SYW Prussian Guns 1st Entry Into This Years Challenge

I wanted to get something finished on the first day of the challenge and was lucky enough to get the day off work so rushed these over the line.

Two are Old Glory via Timecast. As you would expect the figures and guns had a good level of detail which was nice to paint up.

 I have painted the smallest one as a battalion gun with two crew and the other much larger gun with four crew to represent a large gun. Medium guns will have three crew. I have rather more guns and crews than I expect to use as I also bought the Old Glory Jagger and Horse Artillery pack and having since bought the army pack from Lancashire games I had a load of guns from them. Still if the army gets huge I can always use them.

The figures are not quite this bright just the amount of light from outside on a clear winters morning.

The Lancashire Games light gun is even smaller and looks the part of a battalion gun. Blackpowder rules make battalion guns rather useful as normal medium and heavy guns can not move once set up so on the attack can quickly be left behind. 

I had already stuck the figures to their bases prior to painting (not the guns) this made it a little tricky to paint up the interior detail, especially on the four man crew. To get round the drying time of the sand and exterior paint mix I made use of a warm oven. This sped up the drying time no end though I found it still to be a little tacky in a couple of places. 

Other than that the usual finish of two highlights to mix (coffee and light flesh by MP Paints) some mixed static grass and a few tufts from Tajima1. This will give me all the artillery I need for now, though I will have to add more as the army grows. This challenge will see a growth in the SYW army as I plan to keep going back to the army. The two new cavalry units I have received will also help to expand my force and I have a pair of battalions on the table which should be finished before the end of the week.

Russian Snipers by Black Tree Design

Back to trying to catch up with the painting done during the Challenge. Towards the end I was finding less and less time to both paint and post hence the ten day gap between posts. Given I was on holiday last week and found I had even less time kind of is ironic.

Black Tree produce some really nice figures with most of their WWII living up to this reputation. I have painted these figures up before so knew what I would be getting. They tend to be fairly good regards flash and clean up with mould lines easy to remove. 

The snow smocks being white need more attention than you might think. I did a base spray of white but then used ivory, off white and normal white to shade them and give them some depth of colour. The flesh and equipment just received the one colour before adding a wash to all none white parts.

The last four are a big contrast to the previous eight with the snow really making them stand out. I use Scenic Snow by Deluxe Materials and have tried a slightly different approach this time and like the finish better. Showing more of the ground work kind of improves the overall look for me.

Black Tree tend to add a lot of detail to their figures than some other companies leave off. It does add to the time to paint but the end result is far more satisfying and looks the part.

I have about twenty more figures left to paint for my Sniper Reminders and once these are done probably won't do any more.

I have changed the tufts to a winter look as well after Curt's recommendations from last year and he is 100% right these do look better.

So the Challenge is at a close and I finished 31st after spending quite a bit of time in the lower twenties. Slightly disappointing as I thought I had a chance of finishing in the top 25% but given that I finished of 1019 points and doubled my original goal I am overall very happy.

Indeed I enjoyed this years challenge more than any of the previous challengers, possibly as I was not sticking to any one theme over much but the addition of a Minion to run each days submissions was a great idea and saved Curt's sanity. It meant that each day a fresh adjudicator would jump in after a seven day rest and each of the five brought a great deal of humour and style to their days entries. I had Peter who really got into the swing with his intro's, so a big thanks to Peter and would love to be teamed up again next year.

Curtgeld Otto Schindler.

The theme for this years Analogue Painting Challenge is risk takers and after a few ideas that were bouncing around as possible Cath came up with Otto Schindler. Immediately I was thinking of the film and it did not take long to come up with a firm idea of what I wanted to do. Whilst Schindler never came into contact with the girl in the red coat it struck me that it would make for a iconic piece, Doing it in greyscale both fitted the piece and Curt's own interest. 

All I needed was the figures, after both Cath and myself had trolled the net it was apparent that I would have to do a bit of work as no supplier seemed to do perfect figures but with little work I could have the girl. Schindler would take a bit more effort.

