From SteveA: Black & White, and a Gnoll (32points)

Heya  tiny totem painters,

This week, from the array of partly painted minis strewn across my hobby desk, these few finally received their last dabs of long due paint. 

I think I picked up this lead mini (who I choose to call the  Lady of Deathly Shadows), a log time ago with a notion of using her as a proxy model for a Necromancer in an Undead Warhammer Fantasy Battle Army.  No idea the manufacture, but I recall this mini was sold to me in a little plastic bag stapled to a simple card board backing, which I had found hanging off one of the pegs at the back bottom corner of the miniatures wall at my favorite old hobby store.

I had several failed paint jobs attempted on this mini, bad color schemes and poor observance of paint lines resulted in this mini spending a few nights in a jar full of oven cleaner to strip away failure and make way for a new paint attempt.

Now at long at last, years later, in the AHPC 'Black and White' studio a silent short film was shot to tell the tale about how she escaped the clutching darkness deep within the old pile of abandoned minis. the color scheme she needed to find freedom was a scheme without true color.

Where one finds a path out of darkness, (or an old unpainted mini pile) others may follow, so it was  this Gnoll escaped the old mini pile and moved beyond the years of wearing only a black and white zenithal base coat to become  table top ready.

I think I bought the Gnoll for a D&D Monster Character campaign, which I think may have lasted two rough and bumpy game sessions at most, back when in my old game circle the DM's hat was getting passed around and there was a lot of home brew that went down like bad brew before a worthy story teller became the new king behind the DM's screen to reign over a long running campaign that has brew without the p-eew.

Lurking around these two mini  are three bits of Grave stone scatter terrain, each originally an extra scenery item that had been packed along with some manner of mystery brand undead mini.  These three grave markers served in many a game with no more than a blast of black spray paint, and on a whim of fancy are now painted to better serve on table top games in future.  

28mm figures,

Lady Of Deathly Shadows (Foot Figure)                            = 5pts 
Green Studio Pass 'Black & White'                                   = 20pts
Gnoll (Foot Figure)                                                            = 5 pts
Gravestones (Scatter Terrain) [~ 1/8 of a 6" square cube] =  2pts 
Total = 32 Points

From TeemuL: The Lady of Deathly Shadows is very athmospheric, well done! The gnoll is terrific, too. I added a label for "Sarah's Choice", since the lady is clearly a female.

From StuartL - Lizard Lord - Casting Couch - 70 Points

Hello all,

Last week, I left off with a limo ride to the Casting Couch area of the AHPC Studios, so it is from here that I will pick up this week. 

Last year, I started to paint up a Lizardman army, first with a post for Noel's Comet, then for the Challenge Star and finally in my last post of the challenge. Needless to say, I have done absolutely nothing with the army since then. When I got to the theme of the Casting Couch, I saw a great opportunity to make some more progress with the army and get one of the centrepiece models out of the way. 

While I already have a general in the form of an old Slann Mage-Priest, I wanted something with a little more bite to it for a more melee focussed force, and you can't get much bitier than a giant dinosaur being ridden by another dinosaur.

This model is a Saurus Old-blood mounted on a Carnosaur* by Games Workshop. It is a fully plastic kit, but I added a resin ruin to its base to help stabilise the model as all of the weight is on its back leg. The resin terrain comes from Green Stuff World if memory serves.

As well as being an awesome model in and of itself, it also comes with a couple of skulls to add to my tally for that side duel. The total for the monster and the rider should be enough for one Squirrel.

And because I have a tendency to paint several things at the same time, here are some Gnolls from the Reaper Bones range.

These were first undercoated in brown, and given rough drybrushes of various colours followed by an all-over brown wash. Fast, simple and suitably bestial. Three of the models are identical, but since they will probably just be meat-shields and mooks to be killed by various heroes, that is fine. Five models should also net me a Squirrel here.

So, the final scores for this post:

6x28mm infantry (5 Gnolls and the Dino-rider) = 30 Points

1x28mm monster = 20 Points

Casting Couch = 20 Points

Total = 70 Points

My side duels:

Squirrels +2 = 17

Anglo-Saxons, Vikings, Dwarves, Fire Giants, WW2 Polish, Daemons, Viridians, Vasa, Junkers, Turnips, Necrons, Tau, Genestealers, WW2 Japanese, Teutonics, Lizardmen, Gnolls

Skulls +2 = 188 

Turnips +0 = 85 Points

I abslutely love lizardmen, and have vast army. Loving the dinosaur and rider

From DavidB - Some orcs, rebels, insurgents, mercs, rsta, gnolls, and a banker walk into a bar(445 points)

It has been a slog, but an enjoyable one. Especially since my son visited the man cave as I was taking these snaps. He knew I had a raft of minis for him as a late Christmas present, but he didn't ponder the scope.

