From BruceR: FIW Companies Franches de la Marine and Huron allies [Maritine] (85 points)

Huzzah, this is the Challenge helping to finish projects.  We play Sharp Practice FIW, AWI and Napoleonic's.  Last year I joined the Lard Zone at Adepticon and ran a pirate SP game, with many of the figures painted during the challenge.  This year I decided on FIW and even though the locals would loan their figures I decided to add some additional French so I had both forces.

This is my second batch  of allied, Hurons, to assist my French in battling the red coats and rangers.  I didn't use contrast paints as I did on the others and I'm more pleased with these.  I did use a 3 tone action for the skin.  Close up looks choppy, but at distance stands out on the table.  I also highlighted the warpaint slightly after feeling it was a bit drab.   Again, the figures are Galloping Major, purchased as a starter  pack and getting the leader figure free.  

caution as we approach the settlement

leading and given the rank plate by the Francie  

Next up the group of  Companies franches de la marine.  I love skimming the internet to see paint schemes and to learn more about the figures I'm painting and playing with. When the call for troops came in New France the Ministry of the Navy (my submission for the Maritine Book Stack) was given the task of providing these troops to the colony.  Recruited in France and sent to Quebec in 1683.  They became their own organization and as the group grew would be tasked with raids, with their native allies, into the contested areas of the new world.  Usually at least a company being sent with their unpredictable allies on raids.  They became adept at brush fighting and were seen as somewhat lazy in garrison compared to regulars as they did not parade.  The Troupes de la marine became integral to  the areas they were in as they would be paid extra to assist in farming or road building due to labor shortages.  Again, the heft of the Galloping Major miniatures makes painting them a joy. I am struck as to the lack of facial hair  on these figures.  I would imagine, as they turned into a wilderness fighting force, the great French moustache or beard would have been rather standard.  Also, as they were under their own command so such an appearance would seem logical.  I've not located any source to say mustache or no mustache (and I'm not trying to model facial hair).   They units did grow and locals were not allowed to join, again due to the labor shortage and recruits came from France.  The marines took to wearing allied garb, which only makes sense as they were operating in wilderness areas.  The units grew to even battalion strength and were used in some of the larger actions.    

This completes my French force for the FIW scenario I'll be running at Adepticon.  I have 18 other figures from Old Glory already painted, the Galloping Major figures are more robust and I prefer them.  They will mix in nicely and are great troops under the Sharp Practice rules either as skirmishers or rand and file.  

Companies franches  de la marine: 

I imagine they started to work as skirmish pairs around this time, one firing the other reloading and searching for targets.  

Maritine Book Stack:

Raised by the French Ministry of Navy and I chose to "attempt" an anchor on their cap.  I've seen both the fleur de lis or the anchor depicted on their uniforms.   

Points:

13 28mm FIW @5                = 65 pts

Maritine book stack              = 20 pts

Total                                      = 85 pts

Keep painting and stay warm (heat wave here today at 27 degrees F).  

Painting Interruptus:  

Warning painting can be slowed by gaming, here is a quick shot of The Silver Bayonet (my troops painted last year in the challenge).  Four of us threw down this past Saturday.  The Spanish cannot be seen in this scrum.

French, English and Russian bands fight it out with a Revenant (Alternative Armies)

Cheers,  Bruce

TeemuL: What a wonderful set of minis, Bruce! And you have painted in such a nice way, I especially like the Hurons and their striking warpaint. The blue caps on marines are almost as striking. Well done. And nice to see you have seen some action outside the painting desk, even when it slows you down. All the best for your Adepticon game!

From PhilH: Way out west, writing the book on it (80 Points)

Western Studio

With an America-based project anchored in the mid 18th Century, when heading out west to settle and make one's fortune was more like 'west of the Appalachians'. These formidable mountains, stretching from Georgia to modern day Maine were a natural barrier between the British possessions along the coast. French claims to lands west of the Appalachians, and occupation of the 'forks of the Ohio' at Fort Duquesne in 1754 led to the French & Indian war.

Of course frontier lands held many perils to those scratching out a living there. So for the 'Western' studio, we have some poor souls whose living scratched out on the frontier came to a very unfortunate end. 

They are Sash & Saber 'civilian casualties' set. S&S aren’t as finely sculpted as the Brigade FIW range that form most of my collection, but they have a number of useful vignettes like this. 

Books Studio 

Sticking with the FIW project, the British Crown’s colonies need some specialised troops to defend the frontiers and take the fight to the dastardly French. Here is a group trained by the man himself, Robert Roger's infamous Rangers: yep, the man who wrote the book on frontier warfare: the 28 Rules of Ranging.

The rules were the result of Rogers' blend of Native American tactics and his own innovative combat techniques, ideas that were considered revolutionary by military standards of the time. Combined with intensive training and live fire exercises, these rules created a mobile, well trained force that was capable of living off the land around it in order to sustain itself for long periods of time.

These are 28mm Paul Hicks sculpts from Brigade Games range and form one Sharp Practice group and a leader on the larger base. The chap in the smock was painted before the Challenge.

