Challenge Day One Without Me

Today is the first day of the Challenge and it's without me. At the weekend I withdrew, which wasn't an easy decision. I had been looking forward to taking part once again, but recently my fatigue levels seem to have been going up. I could only see them going up still further if I was taking part, so I decided to withdraw before it started and let someone else take my place rather than having to withdraw part-way through.

Anyway, despite withdrawing I will be following everyone's efforts and cheering them on.

So, I'll leave this post by wishing all those taking part this year the very best of luck in achieving and exceeding their targets.

Wednesday Update 06 December

Sorry for going quiet on you - various things happened which have put painting on hold. Namely building works in my bedroom which meant moving my mattress into my painting room, thereby blocking me from getting to my painting desk. It's all done now, but I've got a lot of dust and stuff to clean up over the next few days. As a result, it looks unlikely that I'll get the Ming Chinese finished before the start of the Challenge, but it does mean that I'll have some things ready to go which will get me some quick points.

Where did I leave you? Oh yes, the Blue Hat and Green Hat cavalry. Well, before painting was interrupted, I did manage to finish the horses and also got a good way through painting the riders. It's just details, highlights and touch-ups left to do before varnishing and basing them.

I have ordered some more figures ready for the Challenge. From North star I ordered the other pack of Artizan WW2 Australians and three Pulp Figures packs. they arrived last week and I got them prepped and washed quite quickly. This evening I've placed a small order with Timecast for another pack of Ming Chinese infantry and some SYW Russians. I'll need to order a few other bits, mostly bases and such-like, this week.

Saturday Workbench 25 November

Before cracking on with the workbench post, I came across this book in The Works while shopping this mornmg:

Before you ask, no I don't have plans to start on the Anglo-Zulu wars any time in the near future. It's just that it was a bargain and should be an interesting read.


But back to the meat of the post - the workbench update. I've taken the past few evenings off painting, so it was time to hit the brushes this afternoon. As I want to try to get all the Ming done before the Challenge kicks off, I grabbed out a few figures to work on. I've opted to finish off the medium cavalry first.

This afternoon I've started on the horses. Basecoats, manes, tails and points are done and they've been given a wash. I've added a few bays, a black and a white to add some variety to the duns. Later on this evening I'll probably do the white markings, eyes and if all goes well the leather bits. Otherwise they'll be done tomorrow.

These are for two units - the "blue hats" and "green hats". I might paint them all as one batch as there will still be a lot of colours in common.

Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge "Ate"

Once again the Snowlord (Curt) has announced the Analogue Hobbies Paint Challenge. And this year it is going to be monstrous! I mean, just look at who the Wednesday minion is....

With seven prior Challenges, that makes this year's AHPC "Ate". In recognition of this, Curt has made the theme for Curtgeld and the final bonus theme round "monsters". 

As a previous entrant in at least four Challenges, I had a reserved place which I have gladly taken up. I've set myself a (for me) low target of 1300 points as I don't want to get caught up inside the hermitage like in previous years. This time I plan to get out gaming at least once a week.

I guess you want to know what I am planning to paint this time around. Well...

1. 15mm Sea Peoples - left over from last year and part of the reason for my lower target as I've got to paint the different colour patters on the kilts and armour.

2. 15mm Mongols - left over from last year

3. 6mm ACW - I have a load of cavalry, artillery and generals left over from last year

4. 28mm monster for Curtgeld (to be bought at some point)

5. 28mm pulp/gangsters - I've still got a lot left from last year and some new purchases

6. 28mm Jailbirds  characters - left over from last year

7. 28mm WW2 Russian Women - some additions purchased at Salute this year

8. 28mm WW2 Aussies - purchased a few weeks ago at SELWG

9. 28mm 2000AD figures - I purchased a few figures at Salute this year

10. 15mm Kra'Vak - bought at SELWG

11. 6mm SYW - purchased at Salute (with some later purchases) to paint up as "imaginations" forces

The first four are my priority and should get me close to my target. If I complete them with time in hand then I'll pick and choose from the others. 

This year won't be seeing any additions to my 15mm Seven Years War Russians, and (probably) no spaceships (although one of the bonus theme rounds is "flight" so maybe...Hmmmm, I do have all those Shapeways TIE fighters to paint- that's a few flights!)

Apart from the "monster" figure and essentials (paint, bases, stuff like that) I won't be making any purchases until it's over. No indeed, I will absolutely not be making any purch...ooh, shiny!

With just under a month to go to the start, I need to start clearing the decks in readiness. That means I need to try to get the rest of the Ming painted. And think about the bonus theme rounds and whether I want to do anything for them.

Finished: 15mm Korean Pikemen and Swordsmen

Today the third of the three sets of figures I finished while I had no internet at home. This time it's the last three bases of troops I need for ADLG. These two bases of "pikemen" and one of "swordsmen" add to the original four and one I painted a few weeks ago.

Pikemen

Swordsmen

These won't be the last additions to my Korean army. I still have a bunch of levy "mob" to paint, and the FoGAM/FoGR lists allows me a few more bases of cavalry.