I finally found a figure in Dixon's gangster range that was mostly what I wanted. I had to remove the pistol from his hand and drill out the hand as well as lower the arm so he would look like he is reaching out to the girl.

The last thing was to cut off the cloth cap and replace with a hat similar to one that Schindler is seen wearing in the film. Originally I was going to have her running away from Schindler but in the end I wanted to try and give the imprecision that they were reaching over a impossible gulf.

Next up it was working out which greys to use for which part. I bought a further four greys for the project though I think I just used the three on this model. The girl had to have the red coat but all the rest would be greyscale and after looking at a lot of images from the film I finally set myself the look I wanted. In fact the final piece actually comes from a mix of several different images so I don't owe the finished figure to any one image.

Not that the building did not have it's issues, cutting off the cloth cap cost me the back of his head. Fortunately I was able rebuild the hair with some modelling putty. I also had doubts about the hat, originally it looked too small but once painted looked OK.

The girl was really simple as she has a lot less shades to work with. The red in reality is a little less intense than on these images.

I was going to add snow to the girls side of the base but in the end went for barren ground with no grass whilst adding the splash of colour on Schindlers side of the base. Again this was to try and project the idea of being worlds apart and I am really happy with how it came out.

Bonus Round Greeks

I don't plan to go in for more than a couple of the themed bonus rounds but I did enter the first one as I had the perfect idea.

The second army I painted up was my Persian one and some of the first figures were Chariot Miniatures Hoplites so it seemed the perfect choice. Having bought a bunch of Persian cavalry and Greek hoplites mid last year second hand meant I hand the figures just waiting to be worked on.

I really had enough hoplites but having more means I have yet more options and I can always use them in other earlier period armies if we end up adding to the armies we have.

I was not really 100% switched on to painting the shields and the angle of the spear added to the problem so they are not the best I have done but they will be OK for what I need.

So a relatively quick paint that took me back a few decades. Not that it was that long since I painted up a unit of hoplites but it's the first Chariot ones in years! I still have enough figures for another three or four units, however they may or may not get painted in the challenge. 

As for the Persian cavalry, well two units are on the table with some paint on them so they will be hopefully finished for next weeks submission.

Three Months To Go............

OK so lately you have seen far less newly painted figures and more AAR's and Quiz material. Well that is set to change as the 6th Annual Analogue Painting Challenge has now kicked off, a whole seven and a half hours ago in fact. Of course I have my first submission near finish as I wait for the basing paint to dry then it's about 10 minutes of work till it's finished. Probably late tonight as I am off out on the firms do in a couple of hours time.

Last night was spent finishing off a few miniatures that had already been started. Two for my wife for roleplaying and two others for roleplaying but NPC's. I have also based up a unit of 6mm Italian Dragoons and four light bolt throwers also 6mm. All these will be finished with the just painted first entry. 

After that it's going to be a real mix of scales and periods as I dash from one project to another as the mode takes me. I still have over 100 figures to prime but after that I don't think I will have a massive amount of prep to do over the next three months.

So to all challengers, have a great painting marathon and I look forward to see what we produce this year. With 88 taking part this year it's bound to be eye candy packed.

6mm Ancient Progress Report

So the 6th Annual Analogue Painting Challenge is now less than three weeks away. I have entered two side challenges this year. Most Ancient points painted in any scale and most points painted in 6mm. Given that a fair amount of my 6mm will be ancients it kind of dove tails the two together nicely. This got me thinking that I had yet to show off my 6mm army as it stands, well I had to do something about that.

Indeed I had taken the photo's of the lot when I finished off the three companion cavalry bases about two months ago. As you can see it's really starting to take shape, I still have plenty of figures in hand to further increase the force but will be getting even more post Christmas as I really want to push the size up a great deal.

I want to get the sense of mass and the pike really help with that. I have enough figures in hand for another three blocks but will buy more as I need at least twenty eventually.

As things stand I have enough figures for a couple of Thracian medium infantry bases, at least two more light cavalry with bow as well as two companion bases and a single Hoplite base. I plan to paint up all these during the challenge and for the 6mm challenge can move onto a bunch of already prepared 15mm Persian and Macedonian cavalry (3 units in total) and one unit of Hoplites. I still have plenty more 15mm not yet ready for painting if I manage to get through all these. 

