From MarkG: Anarchist Infantry for the Russian Civil War (135 points)

With a sigh of relief, I get my last entry over the finish line. These are supposed to represent a unit in the Anarchist Army of Nestor Makhno in Ukraine (the Makhnovshchina). All are a mix of various figures from Copplestone Castings - Ragged Whites, Partisans, and Bolshevik Infantry,

Given their mongrel nature, and appearance, they are generic enough to be used for any side in the conflict. Most were poorly dressed/ragged most of the time, and they are perfect for any conscripts/prisoners changing sides, or even seasoned veterans.

The Revolutionary Insurgent Army of Ukraine, or "Makhnovishchina" were rural Anarchists, who fought against nearly every army in the conflict: the Whites, the Germans, the Austro-Hungarians, Ukrainian nationalists, and finally the Bolsheviks (after allying with them for a short while, and then realising what a nasty bunch they really were). 

In essence, they wanted to have their own "stateless" state, but none were willing to accommodate, the Bolsheviks finally defeating them in 1920.

In terms of wargaming they make an interesting force; plenty of cavalry, and tachanka's (which are claimed to be one of their innovations), ex-sailors, peasant conscripts, and a whole mix of men from both the Red and White armies (ex-prisoners, deserters etc.). Despite their mixed nature, they were quite effective, motivated and well led; a real headache for any army that had to fight them.

So finally, many thanks to everyone who made this such an enjoyable challenge. To all of you who made kind comments on my efforts, to Sander for his curation of the "Saturday crew" and his encouraging remarks, and of course to Curt for setting this fine show up.

The points summary:

27 x 5 = 135 points for twenty seven 28mm foot miniatures.

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Doomed rural anarchists who had a bone to pick with all levels of authority? I have to say these Makhnovishchina sound like my kind of people. Fabulous work, Mark. I really enjoyed following your progress with with project. This was especially helped with your fine brushwork and historical backgrounds - a real treat.

Have a great spring and summer and I hope we see you out with us when the weather turns chilly.

- Curt 

From MarkG: White Infantry for the Russian Civil War (55 points)

This final week I'm adding another elite unit of White Infantry. These are from the Partisan General Alekseev Regiment, an elite coloured unit that fought with the Armed Forces of South Russia (ASFR) against the Bolsheviks in the South (the Don, the Kuban and in Ukraine).

I've given them very faded khaki shirts as a nod to their supposed white uniform shirts in 1918 (which didn't last long, their white shirts providing excellent targets in battle, and then units being refilled with conscripts and Bolshevik deserters/prisoners). Only the officer has their classic parade ground look. By 1919 they were mostly wearing British uniforms.

This may be the last unit I post up for the challenge (I'm hoping to get one more unit over the line before the deadline, so we shall see). If so, then I can say that the challenge was an absolute blast. Really enjoyable, and it's definitely helped me to rediscover my painting mojo. I was also inspired by others' efforts, and picked up some great ideas. It has also given a needed boost to my Russian Civil War project, which had been languishing in various drawers for the last 10 years. 

The points summary:

11 x 5 = 55 points for eleven 28mm foot miniatures.

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Hello Mark - given that we are in the final hours of AHPC XVI, I am just pipping in to help out with this post...and also to just take the chance to share how cool this is! I have really been enjoying your RCW work, and it has been totally inspiring to see. In particular, you are genius in achieving various tones of khaki. It looks lived-in, sun-blasted...just tremendous, and in turn it adds so much to the parade-ground precision of the officers. Very, very nice!!

That is another 55 points for you, no problem - and best of luck getting one more submission done (I am attempting to squeeze one more in myself...)

Brilliant stuff, and thanks so much!

GregB

From MarkG: 28mm Railway Tracks (50 Points)

My first, and rather mundane, terrain entry; a set of 28mm railway tracks.

These were part of my effort to create a Russian Civil War Armoured train set, though they will have much use for other WW1 and WW2 wargaming scenarios. 

2 Metres in length, composed of seven sections, each 28.5cm long and 6.5cm wide. In creating these I was very much inspired by an article that appeared in the Lardies 2014 Xmas Special by Pat Smith "Building the Deutsche Reichsbahn."

