From IainW - Lance Spezzate 28mm 80 points

Just back from a two week trip to Morocco, that wasn't planned before the start of the challenge so Ive missed commenting and posting  Im afraid but at least Id managed to hit my target before I left , there were a couple of units that still needed some work, so this is the first one. Not that long ago I hosted and played a couple of great Italian wars games, Fornova and Agnadello, I resolved that I needed more Italian pike and a unit is primed, some way down the painting queue and also some heavy cavalry that were more Italian and less gendarme like. Now, when I say recently, a quick look at the blog reveals it was April 2024, so not too bad, in the meantime I was gifted a pile of second hand assembled and black primed mounted plastic perry later knights by Des who realised that there weren't that many cavalry in the war of the roses, I gratefully accepted them, I had to add swords to them and swap a few heads but all good and mixed in was some metal Perry command, so with a little clean up, swords, additional priming and with the addition of a few more riders I now had 32 mounted later knights, so four units.

I have then  the first of my lance spezzate, professional heavy cavalry employed by the Venetian state, mounted on 45mm x 60mm bases from warbases and as usual eight to a unit, I've gone for some in darker armour, which seems correct, judging by contemporary art and helps to break up all that shiny steel colour, less elaborate than full on gendarmes but still later knight heavy cavalry, with flags from Petes flags, lovely things in their own right!

 Three more of these units and a couple of archer cavalry (another kind of heavy cavalry)

8 x 10 gives me 80 points

Hopefully one more post!

All the best 

Iain

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Great to have you back with us for the final push to the finish, Iain! Wow, what a wonderful gift of knights you received. Your modifications, priming and painting have really done them proud as they look fantastic in all their varied livery and coloured lances (and as you say, those banners by Pete's Flags are the chef's kiss). Well done!

- Curt

IainW 28mm - Late Roman shieldwall unit (50 points)

 Last Late Roman shieldwall unit, like the other units second hand black tree design figures, nice to paint, although being second hand I now realise upon painting them that there are a couple of later dark age types with longer hair, no belt and a slightly different dress, but with the same shield, spangleheim helmet, mail and spear I think theyll do, no doubt Goths press ganged . Speaking of the hand painted shield, I only realised it was a cavalry design after Id painted it,whoops!

Like the other infantry units,all individualy mounted on 1p pieces and sabot based in a warbases 120mm mdf base, still got to finish an archer unit then this little army is complete.

10  x 5 gives me 50 points

Last post, I'd like to thank Greg , Curt and all the team, its been great fun as always and I forgot to mention the charity I contributed to in December is for Refugees which are no doubt even busier in the eastern Mediterranean now.

All the best 

Iain

From Millsy:

Good to see another Late Roman post in this Challenge. Seeing your work and that of others like JohnS has kept the fire alive for my own efforts, so thanks for that.

You've done a smashing job on these, particularly the lorica sclamata which I have a hankering to add some of myself. I'm tempted by the BTD stuff and might dip my toe in there. If they come out as well as yours have it'll be worth the effort.

50 more points racked up. Great choice of charity too BTW. Nice one mate.

Cheers,
Millsy

From Iain W: 28mm Austrian uhlan regiment no 1 Merveldt (125 points)

This is a unit of Uhlans ,regiment no 1 Merveldt for the 1809 campaign based on the Perry plastic British light dragoons in the later uniform with overalls mounted on Warlord ECW plastic horses and with a mixture of Victrix and Warlord lancers arms. Their czapkas are Victrix wth more of a campaign look, more like this Rick Scollins illustration

The next unit will have full dress.

I always liked the rather business like uniform of the Uhlans. I might well use this unit as the Brunswick Uhlans for an 1809 campaign Ive been thinking of depicting the Duke of Brunswick's small force fighting its way to the coast, I already have the French provisional dragoon unit and have three primed Westphalian infantry units, its more should I use my nephews Peninsular Brunswick units or should I go with 1809 correct units?

Straight forward scores, 12 x 10, 120 points

All the best 

Iain 

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Wow Iain, I just love to see Uhlans!! Czapskas always look so great. I can see why wearing them on a battlefield became a terrible idea over time, but it just seems like we should still be wearing them to meetings and such. Right?

I also love this post because your long opening sentence fully captures the beauty, energy and somewhat nutty commitment that comes with the Napoleonic aspect of the hobby. Perry, Warlord, Victrix...a mix of bits...all to get that look that one feels is not only more accurate, but feels right. 

They painted up lovely, and totally look the business. I am awarding five extra points for the Airbus-level complications in the sourcing of the bits and making it all look sharp. 

GregB

From IainW: 28mm Napoleonic Austrian Grenz regiment no15 (120 points)

So finishing up a contract and being ill has hit my commenting, apologies but I've managed to finish a unit, here is a Grenzer regiment for my Austrian army, regiment no 14, they are a mix of a Perry metal Grenzer command and the rank and file, are you've guessed it, Wargames Atlantic Prussian reserve infantry, the army deal that keeps on giving, with carved off gaiters and Perry plastic French hussars later shako which I think looks close enough? 

The first of two units, it's always nice to do pink facings I think and the red cloaks and blue trousers makes a nice contrast with the all white Austrian line units , the black straps are also a nice change. All in all I'm pretty happy with these economy Grenzers, flag by Victrix.

