Wrapping it up for Lorenzo - AHPC14 - a great challenge!

Well back in December 2023 as I mulled over whether to join some online painting sessions I went and joined two at the same time, having never done these before. No regrets though. My painting capacity was stretched so that was a good thing and in more ways than I thought - I had assumed it would be just volume or rate. First up - the other event - Dave Stones "Paint what you've got" was meant for my existing paint queue. Well I managed just two lots - for 1848 - Pickelhaube Prussians and some Danish Volunteer Kepi Cavalry. I have been a bit naughty and slipped the Volunteer Cavalry into the "Final Collection picture". Its just a shameless plug for the the First Schlieswig Holstein War (which started on 24th March 1848). Hopefully Curt and my minion Sylvain will forgive me. Turning to Sylvain I must say a big thank you for his Musee des Fossilles backdrop to our Monday Crew. And I have really enjoyed discovering AHPC. Thanks to the Monday crew and all the comments people kindly left for me. The big story for my AHPC14 was I encountered the library challenge. This completely derailed my 1848 army painting plan. So the Lancers, Hussars, Cuirassiars, Dragoons, and more Artillery remained in the paint queue. In the event I managed..... 8 Danish Riflemen 8 Schlieswig Holstein Chassuers 12 Danish Guard Infantry 1 Danish Artillery piece I am happy with that, not to mention that at least another 5 units have now been started. Now back to the library challenge - this was fascinating - I got lost there. Which is at it should be. I then descended into fantasy courtesy of Doncaster Christmas Toy Fair. A venerable 1980's Games Workshop Cyclops was found hiding unloved at the back of one trade stand, who along with a Partizan freebie Empress Matilda 1140's era, made up my first non 1848 entries. Second up was a reconnaisance Spitfire from 1939 in "Camo Mint". A five quid snip at the same toy fair. I had then envisaged doing pink and then blue versions but I simply took too long on other entries that now demanded my attention. Suddenly Nissen Huts invaded my mind - apparently my first library trip was to one in a Nissen Hut. So this hut took a lot of time as it was built from scratch including the whole idea generation - Truly out of the blue: However it was the "more satisfying" for that creativity moment. Then another Partizan Freebie took my eye in the great figure heap - General Sikorski. He was duly painted up and some more DIY gave him a suitable plinth. Then it was back to 1848 with some Schlieswig Holstein Chasseurs. To complete the challenge I offered up a "figure bashed" sci fi character (magazine freebie ww2 german + bits and bobs) plus another toy fair bargain (1/32 ww2 soldier) who morphed into a cute monster - idea courtesy of the Wargaming Pastor. And last but not least was Noggin the Nog in 28mm from the little soldier company. Next here are some pictures.

As you can see a nice varied collection and Noggin the Nog sends his apologies but he is already gifted to my friend who suffers from dementia and was just delighted with him. It simply remains for me to thank everyone from Curt, organisers and minions right down to anyone who painted and presented - I really enjoyed this challenge both through my contribution and seeing what others created. thank you!

From LORENZO: Wladyslaw Eugeniusz Sikorski (25 points)

So I have finally got some items over the line.

First up is General Sikorski as he is best known. The General was Prime Minister in Exile of Poland during World War 2. He died in an unexplained (assumed technical failure) aircraft crash with his whole family when leaving Gibralter in 1943. This hero of Poland independence in the 20th Century was born in 1881 in what was the Austro Hungarain Empire (it having part of modern Poland), he joined the short lived Polish Legion of 1914 against the Empire before taking part in the Battle of Rarancza 1918 in the Polish Legions where the Polish victory against the Empire was then turned defeat at the hands of the Germans at the battle of Kaniow. Sikorksi lived to join the Polish Army of the Second Polish Republic from 1919 - he became the 9th Prime Minister of Poland in December 1922. Before that the Poles had to fight a war with the Soviets between 1918 and 1921 where Sikorski fought in the three battles. From 1939 after the German invasion of Poland Sikorski became the 29th Prime Minister of the Polish Government(in exile) as well as 3rd General Inspector of the Armed Forces. You can find out a lot more via Wikipedia. The figure I painted was a 2023 freebie issued at the "Other Partizan". You might wonder why General Sikorski appears amongst the likes of more famous Military characters in Partizan's annual giveaways?

Well that seems to be geographical. Partizan hold two excellent wargame shows every year at the Showground in Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire, UK. During World War 2 Newark along with Scotland saw a concentration of Polish forces training to fight in the war. Biggar and Upper Clydesdale Museum has a section on Polish Soldiers. In Newark there were many Polish Airforce Squadrons based nearby and hence there is an RAF cemetery in Newark. Also General Sikorski was buried here after his death in 1943 until 1993 when his remains were returned to his homeland.

I primed the figure with Vallejo White before a complete coat of MC100 Black Green and then black for boots and uniform markings plus white for uniform piping and markings. Flesh and Hair was MC018 Flat Flesh over painted with Citadel Contrast Colours Nazdreg Yellow.

I assumed I would simply base the General up and job done. Then I thought a square podium would be appropriate and then I found a wood cylinder in my bits and bobs collection (packing from some perfumes no less).

I painted this up in 3 craft paints - dark grey, dry brushed stone grey final dry brush light grey. Having given the cylinder a 2p piece plinth for the figure I decided to finish it all with a square base. And then I did not like it - something was missing. Grass! Another bits and bobs item came to mind - a lid from a candle box.

A short while later and covered in static grass (no I don't use it as it should be) and I had what I wanted. So these are a lot of words for one figure but this guy deserves to be my Famous Person. Points calculation 1x28mm figure = 5pts Famous Character from the library = 20pts 

Sylvain: A very interesting choice for a famous character. You get my seal of approval. And thank you for the interesting description, I will feel less ignorant when I go to bed tonight. I also like how you describe your painting process in your description, there is always something new to learn. Great submission!