From KerryT: Italian Wars cavalry (120 points)

Morning, afternoon & evening all

In previous challenges, a good proportion of my submissions were from one of my favourite periods, the Italian Wars though this challenge seems to be quite different. Not surprisingly perhaps I'm all over the place again but that does at least keep me productive. I've always admired the dedication of those who decide to focus on one army and project and manage to see it through. I just have to wander around though around several periods in order to keep my focus. In trying to add to my Italian wars collection, I have printed off some Wargames Atlantic Gendarmes but if I'm being realistic its seems very unlikely that I'll get to them this time. I have managed to get some paint on a dozen TAG Italian Elmeti though. These are another unit that were bought and prepped for last year's challenge

Putting them in front of the church reminds me that I do need to finish more Italian style buildings

I don't have many TAG figures but I've always enjoyed painting the ones that I do have

Flag from Pete's flags

I've just gone for a mix of colours in an attempt to make them a generic/mercenary unit

The horses are pretty solid and seem to take paint well

Running away

I need to flesh out some Italian states cavalry and I think I'll try and get a few more of these in the near future.

On reflection it may have been better if I'd painted them up as Venetians, Milanese or Florentines to bulk those evolving armies out a bit. They would probably look a little better with lances rather than spears but I must have used the remainder of my supply of lances from Wargames Foundry. I'll try and pick up some at Partizan I think but that means I'll see and want to buy more Gendarmes

So just a quick post from me this week, thank you all once again for your continued support and encouragement. Apologies,  I've been a bit slow off the mark commenting on others work this week but hope to catch up with my comments on the weekend

In summary

12 X 28mm Mounted figures @ 10 points = 120 pints

1 Squirrel

Best wishes

Valleyboy

From Millsy:

I never cease to be amazed at the speed you can paint cavalry mate. We were only talking about these just recently and you were trying to decide what colour to paint all the tack. All the various colours you've used really do look great and have repaid the effort in spades. Matched to the coat colours on troop's tabards it looks so cohesive and convincing, especially what paired with your usual high standard of basing.

The TAG miniatures are really good kit aren't they? I have some Ottomans to paint at some point and I'm a little apprehensive because they are so detailed and packed with flavour.

That's another 120 points add to your tally. You're just about at the 2000 mark now and with a decent lead over the rest of us. Cracking effort all round.

Cheers,
Millsy

From JohnS: The Carolingian army grows slowly (80 points)

Not much to say this week, time and motivation have been scarce.

I have managed to finish the second base of Frankish Heerbann militia which completes that unit. These are a variety of brands of metal and plastic including Crusader, Gripping Beast, Medbury and even a couple of Oathmark miniatures.

 Ten chaps that I have based Deep for To The Strongest.

 I have put them in rough and straggling ranks as i can imagine the Heerbann were not super keen or trained for war.

 And they are not armed with the latest weaponry.

 "Remind me again, why are we here? Those other chaps over there look quite unpleasant."

"I know, let's go home, drink some wine and invent some new types of cheese"

 Even more poorly equipped are these Generic Dark Ages Javelin Skirmishers

Armed with cutting edge "pointy stick" technology, these fellas are sent forward to soften up the enemy.

As first class arrow catchers, they quickly deplete the enemy of ammunition while threatening them with the aforementioned "pointy sticks".

Here they are demonstrating their tactical Running This Way and That Way technique.

 Including their Tactical Withdrawal So We Don't Do Too Much Winning.

So much winning.

That's a total of:

28mm Infantry x 15 @ 5 pts = 75 points. 

From Millsy:

I know how long these have been hanging around as you tried to find the time to work them John so it's great to see them finally done and ready for the table.

I love the composition on the deep base of spear and shield warriors with the pointing chap at the front. There's a real sense of something is about to happen and you don't want to be on the wrong end of it. 

Some great colour choices and some very tidy hand painted shields really lift these up. They feel like you've invested a lot of time and effort and it has paid off.

Lovely brushwork all round mate and I have added another 5 points for the shields. Cracking stuff!

