KenR - Obwalden & the Rear Rankers, Swiss Pike - 323 points

 

My final entry for this years Challenge (where did that go !) suspiciously sounds like a 1970s Folk Rock Band, in fact I'm thinking of forming a little pop combo called "Obwalden and the Rear Rankers" myself.

One of the main focuses this year has been to add to my Swiss pike collection and with 160 new figures done over the last few months this group of 64 finish off my target for the Challenge.

First up is the contingent from the Canton of Obwalden, these will form the final "column" in the overall 128 figure block I've completed. A nice and simple red and white scheme based around the flags which are from Flags of War.

Figures are of course 28mm and as previously are a mix of Perrys and Steelfist with a guest appearance from Petes Flags range of Renaissance figures (which he kindly sent me some samples of a while back). 32 figs here, 8 per base on 60 x 50 bases with an extended front base to protect the figures (and players) from those pointy sticks.

Added to that we have the Rear Rankers, I needed an extra base for four previously painted "columns" to extend another block out to 128 figures and whilst I was knee deep in Pike it made sense to get these done. Figures here are either Perry or Petes Flags.

No extended bases here as these 32 figures will join the back of existing units, the 4 "Cantons" represented here are Zug and Lucerne (blue and white) Basel - Stadt (Black and white) and Bern (red, yellow, white)

So for the final entry of the year I have 64 x 28mm foot at 5 points each and 3 Flags for a total of 323 to add to the total.

It's been another great challenge and although I'm well short of my target I really feel as if I've got something done.

I'll sum up in a Wrap Post after we finish, but a special thanks once again to Curt Campbell for organising this wonderful worldwide event.

Oh go on then, here's a 160 figure Pike Block 

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Wow Ken, these are the kind of posts I love the challenge for and wish we saw more of.  A HUGE massive unit of models, and every one of them stunningly painted!  This is what we all need to be doing and posting!  Although what on earth you need a 160 figure block of pike for is beyond me, but we are all mad in our own way.  Thank you for such a great post!

- Byron 

KenR - 28mm Swiss Thun Pike - 163 points

 

As we enter the last few weeks of the Challenge I have switched full production to the Swiss Pike in an attempt to get the planned figures done before the end of the Challenge.

Here are the boys from Thun, 32 x 28mm Perry and Steelfist Miniatures painted up in a mainly red and white scheme to match the flags, these will form a "column" within the main block.

The 3 rear bases have 8 figures and are 60 x 50, while the front base is extended to 60 x 110 to accommodate the levelled Pike at the front. Flags are from Flags of War.

Points wise it's 32 28mm figs at 5 pts a piece plus 3 flags at a point a piece for 163. I have one more "column" to do which are underway and then I have 32 more Pike to extend the rear ranks of an existing block (because 96 figures just isn't big enough 😄) and of course heres a group to date shot.

What a Thun-dering great pike block Ken!  (Don't worry I am only here on a limited engagement.). There's just so much to love here.  I know these fine figures and they've been beautifully painted, posed and based.  The read and white scheme is very effective and love the flags.

From GrahamB - Italian Wars Swiss Pike Block (253 points)

I finished painting these a couple of weeks ago but hadn’t got round to making the flags until recently. Then I suffered from technology challenges and was not able to upload photos for a couple of weeks.  

I have been interested in the Italian Wars since the late 1970s and the fabulous Hinchliffe Italian Wars figures by Hinchliffe sculpted by Peter Gilder as featured in Battles for Wargames magazine.  A couple of years ago, I was fortunate to win several eBay lots of vintage Hinchliffe and Connaisseur Italian Wars figures.  2025 saw the release by Warlord Games of their Death and the Landsknechts Pike and Shotte supplement and several of the scenarios therein prompted me to increase my Swiss from a contingent to an army, and this is the latest addition to my Swiss.  This pike block inspired by my long-gone Hinchliffe 1970s collection comprises veteran Hinchliffe, Connaisseur and the odd Minifigs figure.  Unlike my earliest Italian Wars collection from back in the 1970s, many of these figures have been converted by the use of Perry metal heads, Perry plastic and Wargames Atlantic Conquistador components to make a unit of Swiss from the Canton of Grisons. 

The unit comprises of 9 stands of 4 pike including 3 flags, 3 stands of 3 double handed weapons, 4 stands each with one skirmisher and a separately based figure for the blood flag.  The 16 stands depict one Large pike blocks under the Pike and Shotte Italian Wars rules and represent the unit upgrades of heavy armour, halberds forward, aquebusiers forward and a blood.

So 36 pike, 9 double handers and 5 skirmishers = 50 figures @ 5 points each plus 3 flags at 1 point each gives a total 253 points.