I've taken the last few evenings off from painting, and might take the next two off as well. I think I deserve it and I'm going to need to build up my painting energy reserves for this year's Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge "AHPC "Ate"" which kicks off on 20 December. Luckily I've got lots of figures primed and ready to go, many of which were prepped and primed for the last one!

Finished: 15mm Ming Chinese Spear & Crossbow Unit #2

And I finally have internet back at home! Hoo-bleedin'-ray!

As promised yesterday, here is the second unit I finished last week. They are the second spear & crossbow unit for my Ming Chinese army. As the first unit was "poor", these will be "average" and so have trim on their robes.

I only need two of these units for FoGR so this completes that portion of the army for now.

I thought you might want to see how the army is progressing, so here is a pic of them in their box:

I do have more units waiting in the painting queue though, so I'll be moving onto the second box very soon. I might also have to buy another set of the flag decals as I've only got a few left.

Finished: 15mm Ming Chinese Generals

Apologies for the interruption to normal blog-posting - I haven't had internet at home since the 10th and have spent a fair bit of time trying to get the problem fixed (long story - might post it when it's finally sorted [which will be tomorrow if all goes well]).

I have been carrying on with painting stuff and this is the first of three "finished" posts coming your way over the next few days.

Last weekend I finished painting the generals and got them based. This gives me four sets of commanders (I only need three for ADLG but can use the 4th for FoGR).

And more pics:

And some close-ups:

Some of the figures I'd ordered from Timecast arrived last weekend. Over the past week (when not painting) I got them all prepped, then primed them on Saturday:

There are three packs still to come from this order - the handgunners, the third (and final) pack of heavy cavalry and another pack of Korean levy for my "mob".

Monday Workbench 06 November

I was supposed to be gaming this evening, but was feeling a bit out of sorts so I emailed my opponent to apologise. As a result you get a workbench post to make up for not doing one yesterday.

I started work on some generals and mounted standard bearers for my Ming forces last night. I actually managed to get a fair bit done - all the horse flesh and markings painted and a black undercoat for the metallic areas. This evening I started on the metallics - first using VMA Black Metal for the steel areas, then VMA copper for the brass/gold areas.

I also decided to take a pic of all the Ming troops I've painted so far in their storage box:

Tomorrow I'm back at work, so progress will slow down.

Sunday Wor... Oh, Finished: 15mm Ming Chinese Spear & Bow Unit #2

Another Sunday and no WIPs to show you. But fear not because...

...I've completed another unit this evening!

This is the second spear & bow unit for my Ming Chinese army. These will be the compulsory "poor" unit for FoGR. What I'd forgotten (and probably won't bother to change now) was my plan to signify "poor" troops by using the same muted colour for coats and hats. At least I remembered not to do a different colour for the trim!

And some close-ups:

Next up will be some more generals, followed by the second spear & crossbow unit.

Most of the order I placed last week with Timecast has been shipped and I expect the postman will drop them off tomorrow. Typically, the handgunners (which I need to make a "legal" army for FoGR) are one of the packs on back-order.

Finished: 15mm Ming Chinese Baggage Elements

I finished painting the Chinese porters and barrow-men last night And started thinking about base composition for the baggage elements. For ADLG you need a 40x80mm base but for FoGR you need one that is 80x120mm. Simple solution - make up 3 elements of 40x80mm. Problem - not enough figures for three bases. Solution - figures on two bases and leave the third one blank.

It was still missing something, but I had a thought - I had a spare horse archer figure from ages back who I could add as a guard. I dug the figure out, glued the rider to the horse and the horse to a painting stick then primed it last night. I managed to get him finished by late afternoon then glued all the figures onto the two bases. Once the superglue had cured I made a start on doing the basing. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I actually managed to take them all the way through to flocking this evening.

Time now for pics:

The porters and barrow-men are from Essex, the horse archer is Old Glory 15s.


Tomorrow I'll be making a start on another spear & bow unit. These chaps will be "poor" as I need at least one of those for FoGR.

Finished: 15mm Choson Korean Levy

In my post yesterday I said I'd done a quick paint of some other figures after finishing the Ming spear & dao unit. Well, here they are - three bases of Choson Korean levy troops.

These three bases are enough for ADLG, but for FoGR I'll need to add another 7 at least for FoGR as the units have to be 10-12 bases. Hmmm, maybe I need to order a couple more packs?


Short Workbench Update

All the figures which came in on Friday have now been prepped and washed. They just need to be stuck onto painting sticks (and riders onto horses) and primed. I'm now working on prepping some more Kra'Vak (the older, smaller figures - these can be "juveniles").

It's also possible that I placed an order with Timecast for the various packs I need to fill out my Ming Chinese army and to complete the Korean "levy" for FoGR.

As far as painting goes, I've started work on the Chinese porters and barrow-men for my Ming camp.

Finished: 15mm Ming Chinese Spear & Dao Unit #2

A slight delay on finishing these off as I decided to paint up some more figures quickly and do all the basing at the same time (there will be a separate "finished" post for those). The basing got done yesterday and I did the dry-brushing and flocking this morning.

Millsy wanted to know what was on the officer's shield, so here's a close-up:

I've got four more infantry units prepped for painting and then it's onto cavalry and generals. I need to order a few more packs (handgunners, archers, heavy cavalry) at some point.