From Barks: Journey through the spheres (Wise, Warriors of Faith, Just Rulers, Contemplative) (130 points)

I have a selection of figures today to propel me around the last of the spheres of Paradise.

To get me there, I summoned Sarah with these Sci-fi civilians I made from assorted Stargrave kits. I love putting these together and matching bits, and then experimenting with colours I don't often use. The fifth civilian is made with a Fireforge zombie body (hence the unhealthy legs). I think she lives somewhere in the ash wastes protecting her claim.

My favourite is the surrendering one in green...

Sarah Connor vibes.

The Wise

You can tell this person is wise, just look at the size of their brain! Surely it won't implode and release warp daemons everywhere. He's made from the excellent Frostgrave wizard sprue, with a spare head I had.

The Warriors of Faith

Hot on his heels are these two thugs warriors of faith. The photos make me think I should redo the robe highlights.

1998 metals

The Just Ruler

Faramir. What a guy. Briefly the Steward of Gondor before some smelly ranger waves some jewellery about and claims he's the long-lost king.

2003 metal sculpt

Contemplative

I liked painting this Genestealer Cult character, who is Contemplating the plan of attack on this awesome hovering holo-map. I used Contrast Aethermatic Blue for the hologram. I'm thinking of adding somemorehighlightsand glow, but don't want to ruin it. The building complex is based on Warhammer World in Nottingham- a little Easter Egg.

That completes my journey though Hell and Paradise!

10x 28mm figures (50 points)

4 x locations (80 points)

Side Duels:

Squirrel +1 (sci-fi civilians)

Skull Duel +6 (total 18)

From Millsy:

What a great collection of painted miniatures and I love how you have aligned them to the various spheres mate. I've been very tempted by that Genestealer character myself for some time. It's a great sculpt with loads of interest and the composition is excellent. There's so much story telling going on there.

The warriors of faith are really cool too and I'm pleased to see you sticking with canon by painting hazard stripes on the chainsword. If ever there was pointless and redundant safety labelling this is it!

130 pointeriffic points for your tally sir!

Cheers,
Millsy

Rhunt - Space Marines and fantasy (85 pts)

 I'm getting close to being done with my Space Marines (which I like painting) and my elves, which I really don't like painting. I also have some other models for this week.

More Space Marines. I really like these models. They are a lot bigger than my dad's older models. They look good and they are easy to paint, but there are a lot of things on them that have to be painted. I tried different colors on the rims of the bases, like people told me to. I like the blue base best.

There is also a tank that came with this set so I have to see if my dad will build it for me.  I'm running out of models to paint.

Bones. These are old ones so they are not very detailed.

Two Bones models. I put the one on the right on a 3D printed base that someone gave me.

Next up are three brand new models. I bought them last Saturday. They are part of a box that my dad says would be perfect for Mordheim but I don't know what that game is.

Two dogs and the female fighter.

There are three more guys in the set that I'm working on finishing for next week.

I really liked the dogs. I have eight more dogs for elves in Oathmark so now I can have ten dogs. 

Next up is Iorlas. He came with Denethor and is the captain of the Citadel Guards. He has some really cool rules that let him shield but still strike, so he should be really hard to kill.

Iorlas, captain of the Citadel Guards

I think this is the last infantry model for Gondor that I didn't have. I still need to get the Trebuchet and the bolt thrower but then I think that between my dad's army and mine we have all of the options. I am going to use Roman scorpions for Gondor bolt throwers until I get the models.

The last entry is more icky elves. I'm really close to being done with these and that makes me very happy.

Five archers, one sword and two spears

These seventeen 28mm models give me 85 points for the week.

Thank you.

Great output this week mate. Loving all the different works you have done, and I agree that the blue based rims look the best. Once you paint all your marines with it, you will see a nice upgrade to the unit as a whole! Keep up the great work here, and may all your dices roll 6 when playing against your dad! 85 pts to you. Kyle

From Rhunt - Marines, Elves and a Steward - Overdues and Returns and Fantasy (85 points)

My name is Rhys and I'm 19 and special needs. This year I really got into painting, I love it so much. I'm super excited to be part of the Challenge this year.

My first entry is three Space Marine snipers from Games Workshop. My dad tells me these count as 28mm even though they are bigger than they used to be.

Space Marine snipers.

The rear, showing the camo - ghillie suit.

These are big models and easy to paint.

I love the tufts but the glues gets everywhere when I'm putting on the flock.

The next mini is just a standard space Marine. I have more of these that I'll work on later. I did not enjoy painting this one as much as I did the snipers.

Next up is Denethor. My dad and I play a lot of Lord of the Rings (MESBG) together. We also play at the local game store. I love Gondor and I didn't have this model. This is the metal model, which is very hard to find. My dad's friend Tim gave me this as a birthday present.

Denethor, Steward of Gondor

My dad is really jealous that I got this old, classic model. I'll use this for the Overdue and Returns desk since it is a really old model.

I really liked painting this model because of his cape. All of the folds are really nice to paint in metal.

