From StuartL - All's Well That Ends Well

Hi all,

Well, that is Challenge XIII in the bag, so I guess a wrap up post is all that is really left for me to do. First off, my apologies for not commenting on posts anywhere near as much as I should have. Between work, pushing myself to spend every free minute painting and a technical issue where my phone (my main way of viewing the challenge) and blogger refused to co-operate, I found it quite rare for me to have a chance to sit and post. Now that the challenge is over, I have been taking a break from the blog and painting in general, just to clear my head a bit and deal with some things I had been putting off over the winter. It was great to see so many challengers post so many cool models though. 

On to my challenge wrap up then. 

Minioning

This was my first year being a minion and it was.... challenging, but a lot of fun. The Saturday crew kept me pretty busy, and there was a lot to learn about how the challenge works behind the scenes. That said, it was good to see what my minionees were up to and watch their various projects grow. The time differences made things a little tricky in places as the 'challenge day' was split across my Saturday and Sunday. Assuming Curt will have me in such a position of easily abusable authority again, I wouldn't mind minioning in the future.

Duels

As I am sure many wargamers know, there are three great strategic blunders you can make. 

1. Starting a land war in Russia.

2. Underestimating indigenous forces when they are defending their homes. 

3. Entering a Squirrel duel when there is a retiree in the running.

Now, I have never made the first two blunders, but seem determined to make the 3rd over and over again. ChrisW absolutely thrashed me in the Squirrel duel, well done sir. Between the two of us we accounted for more than half of the total squirrels this challenge, so I will hoist my silver trophy with pride.

Despite my loss in the Squirrel duel, I am happy to be crowned two-time champion of the Skullz duel. Not only that, but I also set a new Skullz record at 1575, easily surpassing the previous record of 1363 set by...ME! Given that I have painted nearly all of my old Cities of Death terrain from GW, I doubt I will ever reach those dizzying heights again, but hopefully the duel will continue for years to come.

Finally, in the Turnip28 competition, I was never really in it to win it. Before the challenge started I didn't even have any minis for the game and just threw stuff together from my bits boxes. The minis were fun to build and great to paint, so I will hopefully have a chance to finish off my army sometime before the next challenge. One of my local gaming friends has also started building a force of root-related horrors. 

Painting

For this challenge, I set myself the target of 2160 points, which should have been enough to propel me to the dizzying heights of the 10,000 lifetime points club. In fact, I managed to surpass that target by nearly 1000 points, finishing on a personal best of 3116 points. True, I had to abuse the heck out of the bonus points system, (about 680 points came from the Studio Tour and Lady Sarah's Limousine), but I also finished 449 models, again a personal best. Speaking of models, this is my entire output except for my gift shop entries, which have already been passed on to their new owners:

Wrap-up

So, that is Challenge XIII over and done with, time to start preparing of Challenge XIV. With a new edition of 40K on the way, dozens of armies and projects half complete (and some new ones started) and ideas for a home-made skirmish system kicking around in my head, I have plenty to keep me busy over the next 81/2 months. See you all in December!

Please Vote for AHPC XIII Challengers' Choice

Hi All!

We had another terrific Challenge this season, with loads of dazzling submissions from talented hobbyists from around the world. Below you will find the list of nominations for the Challengers' Choice Award along with a pic which activates a link to their submission(s).

Millsy and I have set up a Google form to handle the voting. How this works is that you can vote for three nominees. Your first vote is worth 3 points, your second 2 points, and your third is 1 point. To dissuade non-participants from voting, the form requires you to put in your Challenge handle and email address (similar to this year's Duels submission form). We're also allowing previous Challenge participants to vote as well, so if you're of that enviable cadre feel free to join in.

The voting will close Saturday, April 8th at midnight (CST). We'll tally all the votes and I'll announce the results on Sunday, along with the Minions' Choice, SnowLord's Choice and Sarah's Choice.

Enjoy the gallery and remember to take time to vote!

Thank you!

Curt

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Click here to access the voting poll.

