From BruceR; Melvin the Magician and Mad Mick the giant, 10mm x1, 25mm x1, 6 pts)

Continuing my 10mm journey.  As my wee first submission indicated I'm traveling down the 10mm road.  We returned from Holidays in the Black Hills of South Dakota Saturday, and we are heading to Minnesota Lake Country for 4 days over the New Years Holiday.  This retirement life is tough (on the painting time).  I decided to paint the found GW wizard from early days Warmaster and while digging through trays of opportunity I found this Heresy Miniature of Mad Mick McMadd.  I thought he would make a great Giant for Warmaster and busted him out of his blister.  

I decided to brown base coat Mad Mick and Melvin.  I don't really prep for the challenge, I simply turn on the airbrush and base coat troops as I want them (having a large hobby dungeon is a plus).  The weather here in the Dakotas (Minus 4 F when I got up today) is not for priming.  Before priming I did pin his hands and head.  They have tabs, but I find a pin is usually the only way to keep the mini together.  

Lots of flesh and so decided some stripped pants were in order to jazz him up a bit.  I put down the base coasts and wash with army painter strong tone.  Melvin was given a quick slap chop of off white and initial colors were speed paints 2 from Army Painter.  After this I highlighted both Mick and Melvin to try some pop at this wee level.  

Melvin was also given a stack of books from the GW kit and a portal, which had demonic visage on the back, but I elected to simply set it on the ground.   I'm amazed at all the little bits Melvin has on  his body. Wands with skulls, Staff with skull, pouches, sword, dagger, and a wizardly Hat.  

Melvin is tapping the winds of magic, might be hitting some Warp with the green coming  off the sigil.

Mad  Mick was given a couple of tats from old GW Epic Space Marine decals.  I have way too much old stuff... One on the stomach.

One on the back.

Melvin and Mad Mick.  Either Mick is guarding Melvin or about to lay axe to hat.  

Points:

1 10mm foot    = 1 pt

1 25mm foot    = 5 pt

Total for 2025   = 6 pts

It's a marathon not a sprint.  

Happy New Year all.  I should have a month of painting upon my return before my next wandering takes place.  

Keep those brushes wet.

Bruce

___________________________________

Melvin and Mad Mick look the business, Bruce. I love all of Melvin's multicoloured paraphernalia - he seems a very high maintenance chap. One of those guys that has complicated coffee orders at Starbucks. Mad Mick is a very scotch neat in the keg kind of fella. His tats, striped trousers and pipe ready in the rope belt are the bomb. Well done!

- Curt

 

From SebastianR: Ladies, both vampire and ghoul [Solaris][Star Yacht] (50pts)

This post, and the models featured in it have been a long time coming. The past few months have been dominated by a dying (now dead) cat, a case of covid and a punishing period at work.

But I find whenever I return to put a little bit of paint on a figure, I buy myself some peace.

So lets keep things brief.

A Lahmian vampire, a strip down and repaint of one of my final pre-univercity figures. Definitely a candidate for deception and illusion given their representation as seducers in the warhammer universe and the general portrayal of female vampires in fiction.

I think there's supposed to be some nip on the model, but that's not how we roll at maison du Seb

I dont have a picture of her pre-stripping, but I'm quietly proud of how my painting has evolved.

I mean, it's been over a decade, you'd hope right?

A female ghoul, the last of my ghoul clan, and my ticket onto the Star Yacht.

It's not 100% clear, but the baby seems unfazed, so I've decided it's a ghoul baby

She certainly looks protective (also an easier paint job)

The gang's all here, thanks Heresy

That should be 10 points for 2 28mm figs and 40 bonus points for a total of 50pts

From DaveD  Fine additions to the gang alright - 50 it is 

From GeoffreyT: The saga of Beowulf (Glorantha) (85 points)

Here we have Beowulf and his retinue in 28mm by Eureka Miniatures, and a grendels arm widget from a Heresy Miniatures alternate part.

Twelve 28mm miniatures in Beowulfs warband.  I think there is another somewhere, but I pilfered his shield for a different project and need to find a replacement.  I plan on using these guys for the 'Ravenfeast' game, by littlewars TV.  

Not sure which one is Beowulf, but I reckon it is the burly one with no top on. 

To celebrate this auspicious completion, I will recreate Beowulf's saga in 28mm imagery.  I've based the story more on the 2007 movie interpretation.  I was a bit hazy on some details so filled in the gaps where I could.

Beowulf hears of Hrothgar's troubles, and needing a Quest to be valid for the Glorantha Bonus points, he departs to Norway to find a worthy adversary.

"Lo Hrothgar, take me to your monster"

Hrothgar throws a party to attract the monster Grendel with irritatingly loud music.

...DOOF, DOOF, DOOF...

