From StuartL - Finishing at the Start - 75 Points

Hi all,

Despite a lot of real life stuff going on, I was able to finish off some minis just in time. Both of the batches below represent new projects for me, hence the title of the post.

Many years ago, I got into Napoleonics with some friends at my local gaming group. I bought a few brigades of Waterloo era British, while those around me collected French, Russians, Austrians and Prussians, though mainly for the slightly earlier period. Unfortunately, all of my opponents moved away or changed hobbies completely. This left me with a bit of a problem. Having only one force meant that they would never see the table. So, I figured that I would have to start collecting a second army. While I was tempted to get a Waterloo era French force, I decided to go for the earlier uniforms. I got a couple of boxes of Perrys 1807-14 French for Christmas, but I haven't had time to start building them yet. I did want to do something for the challenge, so I had a friend print me some artillery.

    These are some French Foot Artillery from Battlecat Miniatures on MyMiniFactory. They were fairly easy to paint up and the details were nice and sharp. The gun limbers have very deep grain on the wood, which doesn't look so realistic up close, but at tabletop level it should be fine.

    I did have some trouble getting all of the minis onto the bases I had, especially the guy adjusting the wheel position. Some parts of the figure are sticking out over the edge of the base.

    
    These are really nice minis and I am thinking to have my friend print a few more for me. I have a couple of French generals printed as well, but sadly time was not on my side. 

    The second new force is more Space Marines. I have way too many Space Marine armies, (cough, 14 different armies including this one), I think I may have a problem. My armies come in two types, Horus Heresy armies and Badab War armies. These are both primarily Marine Vs. Marine conflicts, which explains why I have so many. I have dabbled with the new Primaris figures, but sold them on as they weren't really my thing.

    These five minis represent half of an assault squad for the Star Phantoms Chapter for the Badab War. Painting this much white was not as much fun as you might expect. 

    The Star Phantoms' background hints that they are an offshoot of the Dark Angels Legion, from the Dreadwing formation, which uses the same iconography. Their preferred tactical doctrines are 'Scorched Earth' and 'War Crimes'. They lean heavily into the 40K skull motif too.

     I have a bunch more models for this force lined up, so hopefully there will be more to come in the next challenge.

    Well, that is about all from me for this year. So, this final group should score me:

2x artillery pieces = 20 Points

6x French gun crews = 30 Points

5x Space Marines = 25 Points

    That should add 75 Points to my tally, taking me well past my target number, though not as high as previous years. 

    This lot get me two last Squirrels and the Star Phantoms have 32 Skulls between them.

  My ongoing duels information:

Skulls - 271 (+32)
BSRoD - 17 (+0)
Squirrels - 20 (+2) - D&D Animals, 30K Militia, Plague Clowns, Afghans, Robots, Anglo-Saxons, Medieval Polish, Clan Smoke Jaguar, 81st West Africans, Undead, 10mm FPW French, Daemons of Khorne, Modern Vehicles, Turnip28, Space Wolves, Free French, Arabs, Snake Folks, French Napoleonics, Star Phantoms.

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I know you've been very busy as of late so it's nice to see you back for a final volley, Stuart. 

The Star Phantoms are very nice in their stark white livery and close combat weaponry. That being said, the stars of this post (at least for me) are the French artillery. I've seen several examples of Battle Cat figures during this year's Challenge and they look very nice (I think the deep woodgrain is a nice feature as it helps with painting). You've done a great job on this small battery and I look forward to seeing more from this project next Challenge! 

Until then have a great rest of the year!

- Curt

SteveA: 10mm Black Powder Epic, American Civil War Union Cavalry (45 points)

My final submission for this year's grand AHPC, is 3 stands of American Civil War Union Cavalry for Black Powder Epic.  

I had originally thought to pivot to something from my 28mm mini to do queue to meet my 500 point objective, but the clock was ticking out the last minutes before the submission gates slam shut, and I already had the relevant colour paints at the ready after my previous submission and these were already on my paint desk!

