From StuartL: A Viking Invasion (Lady Sarah's Star Yacht) (Klendathu) (115 Points)

Hello again,

The end of the challenge is fast approaching and I still have a load of primed minis next to my workbench. I'm sure that some of them will keep for a later date, but right now I am trying to get as many done as possible. My aim is to get models done that I prepped for some of the Challenge Quadrant planets, but didn't use in the end.

So, with that said, my post today could go to several planets, Perelandra for the sea-going nature of the models, Glorantha for their use of runes, even Gethen for their cold homeland, but it is instead Klendathu I will be revisiting. But first of all, I need a ride. Last time around I was able to use Lady Sarah's Star Yacht with a mythical Japanese creature and today I intend to do the same, but with a less creepy option than the spider-woman.

The model comes from Reaper Bones' Daimyo expansion and I believe that it is meant to be a form of Tengu or bird demon. It doesn't really look like anything I've seen relating to Tengu, but they are supposed to be able to change their shape so...

And with my passage paid, it is on to Klendathu for an Invasion Gone Bad.

1066 was quite a busy year for the Anglo-Saxons. While it is much more famous for the (successful) invasion of England by the Normans, that wasn't the only invasion to take place that year. Harald Hardrada led an invasion of the North East of England with a large army of Vikings. While they had some initial success at the Battle of Fulford, they were badly mauled and sent packing by Harold Godwinson's Anglo-Saxon force at the Battle of Stamford Bridge. So, not only did the invasion fail, it was completely overshadowed by William's later invasion in the south.

This first set of eight models are from Gripping Beast's plastic Viking set. I tend to paint my Vikings in bright clothes to contrast with the simple and plain colours I use for my Anglo-Saxons. This helps to quickly differentiate the two forces of chainmail clad, spear wielding warriors on the table.

These eight figures are a kit bash of heads, shields and weapons from the aforementioned Gripping Beast set and some Celts from Warlord Games. The parts fit together perfectly (some hands did need chopping off and replacing though), and give you a lot of fun options like more lightly armoured troops that you can use to represent those poorer members of Viking society who have tagged along in the hopes of loot and plunder.

This command base is from Footsore I believe. Sadly I wasn't able to get a banner in time, so the flagpole is bare. The commander is holding a severed head, no doubt some Saxon noble he just killed. 

The dark ages are fairly well covered by a variety of makers in both metal and plastic, making it a great period to wargame. It was an era when men were men, and therefore you don't have to faff about remembering a bunch of different stat-lines. These figures are all based individually so that I can use them for Saga, but I also have some movement trays for them if I want to try a bigger game like Hail Caesar.

So, for 19x 28mm models that should be 95 points, plus a bonus of 20 points for a trip on the Star Yacht for a grand total of 115 points. No skulls here sadly. Hopefully I still have a post or two in me before the end of the challenge.

Nice work on these. The Tengu is a bit angelic but her foot is creepy. I, too, like to be able to easily differentiate between my Dark Age combatants. I particularly like the commander doing his best Hamlet audition.

Barks

From David V - 6mm Galahad G.E.V.'s (From SJG's Ogre) (Klendathu) (36 points)

Additions to my growing forces for Ogre Miniatures, the 6mm scale miniatures wargame based upon Steve Jackson's Games' 45-year-old board game.

The Paneuropean "Galahad" G.E.V. (Ground Effect Vehicle) is my favourite type of  "armour unit" in the Ogre game universe. Something about these jet jockeys zooming in at 200 kph, then zooming out again to try and avoid the Ogre's weapons (two moves per game turn!). This entry is a squadron of such fast attack vehicles. I went with a traditional Paneuro blue paint scheme. 

After assembly, I primed all the units with GW Chaos Black, and laid in flat white zenithal highlighting with an airbrush. The base blue of the G.E.V.s consisted of several washes of GW Drakenhoff Nightshade. I then laid in highlights and details with oil paints, and did some light weathering with oils, acrylics, and powders. 

The relative size of the Galahad G.E.V. is shown against a Heavy Tank, and my Combine Ogre Mark V. Some more Paneuro vehicles, artillery, and a Fencer (Ogre), are in queue for the Challenge. 