Four prone miniatures on the vignette is 10 plus the Western studio is 30. 

Six Rangers for 30 plus the Books studio makes 50.

Totalling 80 Points and getting my fourth mark from the the blue security zone. And not quite done :-)

_______________________________

A very sobering, but well-realised vignette, matched with a terrific squad of Rangers (Paul Hicks' stuff is so nice to work with). Wonderful brushwork, Phil. I look forward to your final gambit. :) 

- Curt

 

From RayR: The Directors Chair - 15mm French Indian War (68pts)

 

Red Security Pass:

If you have completed at least four Green locations and four Blue locations, well done! You’ll now be welcomed into the Studio of the Great Show-Lord himself to collect your Red Security pass. The Show-Lord will give you one task to complete. If you succeed, you’ll have earned the chance to sit in the Producer's Chair. Everyone… please be quiet…… shhh!! ….Lights. Camera. Action!

After a quick and short email from the Snow Lord I was given the task of ....

"Now, what do you have in your collection that you may have been avoiding, or been wanting to get to, but something always seems to get in the way of completing it? Basically, let’s come up with a task for you that is fun but also a bit of a challenge."

Hmm? I had to think about this one? I suppose the key words were "wanting to get to, but something always seems to get in the way of completing it"

Way back in the misdt of time 2012 infact was the last time I painted up some of my 15mm French Indian War collection, so I thought I might brush the dust off the mega box of unpainted goodies.

Here's the post from March 2oth 2012

http://analogue-hobbies.blogspot.com/2012/03/from-rayr-15mm-f-canadiens-generals-106.html

 

And here's a pic, if you don't wanna click.

Well the first thing out of the box were a pack of Matchlock Miniatures Woodland Indians dressed in western clothes, now available from Caliver Books in the UK. The next 2 packs were some Compagnies Franches de la Marine. So it was as easy at that.

They were pretty simple to paint up but look quite effective? And they gave my eyes a rest after painting loads of 2mm too. There are 8 figures here.

There were also 3 French commanders dressed in native garb, so these got a lick of paint too.

Only 3 Commanders

Last up are the French Marines

12 of them to add to the 57 I already have??

Lastly there's the mystery figure on the left, it was in the pack with the French Commanders, so I thought it was a Native leader, but actual think it a lady? Unfortunately this is the only pic I have of her/him?

So as for the points we have 24 x 15mm figures @ 2 Points each.

16 points for the Natives

8 for the Commanders and errr lady?

24 points for the Marines

& 20 points Red Bonus Round

For a grand total of 68 points!!

From TeemuL: Nice collection of minis Ray and well worth the Director's Chair requirement. Neat paintjob and good looking bases, what else can one ask? And I'm sure this is not the last we hear from Ray during the Challenge!

From PhilH: Taking Sarah's Yacht to avoid a Death Star (30 Points)

Aaaand I finish the Challenge as I've been meandering on: mostly avoiding painting those ***** 1750's French. Instead, I'll have to use a ticket on Sarah's Star Yacht that I've had in my back pocket since early January. But, in case these things have an expiry in the pages of fine print, I'll let the esteemed Lady Sarah have two for one trip. 

The briefest of forays into my French Indian War project, yes it's the ladies Cora and Alice Munro from the classic movie/novel 'The Last of the Mohicans'. I even re-watched this to fire me up for a productive Challenge, but things took a different turn instead. 

These are from Brigade Games' Paul Hicks-sculpted FIW range in 28mm. They'll be a handy vignette to be escorted or rescued in Sharp Practice narrative-style games.

Two 28mm ladies and the Start Yacht bonus is a tidy 30 points for my measly tally. 

To Skaro please, Mistress Sarah!

________________________

Lovely work Phil. I especially admire the soft blended colours on their skirts and the pattern on Alice's blouse. Amazing brushwork.

On to Skaro!

- Curt

From BruceR: Over the self-set bar with the finish of my FIW British SP2 force (40 pts)

Here we are near the end and I've slowed to a snails pace. 

I divert from hobby, so look away if not interested.  😉I took a slight vacation to help out my son, who manages a rather large ranch.  He went skiing and for 4 days I babysat the ranch with 250 pregnant cows ready to pop any minute.  I'm not a rancher, but have been around farms quite often.  Well, I didn't get any hobby done.  Part because I relaxed when I wasn't checking the herd or feeding the horses, bulls, or entertaining my hound and my son's 3 cow dogs.  To my relief no calves were born until today, when I was back home and at work in North Dakota.  

Here is my hobby side trip.  South Dakota in March without snow is a bit unsettling.  

The Hounds

The Herd

Here is my submission.  Again, another group of 8 Front Rank 44th Foot for my FIW Brit force.  I now have 3 groups, with a group of highlanders.  I already do have some natives and rangers as well to flesh them out.  I'm heading to Adepticon next week and meeting some like minded Lardies for a few games.  Very excited after the past two years.

I hope to get a few more bits done to include deployment points for SP2.  

Cheers

8 28mm         =  40 pts

Total              =   40 pts

That's a great looking octet of British troops, Bruce! 

Tamsin