From PaulSS: Gaslands gates -- 40pts

Starting gate, I included a reminder for the drivers to engage weapon safety

 

Hopefully this post will just make it under the wire.

I've added some more Gaslands Tracksessories in the form of six racing gates from Sarissa Precision that I picked up from the Northstar stand at Hammerhead a couple of weeks ago, apologies for the shonky photos, I set them out on the track ready for a game and forgot that it would not be optimal lighting.

Gate 1: Safety Off!

Gate 2: Rickety and held up with chains

Gate three with a blood splattered reminder you are half way there

Gate 4: Looks like it's seen better days

The finishing line

My daughter and her partner Neil are visiting this weekend so after setting up the track with the gates, Neil and I played out a 50-can Death Race with Neils' Dodge Challenger easily out in font and crossing the Finish line.

The three cars I used were all painted during the challenge.

Like all the best Gaslands, much carnage took place during the game with gate 2 being especially treacherous.

Thursday evening also saw the other main project I worked on during this challenge, the 12mm US and Germans for O Group also got an outing.

Like a couple of years ago, the end of the Challenge coincided with a trans-Atlantic relocation, so most of my gaming stuff is all packed up and ready for collection next week!

The race gates are quite large and would be two "terrain squares" for the lot adding 40 points to my final total.

Many thanks to Curt and all the Minions, especially Monday Minion Peter for all his work and words of encouragement.  

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These gates look brilliant, Paul. I especially like the gate held up with chain tensioners. It's wonderful that you got in an early game with them as well!  I'll have to consider something similar for my beginners-level Mad Maximillian collection, so thank you for the inspiration.

It was great to have you with us again this year, Paul, and best wishes for your upcoming move - I hope it's not too stressful!

Until next season!

- Curt

From StuartL - Wait, those aren't squirrels!?! - 500 Points

Hello all, 

    The challenge is nearing its end and I am finally done painting. 

    This entry wasn't one I was planning to do originally, it just kind of came together at random. Way back in the days of yore I had a Skaven army for Warhammer Fantasy Battle, but I could never get round to painting it. Back then I wasn't into batch painting and for those of you who don't know Skaven (Fantasy rat-men), their armies were vast hordes of infantry. When GW decided to pull the plug on WFB, I sold off most of my models, only hanging onto a small handful of them, which I painted up for the challenge in 2019. 

    Just before this challenge began, Games Workshop advertised a special Christmas offer that contained a huge pile of Skaven models in one big box. Now, I was tempted, but I figured that there would be no way I could be bothered to paint up that many models, especially as I had a million other projects on the go anyway. It was then that I stumbled upon an article discussing Andy Chambers' (One of the main writers at GW back in the good old days) Skaven army and how he had painted it. Reading through it, it all seemed very simple and straightforward. Heck, I could probably knock out models at a grand old pace if I just copied it ... and before you know it, I am walking out of my FLGS with the Skaven box in hand. 

    The method for painting all of the models below was the same. Each model was primed in dark brown and then given heavy dry-brushes of various colours. Once the model was painted, everything was washed with a sepia colour. This serves to unify all of the colours and give them a dirty, unwashed look. Individually, each model isn't very good, but as a horde they look great IMHO. As I didn't have time to assemble all of the minis, I repainted some of the models from the post I linked to above.

Above are 8 converted Plague Censor Bearers. These Skaven worship disease and love to poison their victims by whirling large smoke filled censors around them. They also work as pretty effective flails too. There are some official models from GW, but they are ludicrously expensive, so I converted this unit out of some Plague Monks.

And this is a unit of 16 Plague Monks.  I used a marker pen to write the 'text' onto the scrolls, banner and book.

This model is the army's warlord and is from the Warhammer 8th edition starter box Island of Blood. 

And a side view showing off his banner pole.

These chonky fellows are 5 rat ogres and their handler armed with a magical prod to get them moving in the right direction. 

Most Skaven have terrible lives, but the worst of the bunch are the Skaven slaves like the 15 fellows above. These are ratmen from conquered clans that end up getting used as cannon fodder in battle.

The unit above is a mob of 23 clan-rats armed with spears, ideal for prodding the enemy from a safe distance. The banner is a hand-painted attempt at a rat skull.