Cheers,
Millsy

From KentG: 15mm Old Glory 1812 American Wars (144 pts)

This weeks submission is a little different

It's  a commission unbased which means of course less points

I was hoping not to be doing any commission work over 

the challenge but couldn't hold off any longer

They are American infantry from 1812

there are 144 figures in this first lot and tonight I will be starting another 144

figures before i do the artillery and a few other minis, I don't do a lot of 15mm any more

but it is where I began my painting for other people.

The figures travel to the other side of the world so the customer

has asked for them to be unbased

well there we have it 144 figures, the lace and piping took me way longer 

than it should but they are done

points

144 x 15mm foot = 144 points (half points for unbased miniatures)

From Millsy:

I was wondering if we'd see these this week after the discussion on uniforms, colours, etc.

You've done a cracking job I have to say, especially given you painted so many of them in one batch. I know painting in bulk is your schtick but even so that's a lot of stuff. I hope the second batch is not too painful mate!

At "half price" for unbased minis this still nets you a tidy 144 points for your tally.

Cheers,

Millsy

From AaronP: Ok so here is the story of these space marines... (30 points)

Ok before I get into it, me and my family are back from the hospital. My daughter is doing really well following her surgery. It was a shitty, stressful month, but now I am on parental leave for another 13 or so weeks with my family and it all seems like a bad dream. :-) 

Thanks to everyone for the support and well-wishes, it genuinely helped.

OK so the story about these space marines. When the Leviathan box came out I was like, "You know what, I haven't painted a space marine in a while. I am going to buy it."

I clicked the purchase button and while I waited I considered what chapter I would do. I wasn't going to use these models for Warhammer, no no no, so the decision would come down to what I thought was cool, not what was going to not going to suck to play. 

I thought it would be cool to have a group of space marines that had landed on a planet controlled by a corrupt governor. They had to operate in the shadows and arm the local human militias to do most of the fighting as there was still some political tensions as the governor was very influential in the Terran Court. 

I thought it would be cool to have the tactical marines (or whatever the primaris tactical marines call themselves) to be loaded up with gear they were transporting to the militia. There was going to be a whole kitbashing of medieval minis for the militia and I ended up deciding that Ravenguard best suited what I was going for.

I grabbed one of the minis, the fella in the middle pointing to the word "space" (at least on my screen he is) and painted him up like a Ravenguard... and hated it. Every step, EVERY part. I hated painting black armour, I hated the highlights. It was a whole lot of ick. So they ended up in a box...

...until last week.

I was digging around looking for things to paint and I found these guys. Ugh, I thought. UUUUGH. I don't want to paint Ravenguard. I should have just painted them red, I like painting red, but they have all these feathers on them... wait a minute. Blood Ravens are red, and are Ravens. They could have feathers. But what about all this crap they are lugging around...

Oh Blood Ravens like to steal stuff (so says the memes). OK, Ok I can work with these. 

BEHOLD my blood raven tactical guys who stole a bunch of stuff including a charcoal chicken.

I really wanted to move away from the standard poses you see with Space Marines, so I chopped and glued these guys into some more interesting positions. I think my fav is the guy stepping over the metal bar thing.

Anyway, That's 5 "28mm" space marines for 25 points. Not heaps this week, but its not nothing.

Thanks all.
Aaron

From Millsy:

The best part of this post is the first couple of sentences letting us know your family is doing well mate. Our little warriors matter to us but not nearly so much as the little real life people in our orbits. Such good news on a Friday.

Given everything else that's been going on you'd be forgiven for letting standard slip but you've done quite the opposite here. The red armour has amazing depth and is backed up by some wonderful secondary colour choices and brushwork. That white arm on the medic is superb!

I love the way you've added all the extra clobber to their backs to riff on the theme of supporting the militia. I can't remember ever seeing anything like it on a Space Marine before and it's awesome.

Cracking effort all round. Now you have some more time to yourself hopefully we'll see more of this kind of stuff. I've added 5 points for the backpacks for a tidy 30 total for this effort. Nice work!

Cheers,
Millsy

From RichardM: Spanish Guards, Cavalry and assorted regional troops (188 points)

All Spanish this week - and as with all of my posts these continue to be 6mm Adler Miniatures.  Flags are either home made (copied from images on internet and manipulated) or from Tiny Tin Troops in this case.

I'll start with two regiments (four battalions) from the Spanish Guard.  These are the Guardias de Infanteria Españolas (Spanish Guard Infantry) with their purple Coronela colour and the Guardias de Infanteria Valonas (Walloon Guards) with their Sencilla colour with a blue field.  

