From RhysH - Abyssal Dwarf sorcerer on Winged Halfbreed (20 points)

This week Rhys finally finished his Abyssal Dwarf on a Winged Halfbreed for Kings of War from Mantic Games. He's wanted this model for years and his brother got it for him for Christmas. Rhys was never aware of the Chaos Dwarfs but he fell in love with their Mantic versions the first time he saw them. Some of his units have featured in previous challenges.

These are both resin models in 28mm.

Sadly he broke off the horn when he was painting it.

This dwarf model can be built as a warrior or sorcerer.

There is good detail in this beast. It's the same body as the dragons, but has a different head for this purpose. It's a clever build option that works very well.

This model actually fits well on the small base with so much of the mass spreading out as it rises above the level of all of the foot units that will be around it and attacking it.

Rhys went for a deliberate ruddy complexion to show that he has risen from the Abyss.

This face is really spectacular. I love the brassy look that Rhys achieved on it.

I'm not sure what the points on this should be. Five for the little dude on top, but the beast is significantly larger than that.

***

Well now, what IS it with things from the abyss being sinister and evil? 

This sure looks like a large project - sorry to see that damage was suffered in the painting process, but I certainly sympathize, given that I pretty routinely damage figures I am painting...

That "winged halfbreed" is quite the beast. Let's clock him at 15 points, making 20 points for the whole thing. Well done Rhys! Congratulations on completing a big centrepiece type model, one that you have had your eye on for some time!

GregB

From RhysH - Supers and a Dinosaur (35 points)

This week Rhys has more Supers from AMG's Marvel Crisis Protocol and another dinosaur from the upcoming Dino game from our local developer.

First up is Mysterio (Quentin Beck). 

The next entry is Shocker.

Rhys painted this one exactly like the drawing on the unit card.

The MCP figures are dynamic, though often very fiddly to assemble.

The large bases make each model a mini-diorama.

Last of the supers is Vulture, another very dynamic sculpt.

Rhys went all-in on the metal wings.

This is a great view of the intricate wings on the model.

The last piece of MCP kit is an objective marker.

It's some bit of ruined - stuff.

Even the objectives are intricate and fiddly.

The final entry for this week is a small lizardy dinosaur.

These are very nice sculpts and a great example of the way the state of the art has advanced in recent years. These are resin casts but a local dude could afford to get them sculpted and cast.

The water base nicely captures this thing's natural habitat.

That's 3 x 54mm = 30 points

1 x 54mm objective = 5 points?

1 x 28mm four footed figure = 5 points

Total = 40 points

***

Hi Rhys - great to see more super hero production from your painting table. As you say, the MCP figures certainly look exciting and dynamic in their posing, but the experienced-wargamer-side of my mind always clinches a little bit when you see such figures with tenuous connections to bases. They might be super tough in their universe, but the models portraying them are not always super tough in the real world...but whatever, they look great. My favourite of the lot is Shocker, as he appears to be on point with his powers and task!

I like the objective marker too, but that would count as a terrain bit, and so would be left to Byron to sort out. Perhaps he might opine in a separate post or comment.

The dino is lovely, and nice work on the water base!

That's 35 points for you Rhys for the non-terrain figures - well done!

GregB

From RhysH - The Fellowship and a dinosaur (55 points)

This week Rhys has the Fellowship of the Ring in plastic from GW and a resin dinosaur from a new game that one of our local Colorado guys is developing.

All nine of them. I think this is some of Rhys' best work.

Aragorn, one of Rhys' favorites. 

Rhys loves this guy in a all of his forms. He's really good in game, as he should be.

The other four big folks.

I think Rhys nailed the shield on Boromir. I like his better than the one I painted.

The four hobbits. Rhys likes Pippin the best, perhaps because he can be taken in Minas Tirith but it's hard to say.

Rhys has wanted the Fellowship for a long time so getting these painted is a definite mile-stone for him.

Next up is a resin dinosaur from a game under development here in Colorado by Joseph Ritzer. He's had quite a few different creatures sculpted and cast in resin and is demoing it at local gaming conventions. I looked for a page for the game but he doesn't appear to have it up yet. Rhys was not really a dinosaur kid but he liked the game and loved the models, and Joseph is a genuinely nice guy. 

Swampy base and dirty dino.

As you can see these are nice, clean casts with good detail. 

I think I'll try to get Rhys to work with washes next. He takes advice better from our friends but we'll see how it goes.

I with I'd gotten a side-by-side with the Fellowship, but Rhys whisked the dino off to his room as soon as it was painted. It's the size of a 28mm monster so that's how we'll score it.

That's 9x28mm Fellowship = 45 points

1 x 28mm Monster = 10 points

***

Great work Rhys - your wok on the Fellowship really highlights the progress you continue to make in your painting, and there are some fine results here. Even better, surely, is that feeling of having completed one of those "oh, I have always wanted to get this!" sort of projects, such as the Fellowship from the "Lord of the Rings." I paint a lot - I love it, after all - but when you get one of those sort of projects finished, there is an extra charge, providing further motivation to keep painting, and just a nice little jolt when you see the models on a shelf - or, even better, a game!

That dinosaur is a large one, for sure - I hope things come together for your friend's efforts to develop a game!

That will by 45 points for you Rhys!

