From BenG: 20mm Germanic Auxilary Cavalry (24 points)

From Ben:

This is definitely my last entry. The last 3 have actually been bonuses as I really didn't think I'd get any of them completed in time! 

This is another Germanic shock cavalry unit for Comitatus using Miniart figures with one Italeri ring-in.

I just want to say a BIG thanks to Curt for running this challenge again, and congrats to everyone who managed to meet their targets. If you didn't, oh well, there's always next year!

Thanks also to everyone who left kind comments on my entries; it's much appreciated, especially when my humble efforts are compared to some of the jaw-dropping stuff on display here over the last few months. I'm sorry I didn't have my act together enough for the extra bonus rounds, but certainly enjoyed seeing everyone else's efforts!

Thank you Ben, it was a pleasure to have you as part of the Wild Bunch. 

These are an excellent trio of ancient Germans. Again, your light touch with figure selection and conversions always makes your submissions stand apart. Well done.

These three cavalrymen will give Ben 24 points.

From SeanS: 28mm 100 Years War Lord De La Warre and his Retinue (100 points)

From Sean:

I present to you Lord De La Warre of Treyine and his men. To create some interest in my red and white theme I broke it up into solid red, half red and white and quartered red and white. I figured that this would represent each of the knights and their retinues. As with the previous entry these are a mixture of Zvezda English Infantry of the 100 Years War, Miniart German Knights, Airfix Robin Hood and Strelets Military Order Warriors. They are all 1/72 (20mm) scale plastics. 

All the same painting techniques, but this time only Vallejo matte varnish at the end. I feel like it dulled the metal a tad too much and it almost looks like NMM. Still flailing around, but why change how I work now. I'm just glad to get another batch done. It only took me the whole competition to do it.

There is nothing particularly special about the two footmen, I just hid them on the work bench and found them after I'd photographed the main group.

I really enjoy these 100 Years War themed entries of yours Sean. Again, I quite like the gritty feel to your paintwork on these fellows. They look like veterans that have spent some time on campaign.

Lord De La Warre and this retinue will give Sean 100 points. Great work!

From BenG: 20mm Roman and Goth Infantry (68 points)

From Ben:

Well, I'm back at work after having all January off and my hobby time is somewhat limited these days! 

These will probably be my last entries unless I can get the British Light Dragoons, which I've been slowly working on, finished in time. 

The Romans are by Miniart with a couple sporting head replacements from the Italeri set. You can probably tell the conversions as they're the ones whose facial features you can actually see!

The Goths are from the Strelets ancient German set.

One more stand of Goths, and I'll be able to pit the two sides against each other to see how the rules handle, then I'll just have to do a couple more skirmish and cavalry stands and I'll be ready to host a proper table-top stoush late antiquity-style!

Excellent work Ben! I'm anxious to see the two forces meet and the rules to be blooded. Please send along a note and a pic when this great event hits the tabletop.

These Romans and Goths will give Ben 68 points which includes a bit extra for the conversions, tartans and shields. This will give him enough to exceed his Challenge target of 600 points. Congratulations Ben and well done!

From BenG: 20mm Gothic Archers & Roman Skirmishers (30 points)

From Ben:

Here's a couple more stands of light troops for my late antiquity project; 1/72nd scale Newline Gothic archers and Miniart Roman skirmish troops.

The Newline figures, while very well sculpted and cast, all show the same pose, bar one. The look a little uninspiring as a group, somehow. I've jazzed them up using the brush bristle technique I used last year for bowstrings, which, after a little cursing, I managed to pull off.

The Miniart figures have the opposite problem to the Newline figures, though. Wonderfully dynamic poses with woeful production values! I persist with them because they're the best in this scale for historical accuracy and realistic, dynamic poses. 

It's a pity Italeri can't pull off similar poses; some of their figures, while showing excellent production values, are cursed by bizarre poses and historical inaccuracies.

You've done a wonderful job on these Ben. I find it very interesting to read your commentary on the various manufacturers as I'm woefully ignorant of the plastic figure industry. Nonetheless, I understand what you're saying about the mono-pose of the archers, but I think you've done them great service in adding the bowstrings (and the addition of that one variant pose really tips the balance for the stand as a whole).

These Gothic archers and Roman skirmishers will give Ben 30 points, with a little added for his extra effort for stringing those little bows. You're now within sight of your Challenge  points target. Great work!

From BenG: 20mm Dark Age Gothic/Germanic Command Stands (56 points)

From Ben:

Here's two command stands of Gothic/Germanic infantry and cavalry. The infantry is a mix of metal Newline commander, standard bearer and trumpeters, while the commander's guard are Strelets and Miniart. It was a risk putting the lovely Newline figures on the same stand as the Miniart figures, but if you don't look to closely, you'll miss the mold-lines on the Miniarts! 

The cavalry stand is all Miniart, though one of the commander's posse has been converted into a standard bearer after chopping off his lance and replacing it with a standard from the Italeri infantry set.

Beautiful work Ben. Its interesting to see the mix of metal and plastic on the same base. As you say unless you look very close your really can't tell - yet another benefit of figures seen in mass. I really like the hand painted shields and draco standards - the colours are very dynamic as well. Great job.

These two command stands will give Ben 56 points which includes a bit extra for the great work on the shields and standards.