From KevinS: 28mm WWI Early War British Infantry (100 points)

From Kevin:

Here's my last submission for the challenge: 20 Early War British infantry from Battle Honors.  Included in the series are a colour sergeant, an officer and a heavy machine gun team on the run. 

I started these (and others) on the first day of the painting challenge.  Today I finished them.  Something tells me my heart wasn't in them.  They have lively poses, but I have to admit the sculpting is not quite up to the standard of Great War Miniatures.  In any case here they are, ready for the tabletop.

I dunno Kevin, these guys look pretty nice to me.  I really like the officer blowing the whistle and gesturing with his walking stick - classic pose.

These twenty Old Contemptibles will give Kevin a very tidy 100 points. Well done and thank you.

From KevinS: 15mm WWII American Armour & Challenge Desperado (44 points)

From Kevin:

Just finishing off some more projects.  Here are some Battlefront 15mm US tanks.  From left to right: M18 Hellcat, two M4 Shermans, and one M4A1 Sherman.  They were all painted in Vallejo colors with an airbrush.  Then I washed the tanks with AK Interactive's Nato weathering set.  These were a breeze to paint up in comparison to the earlier 28mm submissions.

This is my competition "entry fee", soon to depart San Diego for the frozen wastes of Canada.  I have no idea who manufactured this figure, but I acquired it some years ago when my local gaming friends were into Legends of the Old West.  I never got around to painting it up until this week.

Nice work on the tanks Kevin and thanks so much for the great figure (he has an excellent Sam Elliot moustache).

The Yank armour and Challenge Desperado will give Kevin 44 points. Good job and thank you!

From KevinS: 28mm WWII German Armour (80 points)

From Kevin:

More submissions from me as we race to the finish line.  I've been working on these 28mm vehicles off and on for a couple of months.  They represent my first use of an airbrush too. 

I can't deny that the finish is incredibly smooth and crisp, but its definitely a different way of painting to my normal style.  

Here you'll find armored vehicles camouflaged for Late War Western Europe: one Bolt Action US M-10 Tank destroyer with three crew (actually more like 1.5 crew given that you only see the top half of the figs); 

one West Wind "Berlin or Bust" Panther with commander; one West Wind "Berlin or Bust" Sherman; and one West Wind "Berlin or Bust" Sdkfz halftrack.  

The Bolt Action and West Wind miniatures seem to mix in well, although I'm not sure if West Wind's 28mm Krauts could squeeze into their Sdkfz with any degree of comfort.  

The big question remaining on my painting table: will I finally finish the Early War Old Contemptibles I began at the beginning of the painting challenge?

Thanks for your herculean efforts this long dark Winter.

Nice work Kevin! Funny enough I've never tried using an airbrush but I really should give it a go sometime. You just can't beat it for a smooth finish on these larger models. I really like the crew in the M10 as it always reminds me of both the size of these vehicles and the vulnerability of crews. 

These four vehicles and their crews will give Kevin 80 points. Great job.

From KevinS: 28mm WWI Captured British Mark IV in German Service (15 points)

From Kevin:

More pics for you today as I finish up a few "almost done" projects.  Here's an Old Glory Mk IV converted into a German Beutepanzer.

The Germans were adept at capturing and salvaging or appropriating British tanks for their own purposes in the later years of the Great War.  In fact, one history I read stated that my previous submission, Fray Bentos, was eventually transported to the Fatherland and shown to the Kaiser himself.  In any case, here is another Old Glory Mk IV, in German livery. 

I based the paint scheme loosely on contemporary photographs and Osprey's volume on the German Panzers of World War I, as well as some artistic license by using stahlhelm colors.  The combination of Maltese Cross and skull and crossbones is found in photographic evidence.  

Two modifications I've not included but which would increase the historical accuracy would be to completely remove the forward-most Lewis gun and replace it with an anti-tank rifle or indeed no armament at all, and to put an escape hatch on the upper part of the hull.  I've yet to find an image that shows the position of the escape hatch German modification.  More armour and infantry to come in the next few days.

Wonderful work Kevin. I remember a while back when you first got your Old Glory Mark IVs and discovered that they did not really mix well with your existing Foundry machines. I think this is an excellent use of the model.  I also quite like your interpretation of the German 'stormtrooper' camo. 

I'm curious about your hatch question: Have you tried to examine photos from the post war German revolution? I remember seeing many photos of Friekorps troops next to captured British Mark IVs and wonder if any of those images show any hatch detail. Interesting little puzzle.

This fine lump of British ingenuity will give Kevin 15 points. Thanks for sending it in!

From KevinS: 28mm WWI Early War German Officers (10 points)

From Kevin:

These two early First World War German staff officers present an interesting comparison - the corpulent Junker and his gaunt colleague - both in 28mm.  I'm not sure who the manufacturer is.  

I spent some time researching the color for the uniforms, consulting various Osprey publications and also Mollo, as well as scouring internet sources.  I ended up choosing a feldgrau that was on the grey rather than the green end of the spectrum.  

I wanted my early war Germans to have a different feel about them in comparison to the more greenish hues I'd used for the late war period.  I'll be describing the process in greater detail on my blog.

Great work Kevin! As I mentioned to you when we were chatting I think these are from the Renegade Great War range. I quite like the slim fellow. He looks as if he should have a cigarette holder and a well-placed duelling scar. And I quite like that captured British tank in the background as well! 

These two German officers will give Kevin 10 points. Very nice work.

From Kevin: 28mm WWI German A7V Tank, British Lanchester Armoured Car & Ronin #23

From Kevin:

Here after some delay are better pics of the two Mk IVs, male and female.  I've also completed their nemesis, a German A7V, named "Nixe" purchased as a resin and metal kit from Old Glory. I was quite happy with the quality of the model, and it compares favorably with another A7V I painted up a few years ago from Brigade Games.  I based it on illustrations from Osprey's book on WW1 German Panzers, together with a few historical photographs.  It doesn't correspond to any one A7V but is more like a combination of a couple of German tanks that fought near Villiers-Bretonneux in 1918. 

 I've also completed an Old Glory British Lanchester armored car. 

And finally, after what for me is a monumental week of painting, you have Ronin Number 23, from Old Glory's Samurai Wars.  

Also, here is an action shot of the two British Mk IVs from my previous entry.

This is really wonderful work Kevin. I particularly like the splinter pattern camouflage you've done on the A7V and the Samurai figure, of course, is fabulous - thank you very much!  

Finally, that last trench photo is awesome! Kevin, I think your work in the WWI oeuvre rivals that of Sidney. I find both of your work amazing, unsettling and inspiring, all in succession.

These WWI vehicles and Ronin #23 will give Kevin 50 points. Well done!

From KevinS: 25mm Great War British Mark IV Tanks (30 points)

Kevin from Digger's Home opens his climb on the points roster with these two excellent British Mark IV tanks from the Great War.

From Kevin:

I've finally produced a finished product from my paint table: two Mark IV tanks - one "male" and one "female". Both are 25mm metal castings from Wargames Foundry.

I have many half and three-quarter finished items in production, as well as a lonely Samurai so stay tuned... 

Excellent work Kevin! I really need to get my Mark IV done but I became stimied on the detailing - nevertheless Kevin's given me some great suggestions so I think I'll have to drag it out and give it a go.

Also, I've asked Kevin for a couple more larger images of these two beasties, so make sure to come back later to check them out.

Mr. & Mrs. Tank (Gedit? 'Male' and 'Female' tanks... <sigh> ...never mind.) will give Kevin 30 points. Welcome aboard!