From SimonG: A Jewish Hero and a Vulpine Assassin (50 points)

Two very contrasting offerings for this week but in each case probably among my favourite bits of painting from anything I've worked on.

First up is a superhero offering for Krypton -- Simon bar Giora hero of Beth Horon and an important albeit deeply flawed leader in the subsequent revolt. Ultimately captured and brutally executed by the Romans.

The figure is based from a Victrix Roman auxiliary with removal of the focale (scarf) and braccae (trousers), the addition of a cloak and a head swap both from Anvil with additional cloak material in milliput and of course thread tzitzit.

Unbelievably the colour scheme was just what seemed to work but sub-consciously I must have meant something so I carried the reference through into the base work as well …

Leaving Krypton we catch a lift on Lady Sarah's star yacht with the assistance of a Kitsune -- once again a Ludus Magnus Studios Black Rose Wars figure. 

I loved the references for this figure and working on the colouring then all the bits of her leather armour. I tried to keep the colour palette muted and in keeping with genuine samurai armour. Her fur colour is taken from the Japanese red fox. 

Kawaii!

I mixed a deep reddy orange base, a wash of Feugan Orange and then layered on successively lighter shades of brown. Tip of the tail was base Morgehast Bone then washed in Apothecary White Contrast then finished in White Scar.

Feels a bit cheap with only two figures to claim 50 points but at 5 points each 28mm figure (the Kitsune is larger but her body size is close to 28mm, all the rest is tails!) and two 20 point Challenge bonuses I think my math is on point.

Nest stop should be Terra and back to earth with a bump and some mid 1980s NWOBHM!

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What a wonderful post, with two figures on opposite thematic ends of the spectrum. 

The Kitsune is marvellous. I love the red tones you've chosen for her, especially the white tail tips, and the red and black samurai armour is an excellent choice.  As good as the fox-demon is, my heart goes out to your Simon bar Giora. Wow, that is some wonderful mods you've given that figure, Simon. The care and consideration you took of the subject matter really shows, and your execution is superb. Bravo!

- Curt

From SimonG: Two Young Magicians Up to No Good! (60 points)

Quite a change of scene from the tragedy of the Jewish revolt my offering for this week is a brace of Black Rose War figures -- Dukas and Bella plus their "familars"

I think we can all recognise the inspiration for Dukas and the story that is being told here -- truly "a really, really bad idea"!

Surely another broom will get the job done sooner!

And we made it to LV426 via Lady Sarah's Star Yacht courtesy of young Bella and her magical cat

These are all Ludus Magnus Studios Black Rose Wars 40mm figures -- although as they are all on the small side (15mm for the cat, 20mm for Dukas and 28mm for Bella and the broom) I'll count them as 28mm on average. They are all plastic castings and pretty nicely detailed. It's a pity the two poses are so similar but the two characters are very distinct.

In particular it's clever how the Disney features have been reinterpreted in Dukas the young devling -- his name is of course a reference to the music featured in Fantasia.

My favourite is probably the cat -- painting a ginger was quite a challenge and I'm pleased with how it came out, and with the books he is sitting on.

With our quick stop on LV426 we get away promptly before the whole place floods and pop next door to Arrakis and back to First Century Judea.

My math suggests 60 points for this week -- 20 for the four 28mm figures and 20 each for the stop on LV426 and the ride with Lady Sarah.

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Such wonderfully whimsical figures Simon, and your brushwork has really done them justice. I too really like the cat, but I think Bella is my favourite - her calm, contemplative face is so well rendered and I very much admire the rich blue of her dress. Lovely work. 

- Curt

From SimonG: AHPC XI Wrap Up - Until Next Time!

When you get it all out at once it does seem like I;ve been able to accomplish a decent amount in the last three months (at least my wife was impressed!)

I've been working on three projects for the duration. My 28mm HYW is (almost) finished -- just three more stands of English Men At Arms, two leader bases and then some casualty and disorder markers and I'm at last ready for my first battle!

