LeeH: My Winter War Soviets are ready for the offensive!

So, how do I wrap up this year’s Challenge? If I’m being totally honest, I didn't get quite as much painted as I originally hoped. My "to-do" list was definitely more ambitious than my "done" list! But you know what? I got the essentials finished, and in this hobby, that’s a win in my book.

Despite the slower pace, I managed to hit two major milestones: My personal 600-point target was officially crossed, and I'm happy with that. Of course, no competition compared to the top of the leaderboard, but I'm happy with what I got done.  Second, I completed everything I wanted to get done, meaning my Winter War Soviets: These guys are complete and will give me plenty of options when list-building for games of Bolt Action or Chain of Command. They were the missing piece for my collaboration project with RayR, and I’m thrilled to have them ready for the table.

The dream now is to get my Soviets and Ray’s Finns into a proper scrap. However, we’ve got a bit of a "one in, one out" policy happening right now. We have a few urgent projects that need to be cleared off the workbench before we can play with these guys. Our big focus for the immediate future? Two 1812 Retreat from Moscow games. We're working on a skirmish ruleset with a friend, and alongside this, Ray and I want to run a big battle with our collection for a demo game at Broadside in June. Once we have these playtested and polished, the second half of the year is looking very clear, and very wintery!

From BenitoV: M8 Greyhound (20 points)

I had the opportunity to undust the airbrush this week, coinciding with a visit to my parents' summer house where I have all my airbrushing stuff, making a quick work on this M8 Greyhound that sadly sitting on the desk for a few years now.

The M8 was an ubiquitous light armoured vehicle at the front of the  the US and British tank spearheads in the Second World War units, seeing service since 1943. They were mostly allocated to the scout units of the armoured divisions, but also served in independent formations attached to infantry divisions.

According to Wikipedia more than 8,000 units were built of different variants during and after the war. It saw service well into the 70s in different world armies, including the Spanish Foreign Legion while patrolling the former Sahara colonies.

I painted the vehicle in a dark US Army green base; and for the panelling, I mixed the base colour with  a desert/sand yellow colour. The final step was the weathering using some AK pigments (European light Earth and Truck rust).

The model is an old 28mm resin and metal Warlord reference, that was replaced a few years ago by a new plastic reference. Quality is not too bad but the upper HMG ring over the turret (soft metal) was very feeble and difficult to affix to the turret.

You may notice that I did not add any crew. Unfortunately, I thought I had some spare models US tankers in my lead pile, but not, so I'll have to print or buy and add in the future.

This M8 in 28mm will add 20 points to my Challenge score this year. 

     

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I always enjoy your WWII work Benito, especially your efforts with vehicles. Beautiful work on this M8. Even though there may have been a few aspects that were challenging, you really did a spectacular job on the painting and weathering of this workhorse (faithful hound?). Well done!

- Curt & Huck 

   

From MartinN: 1940 French Patoon Command (20 points)

After a two year hiatus it feels great to be back in the fold again. I have several projects I want to work on during this years Challenge, ranging from some Fantasy Orcs and Undead over 3rd Century Romans to French and Germans for 1940. Also I'm sure I'll mix in some odds and ends as I go along.

So to start things off in my usual style - meaning slow - here's my first entry for this year. A set of Senior Leaders for my fledgling early war French force for Chain of Command. All figures are 3D prints from the excellent Colonel Muller Miniatures over on www.Wargaming3D.com

First is the Big Wig, the Commandant de Peloton, probably a Sous-Lieutenant. To distinguish him from his (even) more junior 2iC he got a big hex base and a second figure added, symbolizing his personal aide/ runner.

Second is the first of two Sergent-Chefs who will be classed as inferior Senior Leaders in CoC terms. This one is armed with a German made Erma sub-machine gun, large quantities of which came into French possession after the collapse of the Spanish Republic and subsequent internment of soldiers fleeing Franco's revenge in France.

And lastly the second of those two Sergent-Chefs, a rather fatherly figure by the looks of it. This time armed with an obsolete Lebel Model 1886 rifle, he probably already carried during the previous war given de Croix de Guerre he's wearing on his left breast. The Lebel was being phased out at the time of the outbreak of war. But given that its successor, the MAS-36, was not in sufficient supply to equip all units, it was still in widespread use. Especially in reserve formations.