(8 x 2) points of 6mm or 1:300 scale G.E.V.s are a modest 16 points. Add 20 points for Klendathu, an Invasion Gone Bad. Some of the classic scenarios from the game I remember playing include Raid and Ceasefire Collapse, deep, fast movements of luftpanzer forces that ultimately did not prevent the rise of the A.I. overlords during the Descartes Revolution. TOTAL = 36 POINTS

I've really been enjoying this bit of OGRE nostalgia David, and it's green to see the Air Cushion Cavalry make an appearance.  The skirting effect reminds me a big of Sow bugs (or Rollypollies or other regional names), but that's not a bad thing as both zip around, appear everywhere and can be damned hard to kill.

Excellent work and full value on the Invasion Gone Bad.

From MikeF - World Eater Terminators and Imperial Assassins - Klendathu - Great Abyssal - Terra - Lune - Xanth - Mars (145 points)

I missed the last couple Fridays due to my work schedule, but I was able to paint up a few things. I'll also try to shamelessly mine various planets for some much needed points.

First up is a squad of World Eater Terminators in Cataphractii armor for Horus Heresy. These have shoulder pads from Pop Goes the Monkey and they fit on as one piece. They work really well on the GW kit and they make similar pads for any marine chapter you can think of. 

These guys will be invading Klendathu, for an invasion gone bad. In the fluff, Terminators are written as unstoppable killing machines who drop into the midst of the enemy either by transport or teleporting. They then manage to kill everything with few to no losses. For most editions of Warhammer 40k, Terminator squads routinely failed to live up to their reputation, often dying without making their points back. Keeping in line with this theme, these Terminators will boldly teleport onto Klendathu at which point they will realize they were the victims of a deceitful marketing campaign by GW and die horribly!

The World Eaters badge is integrated into the shoulder pads.

Next I'm taking the Great Abyssal to Terra, home of the Vindicare Assassin Temple. Imperial Assassins come in several forms and do different things on the battlefield. All their temples are on Terra, Throne world of the Imperium in 40K. This one is obviously a sniper and was probably the most useful in the game. I've had this model for close to 25 years and this was probably it's second or third paint job. That's some heavy lifting!

Lune will be represented by the Culexus Assassin. These specialize in hunting and eliminating psykers and other practitioners of witchcraft. I've had this model about as long as the Vindicare, but never managed to paint him. He was just far too specialized to be of use in a game.

Xanth requires a unique talent. The Callidus Assassin certainly has one. They can shapeshift thanks to an assortment of crazy drugs, allowing them to slip into the enemy HQ, issue some ill conceived orders and then eliminate the HQ with their sword which phases in and out of reality. This model was a recent purchase from Ebay and was missing the end of her pony tail which I had to replace with greenstuff.

Finally comes Mars, the God of War. The final Imperial Assassin is the Eversor. There's nothing subtle about this guy and he likely won't survive the mission. He's for when you absolutely have to kill an entire bunker full of people. He's loaded with combat drugs and armed with his bolter/needle gun combo, his Neuro Gauntlet and power sword. Once he finally is killed, the chemicals in his blood become unstable and react explosively, killing anyone who managed to survive up to that point. He was also a recent Ebay purchase and I only had to replace the barrel of the needle gun.

Team Photo - "Gooooo EMPEROR!"

For points that should be 9x 28mm models for 45 points + 100 points for 5 planets = 145

Thanks for reading!

***

Your Friday Minion is a bit tied up today, and has asked some of us to pitch in while he is away. I thought I would step in between work demands this morning to start with this submission, not only because Mike is a friend, but because his shameless strip-mining of bonus points would fit right in with the scrapers who otherwise appear on Wednesdays...

Very nice work here Mike, as always. Yes, the Terminators are quite useless in the game (although, I must say, the problem is not so pronounced in 30k in my experience) but they just look so darn cool and ominous. These fellows really look the part, and I really like the embossed Legion emblem on their heavy-duty shoulder plating. 

The collection of classic assassin figures is great, and that is some very nice work with the greenstuff. These old models are classics - it is a shame the newer versions of these figures come with such absurd/overwrought/unworkable scenery-diorama-style bases. But who needs those, when you have the classics available - and ones that have been waiting for years and years for some paint. 

145 points for you...for nine figures...not quite Wednesday-level squeezing, but you are on your way...

GregB

From DougM - Doctors & Planes - Klendathu, Skaro, Cybertron (90pts)

Continuing my thread of getting round the outer sphere, the next port of call is Klendathu, an ugly planet, a planet where an invasion goes wrong. And if you're a Dalek, well, this is where your invasion goes very wrong. Rose Tyler with a great big gun!

The lighting and camera work is appalling.. sorry! I claim it looks much better on table... 