I still have a load of part cleaned up 20mm Celts and a load of 28mm Vikings that are close to being ready for the brush.

I will though also take the opportunity to get on my way with my 6mm Polish infantry and Italian Cavalry that will be needed for some future games as well as yet more Italian Infantry.

Sticking with 6mm I also will be making a much needed push into The Boy's British Napoleonic's starting with his heavy dragoons and rifles. Then I have both Lee's and my ECW, so I guess I am OK for the challenge regards possible points in 6mm :-)

The Sixth Annual Analogue Painting Challenge and Side Duals.

The call for Curt's Analogue Painting Challenge has again been made and of course I have again taken up the challenge, I mean why would I not? 

This year as you will already be aware will not be a large showing for me as I just don't have as much time to paint as I have in previous challengers. The only thing I have going for me is that the winter weather should allow me more painting time on my days off than in recent months.

However I still feel I will have enough in the tank to make two challengers

Most points in 6mm. 

Each of the last four painting challengers has seen me run off a lot of 6mm, this year should again see this as a fairly major part of my painting again this year as I want to get my Macedonian army into gaming shape. However I also want to be far more varied this year so whilst 6mm will feature heavily I plan on doing plenty of 15 and 28mm

Most points in Ancients.

A bit of a cross over, I do have both 15 and 20mm Ancients as well as the 6mm so will be hopefully getting a mixed bag of points.

So does anyone fancy taking me on this year in a little side challenge?

Vth Analogue Challenge Cool Down & Presents

So another Painting Challenge comes to an end and poor Curt can try and gather his breath post mayhem of the final days submissions.

I am really pleased with this years results having painted up a rather epic number of figures and gaining 2025 points, slightly over my revised aim and twice that of the original expected score. At the start I wanted to finish in the top twenty, something I thought might be a task given the original 71 painters under starters orders. I revised that to hoping to stay in the top ten and was really surprised and pleased that I managed to finish ninth, so the final figure count:-

Fifty Four 28mm Infantry

Two 28mm Mounted

Thirty Eight 20mm Infantry

Three 20mm Tanks

Two Hundred and Eight 15mm Infantry

Forty Eight 15mm Cavalry

One Thousand and Seventy Two 6mm Infantry

Forty Four 6mm Mounted Figures

Sixty Four Crew and Sixteen guns in 6mm

Not the best number of 6mm figures during the challenge but fairly close and a figure I am happy with. As for the 15mm I don't think I have ever done so many in a three month period.

So a great challenge and as always a great deal of thanks and applause for Curt who is systematically sending wargamers bust all over the globe ;-)

I also mentioned presents in the post title. Wednesday was my Birthday and I got the latest expansion for Command & Colours Napoleonic, that being the Prussians from the wife and kids. Spent Wednesday evening putting the stickers on and will be taking it for a test drive tonight with my son.

Being a difficult bugger to buy for I mostly got gaming tokens (hard cash) but my sister went out on a limb and bought me Wolf Hall in the hope it would be of interest. I think she scored on this, yet to start it but I have been spending lots of time trying to get through my current novel so as to be able to get this one started. It's especially nice to get something like this when you know so much thought (and worry) went into it's selection and whilst the money to spend on the hobby is really good getting something like this is even better :-)

Curtgold Music to his Ears?

Well the road to hell is paved with good intentions as they say. Seems it's also paved with Dylan figures as well :-)

The fee for the Analogue Painting Challenge is one 28mm figure with the theme of Anti-Hero this year. I had a few ideas but kept thinking of the Black Scorpion Bob Dylan 1966 figure. That was the year that Dylan went on tour playing the electric guitar for the first time and created quite a storm in the folk scene, especially with his traditional fans. Given that so many loved the move as well as hated I thought he would make an ideal Anti-Hero.

My only mistake was not researching my subject as it turned out the only suit he seemed to wear all tour was a near impossible to paint slanted check black grey number. It gave me kittens painting it up as it's quite something to try and paint to the curves and I had three repaints before I was even close to happy. Looks real crappy close up but stand back a few yards (well miles LOL) and the effect looks OK.