Grendel arrives late to the party looking for snacks.  All the Geats are drunk and asleep apart from Beowulf.   A fight ensues.

'Your Santa disguise does not fool me Grendel"

Beowulf rends Grendels leathery arm from his hideous body.  Grendel leaves the party armless and dying.  The next day Hrothgar inspects the scene and is impressed by Beowulf's wrestling prowess.

"you remind me of when I was a boy ...blah blah blah...
"

The happy Norwegians throw another party.  This time Grendels mother turns up, and chows on some unsuspecting Geats.

At the crack of dawn, surveying the carnage, Beowulf and Hrothgar find a hand clutching an envelope from Grendels Mothers Optometrist, revealing the address of the monsters secret lair.

"Grendel's Mother, 1 Swamp Lane, Swampington-on-Sea, Norway, EU."

Beowulf departs for Swampington-on-Sea, taking a golden vessel handed to him by Hrothgar to return to the Hag.  Leaving behind the rarely discussed Viking shortship, he dives into the water to find the underwater cave-lair.

Deep in the beasts lair, Beowulf finds that "The Hag" is unexpectedly attractive.

"Welcome to my lair darling"

 Beowulf's plans go astray, and he stabs her with his 'other weapon' instead.

'So, that was your "magic-sword" '

Fifty years on, Beowulf is a mighty king reigning over a mighty kingdom.  He does all the mighty things that mighty kings do, except one thing; he cannot sire an heir.

An ageing Beowulf discovers he is not childless, when his long lost son 'Grendel's half Brother' comes to visit in the form of a dragon.  All of his retinue runs away except the brave Wiglaf, who helps Beowulf slay the dragon.

"Hello Daddy ... you owe child maintenance payments"

Beowulf is fatally wounded and with his dying breath, Beowulf bequeathes his Kingdom to Wiglaf.  

Does Wiglaf accept both the Kingdom and the monsters curse ?

"Hmm, where did this golden vessel come from..."

The End

***

For this post I am claiming

12 x 28 mm miniatures for 60 points.

1 x widget for 1 point

20 bonus points for Glorantha

The letter Q for Quest

A Squirrel for 28mm Geats.

Until next time,  GT.

Hwæt! Absolutely brilliant. At the end of the day, our toy soldiers are there to tell stories. Here we have the OG Anglo-Saxon story, charmingly retold with a troupe from your wonderful collection. I particularly like Grendel's mum in all her incarnations (I laughed at her first appearance), and the arm is a fun touch.

Eureka's Beowulf is the dark-haired fur-cloaked chap you've used as Wiglaf, but they are a band of flexible characters you can name as you wish.

Have a few points to round up for being so entertaining.

Barks

NB Don't forget to tag your squirrel

From: Sebastian Reid Ghouls [Vulcan] (45pts)

Well, this is embarrassing; my first post, and only just before the deadline. I haven't been particularly productive this past year, despite lockdowns and such.

Pretty feeble

I shall keep things brief. This year I am trying to clear off my paint queue as much as possible, and that, of course, makes things difficult for the bonus point hungry challenger.

That being said, I am opening up proceedings with some ghouls, who indeed, have pointy ears. Thank you heresy miniatures!

 Here's the whole gang

These are a continuation of the ghouls I did last year and will be filling out a Strigoi list for Mordheim. It's pretty high on the cheese quotient and I love it.

Also among them is a Heresy Miniature... thing. I was pretty sure it was sold as a demon, but I can't find any further mention of it on their website.

He'll be pulling duty as a ghast in the same warband.

By my count thats 5pts per model for 25pts and 20pts for the challenge for a total of 45pts.

Onwards

    From DaveD,

Huzzah thats another of the Friday crew through the starting block . Pointy ear ghouls will multitask just fine I reckon - I like the RIP gravestone too .. so lets make that 46!

SebastianR: A feast for ghouls (35pts)

 I wonder what miniatures I could be bringing for the larder? Maybe some halfling chef's as suggested, or a table laden with a magic feast or maybe...

It's ghouls.

I realise I've already been pipped to the post on this one, but nevertheless I persevere. It did take me an embarrassingly long time to realise that these guys filled the requirements of this chamber rather neatly, and I suspect we'll see a fair number of other similar necrophages before the challenge is through.

While the figures are nice, it did take rather a lot of work to fill in the void left in the joins to the arms. I have a number of other Heresy figures waiting in the wings and I hope they don't also take as much time.

As for the paint job, I don't know whether I like the effect or not. As always, I think flocking will help, but the painting was a bit of a chore. I honestly think I washed up then down then highlighted to arrive at roughly the same place I started. They're not what I was aiming for, but given my track record with painting flesh...

I dunno. I found a more appropriate pallet half way through painting them, so the next batch, when I get round to them will look slightly different. Gloss varnish will be added to the bloody areas after they've been varnished.