It amuses me a bit to think it is somewhat analogous to rush a paint job of tiny men on horsebacks for a photo finish to get me over my points objective finish line.  The end of this year's AHPC served as a good dead line for a focused GEMO (good enough, move on) effort to just get it done at table top quality, to avoid the paint puttering I often indulge in that ultimately rarely much improves the end result.

 

I again enjoyed joining in this year's challenge, I think this is the first time I actually hit my target points total, so I'm also feeling pretty good about that.

Well done and congratulations everyone for advancing you hobby goals and rescuing many a mini from the purgatory of the unpainted!  I appreciate the inspirations I have gained from viewing the photos of your productions yielded from the practicing of  your collective painting prowess, and I hope to be so fortunate as to again put brushes to purpose with you all next year!

45 Points  = 15  x 3pts 10mm Mounted Figure 

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Great work here Steve, even if you say they are rushed they are great tabletop quality especially for 10mm figures.  I think you had an alternate reason to post these though, to help rub it in that your buddy Byron didn't get off his ass to paint all his ACW stuff like he was supposed to this challenge.  Consider me suitably shamed by your painting efforts with your ACW stuff this challenge.  Great work and 45 points added to your total!

 

 - Byron 

From SteveA: 10mm Black Powder Epic, American Civil War Union Army (142 points)

 This here is my penultimate post for this year's AHPC!  ( I have ~28 pts left to squeeze into the remaining hours of "free fire" submissions to meet my target total)  I have painted here a Large  Regiment comprised  of 7 Stands of Musket Rifle Infantry, and a mounted commander, flagged as "5th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry Regiment".

This submission combined with my other submission for 10mm minis Black Powder Epic Battles - the American Civil War for this year's challenge, I think furnishes me with a playable force more quickly (at an Army level) than many of my past transitions from "Hey that's cool, I'm buying it!" to " Slay The Grey, I've painted it!"

I think I improved upon my previous effort in terms of less time for same result, using a more effective colour application order and some thought towards what important bits to actually paint vs what nonsense bits to avoid, but I feel I'm likely still puttering about with some less than essential steps than needed at a 10mm scale.  I may be too fixated with doing all painting steps with all my zoom-in eye goggling lenses holding the minis about 4 inches from my nose, and in future will aim to rely more on a look at it at arms length while standing over mini on a table top to determine when good enough to be done.

Overall, I am rather pleased with how this regiment looks as part of the total force I have prepared thus far, and I am looking forwards to painting up the remaining minis for this army that I have awaiting in my pile of back logged minis.

Good luck to everyone bringing in your target points for a landing to close out AHPC XVI!

142 Points

140 pts = 7 stands of 20  Rifle Infantry, 10mm Foot figure  1 pts each 

    2 pts  = 10mm Mounted commander figure

Great unit of Federals Steve, and a stonking big one too.  They look great.  Looking forward to seeing you squeeze out your target.  Peterd

From SteveA - 10mm Black Powder Epic, American Civil War Union Army (180 Points)

Hello again!    This here is my first submission for AHPC XVI, and the first miniatures I have ever painted for Black Powder Epic Battles and/or the American Civil War.     Last year I tried my first game of Warlords Black Powder at at local Wargaming Event (Friendly Fire) whereupon I was hooked on the game,  and thereafter quickly purchased and split a starter box with ByronM, with myself pledging to paint up a fighting force for the Union.

I started these minis  during the first week of this year's challenge, finding time to dip my brushes in paint between the various family and seasonal events I was mired in enjoying this past few weeks.  

This effort was also a learning experience for me to sort out some efficiencies for how to better batch paint 10mm Union forces as I of course have many more units to address with the olde brush'n paint pot. Also, I'm trying to be mindful of newbie historical gamer  blunders for painting uniform colors in the wrong places or missing significant unit colors. So hopefully I brushed up some respectful pigments to field these here:  3 stands for 115th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment, 5 stands of 20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment, 3 stands of Union artillery.

