From BenitoV: Uruk Hai leader, Rulers and Tokens for Midgard (15 points+?)

This is my initial post for this year's Challenge, presenting an Uruk Hai leader and some tokens and rulers to use with Midgard, the recently published system to play battles in the Heroic Age by the Reisswitz Press/Too Fat Lardies stable. 

For those in the unknown, Midgard covers both historical and fantasy-based medium sized battles (between 60 and 100 minis) focused on the action of heroic leaders. Having stopped playing fantasy battles for almost 2 decades, this was an excellent opportunity to undust my old GW LOTR  minis and add some reinforcements.

My first project is an Uruk Hai army. I already owned enough models to create a 200 points army, short of the 300-350 minimum needed to play a battle. For this reason, I'm looking now for reinforcements, and the first step is this mounted leader (or "hero" in the Midgard parlance), to be followed by a couple of warg-riding units.

The models presented today are 3D printed minis in 28mm from the Medbury's orcs range.   

Additionally I have printed and painted the rulers and tokens needed to play with these rules. The rulers are used to move units and to measure distances to charge or shot missiles. The tokens represent units with close combat advantage (red arrows with swords) and units that have already shot in the turn (green ovals with the quiver and arows).

In terms of points the post is worth 15 points for sure (10 points for the mounted model and 5 points for the model on foot) and I will leave to the discretion of the minion-on-duty to account some additional points for the rulers and markers 

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Welcome back to the Challenge Benito!

Great and terrifying addition to your Urak Hai army, that warg is especially fearsome!

In addition to your 15points, I will assign another 2pts for the 3D printed tokens/markers for a total of 17 points

Cant wait to see the rest of your Midgard project

- Sarah

RhysH - Gandalf and Balin from Games Workshop (10 points)

This is Rhys' second entry. In addition to Dunlendings, he received Thorin's Company for Christmas. This set includes all of the dwarfs, Gandalf and Bilbo.

The first two off the mark are Balin and Gandalf, based on ease of painting more than anything else. In addition to painting, Rhys also took the pictures this time. The Challenge is really expanding his skills in a lot of ways.

He went for a cave rubble base.

We worked on his flesh tones with these two. Balin is his first attempt to put into practice what we talked about.

He did the edge design free hand and tried for a dirty and distressed look to the jacket.

Gandalf is one of Rhys' favorites and a model he didn't have yet. With this acquisition Rhys has the entire Fellowship.

Gandalf's flesh had been washed into black obscurity so Rhys brought it back up after our lesson.

Dirty hands but you can still see that he made the top lighter than the bottom.

We also talked about edge highlighting and you can see some of that on Gandalf's had.

Rhys also remembered the advice from last year and painted his base edges.

This entry is only two models, for 10 points, but it shows Rhys putting in practice on the new techniques that we've been discussing, as well as bringing back classics from this group last year.

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Hello Rhys

I really enjoy seeing the results you have achieved ... you really embody what the Challenge is all about! And your Dad, Aaron is an excellent mentor.

 I know Curt gets a bit frustrated with me ... I listen to his advice and tips and then generally do my own thing!

10 points for you and I'm super excited to see your next entry

- Sarah

From AaronH: Sharku on foot and mounted (15 points)

 This is my first entry of the 15th Challenge. Rhys picked this model out for me as my first. I've wanted Sharku for years but could never find him in metal; only fine-crap (Finecast, a misnomer if there's ever been one). Last December ('22) I was in the UK and made it to Warhammer World and they had Sharku in metal. Problem solved.

Sharku, Champion of Orcthanc.

The metal model is nice and chunky, though a little nose heavy on the wharg.

It's nice that the rules for LotR require you to have a foot mounted version of each mounted model. Two for one!

This big knife is not really to my taste but I guess it's movie accurate.

You can see a bit of the nose lean-i-ness of the mounted model here.

I based him the same as my Mordor army even though he's Isengard, just because he's an orc and I'll use him as a mounted orc hero in my Mordor army. (Also, apropos of nothing, spell check knows that Mordor should be capitalized). There are six wharg riders right behind him in the queue, so we're starting to make progress.

This entry is two models:

Sharku mounted x 1 x 10 points

Sharku on foot x 1 x 5 points

Total = 15 points

Sylvain: Your brush does great justice to the mounted and foot miniatures of Sharku. Great job! I admire your patience in sourcing a metal model. I'll be looking forward for your next batch of LotR minis.

 

 

 

From GrahameH: Lord of the Rings and even more Napoleonics (1410 Points)

The second and final post contains some Games Workshop Lord of the Rings (LOTR) figures and even more Napoleonic cavalry and artillery. Hopefully, there is a little more colour than the last entry, well apart from the Gondor troops.

LOTR - Gondor

The LOTR are again Gondor figures, although this time I have put some grass on the bases which I think I like better than just a lonely tuft, as show on the figures in a previous post. These figures were a cheap purchased, years ago, from Ebay. 

Numenor Warriors (12 Figures = 60pts)

Gondor Archers (31 figures = 155pts)

Gondor Swordsmen (2 Figures = 10pts) - Photo bombed by a couple of Gondor spearmen

Gondor Spearmen (13 Figures = 65pts)

Total for Gondor Figures = 290pts

MORE NAPOLEONICS "HURRAH"

Love Napoleonics, and some of you may have noticed I love painting Napoleonic Cavalry 

Spanish Cavalry (AB Figures - Unit of 24 Cavalry = 96pts)

This was the only Spanish Cavalry I had left to paint and I can't now remember which regiment I painted it as, and I can't find the Reference Book at the moment. Anyhow they are done. 