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Well, that is quite the pack of chaps with long, pointy pikes! There is something deeply awesome about a miniature pike block on the gaming table, and when you factor in the splendid setting that is the Italian Wars, I totally get the appeal of the setting! I nearly been trapped into it myself - and submissions like this from Challengers don't help me stay focused, that's for sure. 

Glad the technology challenges have been sorted, at least for now. 253 points for you!

GregB

KenR - 28mm Swiss Pike - Glarus (175 pts)

 

After a week off last week for a birthday trip away with Mrs YG, it's time to get back to the grindstone, or in my case the Pike Block.

So this is the "column" of the block from Glarus, a city and Canton in Switzerland. The figures are 28mm and are a mix of Perrys and Steelfist. There are quite a few more Steelfist in this "unit" mostly on the front base.

There were no uniforms in the Italian Wars but to get a feel for a unit I have used the colours from the flags, which are mostly red, so to give me a bit more variation I used a deep red and a scarlet red as two separate colours, along with black, yellow and a touch of white.

In total there are 32 x 28mm figures at 5pts each for 160 points plus 3 flags at a point each making 163 in total.

I'll leave you with a couple of pictures of the block so far (half finished), I will be doing a "Thun" column next. But before that I've some obligatory Spanish Heavies to do along with some Prussian Landwehr.

Great Schnabziger Ken, those are amazing!  Love the mass, the posing and basing and the colours.  I agree with your idea of using a key colour to identify units, and the red from the flag seems an excellent choice.  I have to say that's sinister looking preacher on the lead base's flag.  I am rounding your score up to 175, cos I get to do these things.

KenR - 28mm Swiss Italian Wars Pike (Basel) 170 pts

 

This is my main focus for this years Challenge, an expansion of my Swiss for the Italian Wars hopefully adding another 2 x 128 figure units during the 3 months, and as every journey starts with a single step, every Pike Block begins with a 32 figure "column"

These figures carry the flags of Basel and always I have simply taken the colours of the flags as the Palette for the figures. I will produce 4 such "columns" each from a different Canton or City for each block so the units will be 4 bases wide by 4 bases deep or a Pike Square.

The figures are 28mm Perry (both metal and plastic) with a couple of Steelfist Miniatures in the front Rank. They are slightly larger than the Perrys but you can't really tell in the unit as a whole. Figs are 8 figs per base on a 60 x 50 with the front base (with lowered Pike 110 x 60) to protect people's fingers from the sharp Pikes.

So points wise there are 32 x 28mm foot at 5 points a piece plus 3 flags at 1 each, giving a total of 163 points. The flags are from Flags of War.

The 2nd unit of Spanish Heavies is nearly done after which I have some French Napoleonic Generals (for the Empire Bonus Round) then Spanish Heavies 3 before I return to the next Pike Column. So I should have some Cavalry for you next week.

It wouldn't be a Tuesday without a paints bomb from ken, and what a wonderful one this is.  Lovely work all around, the figure selection and posing, the basin, and painting and the flags. I am rounding this up to 170 points and then getting out of the way so that others can drool.

 

Peter

From EdwardG: More Swiss than you can shake a chocolate stick at (100 points)

Hej all, 

As of the posting of this entry, I'm now officially one week away from leaving for the SAGA tournament where I will be playing my Swiss force for the first time :S

Luckily, as the supplement was shipped only a few days ago, I'm going with the hope that no one else has managed to practice with their warbands. So it's hopefully going to be a level playing field on that basis at least 8)

But being only 1 week from getting on the plane does mean that I'm very tight for the minis that I can get finished. 

So far this week I've managed 12 crossbow armed Levies, and artillery piece, and two flag holders!

All are Perry Miniatures, with minor conversions as before. I'm hoping I can get a final picture of the force before I pack everyone up. If not it'll be action shots from the day ;)

Points:

12 x 28mm Crossbowmen = 60pts

2 x 28mm flag holders = 10pts

1 x artillery piece = 10pts

4 x artillery crew = 20pts

Total = 100pts! 

Hope to see you all next week with my final last minute (I mean perfectly punctual) Swiss!!

TTFN :D 

Ed

Some goodlooking Swiss, Ed! I hope you will do well in your tournament, and I'd love to see some photos of your complete force. 100 points added to your total.

From EdwardG: Some more Swiss and a BEAR! (40pts)

 Hej all,

Happy New Year!! 

Hope everyone had a good slide into 2025! Looking at some of the minis already painted for the challenge has been inspirational as it always is. You lot are just incredible :)

Another small Swiss based entry from me today. Not much more to say, except that these are all Perry metals. I really prefer metal minis to plastic, but wallet and weight don't allow me to always indulge. Lucky for me these were a gift from a very dear friend!

Hope you like them! 

Points:

7 x 28mm foot = 35pts

1 x 28mm bear = 5pts

Total = 40pts 

(Scored the bear as a horse/foot figure, seemed about right!)