Hopefully my future painting efforts for the Union can be accomplished a bit more swiftly with a smarter order for color application with fewer follow-up fixes, so I can complete the force this year as well as mix in the painting of the many many other mini diversions that have bewitched my attentions.  Nonetheless, I am pleased with this here first effort and happy that I now have some American Civil War Historical minis included in my cabinets of done and game ready minis.

175 Points (actuall you have 180 points here)

103 points =  5 stands of 10  Rifle Infantry x 10mm Foot figure 1pts each  + Mounted Commander 3pts

  63 points =  3 stands of 10 Rifle Infantry x 10 mm Foot Figure  1pts each   + Mounted Commander 3 pts

    9 points = 3 stands Artillery with crew  x 3 pts each

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Hi Steve - GregB here filling for Dallas today while he is away. These guys look great! ACW is a period I have always been keen to try and game, and this scale is ideal for the spectacle on the table. I have tried myself to make something of the Warlord "Epic" ACW figures, and just can't get it to work...but what do I know? You look have nailed it here - these look great. Nice mass to the packed formations. 

Your post makes reference to the possibilities of mistakes when attempting historical subjects. Well, I have a secret to share: we all make the mistakes, and just...who cares. While one should not be as glib toward these matters as current-period Ridley Scott, the effort is what matters, you've made more than a proper effort here. Plus it looks great. 

Just power through it, and respectful hobbyists will make suggestions where appropriate. For my part, I can see red stripes on the legs of the artillery crew, so I think you are already nailing it :) 

That's 180 points according to the magic of Miles' spreadsheet. Keep it going!

GregB

From Scott R Last Post (450 Points)

Hello all,

Well its been a very limited productivity period this year thanks to work.  My work makes me travel a fair bit so having time to get some painting done has been challenging this time around. In fact I am writing this in California instead of Canada.  I took all the photos as I went and i keep them in an article drive just for the article writing part.  

 In order to make the most of what time I did have, I aimed to get some smaller projects finished and make a start on some of the new ones I want to get up and running.  My friend DennisC aka 'Matt Varnish' on Youtube for our Games, always says 'paint just one"  and this is usually the driver to go, oh yeah that looks good and now I want to paint more.

So I did manage to finish off the 3 x 8 man units of Light Infantry, a small 6 man unit of the 60th rifles for Sharp practice along with some of the hero or commander figures I was missing.  I didn't get the chance to do my Spanish Guerillas but at least my commander is done.  The British are Warlord and the Spaniard is from Bad Squido Games or Colonel Bill's in the UK.  There female line of which you have seen many of my girls from the past mixed in.

Before I could get into the painting there was the prep.  I had pulled out and cleaned up about 60 figures in total plus 8 Light dragoons.  This was the standard remove the flash, undercoat black and white glue to strips ready for painting.  I had to go back and re-glue onto the wooden bases specific for sharp.  they were originally white glued to 40 x 40s ready for Black Powder.  But figured it didn't work for Sharp.  However, doing it the other way could still work for both.

To get things started I did a few of the British Officers including one in rifles dress and my female Spanish Guerilla leader.   The British Officers and Light Infantry are based on the 68th Durham Light Infantry.

Here are the command figures.  Here we have the rifles officer with his whistle and the British senior Commander. 

Next up, One of the Light Infantry Officers and the Guerilla Leader.

The Group.

Next up are the 6 figures from the 60th (Royal American) Regiment. These will be one of the two skirmish units for Sharp.

The 3 units of 8 figures for Sharp was the remainder of the 68th.  I have painted the standards and musicians as well that can be put in to the skirmish bases to make up a 24 man unit for use in Black Powder if I want to use them in there as well.

Unfortunately, I forgot to take Pics of my standards and drummers before I left.