Why hell? I forgot that Curt hates all things Dylan having received a certain cowboy in last years event. Honest it was a genuine mistake. Funny thing is that this is the second year on the trot I have supplied a Black Scorpion figure as payment. If the theme next year is Goblin Pirates I can make it three years on the bounce :-)

Three Weeks into the Analogue Painting Challenge

Three weeks into the Challenge and I have managed a very credible 298 points credited. I still have the Bonus Round points to be added which means over 30% of my target has been reached.

I have figures for the second bonus round all done and finished painting my Tuesday submission which will give me the most points so far in the Challenge for a single entry, just need to finish basing them on Sunday.

I have clocked up over 950 songs listened too so far in the Challenge, will I get to the end of the 5000 odd tracks before the Challenge ends? So far I have finished the one project and started two new ones, that's a real goal of the Challenge that Curt likes to see. 

So coming to the Challenge soon will be the Secret Santa present I received this year, these three will add some punch to my Chain of Command Russian's. I need to get myself some other support elements such as more MG's mortars and AT asserts.

I have made great progress this month reducing the mountain but I am planning on buying three boxes of Celts for action at Kev's Cabin. This will bump up the 1/72 section of the mountain and add yet another new project to my lists. Just a few months ago I was thinking I would be struggling for stuff to do in the next year or so given the limited interest I had in other area's, who was I trying to kid?

Analogue Painting Challenge Week Two and New Shiny Through the Post

More good progress on the figure painting front and I continue to paint above my target but how long that will continue I don't know. I have not painted at all in the last two days though but hope to fix that this afternoon. 

I managed to finish two entries this week, the Prussians in time for Tuesday and forty eight 15mm Romans that will be presented on Tuesday. I should also get my bonus round figures also finished by then and be well on my way with figures from a new project but these won't make the deadline.

I got the trees over a week ago, the light green ons may need a little toning down whilst the darker ones are the same as the originals. Really happy with the service and price, got to get the more round ones next.

I also got myself a few Baccus figures. The last three new French Napoleonic cavalry just one unit of each so I can paint them up so I have all the new French, see what I do for you guys?

I also got some Ancient command figures and peltasts that will allow me to work on a number of bases for the Hail Caesar side project that I hope to drag either Lee or Matt into. 

Progress With Saga

As often happens, you get a game in and suddenly your all fired up for more painting for a particular period. Well with my son working hard on his Anglo Danes post game it only seemed right that I would try and match his output.

First I needed to finish off the 12 figure levy unit so added these four slingers to go with my 8 bow troops. These are yet more Black Tree Miniatures and I really enjoyed working on them.

Plenty of detail to work with and poses that worked. I have managed to get a brighter finish to these than the bow troops but I have decided I am going to buy more paints in the near future after taking a close look at Kev's work. He uses a richer pallet than I do and whilst I know brighter paint wont bridge the skills gap it will give me some punch for a few planned models of 2015.

This gent is from the Gripping Beast Plastic Viking Hirdmen boxed set. Cleaned up quickly and went together well. I still have a load of figures from that boxed set and I guess more will be made from it in the future I doubt I will use them all. Maybe my son will get them done?

The shield transfer is from Little Big Man and made for the boxed set. This one tore a little but other than that went OK.

Still Gripping Beast but this time a metal warlord and came in three parts. The arm with the sword the spear and the rest allowing a few options on the exact pose. As he is my warlord he has been put on a large base. I also went bright as he is too stand out on the table well he will do that!

As he is the boss I spent extra time on shading rather than using ink and the quality sculpting certainly made it easy to get a result I was happy with.

I have about 24 more Vikings all prepped and ready for painting and these will find their way onto the table in the next couple of months, probably sooner than later. Also expect another game or two in the coming weeks, well I have to keep the boy happy don't I?  :-)

Week One of the Analogue Painting Challenge Is In The Books

So the first week has now passed in the challenge and 27 of the 71 participants have now had at least one set submitted and with the Bonus round deadline around the corner you can expect that number to leap up further. 