So with that, I'm done for today. All that's left for me to do is wishing all of you a Merry Christmas.

Total:

4x 28mm figures = 20 pts

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First, welcome back to the Challenge Nick! As usual you tease us with some of your absolutely stunning painting. Your brushwork it typically on-point, with rich colours, clean lines and smooth shading. Truly wonderful stuff. Of the group I particularly like the veteran senior sergeant with his aged rifle and trusty pipe. Such great character!

20 Points to put you up on the roster. Well done my friend - let's see some more, thank you!

- Curt

From BenitoV: Last Jump on the Landing Zone (20 points)

It's Father's Day in Spain today and family duties (including the traditional lunch with the extended family) kept me busier than initially expected this weekend. Despite that, I've managed to paint  4 Fallschirmjager in early war uniform, and believe or not, I have finished with the a project started during the lockdown in 2020.

 

The LMG team is a 3D printed model (in one piece) from Eskice Miniatures. The individula model with the ammo box is from the plastic Warlord range.

I have to say that Eskice's FJs are not the best designed models from this manufacturer (unlike for example the German motorbikes). The uniform is not exactly historical (the jumping boots for example look more American than German) and some of the gear elements were not used by the Fallschirmjager in 1940-41 

In any case I liked this model in particular because of the animated poses and sense of action. 

 

 

This is my last contribution to the XIII Challenge. A total of 4 28mm models @5 points each = 20 points. 

 

I'm really happy with my participation in the Challenge this year. both from my own contributions but also enjoying the very talented paint works of mots of the challengers.  I hope to see you around again next December.

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A wonderful last entry, Benito. As you say, the gun crew may be a bit ahistorical, but the pose and setting are excellent, and your excellent brushwork goes a long way to forgive these small sins. Well done, Happy Father's Day and see you next winter!

- Curt

From BenitoV: A Motorbike and Some Green Devils (35 points)

In this very final lap of the Challenge I continued with the WW2 Germans. On the one hand, I have painted the last motorbike with sidecar for my Chain of Command motorized infantry unit.

 

As in the previous two weeks, this a resin 3D printed model from Eskice

 

 

This week I have recovered some leftovers from an old project in our club to recreate the airborne attack on Crete in 1940. I painted and officer and a couple of LMGs in the early war jumpsuit gear. 

Unfortunately, I did not notice until today that one of the weapons is a German MG model 42....impossible to have jumped on Crete. The mistake originated in the Warlord's plastic German paratroopers box, which combines both early and later war models. When I assembled the models, I distributed in two boxes the early and the late, but I may have mixed up this specific model. In any case, too late.

Another 35 points bagged today and getting very close now to my 700 points target in the Challenge. I expect to reach the mark during the Saturday and Sunday frenzy.

Those all look fantastic, Benito! I wouldn't worry over much about the MG42 - at tabletop viewing distance it probably won't be noticed.

Tamsin

From BenitoV: More German Motorbikes (20 points)

As a continuation with the topic of my submission of last week, I bring for this Tuesday more German Early War goodies, in the form of a motorbike with sidecar, to be used as the LMG support for my motorized unit.

 

I have a second model in store but I could not finish basing the model in time. Actually the support unit was supposed to be a total of three of these bikes with sidecars ... but it seems that I forgot to print the third file and unfortunately I have the printer in my family's vacation house (closed until Spring).

 

As with the motorbikes presented last week, this is a Eskice model. Nice detail and very dynamic poses as usual, although the face sculpting is slightly cartoonie.

 

So small addition to my Challenge score this week: after requesting clarification from the minion-in-charge, I was told this model will be worth 20 points, as it comprises two vehicles with two riders (each 10 points)  

That's a nice looking motorcycle combo, Benito. It's a shame you missed printing the third file and can't access your 3D printer at the moment.