Greg

From RhysH - Marvel Crisis Protocol (35 points)

I've been on the road since the new year so Rhys' models have been piling up as he beavers away at his backlog. Rhys got a lot of Crisis Protocol models from AMG for Christmas. He played a demo game at Adepticon last year and loved it. Two of my friends also play. We have not managed to get a single game in during the last year. Still, he wanted more models. I used photo editing to take out the background on these. I think I don't like it but I'm interested in what everyone else thinks.

The whole group. Very super-y and Hero-y.

These models are incredibly difficult to build and very fragile. Carnage is literally hanging off a couple of strings there. By the way, Rhys knows I'm not a "super hero guy" so when he paints them up and they are ready for pictures he puts their game cards under the models so I can post the right names here. He's a problem solver.

This guy is, cleverly, named Lizard. Also Curtis Connors.

To me he looks like he's fleeing in terror but I am told that I am wrong and I can accept that.

Next up is Carnage.

Badass but hanging by a thread.

Carnage is known for such things as (checks notes) Sadistic Glee and Painting the Town Red.

This is Beast. Rhys went metallic blue, which is a nice touch, I think.

This is Green Goblin. Another model that is barely supported. Very dynamic and cool looking on the table but, difficult to put together.

The smoke trail looks so firm and supporting but it's all illusion. Rhys and I had to go several rounds on getting him all "stable". I shudder to think what will happen on a gaming table.

Last up is Mystique.

Rhys made the face hard to see on purpose since she's a shape shifter.

More of the semi-metallic blue to try to match her in the movies. I think he nailed it.

That's 5 32mm+ minis for 50 35 points.

Good work here Rhys on some nice models. I think my favourite is Mystique - I'm a big fan of the old Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. I'm going to correct the math here though as 40mm models are worth 7 points each.

Thanks for this Rhys and 35 points for your tally!

Dallas

From RhysH - 28mm and 32mm Fantasy and Sci-Fi (30 points)

This week Rhys has models for four different games. Some are 28mm and some are 32mm and the Crisis Protocol is even bigger than that.

First up is a Bones dragon that my dad gave me. It doesn't stand up well.

I love all dragons but this one is another black dragon.

This is Bucky, the Winter Soldier.

The bases for Crisis Protocol are really big.

These are the customizable Jedi for Star Wars Legion

The double bladed lightsaber is the best in game. The third option is to have two lightsabers.

Last up is Prince Imrahil of Dol Amroth. This is the new plastic model and is GREAT.

The layered way that GW builds models now is hard to put together but they look really good.

Imrahil is one of my favorite characters so I'm really excited about this new model.

That's 4 x 28-32mm models for five points each = 20 pts

1 x 28mm monster = 10pts (?)

***

Hi Rhys - thank you for another varied submission, touching on so many different areas and themes! I too love Dol Amroth from Tolkein's setting, and I had not realized there are new plastic figures available for them. Your description of GW's approach to newer plastic figures is apt - they are indeed more "layered". I see this as a side-effect of using software for designs, but it also has upsides - the figures can be quite beautiful. 

Imrahil is my favourite here, ready to face the evil forces from the East!

I think 10 points for the Dragon is fine with me - that makes for 30 points for you.

GregB

RhysH - Fantasy, super heroes and Sci-Fi in several scales (49 points)

 This week is a group of models from four different sources.

First off are two 32mm entries from AMG's Star Wars Legion Empire line. They are the customizable Officer and Operative.

These are a new addition to the game. The box lets you build two characters with a ton of options to customize them as you assemble them, but also as you add them to your army.

Rhys did some reflected glow off of the lava bases on the uniforms.

The character on the left is melee focused while the one on the right is a ranged support character.

Next up is a birthday present from Rhys' cousin, who also likes D&D. It's a cloaker, a nasty monster that inhabits dungeons and kills low level players.

It's mottled gray coloring helps it blend into the roofs of caverns where it hides.

This is a large model, easily twice as big as the Empire heroes above.

Next up are two Kings of War models from Mantic Games. The barbarian on the war-goat is for the Northern Alliance while the panther is from Basilea.

Rhys is finally ready to start learning to paint faces.

The models are fighting in the snowy north, where the Northern Alliance is from.

The panther is bendy soft plastic and was very difficult to get based, but he persevered and got it to stick.

Last up are two models for Crisis Protocol, AMG's super hero game. These are Beast and Mystique.

These are 40mm, with Beast coming in quite a bit bigger.

These models can be quite fiddly to assemble. AMG apparently thinks that bigger scale enables smaller attachment points. They are not correct. Rhys said the hardest part of Beast was figuring out that he had to attach the beam to the base first, then put Beast on it.

The heroes use character cards in game and Rhys was able to use those as painting guides for these figures.

This is 3 x 28-32mm figures for 15 points

1 x 28mm cavalry for 10 points

1 x 40mm monster for 7 points

1 x 40mm Mystique for 7 points

1 x 54mm Beast for 10 points

The two Empire characters are Rhys' entry for the first bonus round, EMPIRE.

Total points are 49 points, plus the bonus round when it comes up.

***

Hello Rhys - and Happy New Year! Thank you for sharing this interesting assortment of figures with us. 

Now I must confess - I'm not one for the super-hero genre from Marvel, so those are not figures I would be near myself, but it sure sounds like they were a pain in the rear end to get put together. I'm sure many Challengers sympathize with your experience, managing figures designed by people who don't ever actually put them together, much less game with them...

But congrats on sticking with it! You have some fine results here. I also salute your efforts to work on reflected-glow-effects...that is something I will NEVER have the courage to try myself! Well done!

That's 49 points for you - cheers!

Greg