From TimP -Challenge XVI wrap up and Thank you!

A hearty thanks once again to everyone involved especially

Curt, Sarah, DaveD and the minions for other days.

Really enjoyed it, and not wanting to repeat too much from my last post, it's helped get me back painting. It's amazing how the pressure of a totally voluntary target and posting day deadlines can ensure figures are produced and finished. Normally I'm surrounded by projects that are 95-99% done.

Didn't manage a Squirrel or any side duel - maybe I'll manage that next time.

All the figures.

Lower angle shot showing the SOCO at the front.

Next steps, get the Saxon standard bearer finished, and finish the buildings I didn't get done in time for his time. 

Here's looking forward to next year.  

TimP

From Barks: Late Dark Age warriors (Under Construction)(62 points)

Herewith, eight Gripping Beast plastic dark age warriors. These will finally complete my SAGA Anglo-Danes! Late, because my blog exposes me starting this project in late 2012, declaring "In 2013 I'm looking into working on my 'Saga' forces."

Ten years later...

One can't rush these things, you know. Hand-painted shields and what-not.

Anyway, here's the entire contingent. Almost five figures each year! I have distant plans of adding another thirty-odd levy to run them as Anglo-Saxons...

I had to try and match my older painting style, and some of the colours have gone out of production. I think I went pretty well, and they look like a coherent force. Historical accuracy be damned, this is SAGA!

8x 28mm figures (40 points)

Under Construction set (20 points)

I am really not short of projects I could have chosen for this location...

Always good to see some Anglo-Danes, especially when they look as nice as this lot. Honestly speaking, 10 years isn't that bad for a project. I'm sure that most of us have something equally as old, if not more so. I'll throw in a couple of bonus points for the hand painted shields.

From JezT: Sign Off with Harold Goodwinson 28mm (15 points) PLUS Quiz Question

 Dear All 

Thanks to Curt and All to a fantastic challenge again - time seemed to fly by and painted less than I was hoping to. However these last 15 points will help me to smash through the 300 point barrier! Really enjoyed being in the squirrel competition - although bring up the rear here and no extra squirrel here as did Anglo Danes before.  

As a last post there is the Gripping Beast Harold figure and flag bearer with another odd figure I picked up somewhere who can be another Housecarl. I especially wanted spear armed for this so the figure can also feature in the earlier Anglo Saxon army. 

Made separate interchangeable command base for Harold

Find this Harold figure from Gripping Beast bit too large really 

Copied banner design  - think English Heritage Battle of Hastings re-enactors photo

Earlier painted this Gripping Beast alternative Harold and prefer this one! 

So in total extra 15 points for me. 

As a final quiz question - appreciate any answer responses. Right at the start of the challenge there was a great post from a challenger in his French town house /chateau. I really enjoyed reading his post and link giving the holiday home location and details. I definitely want to make a trip but cant remember or find the details now  - who posted this? Answers on a postcard please??

Cheers and take care all - see you next year! 

All the best Jez

From Dave D

A grand final throw of the dice for you - well done .

the chap you are after is Matt Williamson - link here 

From Mike W - 28mm Mostly Anglo-Danes Again! (140 Points)

Well I have now reached the stage where I'm having to scramble to get figures together for my painting projects to do for this challenge. Almost all the pre built figures that I'd prepared are now done, so this batch plus some of last weeks are now being built and then painted as I go!

Latest batch of 28 figures

So these guys are all based upon the old Wargames Factory Saxon Thegns set but I have 'upgraded' these by adding arms, heads & shields from my spares box of alternative Victrix, Wargames Atlantic & Gripping Beast figure parts. Basically, in my opinion, the Wargames Factory (now Warlord Games) figures were the first generation of 28mm plastic figures available on the market that were designed and manufactured using computer technology rather than human sculpting. As such the figures are not the greatest from an anatomical point of view, whilst the current figures are much, much better.