These are two of the newest orcs and will serve as random encounters or champions in his now massive orc horde.

The one in the cape has an Eastern flair, while the other is more woodland native with the furs and skins. Both were a treat to paint and had pretty decent detail for wizkids minis.

These are the first presentation of an Ebay lot I scored after I found out my son wanted D&D stuff for Christmas. These are wonderfully ill- porportioned and chunky as perfect characterful sculpts from the late 70s early 80s. I couldn't find the manufacturer, but they were similar to ones I faced from mithral in the 80s when I played. They remind me of the hobgoblins from the  Wizard of Oz.

Above are old grenadier orcs from the 90s. The detail is soft to being like lumps of dough, but the magic of these old sculpts is the dynamic character of the poses. I used to have the undead warriors by the same artist. I still love the animation of the poses.

These are more of grenadier orcs. Different sculptor. They are from the 80s and early 90s. Some of the poses and proportions are off, but they do have a good 80s D&D look to them.

Two more from I think Ral Partha. Sandal clad and wiry muscles. They are more lead than pewter. I have a few more unpainted, but they are smashed or bits to warmachines we do not have.

These I think are also Ral Partha. Brian Nelson made the hooded one and left for England and Games Workshop shortly after. 

The red shirt bowman reminded me of Hoggle from Labrynth.

4 more from Ral Partha. They have a nice Frank Frazzetta look to them from potbelly and dynamic wiry muscle. Definitely among my favorites.

Grenadier and a duo of frog orcs with a dog faced one. Again these are classic 80s orcs with the stylish armor.

A group of Ral Partha orcs. The furs and ripped clothes. I like them a bunch and now Seth has a standard bearer, musician, and core of an army for his horde.

I also gave him my helicopter orc as a Supreme champion for the horde. I knew he would find a band to lead!

Seth was not expecting the gnolls to accompany the orcs. Being filthy, mangy, hyenas; I weathered, mucked, and rusted them up. The axe welders are wizkids while the bowman is reaper miniatures from the bones line.

The boss gnoll painted a long time ago also has popped in for command of my son's brutal horde.

A nice start to his growing collection of dungeon denizens.

He also gets this nifty case the orcs came in. Now he can keep them safe when he travels for games.

Bunched together, they make a wonderful orky horde. Including the distinguished grenadier orc in purple who almost missed being photographed...so many orcs on my desk!

Seth also gets the best NPC ever to grace a computer RPG. The Ranger Minsc is a favorite party member from Balders Gate one and two.

Rangers usually wear green, are quiet stealth archers of the woods, and are a solid dependable part of the team.

Minsc doesn't use a bow, hates magic , wears a red cape, yells constantly and wants to beat evil with his sword. Boo is his animal companion and is a hamster. 

" go for the eyes, Boo!"

He came with a set of D&D paints. He is very much needed for my son's campaign.

Up next a banker, or fixer replete in his fine black suit and power tie with a briefcase. Something important may reside within. A PI or VIP for Spectre Operations. His arms seem a little short, but he does add to the pile of CoBs I can add to my games. I decided to go with black hair and darker skin so he can represent any nation in the games.

I also completed six operators that can be used as security contractors, gov operatives, bank robbers, cartel. Just about any side and any use.

They all have bump helmets, m4 carbines, sidearm, flex cuffs, on their backs are satellite GPS systems that alphabet agencies can use to track them in real time.

They all wore the same thing! 

They all have balaclavas with skull prints to give them a touch of nefarious-ness. 

This colorful bunch is sold as a grab bag of generic insurgents for spectre operations.

Most are covered in hoods and masks and are from the Middle East, Africa, and Eastern Europe

I picture them as being a mixture team from interpol most wanted, insurgents from the horn of Africa, Irish dissidents, anarchists, gun nuts, they can serve many roles including Cartel Sicarionos. One in particular I've already dubbed the Chechnyan. He is very obvious in his Russian green fatigue pants and spetznatz blue and white shirt. When I was in Afghanistan, there was a Chechnyan sniper that prevented us from using the latrine for a whole day...I still remember that guy!  The fellow in blue has some green wellies complete with black toes and yellow soles -cuz accuracy! Probably a sentry from the farm.