Ok next up and from my last post i mentioned I was doing 40K.  So i managed to get a few more bits done.  I finished off a small unit of Blade Guard Veterans for my Salamander successor chapter the Basilisks.  These guys are actually 3D prints.  I was pretty happy with the quality and the detail..

I did finish off my Eldar but these were done outside the challenge.  So I made a fair dent against the Basilisks.  I finished off the dreadnought but not the base.  I did get the Land Raider finished as well.  Again another 3D print and its massive.  

It was in multiple parts and was joined together using a slicer program.  I then printed it as one piece with the weapon options, doors etc printed separately.  So here it is assembled and primed with its extras also primed in wraithbone. 

 I wanted to use citadel contrast colours so there was a match with the figures.  I did this through an airbrush because of the large surface areas.  You can see I have taped the model so i could get cross colour pattern.

Here is the first base colours laid down with the airbrush.  Some of the base black panels have been done along with the weapons casings.

Here is the finished Raider.  I missed the pics for the interim step.  But the dragon or lizard scales were done with Citadel contrast to match the marines.

Also, here is the Dreadnought, although the model itself is done the base isnt finished.  So not sure if I can claim points for it......

As i mentioned I also managed the Blade Guard veterans.  3 figures.  My Army theme since they a fire based faction have all been mounted on cork terrain and then painted to look like lava.  My first attempt the whole lava look, it was an interesting challenge.  I have added my Captain and LT as well but only  as a photo no points as these were done before the challenge.  

Here are the rest of my Basilisk Marines ready for the bases to be done to finish them off.  My travels dashed my plans to have these done for the challenge.  I did get a fair bit of it done which is good though.  Had I space in my suitcase then I would be doing these in my hotel room! 

Here are the Captain and LT.  I wanted to just show my first attempt at doing lava and heat swords.  Again not finished for the challenge.

My last project was to make a start on my Zulu Army for Black Powder and if the basing works then also for Sharp practice.  I have about 100 figures from Casting Room Miniatures I picked up a couple of years ago at 'Colours' in the UK.  So i painted up two units of twenty figures.  One Regiment of Unmonambi and one Ulthawana.

As always this starts with the clean up.   The shields and weapons are separate pieces and needed to be cleaned and attached.  I then did something completely new for me.  I attached to their bases before undercoating.  I also attached some resin rocks before doing the basing as well.

The clean up and base attachment.

Layout of the two Regiments.  I also added some British casualties here as well.

I did two tests.  I painted up one each of the skirmish bases for each Regiment to get my colour pallet sorted. 

Once the pallet was done then i could get on and paint the rest of the units.  So two units of 20 plus 2 skirmishes for one and 4 skirmishes for the other.  Then another 3 casualties, two being Royal Marines or sailors and the other a 24th Regiment to match my friends British.

here are the finshed Regiments.  They are based 5 figures to a 60 x 60 base with 4 bases to make up the unit.  Each has its own skirmishes.

Unmonambi 

Ulthawana

Ok well thats it for 2024.  I wish i could have done more and i had the figures ready to go.  Just not having the time at home interrupted my plans.

So for this post:

28mm British Naps 33 figures at 5 points ea             = 165 points

skirmish bases 3 bases fully done to match                = 5 points

40K vehicle @ 20 Points                                            = 20 points

40K 28mm figures by 3 @ 5 points                           = 15 points

28mm Zulus 49 figures @ 5 points                             = 245 points

Total                                                                            = 450 points

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Great work Scott! I know how work can mess with the important things in life, but I think you've done an amazing job with the constraints that you were under. Fabulous mix of minis here. From your Napoleonics to 40K, and finally to your Zulu War project, this is a feast for the eyes. I'm especially taken by that 3d printed Land Raider - what a beast, and great detail to boot. Well done.  

Thank you for participating in this year's Challenge and I hope we see you out with us for the next edition!

- Curt