The Spanish Guard were initially under French command in 1808 but pretty quickly returned to the 'good' side of the conflict.  Various battalions (of which there were four in the regiment) fought at battles including Ocana, Medellin, Albuera and Badajoz.  The Walloon Guard included action at Bailen, Somosierra, Medelin, Ocana and Albuera.  

There is little to no difference in the uniform between the two regiments - especially at this scale.  However, for the keen eyed among you, there are a a few Grenadiers with their decorated flames on the bearskins in the command company bases.   

 

Spanish Guards to the left and Walloon Guards to the right

These are followed by three regiments of Spanish Heavy Cavalry - the 2nd de la Reine, 3rd del Principe and the 4th del Infante.  They have similar uniforms with sky blue, red and white facings respectively and saddlecloth trim varying depending on button colour.

Next are four battalions of Spanish Infantry in various uniforms.  From left to right in the first photo there are the Los Voluntarios Distinguidos de Cadiz, Regimento de Luarca, Voluntario de la Milicia Urbana de Zamora and the Regiment Muerte (Death).  The flags for these battalions are random ones I had on the sheet from Tiny Tin Troops (and one of them is upside down!!).  

Los Voluntarios Distinguidos de Cadiz

Regimento de Luarca

Voluntario de la Milicia Urbana de Zamora

Regiment Muerte

Finally this week I have two battalions of Spanish Light Infantry with their tarleton helmets and green jackets.  

If you're interested in the huge variety of regional Spanish Uniforms then the book I have used is amazing for inspiration.  At this scale I can get away with slight variations on the figures used to provide a close match to the uniforms worn, e.g. the top hatted figures are Austrians and the Light Infantry in their tarletons are early French Revolutionary

Points

Four battalion of Spanish and Walloon Guards each of 24 figures at 0.5 points per figure = 48 points

Three regiments of Spanish Cavalry each of 24 figures at 1 point per figure = 72 points

Four various battalions of Spanish Infantry each of 24 figures at 0.5 points per figure = 48 points

Two battalions of Spanish Light Infantry each of 20 figures at 0.5 points per figure = 20 points  

Total: 188 points

From Millsy:

Gasp! Surely it's not more 6mm Napoleonics from your Richard? You never cease to amaze me!

Cheap shots and sarcasm aside these are typically beautiful and painted as well as I could ever something equivalent at 15mm. Volunteers in top hats are something of a rarity and definitely worth calling out especially when decked out in snazzy red and yellow crimson and gold as Richie Benaud would likely say.

Top work as ever mate. 188 more points for your tally, once again composed of a LOT of wee men.

Cheers,
Millsy

From StuartL: A Group of Lone Wolves (25 Points)

Hi all,

    Another short post from me this week. Work has been taking its toll and I have had barely enough time to paint, let alone chase squirrels. (An update to the Squirrel Duel is coming though). 

    This week I have managed to finish 5 models for my Space Wolf army for Warhammer 30,000. These minis are a mix of 30K and 40K parts from various different kits. There are some 30K armies that look fine just using the basic figures, and there are some that benefit from being a bit more thematic. I believe that the Space Wolves fall into that category.

    These models represent Deathsworn, an elite assault unit made up of somewhat mentally unstable, cold blooded killers, even by the regular genetically-enhanced murder-machine standards of Warhammer. Their rules are pretty good in 2nd edition 30K, as they synergize well with the Space Wolf Legion rules, which are all about getting stuck into combat quickly. 

    I've had comments before about my Space Wolves blending into their grey bases, which they clearly do. However, that is the basing scheme I chose for all my Heresy armies, so I guess I am stuck with it. 

    Five 28mm scale infantry should get me 25 points closer to my challenge target. It's not much, but it helps. They also come with 17 skulls for that duel and a squirrel point too.

    My ongoing duels information:

Skulls - 239 (+17)
BSRoD - 17 (+0)
Squirrels - 15 (+1) - D&D Animals, 30K Militia, Plague Clowns, Afghans, Robots, Anglo-Saxons, Medieval Polish, Clan Smoke Jaguar, 81st West Africans, Undead, 10mm FPW French, Daemons of Khorne, Modern Vehicles, Turnip28, Space Wolves

From Millsy:

I don't often miss stuff I've sold but when I saw these Stuart it made me think about my old metal Space Wolves and I do still miss them. Maybe it's the Viking aspect, or all the skulls and pelts, there's just something so appealing about them.

