First AHPC 8 Submissions

Delighted to report that the lack of recent blogging indicates a wonderfully full start to the year - a visit to Melbourne to visit family and friends, attending the 5th Test of the Ashes Series at the Sydney Cricket Ground (for non Commonwealth types and Canucks that sporting event goes for 5 days), a game of Chain of Command and a Campaign of Battlegroup Barbarossa is also unerway!  More on the latter shortly.

In the meantime AHPC 8 is well underway and the submissions are flowing in.  I did get a chance to put pigment to a few bits and bobs and here are my first few entries:

First up, the start of a new project - a 28mm Friekorps Armoured Car (model by 1st Corps).
https://thepaintingchallenge.blogspot.com.au/2018/01/from-paul-og-freikorps-panzerauto-and.html

An Austin Armoured Car Mk 2 fitted with two turreted maxim guns. A number of these British made machines were purchased by the Russian Army prior to WW1.  After the war they were used widely during the Russian Civil War but many were captured on the Eastern Front by the Germans and pressed into post-war service by the Friekorps. 

The model is from 1st Corps' WW1 vehicle range.  Resin body with metal fittings.  Curiously, there were no fixing points for the turrets to the chassis. Rather than glue them in place I magnetised them which helps with storage as well as being able to train them in action.

I drew inspiration from the period pics, including the skull and crossbones totems which were prolific

Alan gave me this kit as a Christmas present...last year...so its good to finally get it completed! Thanks for lending me the thematic background for the pics too mate.

This year I have been embracing the new AHOC terrain category, starting with this 6mm scale Castle to act as a Royalist Stronghold for our ECW gaming
http://thepaintingchallenge.blogspot.com.au/2017/12/from-paulog-fortified-royalist.html

This a resin model, manufacturer unknown, which I have based on mdf and sculpted the surrounds.  There was a bit of damage since I bought it (some 15 years ago!) so I added a bit of detritus to make it look recently attacked and damaged.  Finally, I used some Noch brand flock with flowers to add some colour to the greys.

And some 15mm Russian farmhouses for Battlegroup Blitzkrieg (by Mk IV Miniatures). More now under construction for my current Battlegroup Barbarossa campaign with Alan.

And for the first bonus round:
https://analogue-hobbies-theme-rounds.blogspot.com.au/2018/01/flight-from-paulog-one-man-dirigible.html

"Flight"this screw powered one man dirigible is a VSF delight to battle foes in the Back of Beyond, over the Red Planet or as some sort of diesel punk version of the Gyro Captain from Mad Max 2! I found this kit in the depths of the Man Cave where had lurked since purchase. The Flight bonus round gave me the impetus to give it the attention it so richly deserves

The model is a resin and metal casting from Tobsen Miniatures in Germany, who do some fantastically crazy and wacky stuff: https://shop.tobsen77.com/en/  He also sells the pilot figure. Maxim gun and the backpack/ammo pouches are from my spares box.

In the Bonus Round voting my dirigible was equal runner up to some amazing other submissions, which I am obviously thrilled with.
The Votes are in for the 'Flight' Bonus Round Theme!

So AHPC 8 is now 3 weeks down, these entries take me 150 points towards my target and I am ahead of the curve.  Admittedly, I have a more modest target of 500 points in comparison to my 1200 odd points for AHPC 7.  If I get there quickly I will bump it up appropriately.