The Fat Lady has Sung!

The timer has expired and the 4th Annual Painting Challenge has come to an end!
Having set ourselves 500 point challenge totals, how did we go?

Not too badly as it turns out!  Alan smashed it in just one point shy of an amazing 1350 points to take 13th place overall and beat us hands down.  Well done old bean!  I finished off with just over 850 points in 25th place and Comrade James heroically pulled himself across the finish line with 522 points in 42nd place despite having moved house in the middle of the challenge.  Bravo to all.

Thanks especially to Curt for running a fantastic competition, and for all the other mad buggers out there who participated and provided such great motivation and enthusiasm to deliver.  I've done more in the last 3 months than the last 3 years, easily.  Among other things I started and finished a new Army (my 28mm Paras) within 2 months and have now used them three times on the table...and at 1 win and 2 draws I claim them to be undefeated!

Thanks to all for a most invigorating and enjoyable activity, and congrats to all who participated.
This is indeed the blogosphere at its very best.

Read the final round-up here: http://analogue-hobbies.blogspot.com.au/2014/03/so-concludes-4th-annual-analogue.html

"Medusa" the Churchill

Introducing "Medusa", a British Mk VII Churchill tank.  This heavy tank may not have packed the same wallop as some of the German big cats in her tonnage range, but this was tank which saw plenty of action and could take a beating. 

This 28mm vehicle is by Warlord Games and I was very impressed with it as a whole.  The casting was crisp and the detail very clear.  I was also impressed with the quick and professional service I got from Warlord when I reported that the tank commander figures were missing and they duly arrived the following week no questions asked. Bravo.

I've painted this tank up as part of the 4th Coldstream Guards who served with the 6th Guards Tank Brigade in Normandy.  No 13 Troop of C Squadron to be precise, along with troop mates "Minotaur" and "Minerva" all named after famous Royal Navy warships.  Why did I choose this particular unit?  Because my good buddy Dux Homunculorum painted his own Churchill tank as "Minotaur" last year (see here) and I wanted them to be in the same unit (see here).

But Dux's poor Minotaur doesn't have a tank Commander figure though, which is why I painted up this second one for him as his prize in our side challenge.  Congrats mate and well earned - I'll even deliver him to you this weekend!

"Bill" who is destined to command Dux's Churchill

Medusa joins my British Para force as some heavy support and netted me another 20 points for the painting challenge.  You can see the entry here:

http://analogue-hobbies.blogspot.com.au/2014/03/from-paulj-28mm-wwii-churchill-tank-20.html

Painting Comp Progress: The Last Big Push

With less than three weeks to run, we see that the Dux's impressive pace continues and his lead is virtually untouchable.  He is also only a whisker away from his revised challenge total of 1200 points- impressive!  I too am almost at my revised challenge total of 800 points and am happy with my productivity despite the intrusion of significant real life factors.  Comrade James is starting to hit his stride now and with his works currently in progress should make his 500 points in the nick of time - good luck mate!

More Red Devils!

Here are some more WW2 British Paratroopers for my Red Devils army that I have been building over the last few months. They are a combination of Warlord and Crusader metal figures and were painted up as part of the Analogue Painting Challenge.

The second PIAT team adds redundancy to the platoon's anti-armour capabilities.  The PIAT isn't that good an anti tank weapon, but its handy to keep the lighter and recon stuff at arms reach.  Having only one team makes it a bit vulnerable, so the extra team should help build a crossfire too.

A fourth Infantry section provides an additional support element to my core three section platoon.  An additional section is a support option in Chain of Command and an extra nine Elite infantrymen are always welcome!

Here is their entry on the Painting Challenge page:
http://analogue-hobbies.blogspot.com.au/2014/02/from-paulj-28mm-wwii-british-paras-55.html

Colours used are: Undercoat in white

Basecoats:

Denizen Jacket - Khaki

Trousers - English uniform

Gaters, helmets, wrist bands, scarves - dark US green

Rifle woodwork - brown

Berets- GW Khorne red (scab red)

Flesh - GW bronzed flesh 

Jacket camo pattern: US dark green, Brown GW XV-88, German camo brown

Heavy GW Agrax Earthshade wash all over

Finish with a Khaki highlight on the webbing and gaiters

Casualties Bonus round

These 15mm figs were my entry for last week's Casualty bonus round in the Painting Challenge.  They are for use with the Battlegroup Kursk rules, which include provision for all sorts of great support troops from line laying communications vehicles to field hospitals.  I made a medic/stretcher bearer unit for both my Russian and German forces, having which makes the Army more resilient as the lads know they'll be looked after if they get hit. 