Russian Napoleonics (AB Figures)

Some of the Cavalry Units are not shown here in full, as I had already painted part of the unit before the challenge. However, all the Cavalry would usually be 30 figures strong. 

The Lithuania Uhlans (27 Figures = 108pts)

Pavlograd Hussars (27 figures = 108pts). Front rank with lances.

Irhoutz Hussars (30 Figures = 120pts)

These don't have the lances in the front rank, this is because they were Dragoons converted to Hussars in 1812 so I don't know if they received lances. Some Hussars Regts didn't get their lances until 1813. Really, I forgot to order hussars with lancers and only ordered normal hussars 😫

Mitau Dragoons (30 Figures = 120pts)

Kharkov Dragons (30 Figures = 120pts)

Mounted Guard Regt (30 Figures = 120pts)

Empress' Cuirassiers (18 Figures = 72pts) because you have got to have troops with pink facings in your army

Don Cossack (20 Figures - 80pts) One of the many small Cossack units in my army. Don Cossack were apparently known for their red lances.

Russian Limbers (4 Limbers (3 Foot and 1 Horse). Gun 4pts, Limber 4pts and crew and horses 18pts = 26pts per Limber.

Total 4 Limbers = 104 pts 

Russian Heavy Battery (6 Guns and 24 crew = 72pts)

Russian Batteries were large units and so are represents in General de Brigade with 4 Guns and two howitzers. Being a heavy battery these are modelled with  4 X 12pdrs and 2 Licorne. 

And that is it.

Total for this post 

Gondor 290pts

Spanish 96pts 

Russian 904pts

=1290pts 

I can now take down the table that I have had set up in the living room for painting for the last three months. Thank everyone running and taking part in this year challenge, especially Curt and my long suffering "Friday Minion" PhilH, who has had to re-total every entry I have submitted. REALLY SORRY PHIL 😳 

So Overall Result

Tennis elbow, a sore neck, a stiff back and a very small bit of the lead mountain painted, which I dare say will be replaced by new lead in the near future. My name is Grahame and I have a problem....

But best of all, loads of fun.

Again thank you to every one involved in this years challenge, can't wait for next year. Might have to buy some more Napoleonic Cavalry though.

Friday Minion: Congratulations on a spectacular challenge Graham, great to have you along for the ride. I do not know how you can bear to paint so many Napoleonic cavalry, it is extremely impressive.

You under counted your Russians and missed a unit, I make them 1024 points, plus the rest for this post totalling 1410! Meaning you've hit 5500 points, which is a massive score  (if a suspiciously round number). Not that it's about scores, folks. Now you can kick back and relax for the year knowing you've painted enough to last until next challenge. 

From Codsticker: Variags of Khand Horsemen (70pts)

I almost had these done for last week but  just a few details and basing had to be finalised before they were ready for posting. 7 mounted Variags of Khand.

Not a ton of variety here just two poses. One with an axe... 

...and one with a bow.

GW have just released a Warband of 7 models, one of which is a Chieftain that is only available in the warband box. I may grab a box just to get the chieftain. In the meantime there are 6 more in the queue but they probably won't get done for this challenge as I am moving back to the early medieval period for my next couple of entries.

That is 7 mounted 28 mm models, for 70 points.

From TeemuL: Very nice, I like how the red contrasts with black, but is not too bright. Very nice and neat painting and the bases meld nicely to your board. Quite limited poses from GW, some of their sprues have much a variation, some seem to have less.

From ScottC: Black and White (Black Numenorians) & Books (Hobbit Shirriffs) (315pts)

Back again with a 2-for-1.

I decided to paint up my Black Numenorians for my Black and White theme.

Infantry are 3d prints by Quartermaster 3d (28mm) with the exception of my morgul knight captain (TPGEO) and the cavalry are some morgul knights by GW and one 3d print by TPGEO. I was going to say that this completes my mordor model collection, but I have another unassembled nazgul in a box somewhere...

9 Cavalry in total

14 Infantry

Next up for my Books category I painted up my Hobbit Shirriffs lead by non other than Robin Smallburrow and Holfoot Bracegirdle!

23 halflings in total.

The two heroes are davale miniatures

The others are TT Combat halfling shirriffs

(Sorry about forgetting my map last time Teemu!) -PS - Let me know if I pushed the black and white theme a bit, I would be happy to paint up a solo figure in lieu. Let me know!

Total:

37x 28mm infantry = 37 x 5 = 185

9x 28mm cavalry = 9 x 10 = 90

Bonus challenges x2 = 40 points

Total: 315

From TeemuL: Lovely Lotr goodness, Scott! The Black Numenorians make quite a contrast with the colourful hobbits, they won't have a chance against all the clubs and occasional small stones. Black and White theme is bit of a stretch and when you nicely volunteer, I will gladly accept a solo figure to make my conscience. I will award you full points with this post though, since otherwise your journey would be messy. But I do expect to see a black and white mini from you later in the Challenge. Did I say I like those hobbits a lot? And the shields of Numeronians really catch an eye, very nice.