This unit of 26 clan-rats are armed with a variety of hand weapons including cleavers, daggers and nunchucks. 

On the right is a Skaven Warplock Engineer, one of the mad scientists that create all of the weird and wacky war-gear the army uses, like the poison wind mortar to the left.

And here is the army in its entirety (so far). I painted these in odd batches off and on whenever I got some space on my hobby desk. They were surprisingly fast to paint up. No 'Contrast' paints were used, no slap-chop or any other modern technique. I probably wouldn't use this style for most armies, but for sewer dwelling rat people, it does the trick.

For the scoreboard:

5x 40mm infantry (Rat Ogres) @7 points each = 35 Points.

93x 28mm infantry @5 points each = 465 Points

Total = 500 Points

Despite the title of the post, this lot do constitute one Squirrel. The plague monks and a couple of other minis have skulls on them, plus the hand painted banner has a skull on each side.

My Side Duels.

Squirrels +1 - 41

Anglo-Saxons, Vikings, Dwarves, Fire Giants, WW2 Polish, Daemons, Viridians, Vasa, Junkers, Turnips, Necrons, Tau, Genestealers, WW2 Japanese, Teutonics, Lizardmen, Gnolls, Arabs, Space Marines, Kung Fu Chinese, Wolf's Dragoons, Merfolk, Fishmen, Fish, Mummies, Greek Myth, Peasants, Desert Terrain, Guild, WW2 Africans, WW2 French, WW2 Germans, WW2 Russians, DKoK, Sengoku Fantasy, Fantasy Zombies, Undead Pirates, Blood Bowl Orcs, AWI British, Modern Zombies, Skaven

Skullz +28 - 387

Turnips - 115 Points

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Stuart, this carpet bombing of Skaven looks fabulous. I especially like your Plague Rat conversions, and the Warlord is awesome (love the banner pole). I too have a box of Skaven in storage, all metals from yesteryear, that I cringe at every time I come across it. So, soo many ratmen... BUT I really like this painting method that you've repurposed from Andy Chambers. I may use a variation of it for my 10mm efforts, so thank you!

Now, next year will we see a Doomwheel and Screaming Bell from you?

- Curt

From MartinC Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire (100pts)

OK, so I lied. I haven't finished. I painted these yesterday. They are Montagnards for Vietnam games

They are mainly dressed in loincloths and captured equipment. Armed with AK47, carbines and grease guns

The figures are from Westwind and are fairly ropey

but they were very cheap

and will get limited usage, but there is a specific plan

So overall that is 20 x 28mm = 100pts

Sorry and promise not to submit again this year, I actually have stuff to do.

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Haha! I love seeing what you can get done in a day, Martin, even when you say you have other things to do - it's amazing. 

I had no idea that someone made Montagnards. Yes, they are a bit ropey, but like all figures they look 1000% better when painted up. Strange that they chose to depict them as half-naked tribesmen. Perhaps good for the French War, but by the American involvement they were usually fairly well supplied with basic uniforms and equipment. This all being said, I look forward to following your blogs to see what you have planned for them.

Finally, thank you again Martin for all your help with the Challenge this year. It's always a pleasure to have you with us, not only as a participant, but as a minion as well. Ta!

- Curt

From DallasE: Yellow Brick Road Trip in Sarah's Limo and a Land Raider! (75 points)

OK, entering the free-fire zone with my second-last post. The push is on, and that means squeezing the bonus locations!

First off I will take a ride in Lady Sarah's Limousine with this "Sister of Battle" from Manufaktura Miniatures. It's a 3D print I've painted as statuary to fit the theme of the old-school all-metal Adepta Sororitas army I'm building for Warhammer 40K.

The Manufaktura figures are superb but it has to be noted, mostly "NSFW"... I've chosen one here that fits my taste but many of their models are... explicit. So be aware of that if you search them on the Web or visit their site. I bought this one from a stockist on eBay so wasn't really aware of the nature of the range before I visited their website... thankfully not on a work computer :-)

The model is really exquisite, well sculpted and great print quality. Painting was a breeze of course, no "grisaille" or "Zorn palette" necessary. The pillar I did before - very flexible as the space on the top fits a standard 25mm round base so I have created statuary to fit many gaming themes.