For myself I got in a bucket load of 6mm (no surprise) and a few bits for Saga. Last night saw me finish off twelve more 28's that are for the bonus round, though the final work of adding snow is about to happen. This is possibly the best start I have had in the four years I have been involved. Not only that but I am off work now till Wednesday so should get more done over this week.

The end of the first week see's me in 7th place with 120 points, that has me ahead of target especially if you add the 60 points I will get for the 12 figures just finished and my second aim is to finish in the top twenty if possible. Time spent on this? In an attempt to keep track in a wacky way I am keeping tabs by music. A total of 324 songs have played whilst I have painted or prepped (not blogged) since the challenge started!

Another part of the first entry was these Prussian guns, all 12 will be needed for the big game and are added to the ones already painted finishing off yet another required part of the troops required.

Four each are Adler and Baccus and like the Landwehr I have quite a few left over in my Prussian to paint box so will revisit them when I continue on the Prussian army at some point next year. 

So what's next for the challenge? I plan to finish off the Prussian's then if I have done that fast enough will move onto a few 15mm fr the first time in a year before hoping onto the second bonus round. I think this challenge will be more the year of the larger scales though I don't plan starting the 32mm till post challenge as I plan to spend a lot of time on each figure.

Challenge Day 1-2

Got off to a great start in the Analogue Painting Challenge, the first day saw me on holiday so I started early putting in a couple of hours before going out for the day with Cath. Back early enough to grab another hour and also got plenty of the evening. 

Today not so good, a couple of hours before taking the kids swimming and again after before we went to Nottingham to try out the food stalls etc. When I got back I was busted and had to cancel a game session and just too tired when I came round to do much. Spent half an hour gunking the bases which is what you see above. Sunday morning should see the bases drybrushed, flocked and varnished. Should have the flags on before lunch.

Naughty November

Naughty because I bought another twelve 28mm figures this month, but nice as it's the first month since I started to keep track that I have painted more than I have bought. Even so I have actually painted less this month than I would have liked but with the amount of time I have spent on Hougoumont and prep work for the Analogue Painting Challenge I can't complain.

The only things I painted in 6mm this month was buildings and boy did I paint some buildings. Both Hougoumont's and another set of Napoleonic buildings yet to be shown netting me a total of twenty five buildings. Still leaves me on plus 24 as I have had two large orders of buildings arrive in the last two months. My aim is to get the last 24 done during the challenge so next three months.

So 6mm looks like this

Infantry +2 Battalions. 

Cavalry +12 regiments

Elephants +6

Guns and Crew +8

Buildings +24

Wagons +4

Planes +9

This month I plan to paint up at least four battalions, four regiments of cavalry and the eight guns and possibly a limber. Building wise I will have to paint up eight to be on track for the 24 I have mentioned above.

20mm remains plus 96 being the ones I bought from The Works a few weeks ago and a project that may get some treatment during the challenge though they remain in their boxes for now.

28mm has seen the best movement, I painted up sixteen figures to set against the twelve I bought and the three I carried over from the month before for a minus 1 to the lead pile. I have prepped over 30 28's so expect some success on the pile in December. I also painted up one building and two horses all of which will feature later on the blog.

Infantry -1
Horses Flat
Buildings Plus 4
Coffins +2

32mm Remains on +11 infantry which will not get looked at till post challenge unless I really get the urge.

So not a massive reduction but the corner is being turned. The only possible figures I should get in December being my Secret Santa so should see the Lead Pile get a reasonable dent. Indeed other that getting the rest of the new Baccus French I don't see many reasons to get more figures till after the challenge, lets see.

Talking of Challenge here is what I have prepped, a few more bits to be done before it kicks off on Friday.

Box 1, thirty odd 28mm Vikings, a bunch of 15mm Romans and a few 6mm Prussian guns and cavalry.

Some 28's prepped for last years challenge and a few cowboys.More 15mm, this time Thracian infantry, more Prussians in 6mm and the rest of the Zulu's that I hope to get finished in the challenge. Will I get all of them done? Probably not but I am hoping for the majority and other bits as they take my fancy.