The old box of Wargames Factory Figures, ready to be repurposed!

Luckily as they are all basically the same scale you can mix and match parts to give what I think is a better final figure. I particularly dislike the Wargames Factory arms and heads - hence the upgrades concentrating on these.

Close-up of a trio of the figures that had to stay with the Wargames Factory Arms,
as I'd run out of alternatives. Limbs are all quite straight & stiff and look a bit Zombie like to me!

This batch represents 26 Anglo-Dane warriors, one Archer and a Norman (just because I was experimenting with the spare parts!)

These seven all had the original arms as in the close-up above.
Shields are from Gripping Beast and heads a mix of Victrix, Gripping Beast and Wargames Atlantic.

The heads on Gripping Beast figures are designed with a neck on the figure torso being in place. On the Wargames Factory figures, the opposite is true, so I had to add a neck to each torso, before then affixing the head. luckily cutting the spare arms on sprues into thin slices, mimics a neck rather well at this scale.

Another view of the above figures, showing shield designs

For the remaining figures I was able to use spare arms from the Gripping Beast Arab Heavy Cavalry boxed set, these are moulded with armoured sleeves, I think they are designed to be scale armour for an Arab flavour but when added to the mail clad torsos and a paint job they look like a passable representation of chain ail as well.

Another group of seven completed figures

Third group of seven figures

In addition to creating a number of warriors I was also able to create three Earls to help lead the forces. These were denoted by wearing a cloak

Three Earls, left has a Victrix a Housecarl head, centre a Victrix Norman head and right a Gripping Beast Arab Heavy Cavalry head. Cloaks are from Wargames Atlantic or Gripping Beast Irish. I know that the figure on the right might not be truly historically accurate - with a scarf around his helmet but it is what it is!

Four 'specials' to go with with others. Left a fighting monk, left centre a guy who has taken an arrow to the shoulder
(there were a lot of them flying around at Hastings!), next an archer - just because I could.
Finally on the right another spare Norman, as his head was handy when building this figure.

So there  we are 28 more figures for the Hastings battle - when I get around to putting it on! All brought to life to fuel this challenge and it goes to show, never throw out  figures you don't instantly like - especially plastics as you can so easily convert / upgrade them to something better.

POINTS

28 x 28mm Foot Figures = 140 Points

A fine collection of Anglo Danes Mike, I've been enjoying this project.  From what I've seen the old Wargames Factory figures were basic but would do.  I like the upgrading that you've done with this lot.  To me one of the advantages of the plastics is that one can mix and match between boxes.

From Mike W - 14 x 28mm Victrix Dark Ages Foot , Mostly Anglo-Danish Housecarls (70 Points)

This is the second posting of Victrix Anglo-Dane warriors this week! The first one being the remains of last week's delayed posting! As noted above these are mostly Anglo-Dane Housecarls to fight in the centre of the line against the Normans at Hastings, as such they are all high ranking warriors with double handed axes and plenty of other weapons.

The completed batch of Dark Age figures

Two of the party will not make the final Housecarl unit, one s a 'left over' Norman I found on my workbench last week, the other is a guy armed with a spear - as I managed to break his Axe!

Just the 12 Housecarls

With this unit composed of entirely Victrix figures, they will have a distinct look and feel to them that will make them stand out from my other Anglo-Danes who are mostly Gripping Beast figures. As previously noted, I love the figures but their poses are a little more limited than those you can achieve with the Gripping Beast sets.

Close-up of the first group of four Housecarls

All figures were spray coated with silver as an undercoat before applying suitable colours to legs, arms and tunics etc. It took quite some time to add in all the straps and scabbards etc and then I went on to flesh tones before concentrating on edging the mail coats with leather borders around the arms, neck and lower hems.

Aptly to the left - the left over Norman, to the right a spear armed, high ranking warrior

I applied Nuln Oil wash to all armoured parts to pull out the detail of the chain mail and then I used sepia on flesh areas and leather belts, straps and hemming.