Great brushwork on these mate, especially the power weapons and shoulder decoration which both look awesome. They definitely have an "elite" feel to them.

25 points more towards your target. Good stuff.

Cheers,

Millsy

From AlanD: Prussian Grenadiers (150 points)

At the end of last year's Challenge, I painted a single base of Napoleonic Prussian Grenadiers, with some left over Perry line infantry I had. The main difference between line infantry and grenadiers in 1813 was that the latter had moustaches, and as grenadier battalions were composite units formed from the grenadier companies of line infantry regiments, they did not carry banners. So, in what I hope is the final batch of Prussian infantry that I will paint for a long, long time, here are the other 5 bases to complete the battalion.

Apologies to Millsy for having to try to say something original about these. 'Certainly do the job' and 'samey' are both totally acceptable comments.

My progress is a bit slow this year, despite being on leave, as I've been caught up doing 1:1 terrain jobs like ripping up carpet. But with these 30 figures putting another 150 points on the board, my goal is in sight. 

From Millsy:

Whilst I appreciate the sympathy for a long suffering minion there's no need to apologise Alan.

There's plenty to like about these fine chaps. You've really nailed the Prussian blue I think, and the difference from the grey trousers is enough to show they are two colours, but without going too dark of light on either colour to ensure that. The drummer is particularly good, I always struggle to paint drums cleanly and you've managed that in spades.

Well done "finishing" your Prussians. I look forward to seeing them on the table at some point and I'm sure there will be more to minion somewhere down the track.

150 more points for your tally mate. You're within sight of your target with plenty of time to spare. Nice one. 

Cheers,
Millsy

From DaveD - Bolshevik Cavalry , Maxims and Infantry (135 points)

This week's offering is yet more addition to my growing Bolshevik army. Anyone would think this was supposed to be this years project - but it wasn’t. But hey ho. It’s got them done. Most of these only needed basing this week, good job as I have been floored with the lurgy over the weekend and early part of the week.

First up 6 lancers . I made the lances from a suitable gauge piano wire cut to length and the point created with a carborundum disc attached to the mini drill . These have had a little solder work done to make sure they are attached properly in hand - no superglue failures here , in some cases it is also tacked to the stirrup .Lancers without a means for them to keep hold of the the thing grinds my gears , so I have created the strap around the lance and then around the arm using some garden twisty wire strpped of its plastic covering. This wire is flexible and strong for its thickness, its  also nice and cheap.

And now with the rest of my 1st Cavalry Army 

I feel I want to double this at some point , but not for now.

I had previously made up a single tail pennant to add to some of the lances . So I thought a horseshoe with the number inside would do nicely. 

 

I have also designed a full standard for them 

 

Again these are Copplestone Castings 

Next up is a Maxim gun for the sailors .

Some thin brass rod snipped into small pieces and added  as spent cases 

Finally a last unit of infantry in the classic budenovka hat . 

So with the sailors it gives me 6 infantry units, 3 MGs, 18 cav, 2 field guns with transport and command, commisars etc . I have some slightly out of period other vehicles, which will do service for now until I replace with something more in line with the period in due course.

It’s also proving difficult to get them all in shot now 

Points - all 28mm

6 x Cav = 60

Infantry x 13 = 65

1 gun = 10

Total 135 

Just my newly arrived Tachankas to sort . 

***

More commie bolsheviks! It's like rats...there is never just a one or two...I expect nearly every Challenger will relate to your sentiments about how these figures were not intended to be a main effort for this edition of the Challenge, but it just sort of worked out that way. Those often end up being the best projects! I have certainly loved watching it come together, and the crammed-in group shots at the end just underline what a triumph it is. 

Some fantastic work on the lances and small conversions. I would never go near soldering gear myself (for reasons of public safety) but I totally relate to having that maddening feeling of a missing little bit for the kit - in this case, the rest for the lances. It's the little things in this little hobby of ours, right?

Well done Dave!

GregB