Next we'll take a spin down the Yellow Brick Road with a "Cinema" model, and what better than a Propagandakompanie Kriegsberichter with his own movie camera and "PK" cufftitle.

This is a metal model from Warlord Games' Bolt Action range and painted up a treat. I painted him as an enlisted man with the early-war lemon yellow waffenfarbe, since according to Angolia and Schlicht's "Uniforms and Traditions of the German Army" the cufftitle (see previous photo) was likely discontinued when the PK-guys got their own grey waffenfarbe colour rather than piggybacking onto the signal-troops' colour. 

Im einsatz, making a TikTok of a passing Pzkpfw. 38(t).

Lastly for this post we have a real blast from the past, an original Land Raider with just a couple of modern updates. I acquired this model in a trade on the weekend, fixed the doors, primed it black and painted it earlier this week.

As we all know, this is the Ur-Land-Raider first produced by Games Workshop back in 1988 and made available for retail purchase in a box of two models, for 12.99GBP no less!! 

But remarkably, although I've been playing 40K myself since 1989 or so, I'd never owned an original Land Raider model, until now! 

As I said, this model came to me in a trade (along with a MK1 Rhino) and needed some work. A previous owner appears to have replaced the sponson lascannons, it had Forgeworld Iron Warriors doors, and a modern exhaust stack and dozer blade has supplanted the originals. Still and all, not bad for a nearly 35-year-old model. 

I started by removing the resin doors and replacing them with standard modern Land Raider doors, cut out a bit to accommodate the big hinge. I also stuck on some very cool Heresy-era eagles from a modern Age of Darkness vehicle sprue.

The 'Raider accompanied by Iron Warriors Siege Tyrant Terminators.

I also put together a new hatch with storm bolter. Fortunately the modern 40K parts fits this old model to a tee.

Alternatively, this 'Raider can be fielded with a pintle-mounted multi-melta. This one is from the Forgeworld pintle-mounted weapons set. Handy.

A bit better view of the door, decals and weathering here.

It was a really straightforward paintjob, although I regret not having any Modelmates/Dirty Down Rust Effect for the eagle. Once I get some more of it I'll tune that up. In any event it's a really cool model and will fit in well with my Iron Warriors 30K force.

Scoring:

28mm Sister of Battle statue    5pts

Lady Sarah's limo bonus         20pts

28mm PK-berichter                    5pts

Yellow Brick Road bonus        20pts

28mm Land Raider                    20pts

Pintle weapon and crewman        5pts

Grand Total:                             75pts

See you soon for one (or maybe two?) more!

From RayR - Gang of Four & Other figures from Col Bill's 35pts

Back in the day on the borders of England and Scotland a gang of young ruffians caused mayhem everywhere they went, they were forever bunking off of school, hiding in the woods and playing soldiers

Now they're all grown up, nothing had really changed, apart from bunking off of school that is.

Leader of the gang is Chris, he dreams of being a dashing Cavalryman charging down the nearest enemy, with no mercy.

Second in command is Martin C, not sure why but he's always got his finger up his nose???

Graham like his pal Chris, wants to be a Cavalryman too, flashing his blade or lance at the enemy.

Lastly we have Matt, he's a bit of a bruiser and got caught by his mum nicking the broom

and is always seen, picking his troos out of his bum!!

My short and sweet ode to the Top 4 Challengers, was bought to you in association with Col Bill's Border Reiver range

Next up

Its bruiser Matt's Mum, older brother and sister.

Nobody argues with Mrs W, she's a reknowned good shot having won the county shooting show 3 years on the trot. 

Her teenage son Mike, runs with a gang terrorizing villages near there's and always has a few bob in his pockets.

Then you have sweet, sweet Mary, who's waving a rather non polite hand gesture at the local magistrate.

Once again the figures are from the fab Col Bill's range of Border Reiver figures.

So all in all these will earn me...

35 points!

While I can't speak to the accuracy of these miniature challengers, they do look very nice. Hopefully your four targets will be more flattered than anything else. Great work on all of these figures, they are certainly an interesting bunch of characters.

-StuartL