The second group of four Housecarls

Other coloured washes were added as appropriate before highlighting the flesh tones again and applying matt varnish. The bases were covered by a pre-prepared scatted of fine sand, electrostatic grass and 'fine vegetation matter'

Third and final group of four Housecarls in close-up

POINTS

14 x 28mm Foot Figures = 70 Points

From Mike W - 28mm Anglo-Danes (100 Points)

This is the second delayed post from last week, 20 Anglo-Danes to fight against previously painted Norman adversaries, of these 10 are the double handed axe armed Housecarls.

All 20 of the completed Anglo-Danes

To be added to these - hopefully later this week will be 20 more figures, mostly additional Housecarls to form the basis of the Anglo-Dane elites at Hastings for my 1066 Project.

10 Housecarls - plus one! All these figures are Victrix

These figures were based and then primed with silver paint, prior to a dark wash to help pick out the figures' details- ready for later painting.

Close up on 6 of the Housecarls, third from left is standing sharpening his axe

Most of these figures are high status individuals so I have tried to reflect this in their dress and the use of cloaks and furs to help them stand out. Many of the figures are Victrix and as such have a distinctive feel to them when compared to the Gripping beast figures I have for the rest of the Anglo-Dane Army.

Another for Victrix Housecarls. I broke the axe shaft for the guy on the right
so now he is relegated to using a hand axe and demoted from the Housecarl gang!

After the application of colours suitable for their varied clothing, a number of different coloured washes were applied to add shading and again pick out detail.

5 Wargames Factory (now Warlord Games) figures 'upgraded using spare Victrix parts
- heads, weapons etc 

Matt Varnish was applied before basing in my usual manner.

Final four figures, a Victrix Earl on left, three more 'upgraded' Wargames Factory figures,
slinger on right and clubman second right

POINTS

20 x 28mm Foot Figures = 100 Points

You had me at Anglo-Danes Mike.  Really like the Victrix Huscarls, they came out very nicely under your brushwork.  Really like the kitbashing to upgrade the WF figure and the replacement hand ax.  No need to demote that fellow IMHO, perhaps he broke his ax on a Norman skull or maybe he just prefers the hand weapon.  I also appreciate the size compassion in the final couple photo of photos.

From PeteF: The Last Stand - Anglo Danish Warlord and Dog (7 points)

As I was taking the last monsters that I painted off the shelf I noticed a lonely figure that I had started right at the beginning of the challenge. I'd done his hair, face and cloak but then got distracted by all the other projects. By way of apology I gave him a dog and promoted him to warlord (which comes with a fancy bejeweled border for his cloak).

Progress was made on the SAGA factions during Challenge X with camel riders, lady vikings and a bunch of cavalry. My goal is to have enough bearded dark age types to represent every faction in the game and to be able to run demonstration games for people who've not played it before. In a fit of keenness a couple of years ago I got the Anglo Dane warband but it has remained solidly in its box. I'm hoping that this warlord will encourage me to get them down from the shelf of shame and apply some pigment before 2020 is out. Speaking of progress - a week or so ago I looked at the collective total with respect to the collective target and felt a pang of disappointment as it looked like we would fall well short - at the time of writing we've narrowed the gap to a mere 621 points - I hope the final Friday delivers!

Thank you Curt and your many minions. Challenge X has been a lot of fun - I wish all my fellow challengers the very best - especially in the current crisis. May miniature painting bring you happiness and relief from the troubles of the world outside.

One foot figure for a final 5 points - not sure if the pup's worth anything.

Closely following Jonathan, here we have Pete back for his third helping of the day. He says it's his last, but you never can tell for certain...

Nice work on the warlord and the dog (which gets you a couple more points, taking your score for this entry to 7).