And so on to Skaro, for Doctors. And the next Doctor in my Whovian ouevre...  A man who needs no introduction.

As someone else said, that scarf deserves bonus points. So Rose is a Crooked Dice temporal Traveller, and the Doctor originally Harlequin. So enough of the external ring and we are next to the Great Abyssal, so a hop skip and a jump..  and it's Cybertron. Transformational?

Well these guys are..  the Fokker Eindekker, 1/144 3d prints from designs by Jimbo, decals courtesy of Pendraken, and they transformed the war in the air with a forward firing synchronised machine gun. 

I have printed bases as well, pending the arrival of some clear hexes and rods from eBay. They are set up for the WW1 version of the TooFatLardies 'Bag the Hun' - 'Algy Pulls it Off'. Next, where would we be if we didn't have a few 'Heath Robinson'esque' Allied Scouts for the Eindekkers to tangle with? So here we have that masterpiece of aviation design...

The DH2. As we haven't figured out how to synchronise the machine gun to the propeller, we will just have to put the prop on the back.

Points wise.. ok

2 x Dr Who figures @5 each = 10, 

6 x 10mm 'vehicles' @3 each = 18

two uter ring planets @ 20 = 40

one centre ring @20 

a grand (ok not so grand) total of 88 points.. and the two Dr Who figures bring me to 25, this making  it a legal 'Squirrel' - 

 

From DaveD 

That is indeed a fine scarf on a classic Dr Who extra points indeed . O do like the Fokker , it’s on our gaming groups list to acquire for Wings of Glory. And a bounce around the galaxy it is too .

From FrederickC: Skirting 'The Great Abyssal' aboard Lady Sarah's Star Yacht [Cybertron][Klendathu][Coruscant] (150 points)

 

We have left Arrakis behind us with a terrible case of sunburn, and I'm still shaking sand out of my boots and trouser pockets. The plan is to do a short hop over to Cybertron, and then take Lady Sarah's Star Yacht past the Great Abyssal to Coruscant with a quick stop on Klendathu along the way. So three stops in total and two yacht tickets. I plan to spend some time in the lounge while aboard the yacht to see if they can mix up a Blue Meanie like the ones they serve at the Blauwe Blome bar on Tycho Station.

Interstellar Yacht by Shusei Nagaoka

 

Cybertron (#9 on the map) - home planet of the Transformers, a shining metal, technological world, and the theme is 'Transformational/Transformative'.

Gandalf: Through fire... and water... From the lowest dungeon to the highest peak, I fought him, the Balrog of Morgoth. Until at last, I threw down my enemy and smote his ruin upon the mountainside. Darkness took me. And I strayed out of thought and time. Stars wheeled overhead and everyday was as long as a life-age of the earth. But it was not the end. I felt life in me again. I have been sent back, until my task is done.

Aragorn: Gandalf.

Gandalf: Gandalf? Yes... that's what they used to call me. Gandalf the Grey. That was my name. 

Gimli: Gandalf! 

Gandalf: I am Gandalf the White! I come back to you now, at the turn of the tide.

The figures of Gandalf the White on foot and mounted on Shadowfax are the older Games Workshop Lord of the Rings castings. I have included Gandalf the Grey in the photos for the 'Before' and 'After' comparison.

 

Klendathu (#10 on the map) -  home world of the Pseudo-Arachnids. The planet has many warriors and workers all over its surface. However, its brains and queens live deep underground and are capable of surviving an invasion by the Federal Military. The theme is 'An Invasion Gone Bad'.

 

On the morning of 19 August 1942, landing craft of the 2nd Canadian Division hit the beaches around the port of Dieppe. Red Beach, on the eastern half in front of Dieppe itself was assaulted by the Essex Scottish. The battalion was supposed to have armoured support from the 14^th Army Tank Regiment (The Calgary Regiment (Tank)), but the tanks arrived 15 minutes too late. LCT No, 2 landed three tanks of 13 Troop of 'C' Squadron - 'Cougar', 'Cheetah', and 'Cat'. 'Cougar' quickly became immobilized, and only 'Cheetah' and 'Cat' made it onto the Promenade. 'Cat' was able to take out a 47mm anti-tank gun near the harbour entrance,  however its 6-pounder gun, only able to fire solid shot, was mostly ineffective against the German defences. Eventually, 'Cat' made its way back to the beach, having fired off most of its munitions, and the crew abandoned it.