The Black Rose Wars game pieces have been a nice diversion and I've got about 75 more of these still to paint so no doubt I'll be dipping into them on and off over the next several years 🤪

My favourite however has been the 10mm Cold War project -- it was great to be able to start and finish an army and to be able to pack it all in one KR Case at the end and the small but characterful sculpts kept me engaged -- I'm looking forward to getting the British done over the next couple of months and then add some West Germans just as soon as Timecast and Red3 get their Leopards done!

Anyway thanks again to everyone who has been involved in and participated in this year's challenge -- I'm looking forward to next year and if anyone finds themselves in East Kent once lockdown has eased give me a ping and we can meet up for a beer and a game!

From SimonG: The Dark Lord for the Snow Lord - Lucifer Is My Altar Offering (40 points)

Finally I complete the descent into the Chambers of Challenge and my offering at the Altar of the SnowLord is the lord of hell himself -- Lucifer Morningstar!

Once again this is a Ludus Magnus Studio Black Rose Wars figure -- nominally it's 38mm scale but Lucifer is actually 54mm tall and the overall figure is about 12cm top to bottom and side to side. It's a technical tour de force with barely visible assembly marks or mould lines and accessibility for painting throughout despite the intricate inter-twining of snakes and clothing -- a real pleasure to paint. This WIP shot gives you a sense of scale relative to Citadel paint pots. I also really loved the attention to detail on the wings -- the upper set (the webbed ones) are actually greatly expanded hands with five grossly distended fingers and webbing between them.

The weakness of the model was his sword which was both bent and also broken at the joint to the hilt. After thinking about glueing it back on I elected instead to make a new blade from brass strip I use for labelling my 10mm tanks! Overall I think it came out OK -- sorry the etched (ok scratched with a knife) design on the blade doesn't come out too clearly in the photos! For more on Satan's sword I recommend you check out "Rachel Rising" by Terry Moore -- a great story by one of my favourite artists and writers.

The fun thing in this paint job was to choose how to paint the snakes. The eagle eyed among you should be able to identify the following: Russell's Viper; Yellow Lipped Sea Krait; Black Mamba; Eastern Coral Snake; Tiger Snake; Boomslang; Green Pit Viper and a Brazilian Rainbow Boa. All of these bar the last are exceedingly poisonous so good choices for Beelzebub himself!

Wings were modelled on a crow and the leathery wings were originally green but repainted half way through to the finished ochre. I finished the ribbons of clothing with Citadel Spiritstone Red as it gave them extra energy and glow -- the jewels all over the wings have the same finish. 

Overall I've really enjoyed navigating the Chambers of Challenge and believe it has really pushed my painting forward so congratulations to Carl and all the minions for a superb job organising everything this year and I can't wait for AHPC XII!

Points wise if we think of him as a 54mm mounted that's good for 20 plus 20 for the chamber to get to my suggested total of 40 and takes me above 1K overall

From SimonG: 38mm(!?!) NecroDragon in the Lair of the Great Beast (50 points?)

Completing my navigation of the Chambers of Challenge it is with some trepidation that we enter the Lair of the Great Beast and encounter the NecroDragon! Clearly this is some sort of zombie dragon but also seems part mechanical, and maybe animated by some tortured human soul (reminds me of Michael Swanwick's Iron Dragon's Daughter which I can highly recommend).

Again this is a Ludus Magnus Studios Black Rose Wars miniature but while a nominal 38mm scale this little fellow is a good 150mm high and the same size in depth and width.

Considering the size he was very easy to paint with an emphasis on dry brush finishes and some work on getting a flame effect for the insides. It was also fun to finally have an eye big enough to apply the full "six step eyes" process too!)

With this I have completed my ascent to the Altar of the Snow Lord and await his benedictions in regard to my final offering.

Not sure how to score this points wise given its size but as a starter 20 for the chamber and 30 as a 40mm vehicle for a total of 50?