The German medic cradling the casualty is by Peter Pig.  Its a fantastic sculpt and I just had to buy a pack of these from Mick's Metal Models when I saw them at CanCon in January.   The Russian stretcher party are from the Skytrex WW2 Command decision range.

So with three weeks to go I have a few more entries up my sleeve.  Accordingly, I've upped my points target to 800pts!  Not enough to catch the Dux of course, but a very respectable total I think.

Painting Comp Progress - 40 days to go!

Hard to believe how quickly time is flying through with this competition- just 40 days to go now, and the last fortnight has seen some significant action in the Man Cave duel. I submitted my Brit Paras as my major work for the challenge, boosting my net rate of effort and as a result meeting and passing the 500 point challenge target we set ourselves.

However, the Dux juggernaught has continued his most impressive productivity with more Huns, Arthurians and 15mm WW2 goodness and set himself a new goal of 1250 points!  With the darn work thing getting in the way he will be tough to catch now.  In the meantime, James has some action going on the background and has a plan to meet his 500 point target in time.

Red Devils Platoon

Presenting my 28mm WW2 British Airborne force.  In fact, this project was the main reason for my accepting Dux's dare to get into the painting challenge in the first place, so that I could start and actually finish a new army.  

I must admit that I have had a bit of a love/hate relationship with these guys, but it has been very satisfying to build and get a new army onto the table in a short period of time.  Initially this force was planned for Bolt Action, but what you see here has been re-tweaked to comply with the historically correct orbats used in Chain of Command rules (which I very much like).

Corporal "Tommy" Aitkens's No 1 Section takes up overwatch position on a hill

No 2 Section under Corporal "Spider" Webb does likewise in a ruin

With the rest of the platoon covering him, Corporal "Squizzy" Taylor leads his No 3 section forward

The force currently comprises 54 figures - 3 x 9 man Airborne infantry sections, a Platoon HQ which includes snipers, a PIAT team and a 2inch mortar (proxied by the prone Bren gun team until I get the figures).  The support elements available are a 5 man Vickers MMG team, a 5 man Light Howitzer detachment, a 3 man Sapper team with a Flamethrower, a medic (already submitted for the Hero bonus round) and a Forward Observer team.   I still have another infantry section and a two man PIAT team to come as reinforcements...plus a big chunky Churchill Mk VII Heavy Tank!

PIAT team

Platoon Sharpshooters
I would like to thank everyone for their suggestions on tackling the signature camo denizen smocks, which I found somewhat daunting.  I really appreciated the advice and quite like the end result, though they came out darker than I had originally intended.  I spent quite a bit of time on the basing too, and have tried something a bit different.  All Officers and Senior NCOs have yellow flowers on their bases to help indentify them.  Similarly, anyone not armed with a trusty Lee Enfield .303 rifle has a small white rock on the base.  That should make it easier to pick out out the stens, brens and other special weapons on the table.  Models are a combination of Bolt Action and Crusader - the latter are a bit chunkier but not overly so and I think it adds nice variety in the force.

I'm reserving my Platoon HQ figures for a future Painting Competition entry so you'll have to wait for those :-)

And so my Red Devils are ready for their first outing on the table - watch out Jerry!

Painting Challenge wise these guys netted me 296 points to take me past my 500 Challenge target - Hooray!

PS Here is my entry post for the painting challenge: http://analogue-hobbies.blogspot.com.au/2014/02/from-paulj-28mm-wwii-british.html

Colours used are: Undercoat in white

Basecoats:

Denizen Jacket - Khaki

Trousers - English uniform

Gaters, helmets, wrist bands, scarves - dark US green

Rifle woodwork - brown

Berets- GW Khorne red (scab red)

Flesh - GW bronzed flesh 

Jacket camo pattern: US dark green, Brown GW XV-88, German camo brown

Heavy GW Agrax Earthshade wash all over

Finish with a Khaki highlight on the webbing and gaiters

Painting Comp Update - Week 6

Six weeks into the Painting Challenge and while the race between Alan, James and I is far from over, Alan has a lead that will be tough to beat.  I'm slightly above the curve to meet my 500 points and am about half way through my Brit Para force which is worth around 300 points and will get me over the line well.  I know Comrade James has some 28mm WW2 US Infantry on his painting desk too, but CanCon will no doubt take the next week from us painting to enjoying some actual playing!

You can see that that cad Alan took maximum advantage of my Community service in Weeks 3-5!

I asked the boys and they all agree that the fortnightly bonus rounds are great and working well.  Apart from the extra points, it lends a great focus on top of just the projects on the table.  The quality of the submissions are just amazing too.

Kriegsmarine Crew

 A recent offering of mine for the painting challenge, netting me 30 handy points!
This Kriegsmarine landing party is clearly geared up and ready for action.