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The Challengers' Choice Nominees for AHPC XIII

AlanD’s Lopers

AlanD’s Inter-War Armoured Cars

AlexK’s Rhino

Barks’ Swarm-o-Gaunts

BruceRs US tank Crewmen

Curt’s Turnip28 entries

Curt’s Mad Maximillian Cars

Curt’s Mork Borg/Forbidden Psalm Adventurers

DarrellH’s Byzantine Project

DallasE’ Matilda II

DallasE’ Warhound Titan

DaveD’s Vietnam War entries

DaveX’s Ghostbusters

GeoffreyT’s Batman

GeoffreyT’s Shimmy of Elvis

GeoffreyT’s Froghemoth

GregB’s Horus Heresy entries

GregB's Mando and The Child

JohnE’s Napoleonic Gothic

KenR’s WWII Ships

KerryT’s Italian Wars entries

MilesR’s Peleliu Island entires

Millsy’s Russian Civil War entries

PaulOG’s Turnip28 Crabs

RayR’s 2mm WSS entries

RobP’s Sassanid Elephants

SarahHC’s entries

ScottR’s Pyrrhic Army

SidneyR’s Samurai entries

SimonG’s Temple Mount

TamsinP’s Spirit of Camberwell

Adamc1776 Its a Wrap

I managed to paint a few more than 750 point this year a small number compared to other years but a good showing.

8 sailing ships 5 for the Royal Navy and 3 pirates and 10 World War Two era ships 5 Japanese, 2 American, 1 Royal Navy and 2 Italians 

Figures included a hero of the Tolkien legendarium , orcs Irish on 4 and 2 legs, zouaves both north and south, Scotsmen, and Iroquois warriors.

That doesn't count my daughter's barn and the bear ornament for my wife. I earned 10 Squirrel points so I think I had an eclectic and productive challenge I also had a lot of fun and hope all of you did too.

From BruceR, That’s a Wrap

Thanks to all again, Curt, Sarah, Miles, Minions and all the supporters. 

Here is my total photo with well posed CSM Loki, Buildings, Sloop, boats, fantasy, Victorian vampire hunters, WW2 Italians, Pirates, and space dudes/dudettes.  

Here is my reason for delay, proof of AdeptiCon.  I used my ship and pirates to run multiple Sharp Practice games.  My selfies are exactly as my kids and spouse say, terrible  ha.

Lots done lots left to do and now the weather pills are saying an April Storm is a coming.  So, base coat some minis and carry on till Spring.

Cheers everybody and stay well.

Bruce

Iain W 28mm Challenge end

 The end of the challenge, I managed to scrape across the line with one big push on the last day but hey at least I made the target, everything except casualty markers has been cavalry and all bar one post Napoleonic cavalry.  I'm happy with what I got done this year, all 28mm as I'm a one scale type, I've tried other scales but it doesn't work for me!

That's  Toby informing me I've forgotten about my Napoleonic French Imperial Guard cavalry. 

Quite right Toby, what it does mean is I entirely failed to get anything done on the various duels, dark age Britain, figures still primed check. Renaissance, still scratch building but at least I've started painting some figures!

War carts for Ravenna WIP, it's funny but the duel( even though  I  didn't  paint anything!) has got me buying landsknechts and playing pike and shot Italian wars and reignited my interest in the period once more, one of the things I like about the challenge is you go in with a plan and it all changes. Partially because of the war of three Kingdoms cuirassier unit I  painted I'm now working on a dozen mid 17th century artillery pieces that certainly weren't planned before the challenge!

Apart from me , it's been a treat trying to keep up with all the wonderful painting everyone has done, I  look forward to voting for our challenge favourite!

Thanks again to Curt, Sarah and all the minions but especially Peter for putting up with me on Mondays, already planning/ day dreaming of next challenge!

All the best 

Iain 

From StephenS: Challenge (almost) Completed

 G'day Everyone,

Well that's a wrap for Challenge 13, my eighth, but hopefully not my last, attempt at three months of painting madness.

I fell a little short of my goal (44 points to be exact) which is disappointing, as I felt I got off to a good start. Glorious sunshine filled days constantly lured me away from the painting table with their siren call. Then again, I could be confusing that with the young brood clamouring for attention. However, very happy with the results, especially finally finishing off my Punic Wars project (after chipping away at it for close to ten years)!

Challenge 13

Lame excuses aside, it was in all seriousness a real privilege to be part of the team again, even if I was a little quiet on the comments this year. 

Looking forward to spending the winter months plotting my next plan of attack, before throwing it away for whatever whimsy takes my fancy.

The completed Punic Wars force - 10 years of wishing I'd written down the basing recipe...

Thank you again to Curt and his team of minions, it couldn't happen without your time and goodwill, and it is very much appreciated.