The tracks are from Sarissa Precision. I used model rail ballast to fill out the base, and then mix of cheap paints from the hardware store and stationary shop (all tones mixed from basic black, white, brown and beige bottles). Painting them was straightforward enough, but time consuming, starting from dark brown layers, through mid gray, to stone gray highlights, and rust for the tracks (a drybrush of Vallejo Cavalry Red). Ballast though is a devil to paint if you don't want to completely drown and warp the track and base.

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The tracks look awesome Mark, and having worked with ballast before I can sympathize with how much of a pain it is to paint!  Mainly because for model trains it is not usually painted, or even glued down a lot of the time, but rather just laid in, which obviously does not work for our uses.  

As for painting time, it sounds like you spent a ton of time on them, but I have to judge based on an average paint job, not the great job you did.  I am going to award 7 points per strip because I think if I was to soak these in glue first to make painting easier, each strip should take a bit more than painting a figure.  Not sure how you did them, but I would paint the ballast area quick and dirty and messy, then paint the ties and tracks after neatly.  Therefore 7 strips  would come out to 49 points but I am going to round it to 50 points.  Great work.

- Byron 

From MarkG: Russian Civil War Armoured Train and Artillery Crew (160 points)

For this week's entry I finally get to present a project that I've been thinking about for ages, and tinkering around with for a few weeks.

This is an armoured train that I printed on my filament printer over Christmas. I obtained the files from the Kickstarter that Mad Bob Miniatures ran last year. 

Though designed for a resin printer, the carriages came out quite well on the FDM printer. The few visible filament lines on the upper surfaces were easily dealt with by applying some tile filler, which was then smoothed out with some water.

The train in question is the "2nd Siberian," a Bolshevik train that was in turn captured and used by the Whites. For the moment I will keep it generic for use by both sides, just adding the appropriate flags for which side it's currently on.

I've tried to achieve the effect of sun bleached paint on rusty armour. I was inspired by the look of the numerous weathered tanks at the Lesany tank museum outside Prague.

The carriages themselves are quite big, easily twice the size, or more, of an average 28mm tank/vehicle (as you can see in the picture next to the 28mm armoured cars for scale). For this reason I am proposing to score the engine, tender, and two artillery carriages at 30 points each (as for a 54mm scale vehicle). That said, whatever the agreed final points allotment is fine.

For the artillery crew I used the wonderful Copplestone castings again. I cannibalised these off the White field gun set. 

The ones dressed in the classic Russian Imperial Army uniform, with green hats (piped red), represent the Kornilov Artillery Brigade, and the second set in red hats, the Drozdovsky Artillery Brigade. The last two generic figures in shirt sleeves, are from Scarab Miniatures. 

Based singly they can be used for the train, or any field pieces.

The rail track pictured is from Sarissa Precision, and will be sent as a separate terrain piece entry on Sunday.

The points summary:

4 x 30 = 120 points for 4 large armoured train carriages/engine

8 x 5 = 40 points for eight 28mm foot miniatures.

Excuse me?! Are you kidding me? Is this gorgeous piece of hardware an fdm print? Surely not? Well either way it is dropdead beautiful Mark! The weathering is awesome and the guns and crew are excellent too. Sometimes a finished project really shows how much thought and care went into it's production and this is no exception on that. I will go with your suggestion for scoring because this truly is huge, what a whopper, well done!  

Cheers Sander 

From MarkG: Bolshevik Infantry from the Russian Civil War. (55 points)

This week I'm adding another unit of Bolsheviks to the growing roster for my Russian Civil War project. Copplestone Castings Miniatures again.

I've tried to give them a greater degree of uniformity (if faded) to represent the more regular nature of units on the Red side from 1919/1920 onwards.

These chaps are kitted out in the 'Budenovka' hats, which were introduced in 1919. 

These became an iconic image in propaganda posters, and Socialist Realism art from the late 1920's onwards.

The points summary:

11 x 5 = 55 points for eleven 28mm foot miniatures.

Great painting yet again Mark. Those Bolsheviks are getting a lot of reinforcements this week and very well dressed they are indeed! 