Lead by their dashing, red bearded Captain they pack a lot of firepower (including an MG42) to get whatever job needs to be done and get back to their Schnell or Unterseeboot for a quick getaway with their prizes.  28mm "Grey Wolves" figures by Artizan.

Any similarities of the red bearded Captain to a real person are coincidental...?

http://analogue-hobbies.blogspot.com.au/2014/01/from-paulj-28mm-wwii-kriegsmarine-crew.html

Hell Hounds

10 points was added to my painting challenge total when I dug these out of my 'to do' pile this weekend.  I'll be using them as Hounds of Tindalos or similar in Strange Aeons.  28mm figs by Heresy Miniatures.

See my entry at the challenge website here

Curt has also posted the first Challenge Round entries in one mega post with some awesome contributions  all round from the Wild Bunch.  See them here:
http://analogue-hobbies-theme-rounds.blogspot.ca/2013/12/the-first-fortnight-theme-bonus-round.html

I've now got 130 points tallied and am in 9th place - 2 slots and 15 points above the Dux!

Week 1 Challenge Progress

So having submitted my Naval Landing Party this week, I'm slightly above my required "points per week" progress line to achieve my 500 point total (which equates to about 40 points per week of the challenge).  The next three weeks are going to be tough going though, with time away from the Cave bringing painting to a temporary halt.

In other news, Dux and I are neck and neck at 50 points each, with Comrade James still to get any runs on the board.  He is moving house though, so expect no significant progress from him until January.  No doubt Dux will capitalise on my absence after Christmas to streak ahead - the opportunistic cad!

I'm REALLY enjoying the challenge - its the first painting I've done all year and its awesome to see everyone's productivity!  Thanks so much for all the effort you are putting into it Curt.

Off the Mark!

My first painting competition points are on the board with these 10 stout chaps of the Royal Navy's Armoured Landing Party.

These 28mm are figs by Ironclad Miniatures (see here) and are part of my home grown "Hearts of Oak" Company for In Her Majesty's Name.
See the official entry at Curt's blog here

So with 50 points on the board I shall briefly enjoy being:

- 4th overall somehow...egad!  That certainly wont last :-D

- first off the mark between Dux, James and I: what are you doing slackers!!!

- completing 10% of my challenge total

I'm off to prepare their support conveyances!

Off and racing!

The lights are green and the competitors burst over the starting line to start the 4th Annual Painting Challenge! Well everyone except of course the Dux who has stalled on the starting line.  Someone must have tinkered with his ignition system.... Bwahahahaha!

Good luck to all!  I hope you all enjoy the fun of getting some figures done and I hope you meet your individual challenge totals.  I'm looking forward to seeing what you guys come up with.

Figure prepping like the Devil!

Its less than two weeks to go until the primer can start going on figures for the 4th Annual painting Challenge.  You may have seen that all around the hobby blogosphere preparations are in full swing and the Man Cave here is no different!

I have pledged 500 points, which as a first time participant is both outside my comfort zone and probably achievable. At the moment I am planning to complete all my initial points in 28mm figs, being:

Bolt Action Brit Para Army - all acquired except the two twin MMG recon jeeps, the FT and sniper teams

In Her Majesty's Name - a force of rugged Le Boudin types ready for the harsh desert or anywhere else the Legion needs them.  Plus a secret project that includes stout Naval chaps with derring-do and some steam conveyances! (There is a small hint on this force posted here)

Blood Bowl - a Underworld team which is a combination of different figures including mutated Goblins!

Pulp/Horror - a bunch of misc figs to complete a range of forces, including a Ghoul Armee de la Mort

So as you can see I am making the most of this year's inclusion of SF and Fantasy figures. On on!
BTW you can see a full list of the "Wild Bunch" participants, with links to their blogs, here:
http://analogue-hobbies.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/the-wild-bunch-4th-painting-challenge.html

I'm in!

Today I was confronted, nay accosted, by Dux Homunculorum who challenged me to duel.  The format? The Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge!

After considering my poor modelling and painting output this year (for which I consider I have a somewhat reasonable excuse), I have agreed and matched his challenge of 500 points.  At this end of the challenge that seems like a shed load of figures, but with my Bolt Action Red Devils force taking shape this will be a good start and indeed a great incentive to follow through on the project.

So along with the list of blogosphere giants (or perhaps the simply infamous) of previous years - including the Angry Lurker, Ray, Tamsin the Wargamer Girl, Michael A, Alan H et al  - we now enter the fray!

Now to see what kind of a side wager the Dux and I can come up with...

No idea what I'm talking about?  Have a look here:
http://analogue-hobbies.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/lets-go-fourth-annual-analogue-hobbies.html?showComment=1384753801163#c6822367942053829980