My next entry is four of the new Games Workshop elves (or whatever they're called now - I'm too old to play name games with IP - Dad). I got these for Christmas last year but dad just put them together for this Challenge.

I liked painting these because they can go in a bunch of different armies. I also really like the back flags on the sword elves.

I'll be using these four elves to hit the Fantasy desk, which gives me two desks in the first room.

I have eight more spear elves. I don't like painting these very much, especially the long spears.

That gives me two locations in the first room. Now I can move on if I want to.

9 x 28mm foot @ 5 points = 45 points

Overdues and Returns = 20 points

Fantasy = 20 points

Total = 85 points

________________________________

First, Rhys, welcome to the Challenge! 

This is a solid first entry to the Library. The Space Marine sniper trio is great, especially the groundwork and the use of foliage to provide better camo. The white bolt rifles is a bold choice, but I like it. In the future you may want to try a wash of dark grey or perhaps thinned-down black to give the weapons a bit more sense of texture and definition. 

I hear you on GW's creation of silly names to 'protect' their intellectual property. These elves look great (I particularly like ones with the yellow cloaks). For the spear shafts try GW's Snakebite Leather Contrast Paint. It works terrific with one coat, especially over a white or light grey primer.

85 points for your debut on the scoreboard which is a great start to you 500 point goal. Well done!

- Curt

  

From FrederickC - For Gondor! (205 points)

 It has been a few weeks since my last post, and I have been struggling to complete my latest project due to a bout of ill health, and other commitments. After leaving Rohan, I opted to head south to Gondor and paint up some defenders of Minas Tirith, specifically a dozen old school Knights of Minas Tirith, a mounted banner, 3 spearmen and 3 bowmen of the Citadel Guard, Beregond, Pippin from the Heroes of the West boxed set, a set of resin Gondor Commanders, a mounted Boromir, and Boromir as a Captain of the White Tower, all by Games Workshop.

 

"For Gondor!"

 The Knights of Minas Tirith and the mounted banner are the early version of these figures consisting of metal riders and plastic horses. They are a bit different from the more recent release from Games Workshop which have the riders equipped with shields, and pennons on their lances. The plastic horses come in two poses, identical to those of the Riders of Rohan, but with a different style of chanfron. I painted the horses in three different shades of brown using craft paints, changing the colours of the mane or adding socks to produce some additional variety. They were then given a coat of Army Painter Strong Tone Quickshade. The riders' armour was painted with gunmetal followed by highlights of silver. 

 

Knights of Minas Tirith with mounted banner

 Next is a group of Citadel Guard of Minas Tirith consisting of two 3-figure blisters, one of guardsmen with spears, and one of guardsmen with longbows, Beregond, a minor hero who can act as a bodyguard, and Peregrin Took, Guard of the Citadel. The Citadel Guard now come as a 6-figure set with three spears and three bows, rather than as seperate blisters. All of these are metal miniatures that were painted much like the Knights of Minas Tirith but with added gold trim, and cloaks that I painted using Payne's Grey acrylic paint. To do the bases, I covered them with a layer of squares made of thin card to resemble flagstones. This required trimming the strip at the bottom of the figure that is supposed to fit into the slot of the base to form pegs that would fit into drilled holes.

 

Guards of the Citadel of Minas Tirith

 

Unlike all the preceding miniatures in this post, the next four are a relatively recent purchase and came as a set cast in resin. I can't say that I am a fan, especially when some of the poles, spears, or swords come out warped. They also required a lot of cleaning up, not just of mold lines, but all kinds of extra little wedge pieces that have to be carved away. The set is the Gondor Commanders box that consists of a warrior with a warhorn, a banner bearer, a Captain of Minas Tirith (stepping on a dead orc), and a Knight of the White Tower. They were painted using the same method as the rest of the figures. The bases for the warrior with warhorn, the banner bearer, and the captain are done up to resemble the rubble of Osgiliath or Minas Tirith during the siege.

 

Warhorn, Banner, Captain, and Knight of the White Tower

 The last two figures are different versions of Boromir, the first as a Captain of the White Tower in armour, and a mounted version dressed as he was for the journey to Rivendell. Both of these are metal miniatures, and they are still available from Games Workshop, although the version as a Captain of the White Tower comes as a three figure set that includes two models of Boromir on foot – one carrying a shield, the other with the famed banner of the White City – both of which are clad in heavy armour. The mounted version is also bedecked in heavy armour and comes with the option to assemble him with sword or banner held aloft. I bought mine as blisters many years ago when you could still get them separately. The armoured version of Boromir was painted much the same as the Gondor Commanders, while the mounted version used a lot of browns and washes on his fur cloak, and I tried to match the colours of earlier versions of Boromir that I had painted.

 

Boromir, son of Denethor

 This will likely be my last post for the general challenge. With only twelve days left, I need to focus on my "Director's Chair" task. 

The points being claimed are as follows:

13 x 28mm foot figures @ 5 points = 65 points 

14 x 28mm mounted figure @ 10 points = 140 points

Minion Miles: Is it just me or does there seem to be a LOT of LOTR stuff this year - who cares when their as nicely painted as these!