From JamesM: A Bridge(ing tank) too far! (Historical Dramas)(28 points)

Hi Folks,

Following on from my visit to the 'High Adventure' studio, a brief stroll over to the 'Historical Dramas' studio was blocked by a river of tears caused by my stretching of studio themes. Tankfully(!) I have just the thing to get across...  

My entry for the Historical Drama studio is another painting desk lurker. Which now makes the slow journey to join its comrades in the retirement home for miniatures that is my model storage boxes. Slow being the operative word, when combined with a Valentine II tank hull carrying a 9 ton folding bridge. 

These vehicles, which came about following developments as far back as WW1, were part of a fleet of specialist armour developed by the British in order to undertake engineering tasks while under fire. These particular vehicles carried a bridge capable of supporting Sherman or Cromwell tanks and were undoubtedly used during Market Garden - but were more likely used for crossing cratered roads, blown culverts or larger ditches/anti-tank trenches than for crossing rivers. However, the main theme for the vehicle comes from my obsession with adding unusual oddities to my collection - especially engineering related ones!  

This model is a resin 3d print from Battlefield3d of a 'Valentine Bridgelayer' tank, and came with a rather nifty folding bridge due to a hinge point which came pre-setup for me. These vehicles were assigned as support elements to armoured brigade HQs, carried a bridge capable of crossing a 10 meter gap and carrying a 30 ton vehicle.  

As per many items in my collection for Flames of War, these vehicles are not represented in the rules (although there are rules of the Churchill bridgelayer). This is also the second bridging tank in my collection - hence it being a bridging tank too far. Or A Bridge Too Far, for short! 

However, we do play big scenario driver games, and this type of model is just too cool not to have! 

The model was lovely to paint up after all those Chaos Cultists. Decals have been applied to my usual standard - with markings for 33 Armoured Brigade command being applied ('170' in a red square, with the black and green hourglass motif of the brigade). I've also added some War Department serial numbers, and a bridging weight disk (which took some research). I was unable to add allied recognition stars, due to a lack of any suitable surface. However, looking at the vehicles on display in museums, I could see no stars present on them anyway. 

This 15mm vehicle would be 8 points. Plus 20 points for the studio. 

 Minion Miles: Ok 4 submissions in a single day, no matter how lovely the miniature and this is a very nice engineering tank, is definitely a violation of the Minions Collective Bargaining Agreement.  You, Sir, should expect a labor action from Minions local 402. You have brought this dire fate upon yourself.  As per the agreement, the painting of picketing signs DOES count as terrain for Challenge scoring.

From RobP (Codsticker): Preliminary Bombardment

As is the custom this year, I am 'showing off' (for lack of a more appropriate phrase) my work area. Not much to speak of; it is the old front entrance of the house (we don't use it anymore) which I share with the kitty litter box (a pretty good indicator of where my hobby and I stand in the household). Currently sitting on it are some 15mm Sassanid command models which will be based for Field of Glory. On the left is an old dresser which houses hobby supplies: two drawers of paints; 1 of flock, static grass and foam turf; 1 of small terrain odds and sodds (fences, barrels, crates, etc). 

The photo below shows what I have prepared for the Challenge so far.  The RUB currently holds about half of my target this year: some 28mm Dark Ages, 28mm mounted ECW, LoTR Khand, 15mm Sassanid archers. Just behind it is a number of LoTR Khandish items still boxed that I hope to get to during this edition of the AHPC.

I do have most of the unfinished basement all to my self although most of it is taken up with work benches and my hand and power tools. I have about 25% of the space chock-a-block with painted and unpainted minis as well as finished terrain and terrain supplies. The 4' by 4' MDF and 3' by 3' plywood are finished skirmish tables and I have set up a temporary photography area

Yes, most of rough necks on the left are filled with unpainted minis/terrain but a couple do have finished terrain items in them. The half wall at the back of the photo has a mix of painted items as well as untouched games. So... I will have no problem finding something to paint for this challenge.

From PhilH: Antihero Curtgeld (27 points)

Sorry Curt, I ignored your instructions for this year’s Curtgeld. Instead my token of appreciation to our Challenge Custodian is a “superhero” that’s rather more up his alley.  

The titular character of DC/Vertigo's horror series John Constantine: Hellblazer is an occult detective and con-man. A deeply cynical, deadpan, chain-smoking Liverpudlian punk, he’s pretty much the epitome of an antihero. While he strives to do good, his main tools are deceit, cunning and some hedge-magic. Constantine tends to succeed only at great cost to those around him, often his closest friends, and is wracked with guilt over past mistakes. 

The sculpt really captures the character: scruffy but charismatic. Probably the best-known Hellblazer storyline is 1991's 'Dangerous Habits', having Constantine contract terminal cancer from his lifelong habit. Knowing his soul is damned, he strives to con the lords of hell out of their prize. This run also has the dubious honour of being the very loose source material for the inexecrable Keanu Reeves film adaption (if you haven't watched it, just don't)

I bought Constantine as Curtgeld for the more thematic Challenge VIII, but never got around to prepping him for painting. He might be late, but I'm chuffed with the final result here, and wish I got to keep him.

I used the supplied cobblestone base, very fitting for a working-class inner-city fella like Constantine. I was going for a rain-slicked cobbles look and added an appropriate band poster.

