 points. Fantastic.

BTW, I do like that creepy gargoyle statue in the last picture. Very cool.

From DavidB - 'Myth'....just a little late (120 Points)

I finally completed the Oliphant, and you can see he is giving me the stink-eye for the delay. I took a different turn with him and painted him and his amigos in another paint scheme different than the movie. I used GW scaly green(lord knows if it is around anymore or what name it has now) It's a very pretty dark jade and I only got it to give some of my 40k Inquisitors a flashy punch (they ain't painted either) I used a blue ink wash and swooping hawk turquoise for shade and highlight. unfortunately you can't see it in the photos very well, but it did highlight the green very well. You also won't be able to see the six different greys used on his hide! I'm really miffed that didn't come out...my blending isn't that good, it's almost nonexistent! ;)

I've a whole bunch of Harad ready to go in the traditional colors  (block yet not finished) they have an officer and a standard. The Oliphant is such a large and fearsome beast that it counts as a standard and hero in an army (or so I've been told). I figured he and his entourage would be like a tribe showing off their beastie, like a hotrod! ;)

He isn't fearful of much with a howdah packed with archers and spearmen guarding his flanks. Unless someone throws a LED bouncy ball and summons the wild pack of lab mixed breeds anyway!

I have been practicing with gold NMM with the Harad. It's still progressing. I gave them the grey robe to match the Oliphant, jade green sashes and turbans, then brown and off white pants and inner robes. It was a bit of a chore finding where each layer of clothing started and ended as the detail does get soft on the sides. some of the archers reaching for arrows have slabs for hands with no fingers.. must be part of a Harad ritual in following the dark lord. Maybe they are archers because they can't hold a spear with a slab hand!?

They do have a lot of movement though and I think they will do fine till Legolas appears!

The boss mini is pretty neat, but he is missing fingers too. Still he looks almost as imposing as his charge does.

I did finally find the missing support...this morning in fact! It is the left one in the front and is still wet from glue and paint.

I gave him a worn spot on the left side of his head as he did take a tumble. It wasn't five layers of grey but four of flesh tones to give him a nice pinkish tone.

I also applied the layers around his body where the straps and ropes would rub. I imagine the weight would leave wear and tear on him. He is now done and repaired and it is the fastest turnaround on a damaged model ever in this house (I usually like to sulk and rage for a few months.. or years)

I'd say more, but I'm off to apply block colors on the most antihero army of them all!

I'm working the next three days, but I am off Wed and Thurs and hope to submit before the clock winds down. I'll catch up on what everyone else is up to during work breaks.

Back to the brushes I go!

- One wicked Oliphant (I really hate painting tanks)

- twenty-two Harad

From Curt:

Wow, what a cracking job you've done David, and it's made even more so after the Lab altercation.

The shading of the Oliphant's hide and tusks looks absolutely terrific and I really like the texture/shading of the straps and howdah as well. (And he DOES look like he's giving the world the 'stink eye'!).

Great stuff in getting him repaired and completed. It's an incredibly impressive model. Congrats David!

From JamesR - Burgundian Billmen, Chasseurs a Cheval, and a Ringwraith (185 Points)

Hello,

I managed to finish up a pack of guys and finally break my goal.  I don't think I have time to make a new goal of 1250.

First are eleven of those plastic Perry medieval miniatures, that everyone has been painting up.  They saw their first action in a game of Lion Rampant last weekend.

Here they are running away, just like they did in their first battle.  When playing Lion Rampant don't let your troops get caught in rough ground, by ferocious troops.

 

Here's a couple guys beating on tambourines.

Here are eleven Perry metal Chasseur a Cheval.  I loved painting them and my only complaint is the swords are metal and will likely be mangled by the end of their first battle. I constantly bent the stupid things while painting them.

Here they are running away from my sword bending fingers.  I base most of my cavalry on a mix of single and multiple bases.  It allow some ease of movement, with the ability to use the minis in a skirmish game.

Here's one the GW LotR Ringwraith minis.  I wish I had a few hundred of these guys, they paint so fast I could double my score in a week.  It's a extremely versatile miniature that can be used in all manner of games.

Here he is as a French Officer leading a cavalry charge into some disorganized billmen.

 

"Chargez!  Ecrasez-lez!"

Till next time.

Love and kisses,
Baconfat


From Curt:

As Napoleon famously said, nothing beats a Ringwraith in leading a cavalry charge.

I pity the billmen, I'd be running away too. :)

Great work James!

From TamsinP - Crusty Heavy Battleship (17 Points)

I've been rather run-down this week thanks to a cold, so I haven't got much finished right now and this is the only one that's ready for posting. I do have some more bits which should be completed tomorrow, along with some more over the rest of the week. All together they should see me reach my 2500 point revised target!