Churchill Mk III T68696 'CAT' is a repainted 1/50 Solido diecast model I acquired from a friend. It was originally painted in a desert yellow/olive green striped camouflage pattern for service in Tunisia, but I wanted it to match another Solido Churchill that I had that depicted 'Cheetah' (shown in the background). So the 'tank from Tunisia' was repainted using Vallejo Dark Earth, and then the vehicle name, numbers, etc. painted on freehand.

 

Coruscant (#11 on the map) - A city-covered planet, Coruscant is the vibrant heart and capital of the galaxy, featuring a diverse mix of citizens and culture. It features towering skyscrapers, streams of speeder-filled air traffic, and inner levels that stretch far below the world’s surface. The theme is 'Imperial'.

And nothing says 'Imperial' like a legionary of early Imperial Rome, equipped with lorica segmentata, gladius, and scutum. This is a 28mm plastic figure that came as a sample years ago with an issue of Wargames Illustrated. I was never sure what to do with it, and thought I might use it as a gladiator in our 'local arena'. I'm glad I had it on hand for this stop on the Challenge Quadrant.

 

Two tickets for Lady Sarah's Star Yacht - the two figures I painted for passage aboard the Star Yacht are (left to right) a Eurasian Solar Union SAW gunner from Ground Zero Games and a Rebel Commando from West End Games. Both date from the mid to late 1990's. I have painted them up in the colour scheme for the Ral Partha Galactic Grenadiers figures I use as 'Planetary Militia'. In the past I have used both GZG and WEG minis to augment the variety of poses and weapons in my squads.

 

 The points being claimed are as follows:

1 x 28mm vehicle @ 20 points = 20 points

1 x 28mm mounted figure @ 10 points = 10 points

4 x 28mm foot figure @ 5 points = 20 points

3 x Challenge Quadrant locations (Cybertron, Klendathu, Coruscant) @ 20 points each = 60 points

2 x Lady Sarah's Star Yacht @ 20 points = 40 points 

Blue routes were via Lady Sarah's Star Yacht

Time to drop into the Inner Ring
 

You're just rocketing around the planets here Frederick.  Nice work on Gandalf the White, really like those sculpts.  And yes, as we discussed in advance (see Ray he ran it past me in advance) I'll buy this as a transformation.  No arguments on Dieppe as an Invasion gone wrong and well done on those doomed Churchills.   I think I have that Legionary somewhere too, great job on the shield.  And finally nice to see some vintage SciFi figures given some love.

From DallasE: Bolt Action Schwimmwagen at Kaiserbaracke Crossroads (Klendathu) (43 points)

I've always wanted a little schwimmwagen for my WW2 collection, and recently came across Warlord's 1/56 Bolt Action model at a local shop. It was pretty pricy at $30CAD but seeing it gave me an idea, so I picked it up.

I thought I would model a specific vehicle that's pretty famous - at least as famous as a vehicle from WW2 could be. It is of course the infamous schwimmwagen of SS-KG Knittel that was featured in a propaganda newsreel made during "Wacht am Rhein", known nowadays as the Battle of the Bulge. The schwimmwagen in question was driven by a soldier wearing a Waffen-SS camouflage smock and some very distinctive headgear - identified online as a US Army winter tanker's helmet.

The Bolt Action model came with a driver of course, but the separate heads supplied were wearing a helmet or an M43 einheitsmutze. So I swapped in a bald head from my bits box and did my best to sculpt on the tanker's helmet with greenstuff. I think it looks passable. 

Unfortunately the vehicle itself doesn't quite match the one in the newsreel, in terms of equipment - the real one was missing the paddle and carried spare wheels on the rear deck. No matter to me - the driver is what counts in this conversion. The model is nice though and very detailed.

It's not super-visible here but the model has some nice stowage sculpted in - an MP40 submachine gun as well as a bunch of breadbags and canteens strapped to the roll bar above the seats.

Here's the model pictured with a Waffen-SS officer from Battle Honours...

...and the inspiration for the project.

As far as the Outer Rim tour goes, I visited Klendathu for this one, as "failed invasion" pretty much describes to a T the gamble Hitler took in late '44 with Wacht am Rhein. The idea was to get to Antwerp and split the Allied forces, but as we all know that the German "invasion" ran out of steam well short of its objective.

Points:

28mm vehicle: 20 points (not counting the driver in the total as the vehicle is pretty small)

Klendathu bonus: 20 points

Total: 40 points

I've seen this photo before, but hadn't realised the driver was wearing US headgear. I'll throw in a few points for the driver with camo smock.

Barks