TTFN! Hope to see you all next week :D

Ed

Nice Alpine entry, Ed!. I like how you tied them all together with their green and yellow livery. The bear looks great! I am with you on the metal versus plastic; although lugging metal figures around can be quite hard, I like the heft of the figures and they are often just a little more austere in their design. 

That's 40 points for you!

Martijn

From EdwardG - 28mm (kinda) Swiss for SAGA AoC [40pts]

 Hello all!

So very happy to be back taking part in the painting challenge! I've got a massive lead pile (don't we all!) And great, certainly delusional,  plans to make a significant dent into it this challenge. As a family we've recently been joined by our second child, so painting time is even more limited! But I am managing to grab 30min here and there. So, look forward to an eclectic mix of table ready quality minis in many different scales from me this year :) hopefully. Sadly though, I'm not sure I've got much that fits into the challenge locations, so I'll not be gaining many bonus points this year.

First up, I present a round 8 of Perry miniatures. The bodies are all from the plastic French Agincourt kit, with heads from an mix of different kits. Annoyingly it seems that the Perries changed their neck connection somewhere between two generations of plastic kits. Made kitbashing a little more of a pain than it might have been. 

The minis have been painted up in a totally imaginary livery colours. They're to join my current project of trying to get a SAGA Agr of Chivalry Swiss force painted up for a competition at the end of January. I've been hamstrung a little as the supplement book was supposed to be published in the summer, still hasn't appeared. So I'm not sure exactly how many minis I need to paint. So I'll keep painting until the day and see what kind of force I can build. I've gone with the imaginary livery as I'm rather bored of only seeing red/white, black/yellow or blue/white colours on Swiss minis.

For points that should be:

8x 5pts = 40pts

Hope everyone has an enjoyable rest of the festive holiday! And see you all soon! 

Best, 

Ed

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Lovely work Ed. Yes, I think we all suffer from a somewhat over-optimistic expectation of what we can achieve over the three months of the Challenge, but that's all a part of the fun, right? Congratulations on the new addition to your family. I laud your efforts to try to carve out time here and there to work on your hobbies. Sanity is key! :) These Swiss-adjacent chaps look the business with their green and yellow livery cutting the dash and being quite fashion-forward. I hope the army book shows up for you before your upcoming tournament, but at least you should be ready for whatever it reveals. Well done!

- Curt

From GrahameH - Italian and Swiss Wars (290 Pts)

Well this will be my last post for this year. I would like to thank all those that have organised and run the challenge again this year. 

So my last post consists of some more Italian Wars (15mm Essex Figures) and a Swiss Pike block for the Burgundian Wars.

Papal Pike Block (48 Essex 15mm figures)

Papal Crossbow Unit (16 Figures)

Papal Arquebus Skirmish Line (9 Figures)

Papal Foot Unit (24 Figures). Probably a bit too red and uniformed

Finally, another Swiss Pike Block from the Schwyz Canton (48 Figures)

So, that's it until next year. Thanks again to everyone for making it an enjoyable challenge. 

Oh almost forgot.

145 Infantry = 290 Pts 

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A nice Renaissance bomb for a parting shot, Grahame. 

I really enjoyed your Renaissance units this year, especially these large blocks of pike. So impressive and very nice, clean and crisp painting. Well done!

Great work Grahame! Thanks for joining us for this edition and I hope you can make it out for the next.

- Curt

From Kerry T - Some cross Swiss and fiery Imperials (145 points)

Morning, afternoon & evening all

For my second post this week, its back to the Great Italian Wars.

This started a good few years ago when I got well and truly "shinnied" by a picture of the then new Artizan Designs Landsknecht. A few years later I added some of their Swiss pike and I think last year added a few arquebusiers to keep them company.

A year on and I've added some Swiss Crossbowmen

From the versatile Perry Plastics European Mercenaries box

I still haven't sorted a rule set or played a game with my growing Italian wars collection so far but figured it would be sensible for the Swiss pike to have some fire support. I put 12 plastic figures together but added the metal Swiss heads sold on the Perry Miniatures website

Stripey trousers not really optional

I think these match well enough with the Artizan figures painted years ago though perhaps there is too much blue in the pike block

Also known as Reilly block as there are 96 Pike😃

Come back you cowards

Then I moved on to others in the same box this time stuck together as arquebusiers and given an Imperial flag but intended to be generic with a bit more variation in the colour scheme but less stripes this time.

Flags by Pete's Flags

So in summary

12 Swiss Crossbowmen  28mm  @5 points = 60

16 Imperial arquebusiers in 28mm@ 5 points = 80 points

Total 140 points

2 Squirrels

From Millsy: There are few sights more impressive on a games table than renaissance pike if you ask me. What a wonderful batch of figures this is Kerry, right down to all the crazy striped leggings which is worth another 5 point from my POV. Capped off with a decent batch of huge banners these are a real treat. Love 'em mate!