But enough of the waffle, on with the post.

For my 22nd entry, I present another spaceship. Just over a week ago Clint gave me a heads-up about what spaceships he was painting so that I could, if I wished, paint a couple more for our side-bet. So last weekend I primed and basecoated a small fleet using my new airbrushes (I'd just bought a pair of double-action Iwata jobbies) and my new compressor.

Errmm, yes, I did go on a bit of a spending spree.

A couple of nights ago I made a start on painting the largest ship of the fleet, the heavy battleship. And then Clint emailed me again to say that things were going on and he isn't likely to finish and submit his fleet. So, it would appear that I have won our side-bet, although I'd suggest Curt holds off on bestowing me with some suitably intergalactically megalomaniacal title, just in case Clint was bluffing!

The ship is a Vk'ca'tk'Knn class heavy battleship (UNSC codename "Crowbar") from GZG's "Crusty" fleet.

No, not these Crusties:

These Crusties from GZG:

From Spacejacker's "Tiny Solitary Soldiers" blog

As inspired by these chappies:

OK, a couple more pics of the ship:

I've got no idea how many points this will be - I've sent Curt some size comparison pics so he can try to work it out.


From Curt:

That's a very cool looking ship Tamsin (a freakin' huge). I really like the high-contrast orange, white and grey surface panels. I somehow reminds me of many corporate advertising colours. Hmm, perhaps the Crusties are a race of mobile phone salesmen!

'Accept our long distance and data plan or suffer the consequences...'

We'll wait to see if Clint fires a broadside in the next few days...

Great job Tamsin!

From Kawe - Clockwork Monkeys (!) (25 Points)

These clockwork chimps are from Westfalia's 2nd successful Kickstarter campaign. There's still a fair few molds missing but I couldn't keep myself from painting this set up.

From Curt:

I know you've been incredibly busy with work Kawe so I'm delighted that you could join us for our run-in to the finish line.

These are marvelous! My head was down when this Kickstarter was launched so I missed out (drat!) but rest assured, you'll be receiving an order from me as these little fellas are so incredibly characterful (and cute!). Really, who can deny a brass monkey with a fez - Brilliant!

Question: Will these be available at Salute this year? 

Great work.

From PhilH: 'er Madge (5 points)

The final week, time to up the tempo...

Tradition dictates that each Challenge, I make an offering at the Altar of Sarah, by finding a suitable female miniature to compete for the 'Sarah's Choice' award. Happily, Pulp adventuring has provided a rich seam to mine and this year I had this quite exquisite miniature from Hasslefree, "Madge".

With time slipping away, the time came to promote her to the top of the painting queue. I was actually away in Wales this last week, but took a little hobby box along. The weather was rather wet, which meant plenty of painting time, though the corner I found was a little dark in the evenings. You'll note I even had room for both tartan and flowery-headscarf-effect paints. Phew!

'Madge' and her rather scarily large fowling piece will joint the eclectic Pulp collection and wait for a suitable scenario to feature in.


From Curt:

Ah, I was wondering if you were going to put in a figure for Sarah's consideration - very good, she'll be delighted when she sees this I'm sure. As you say Phil, this is such a wonderful figure and you've done a fantastic job with her. I love the plaid skirt but the best item is her cheery head-scarf - a wonderful touch! I also quite like the subtle groundwork you've done for the base. 

Lovely work Phil!

SteH - Sprint for the finish, in jeeps and M20's (47 Points)

That's right, I'm frantically trying to paint up enough stuff to actually hit my target and I'm really running out of time.



Here we have a tank destroyer security section for Flames of War - a jeep and two M20 utility's. The M20's were easy to paint but the jeep not so much. However I really like the battlefront US jeep model and it was a joy to paint. I've done these as the 2nd armoured division as they were the first armoured units to hook up with the 101st on D-day.

And so on to the second part of this submission, 3x recon jeeps. These guys are supposed to be a jeep recon patrol from the 327th glider infantry regiment of the 101st and as I've already started I really enjoy painting jeeps. 

As I did with my airborne infantry I've painted the 101st screaming eagle badge on them however to differentiate them from their higher paid comrades I've tried to paint the stars and stripes on them, it kind of works.




Anyway there you go, a few more points to bump me up to my target a bit, let's see if I can make a few more tomorrow!


From Curt:

Great job Ste! The M20 are very nice but your jeeps really steal the show - fabulous work on the shoulder patches!

With this entry (I think you may have short changed yourself in you initial points assessment) AND your wonderful Smeagol you're now in the clear for hitting your point's target - Congratulations!

Well done Mr. H!