Contains subtle swearyness

The mini is by Knight Models. A resin cast originally sculpted for metal, he should be more like this, but the demonic fire is so flimsy it was broken on arrival. Now it just looks a bit like poor John has set fire to his hand. I fired Knight an email about it, to no response. I've been done with Knight a little while now: pricey, poor quality and shabby customer service. 

I need an adjudicator on whether I can claim another squirrel for this one? I mean, he’s DC rather than Marvel and about as different a comic book hero to the spandex-clan X-Men as it’s possible to be...

I'm cooking up two more entries for the final straight - but will I be able to hit a nice round 500?

__________________________________________________________________

And more not French! 

Curtgeld can always be paid in arrears, much like Army pay. So this can always be applied retroactively to Painting Challenge VIII. After all, I am shipping Curt a figure from Challenge VII!

And while I understand the frustration of both a broken figure and poor customer service, I'd say it looks better as you've painted it. Very much a lemons from lemonade there. In fact, your rendering is very much better than the Knight Models promotion.

Let's see, a 40mm figure is 7 points, and Curtgeld gets you another 20, for a total of 27. And yes, DC and Marvel will NEVER mix, so you meet Squirrel point criteria there. So, I'll allow it.

HerrRobert, Friday Follies Phantasmical, Over

RossM - Challenge VIII Group Shot

This is my 7th Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge and I have enjoyed this as much as each of the previous challenges I have taken part in. The challenge to me has always been about having fun with a hobby and past time that I am both interested in and passionate about. Its also about learning through participation in what has become a calendar event in the blogosphere of miniature painting.

Each year is different and this year saw me pass my challenge point total by a huge 2% coming in at 306 against a challenge total of 300 points. Had planned on passing this total by far more this year and have several different projects that were originally planned for completion in the challenge that will see their time later rather than sooner.

As has become a part of the challenge here are my group shots which where taken earlier today and I forgot to take one with me at their side.

The whole 306 points

My favourite piece this year has been the MKIII in 20mm from Britannia/Grubby Tanks shown top left below.

28mm and 20mm  - 86 points

15mm Undead - 220 points

Below shows where it all happens now and if you look closely you will see some of the unfinished miniatures that were mentioned throughout the challenge.

The mug shot and the great unfinished at the painting desk

Over the last few challenges I have returned to the miniatures that brought me into this hobby and as I am already planning for next year's challenge here are some more retro figures from the early eighties  - DL2 Aly Morrison's Hobgoblins. If anyone out there has anymore of these please leave a message on current post on my blog

For this year's Curtgeld I opted to donate to charity and as Diabetes has been in my family for several generations I have donated to Diabetes UK.

Looking forward to following everyones progress throughout the year and the calling to the challenge  in October/November.

Peace and health to everyone

Cheers, Ross

From LeeH - AHPC VIII Body of Work

This was my fourth Painting Challenge and this time around I set myself what I thought was an ambitious target of 1000 points, especially when painting 6mm figures. Well I blew my target out of the water and achieved a personal best that I never would have thought possible just a few months ago. My final tally came to 1307 points which I am very VERY pleased with. And here's a picture of everything that I completed during the Challenge.

LeeH body of Work  - AHPC VIII

Smashing my target! 

What we have here are mostly Baccus 6mm figures and the beginnings of two armies for the Anglo Zulu War of 1879. I say beginning because I reckon I'm less then half way through my Zulu's and I still have a lot of British units still to paint, and that's just so I can recreate the Battle of Isandlwana. Talking of which here's a quick picture of the battle with the forces I have completed so far. 

Isandlewana, January 1979

And a more detailed look at the British Units I completed over the last three months.

24th Foot Marching

24th Foot in Line

24th Foot in Skirmish

Artillery and Gatling Guns

Imperial Mounted Infantry

Bell Tents

Cattle

Ox Waggons

All the British I have completed thus far

Not forgetting the Zulu Army... It looks like a lot but these represent just 14,000 warriors and there were somewhere in the region of 21,000 at the Battle of Isandlwana. I have a lot more Zulu's still to paint!

iNgobamakhosi Regiment

iMubbe and Isanqu

Nokenke

umCijo

umHlanga

Zulu Commanders

Riflemen / Skirmishers

And the whole Impi as it stands right now

I always enjoy the Bonus rounds, even if the categories sometimes give me a headache. This year I was able to take part in all the Bonus rounds and here's what I came up with.

Flight

BFG

Musician

Childhood

Monstrous

This just leaves the extra items I painted ans submitted as regular entries. Along with my bonus round entries these will go in my limited display space....I'm gonna need a proper display cabinet pretty soon.

Jingle Bells!

Bromhead

Looking Forward

I'm really happy with my output this year. My own target of 1000 points was a real challenge for me and one I thought I would struggle to achieve. I owe my success in no small part to a very understanding wife who has given me plenty of space to get on with my painting. Of course the payoff for her is that I have promised to get some home decorating done... so I'll be swapping my brushes for something a little larger in the next few weeks. The break from painting 6mm figures will no doubt give my eyesight a rest.

Once again a big thank you must go out to Curt for running this madness and to all the Minions who did a wonderful job keeping track of points and posts (yes, even you Ray). But I think the biggest thank you has to go out to all the other participants and the massive array of entries they have submitted. Its been inspirational and I'm humbled to be in such talented company. OK, time to start buying new stuff...see ya'll in 9 months!