Cheers Sander 

From MarkG: Another batch of Czechoslovak Legion Infantry (55 points)

This week I have another batch of Czechoslovak Legion figures ready. Again from the range of Copplestone Castings, they are simply splendid and a joy to paint.

I've tried to vary the colours to give them a more worn and summer campaign look.

Thankfully the Painting Challenge has kickstarted my painting mojo again, so I have a whole pile of Russian Civil War figures waiting on the painting table to keep me going post challenge.

I quickly took the pictures this morning after emerging from the bomb shelter (we're currently posted to Tel Aviv). Just off to Jerusalem for a day or two to avoid the inevitable missile attacks. 'Bon chance' to all. Hopefully my next post will be 'Postbellum.' ;-)

The points summary:

11 x 5 = 55 points for eleven 28mm foot miniatures.

 Oh dear Mark, I do hope you and yours will keep safe and get through this ordeal in top shape mate! It is incredible that you have been able to put out these excellent figures seen the circumstances. I am glad to hear the Challenge has given you the drive to keep going on this awesome project indeed! 

Cheers Sander 

MarkG: Czechoslovak Legion infantry from the Russian Civil War (50 points)

This week I’m presenting another unit from my Russian Civil War project. The Czechoslovak Legion have always been a favourite of mine, and these fellows have been sitting unpainted on the lead mountain for many years. 

I had planned to get these done for a display game the Prague Wargamers put on at Crisis in Antwerp way back in 2018, but there were already too many units painted up for this, so were unneeded. I have a pile of these to paint, so enough for one side in a game (along with some SR Menshevik/Komuch allies in Siberia). 

These again are from that lovely range from Copplestone Castings. I was inspired by pictures of the "Legiovlak" exhibition, that’s been touring the Czech Republic in a reproduction Legion train. 

Thus, they are all in suitably faded/mixed uniforms. Their only distinguishing marks being the lack of shoulder boards, and the red and white ribbon on their hats, and sometimes as a buttonhole ribbon. I plan to expand this force further before the end of the Painting Challenge.

Hoi Mark, another excellent rendition of forces involved in the Russian Civil War. Those photographs of the re-enactors are brilliant reference material and you have used them to the greatest effect! What an awesome project to see developping, 

 Cheers Sander 

MarkG: Bolshevik infantry from the Russian Civil War (75 points)

This week I’m continuing the Russian Civil War project with a unit of Bolshevik infantry. 

All Copplestone Castings again. Given the add-hoc, and often ragged appearance of the Red armies, I’ve tried to mix up the uniforms a bit, and equally give them a toned-down look.

I painted one of the officers/commissars in a conjectural Cheka uniform, with the mandatory black leather jacket and hat (though at the time, they were most likely dressed the same as the rest of the infantry). Let’s just say he needed to resemble “Strelnikov.”

The flag is one I lifted off the internet, apparently representing some Red unit opposing Yudenich’s White Army near St. Petersburg in 1919.

The points summary:

15 x 5 = 75 points for fifteen 28mm foot miniatures.

Mark, you are beavering away on this most excellent Civil War project of yours for sure. Another great unit to bolster the bolshevik ranks. The banners really enhance the overal look of the unit. Well done can't wait to see a group shot of the entire project!

MarkG: Red Sailors from the Russian Civil War (70 points)

Back to the main RCW project: this is my first attempt at Russian sailors from the Baltic Fleet who joined the Bolsheviks in 1917. 

All the figures are from Copplestone Castings and have been sitting on the lead mountain for longer than can be mentioned in polite society.

These are painted very much with the early Civil War in mind, when the sailors were still wearing naval kit. As the war dragged on, their appearance became far more mongrel, with increasing amounts of infantry clothing mixed in as original uniforms wore out. 

After 1919, and away from the naval flotillas, they also served in reasonable numbers on armoured trains, their experience with naval artillery making them well suited to the guns mounted on many of these.

I tried to dig up some information on their flags, but didn't find much, so I went with a standard RSFR flag from 1918, which seems to have been carried by a wide range of units.

The points summary:

14 x 5 = 70 points for fourteen 28mm foot miniatures.

Back indeed Mark and with a vengeance, what a great set of miniatures! You have really outdone yourself on these brave sailor boys and the choice of uniforms is inspiring, great work.

 Cheers Sander