They'll be taking up a central, mobile role in my growing Mordheim warband.

That's 20 points for the challenge and 15 for the models for a total of 35, and the way open to level 2.

From TomM: Shepherd Book aka "The Prize" (30 points)

A new twist this year is that every Challenger must complete a "Prize" figure to be awarded to everyone obtaining the X on the treasure map.

And as I want to run that race, I of course joined that pool and painted up this model.

Shepherd Book, known from the beloved Firefly television series and produced by Heresy miniatures.

As such, the loyal companion also kicks off my challenge this year, not only netting me 5 points for a single 28mm figure, but on top of that yields a nice 25 bonus points on top of this.

And now, let's start our quest into the island interiors and discover the treasures lying in wait there!  To that end, I`ve been plotting my course across Challenge Island, and I estimate my journey will go like this:

I will start on the Path of the New Shiney, making landfall on Reidy's Reef and then working my way inward through Buch's Bluff, Mudry's Mesa and up to Rousel's Sandhill (1).  This also opens the route to the Snow Lord's Peak (6) for when I reach the 5 required challenges.

At this stage, I will be making use of Lady Sarah's Balloon to fly my to Fran's Fjord, and work inland from there across Bromley's Butte and Piper's Peek (2).

Another journey by Balloon then awaits me, in order to travel to Sander's Sanddunes and onwards to Millsy's Millpond (3).  Skipping across the next challenge by Balloon, I will land again at O'Grady's Gulch (4).

From there, a journey again by air will carry me to Cook's Crevasse (5) before a final airlift will be called in and bring me to the Snow Lord's Peak (6).

And that should take me along the island nicely, completing 11 challenges, 5 Balloon trips and hopefully overcoming the final challenge... while also making a dent in Lead Mountain.

_____________________________________

Shepherd Brook?! I had no idea that Heresy did figures from 'Firefly' - what a terrific model and wonderfully painted to boot. He will be a real treat for some lucky Challenger, no doubt.

I also enjoyed reading your travel itinerary for your upcoming adventures on Challenge Island. I know Sarah will be delighted with the pre-booking of five trips with her balloon service. :)

30 Points for you, sir! Tom, let me know if you'd like Shepherd kept as an award for a specific Challenger or to have me freely adjudicate it on my end.

Well done!

From Curt: Alastair Grimsby, 'Titus' and 'Bigby' aka: The Big Bad Wolf (39.5 points)

Hi All,

I thought I'd ride the buzz of the upcoming weekend and roll-out with the Friday Follies.

Here we have the pugnacious Alastair Grimsby and his mastiff 'Titus', minding their business, tending their flock of sheep, while The Big Bad Wolf (or simply 'Bigby', for those who have read the brilliant 'Fables' series) lopes in for a quick spot of lunch.

Both Alastair and Titus have a great, 'What the f*ck. Again?!' look about them. Alastair I believe is an Artizan Design figure, but I can't for the life of me remember where I got the mastiff (pity, as he's a marvellous beast). At first I had them based separately but found that they looked much better side-by-side. I have given Alastair a natty quasi-Burberry car coat, probably a bit too stylish for the Scottish moors, but that's just how he rolls. His original shotgun was a double barrel jobbie, but was so terribly warped that I removed the barrel and gave him a classically simple Mossberg 500.

Bigby is from Heresy Miniatures. This pose is probably my favourite of any werewolf figures that I've seen. I just love the animation of his feral, loping run. Just an awesome mini. I kept it simple and gave him a mottled grey timberwolf look.

The herd of sheep are from 1st Corps. As soon as I saw these online I had to pick one up when we were at Crisis last year. While the overall look is great I have to say that I'm a little disappointed with the amount of bubbles and miscast bits. I corrected a couple things but finally gave up and just made do. Still, a great looking and versatile tabletop scatter piece that can be used for games ranging thousands of years. 

Points? Hmm, Bigby is a little over 45mm, so I'd say 7 for him. Alastair and Titus probably another 7, and the herd of sheep for maybe 10? I leave it to HerrRobert to adjudicate.

Thanks folks and remember to come back Sunday to check out the results of the 'Sport' theme round.

Curt

__________________________________________________________________

"I hope you understand what could be at stake here. At the moment we are merely useful lackeys. We are below the level of awareness of those who will assign the points. If these sheep are as useful as they appear to be, we will be richly rewarded. We will be noticed. Some already share my belief that this could be very big."

By my count, there's forty five odd sheep in that herd. As such, I ranked them much like 6mm figures, for a total of 22.5 points. With 5 for Alastair, 5 for Titus (scored as a horse in our after action review), and 7 for Bigby, that comes to a total of 39.5 points.

There, you see, Lord Vader, I can be reasonable.