Tamsin

From BenitoV: Go West! (85 points)

It took some time to think out what I could paint that was properly aligned with the Western Studio... until in a friendly discussion with some of my club mates about our next Chain of Command project, someone said " Why don't we go West and invade France?"... and suddenly EUREKA!

So today I bring the first models of my German Blitzkrieg-era Army motorbike unit!

 

This is the first batch of the my squad, with the individual motorbike riders. Next in line will be the some motorbikes with sidecars and LMGs.

 

The models are 3D printed and are designed by Eskice miniatures. This is a French designer that has released an impressive array of 2WW related models (infantry, armour, vehicles, artillery, support units)  including a very complete early war French range, Polish, early War Germans and British, and many more. Worth taking a look of you are in the 3D printing side (or to buy the printed models too).

The sculpting style (specially the faces) is a little bit cartoony but full of character. Some of you may remember a previous submission from this same brand with some German Fallschirmjager models.

 

 

With the submission today I score 82 points, calculated as follows:

• 6 x 28mm models riding motorbikes @10 points each = 60 points
• + 2 points for a second rider in one of the motorbikes = 2 points
• Western Studios Bonus = 20 points
• Total 82 points   
  

 

 

Those look great, Benito - a smashing start to your new project. I'm counting the pillion rider as a full figure for scoring, so that's 85 points total.

Tamsin

  

From BenitoV: Panzers Marsch! ... and a Troll (60 points)

Changing my focus from the Ancient period of previous entries to Second World War now: a few bits and pieces from other yet-to-complete projects lining up for painting.

Firstly,  a Panzer IV with the short barrel and the grey color scheme typical of the 1939 to mid-1943 period. 

 

This is a critical armoured support asset in my German Army Blitzkrieg-period unit for Chain of Comand 

The tank is a Rubicon plastic model at 1/56 scale Pz IV D/E. This is a brand that I favour over the Warlord/Italeri range for the quality of the moulding and the attention to detail. It includes for example the piece displayed as the flag for aerial identification over the tank turret.

The tank commander on the other hand is a 3D resin printed model from Trenchworx German Tank Commanders series. These are superbly sculpted models and I have also acquired a few of its 2WW AFV range to print and paint in 2023.

 

The complementary batch of 2WW minis in this post are these Fallaschirmjager minis, an officer and a sniper team.

 

The models are also 3D printed,  from the Eskice range in 28mm. They are a little bit cartoonie and not 100% historically accurate (for example the trench spade of the officer, the odd jumping boots or the gas mask cannister, not used by the paratroopers in jump missions) but I found them original and fun to display on a table.

 

See for example the sniper model grabing a wartermelon in the rifle to attract enemy fire to reveal its position.

The color scheme is that of early war as well, with the jump suit in field grey/ gray green tones. These will be part of the force for a Crete campaign planned in the club for mid 2023.

 And now moving to a complete different topic... 

"Dawn take you all, and be stone to you!" said a voice that sounded like William's. But it wasn't. For just at that moment the light came over the hill... William never spoke for he stood turned to stone as he stooped" The Hobbit - Chapter 2 Roast Mutton

And here we have William in its last act before converting into rock

 

I have painted this venerable metal troll model from the Ral Partha stable acquired in the early 80s, at a time when I was playing D&D and Warhammer Ancient Fantasy. I thought it was a good candidate for the Black & White studio, removing the old paint layer and providing it with a new life.

 

I have used three layers of grey to paint the monster (in all senses of the word, as it is a towering 40+ mm height) in its last act before attempting to munch the poor captured dwarfes.

 

If my maths are correct I shoud be adding 60 points to my Challenge score:

• 1x AFV @20 points = 20 points
•  + 1 x tank commander in 28mm = 3 points (not a full model)
• + 1 x FJs officer @5 points = 5 points
• + 2 x FJs sniper team (prone) @2.5 points = 5 points
• + 1 x Troll 40mm @7 points = 7 points
• + Bonus Black & White Studio = 20 points 
  
•  = Total 60 points

I should also be awarded 1 point in the Squirrel duel with the German Early War Army entry (33 points)

 

 

Lovely work on the Panzer and the Fallschirmjager, Benito! Nicely done with the troll as well.

Tamsin