Enjoy the intervening months and hopefully I will see everyone next time!

Cheers,

Steve 

From JamesM: Challenge 13 Wrap-up

Hi folks,

Having had a chance to tidy my workspace a little this week, I had space to lay out my completed models from this years challenge efforts. 

Such was the impact of focusing mainly on 28mm models that I set a new personal best, finishing in 36th place with 814 points. You big scale painting folks have obviously got it easy when it comes to scoring!

The main aim this year had been to work on what I'd prepped and focus on getting some gangs painted for Necromunda. As usual, I failed slightly on these goals. This failure included having converted a 'Beastman' gang during the challenge and deciding to build a 15mm WW2 mini diorama. 

I also managed to get completed a few painting shelf lurkers and finish off a few more bits of 28mm terrain. As well as a small Space Marine fleet for Battlefleet Gothic. 

Much of this years efforts involved embracing and experimenting with Army Painter speed paints and Vallejo Xpress speed paints. Really useful tools when it comes to painting fantasy/sci fi minis. Hopefully Vallejo might expand their range to some of the more historical colours. 

In the end I painted:

A Goliath Necromunda gang (10 models plus a brute)

A Chaos Helot Cult Necromunda gang (16 models plus a demonspawn)

A Chaos Beastman Necromunda gang (9 models)

A Slave Ogyrn Necromunda gang (6 big models)

Various hangers on and NPC models for Necromunda (9 models)

Two small 28mm vehicles

A Space Marine Battlefleet Gothic flotilla

A 15mm Valentine bridge-layer tank

A 15mm Light Aid Detachment diorama plus a radio van

Some 15mm Snipers for my WW2 Brits

A battery of three 15mm M109 guns for my Cold War Dutch

120mm mortars and gun crews for my Cold War Dutch, plus .50cal APC turrets

Some random Necromunda terrain and scatter terrain

I'm particularly proud of the LAD diorama and the Dutch bits - as well as my ability to just get on and paint my Necromunda stuff. 

Big thanks go to Curt & Lady Sarah for organising us all, and to the minions for their efforts. Thanks also, as usual, to the paint and chat crew. 

Going forward for the rest of the year, I've a 15mm Cold War Dutch army to finish painting before Battlefront potentially expands the available range of models for in a few(?!) months!

from RayR - Challange 13 Wrap up.

or I think I'm gonna need a bigger table?

Mistake No 1, I asked my daughter Holly, to take a couple of pics of me for this post, she took loads of pics, this was the one that looked like me the most.......and it doesn't look like me either. 

Well that went quick didn't it? I can't believe another Challenge is over and done with already? I could have carried on at that pace for another few weeks to be honest, I'm not sure my wife would agree though??

Thanks have gotta go to the Snow Lord Curt & Lady Sarah for putting up with all of our shenanigans over the past few months. Also thanks to Minion Stuart L, leader on the Saturday crew for all his hard work.

Thanks!!!!

I got a lot of figures painted, mostly 2mm of course, but sadly didn't manage to finish my Almansa 1707 project. Boooooo!

French

Spanish

Portuguese

English & Dutch

25's & 15's

And here's the Almansa figures out on the tabletop.

Hmm? I think I got my math wrong, the troops just fit on an 8 foot table!!!

I've included plain bases, in place where the missing units should be.

On the left are the French and Spanish and of course that puts the English, Dutch and Portuguese on the right.

The photos don't do the figures justice, so I made a small video, hope it works?

I wanna claim a victory though, I think I've painted the most figures in Challenge 13?

34 x  25mm figures

24 x 15mm figures

2mm

English, French & Dutch infantry 7680 figures

Portuguese & Spanish infantry 6528 figures

All Cavalry 2184 figures

Artillery 24 guns, 96 figures

Command figures 134 figures

For a total of 16646 2mm figures!!!

Here's my performance so far in all the Challenges

Challenge II 4940 points 1st
Challenge III 2586 points 4th
Challenge IV 1227 points 17th
Challenge V 691 points 37th
Challenge VI 681 points 36th
Challenge VII 1093 points 24th
Challenge VIII 662 points 40th
Challenge IX 2274 points 8th
Challenge X 1687 points 11th
Challenge XI 2260 points 8th
Challenge XII 2168 points 7th

Challenge XIII 1111 points 27th

Dunno what Holly did to my phone, I hope I don't really look like this???