Then I have some Delta force operators minus the missing dog team. They all have bump helmets and m4 suppressed carbines. One is the 249 squad gunner with a cc shortened barrel for cqb gunbattles and room clearing. The team is joined by a squad member with an EBR which is a nicer, modern version of an m14.

They are wearing multicam with coyote bump helmets and various styles of plate carriers. I choose to think of them as National Guard. They are dressed and equipped much as my unit usually is. Scout Infantry cheats because our squads are rarely above six members. We are very quiet and sneaky because we are small teams. If we have to get loud it is sudden and violent because you want the enemy to think there are more than what there is. Also they have temperate bases because I'm tired of desert! ;)

Two squads of rebels with a mixture of aliens and women added in. I think I will use these three ladies and see where Tamsin wants to send me...surely she will send me someplace nice!?

The best thing about Star Wars legion is the girls are still feminine without resorting to Pamela Anderson over the top antics. 

The blue squad of rebel regulars 

And a squad of rebel saboteurs...the team from Rogue One. I have most of the rebel troops and perhaps will get most of them done yet. I plan on keeping on with the color squad theme. The next batch of regulars will be red squad, commandos will be green, Hoth veterans...is white too obvious? ;)

And the whole mess of troops fresh from the paint table. Including 95 points of modern...note, Curt, I prefer the one more for the airborne ranger in the sky. I'm still looking for the dog and handler to pip me over 100points. Failing to find the duo will mean finding something else to go a bit beyond the agreed 95 points...something should happen soon!

Up next will probably be space marines, but I just seen some more rebels, a few super heroes, some samurai, gas lands, maybe I should just pick a color first...ooh, space orks!

Ah orcs..

49 of em for 245 points

3 mangy gnolls-15 points

Minsc the barbarian ranger and Boo the hamster-5 points

18 insurgents, mercs and rsta infantry- 90 points

A banker for a fiver( they ARE cheap!)

And 13 Star Wars Rebel troopers for 65 points

The total of 425 points for the lot and using the three lady rebels for securing passage on Lady Sarah's Yacht another 20 points bringing the grand total to 445 points.

No particular destination, Tamsin. I will trust my favorite stewardess to not drop me off on a desert world though! 

Three orcs with skullz and a gnoll with trophies for 10 skulls.

And one paint bomb for Tamsin to review over her morning cuppa. 💣

Upon review I did use some terms that may need clarification. 

RSTA- reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition 

CoBs- civilians on the battlefield 

CC- close combat 

CQB- close quarter (gun)battle

Houshold-6 aka wife sez I use too much acronyms in my language and should stop before people look at me funny... I thought she was going to correct the swear words! ;)

That really is a lot of different figures (and a lot of photos that I had to reset to "Large") in this post! Smashing work, David!

Now, where to send you on Lady Sarah's Star Yacht? Hmmmm. I think I'll book you passage to the Death Star, so something showing hubris or questionable design.

Tamsin

From ScottM: Vulcan, Solaris & Arda (111 Points)

Our tour of the Outer Ring continues with our arrival at Vulcan (something logical). For this I went with some computers and miscellaneous objective tokens for Stargrave (Stargrave fig for size comparison). If I remember correctly, all the markers in pic 1 and 2 were 3D printed by a friend of mine. The ones in pic 3 are metal and I think they are actual Stargrave objective tokens.

Next up is Solaris (deception/illusion). For this world, I went with a 28mm metal Stargrave Mystic from North Star Military Figures' Stargrave line.

I'm really enjoying painting the metal Stargrave sculpts as the figures are nice, clean, characterful figures and they've all been great casts.

And finally we have Arda (fantasy). For this I went with the remainder of my Frostgrave Gnolls. These 28mm figs are all from the plastic Gnoll box set.

So that should be:

10 - 28mm foot figs = 50 points

bunch of markers = 1 point

3 locations (Vulcan, Solaris, Arda) = 60 points

Total = 111 points

From Millsy:

Those are some wonderful objective markers Scott! I'm trying to stay clear of Stargrave but I can feel myself spiralling into the black hole ever more when I see posts like this. I love all the little things like this that really bring a table to life instead of simple card or plastic tokens.

I like your gnolls too. I really didn't enjoy painting mine. Maybe I should have used some more colour variation like you have, yours are certainly more pleasing to the eye than mine.

Three quadrant visits in one post is quite something. Well done!