TamsinP

From BrendonW - Arabs, Arrows, Dark Ages and more (97 points)

This post contains 18 x 28mm and 1 x 28mm Casualty and all of them are Plastic.
I missed last weeks deadline but fear not I am unlikely to miss next week. No doubt most of us have overlapping projects on our painting tables happening and sometimes time just runs out.

This Conquest Games Norman is having a bad time of it. He has become crippled by being on campaign in foreign lands and overindulging in local food. You can tell by the way he is clutching his stomach that he is in a lot of pain from gut bacteria. An Army marches on it's stomach indeed.

These Gripping Beast Arabs have 4 hand painted shields. At the time of creating them I was really starting to feel a good flow with my painting. Very happy how they turned out and more will be on show next week so stay tuned.

A pike unit boss and a previously painted drummer from Perry Miniatures. Only one of these Red and Black hard drinkers counts for points. The drummer was torn asunder from his base and re-based. A delicate yet brutal task. I have a few flag wavers already so I won't be attaching a flag to this bossy dude. He can boss around a pike unit me thinks.

I am sure he is just trying to boost morale by yelling into his helmet and waving his sword.

He will put it away and join the fight as soon as his hangover lifts a little.

Gripping Beast Dark Age Archers. After painting armoured miniatures these none uniformed humans actually take longer even though in almost every game system they are cheaper. One below was a carry over from the previous batch of completed figures but was waiting for a partner to join him.

Cheers from Brendon

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And now to M. Brendon, an exciting chef from the Australian Tropics, whose work with diverse ingredients places him firmly in the ModOz tradition.

A base of dead Norman is surrounded by Dark Age Archers and a layer of beautifully-decorated Arab Infantry, The entire ensemble is garnished with a touch of M. Brendon's signature Beer and Bacon. 

This course nets the lucky chef 90 points, plus 4 for the decoration on the shields and 3 for Le Normand Mort.

Ev

From Brendon W - Archers, Arabs and More (80 points)

This week I have a variety of plastic 28mm miniatures. 2 x Mongol Cavalry, 4 x Arab Archers, 6 x Dark Age Archers and 1 Norman Cavalry Casualty.

Gripping Beast Dark Age Archers except one. The plastic kit comes with only three body types. The Miniature with the quiver on his back is from Conquest Games. These double ups on 25mm round bases are suitably dull and drab and my less than average photo makes them darker perhaps.

A fraction brighter these Gripping Beast plastic Arab Archers but have more archers to paint and I think I might aim for a little brighter with them. I glue a lot less flock on the Arabs and I also do a quick highlight of Khaki on the Flock as I do for the Gripping Beast Mongols below.

These Fireforge plastic Mongols are based on 50mm squares to help extend my collection across unit trays. The black horse had a small slope constructed to give a change in angle.

I have only one more mounted Mongol in my unpainted hordes so hopefully this challenge will motivate me to completion. 

I did purchase some FireForge Mongol heavy cavalry but they are resin and not a high quality plastic kit. I have had them a few years but they are such lower quality of the ones above that I am on the verge of selling them rather than painting them. The sculpts suck! It's a mystery to me that parts such as the quiver and bow in its holster are totally different! Why not just use the bits from the set above? Anyway I will stop ranting about the disappointment they are.

The Conquest Games Norman Cavalry box comes with this great little unit base filler. I hand painted the shield on this miniature in pain (or in death). The belly of the horse looks a little odd in regards to the sculpture finish. They sit on a 50mm square and I think Casualties get half points.

Cheers from Brendon

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Very nice work, Brendon - those Fireforge Mongols are especially cool! Pity their resin brethren haven't come up to scratch...

I couldn't find anything in the rules about scoring casualties (then again, I'm not known for my attention to detail in these matters), but I figure that the unfortunate Norman has to be worth at least as much as a regular mounted model given the effort that's gone into painting and basing him! So I'm scoring him as a regular cavalry figure.

Could your Dark Age project become the next Knights of Beer and Bacon, I wonder...?

Ev