And here they are photo bombed by Gregs favourite terminator! I added spikey bits when I corrupted him into the service of Khorne, he doesn't count as he was painted last century!

Points 24 x 5 is 120

All the best 

Iain

Wow these guys look very cool! There is a lot about this post that hits me where I live. First - conversions using spare bits from other kits, I love it. Second - Khorne. I have a couple of those crazy Rogue Trader Terminators as well and I can tell you that I have no plans to paint 'em, but I am a very recent convert to the cult of the Blood God and have been busy priming up old Berzerkers and buying stuff on eBay. Might see some of it in this Challenge, who knows!

A well-deserved 120 points for you!

Dallas

From Iain W - 28mm Late Roman skirmishers (30 points)

I give you six Late Roman skirmishers for my Dux Bellorum army that will in all probability become a Midgard army. I've been chipping away at this army for a while, most of the infantry are Black Tree design with some plastic Gripping Beast figures. 

  

 

These though are Hat dark age figures with Gripping Beast plastic heads added as a previous post of Hat dark age slingers without head swaps got a comment asking if they were zombies, super cheap figures who are a rather slight 28mm. I don't think they're too bad, pretty simple paint job, primed in Halfords khaki spray, agrax earthshade wash, tiny bit of colour. We aim for adequate and sometimes achieve it but at least I'm up and running with 6 x 5 points 30 points. Makes a nice change from Napoleonics which has been my primary focus for the last few years.

All the best

Iain 

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I love Romans! Early Romans! Late Romans! I am forever threatening to paint Romans myself and...never getting around to it. Thus I enjoy the Roman efforts of other Challengers with that extra vicarious thrill! And so it is here - well done Iain.

Ah Midgard! I do hear so many good things about this game that I look into it, and then toss the rules the moment I see they are yet another set of rules that uses alternate terms for distances...sigh...maybe one day...

We'll be watching for more! 30 points for you!

GregB

From Iain W: 28mm Late Roman cataphracts (50 points)

Here are five Foundry 28mm cataphracts, lovely figures if a little on the small side by today's standards. They are the start of a Dux Bellorum army to go with my Picts, Irish and pagan Saxons, they're on a 120mm sabot base so I can use them for Impetus, Hail Caesar, To the Strongest or Lion Rampant, each one is individually based on a Perry plastic base that fits in my homemade balsa and mdf sabot base which unlike the individual bases needs a few more processes! 

At least I got one Late Roman unit done, so I hope that keeps Peter happy?! I've got a few units semi finished but they will get done post challenge together with a Caterina Sforza command stand that's just a bit too late, I might get one more post in but it will be a last minute visit to the  library on Monday when I get back from the principality as I'm up here for my daughter's twenty first birthday on Sunday, so no painting this weekend! 

Scores 5 x 10 28mm mounted 

Total 50 points

All the best 

Iain

From Millsy: Time for a bit of free fire minioning and being first to get stuck in that means I get to pick stuff I'm interested in! Love what you have done with these Ian, particularly the variation in armour colours whilst maintaining a cohesive look. The red dragon banner really sets them off too. Are these Steve Saleh sculpts? His stuff is just beautiful and they have that look from my POV. Nice work!

From Iain W: 28mm Austrian Napoleonic Infantry (485 points)

Here are four battalions ( of twenty four figures) of Austrian infantry in mostly Perry plastics with some additional Foundry and unknown metal command figures with added Victrix heads on 45mm x 45mm x 2mm bases from Warbases. They are in pink facings Ferdinad Von Wurttemberg  38 Walloon, in yellow facings Josaias Coburg Moravian 22 , in dark green facings Baron Freilich 28 and in deep red facings d'Aspre Bohemian 18 , all at Wagram 1809 in their neoclassical helmets, two units have the first battalions  white Colonels colour and the  others have the yellow national  colour. The colourful facings are one of the best bits about the Austrian line infantry, painted in GW contrast paint (apothecary white, thank you Mr Bromley!) Liquatex burnt umber and black acrylic ink and various citadel ,vallejo and miniature paints I got from orcs nest in seven dials in London when they used to stock them. The aim this year is to paint 400 Napoleonic figures plus Romans and anything else that takes my fancy but this is almost a quarter of that target, I've got another ninety six Napoleonic figures partially completed, I've taken to painting these already based as it saves a bit of time  ( every little helps!) and means I concentrate a bit more on the front figure, which also helps time wise. With the Austrians the flagpoles are always fun with their stripes to add a little colour to a rather restrained Napoleonic uniform. I do like them, which is good as I still have hundreds left! 

Google has managed to mix the order but you get the idea! 

We have 96 x 28mm @ 5 points each which should get me 480 points towards my total and  the Napoleonic duel and take me past the target Curt set for me so I can relax, on the second painting tray I've got some late Romans that I need to finish at least one unit of  before the end of the challenge, just to keep Peter happy! 

All the best

 Iain 

Sylvain: I'm always pleased to see point bombs from the Monday Crew. These Austrian infantrymen are superb. Somehow, the yellow trims provides some nice highlights. Congratulations on going beyond your set target, that's what the Challenge is for :-). I have added 5 points for the flags.