From JohnS - Dwarfy Goodness - 60 Points

I stagger away from Historicals this week, back to fantasy. Dwarfs have been calling my name.

We have another Oathmark game coming up on Sunday so I have been inspired to add a dozen more Dwarfs to my Kingdom.

These four are more of the Kev Adams resin dwarfs I picked up a few years back.

I think they are fantastically characterful sculpts and take me back to the 90s when "Doofs" became my go to army in WHFB.

These four are actual Oathmark miniatures from Northstar Figures. I have the king too but he was painted pre-Challenge so remains temporarily banished!

They are slightly taller and slimmer than The big-headed KA dwarfs but there is room for all the Dwarfy types in my Kingdom.

I have gone with a "Dark Ages" feel with these guys, using some LBMS shield transfers on some figures.

These last four are from my "random dwarf" selection. The bald guy on the left is a Kev Adams I think, the pick wielder is a Citadel mini but I am not sure of the makers of the two right hand figures.

I particularly like the spearshaft as is is wrapped in wire like every good workman's quick repair of a broken tool.

Another fun week of painting, and chatting. Back to historicals next week. Probably.

PS I have started playing around with "flocked" movement trays for Oathmark, this is my first try using a Renedra movement tray.

12 x 25/28mm foot @ 5 ea = 60 points 

From Millsy:

More swagger than stagger if you ask me. These are jolly good John! I particularly like your choice of shield motifs. The norse theme really suits the character of the miniatures and your painting style.

I have quite a few of the same sculpts in my Oathmark dwarf army and they really are a joy to paint. One of the joys of Oathmark is the ability to mix a range of figures in a unit which you've done superbly.

Great stuff and a well earned 60 gold added to your tally mate.

Cheers,
Millsy

From Kerry T - "Bear with me" - Highlands Miniatures heavy dwarf cavalry - (120 points)

Morning, afternoon and evening all

I think I'm turning into a zoo keeper or something as I had camels in my first round and goblins riding wolves in the second. Well this time its bears

Highlands Miniatures Dwarf Heavy Cavalry

Fantasy purists will be having apoplexy I know, yes Dwarves are not meant to ever be mounted but the temptation to send dwarves into battle riding on the back of something is just too great in my view. C'mon, I'm short and anytime I can stand on something and so look down on somebody else is an opportunity that I'm not going to overlook

Yes far too tempting, even if they do run away!

I love the look of Highlands Miniatures and at their last Black Friday sale waded in and bought some STLs. The lighter cavalry riding rams are likely to be next

I just love these figures and had great fun painting them up but they did take a lot more time than I had anticipated. I decided on a blue and yellow colour scheme for no good reason.

I'll have you know that I consulted my many historical uniform books and could not find any reference as to how Dwarven cavalry should be attired. I wanted to give them a uniform look but with some variation and decided that with the exception of the musician they should wear identical coats. 

Now I'm not sure if they were around in Napoleonic days but if they were I'm sure they would have adopted the convention of displaying the drummer in reverse colours. I also assumed that each trooper caring for his horse err I mean bear might take a bit of artistic license and decide to give his mount an individual looking coat

 

I mean bears aren't exactly docile so being able to pick yours out by the colour of his coat by not getting too close to others seems a sensible idea and probably has an historical basis.

Similarly having a white bear for the officer is also likely historically authentic

Polar Bear leads the charge

Charging in echelon

Painting the cheque was my idea of fun, yeah right

So in summary

12 Mounted figures @ 10 points each = 120 points

1 bear err I mean squirrel

Many thanks

Best wishes 

Valleboy

From Millsy:

Dwarf heavy cavalry on armoured bears! What's not to like? These are absolutely smashing mate, in every sense of the word.

The blue and yellow is a perfect counterpoint for all the steel and grey/brown coats of the bears. And the beards are properly oversized to the point of being a real risk to your ability to fight. Love em!

120 smashing points!

Cheers,
Millsy

From JohnS - Late Romans and Dwarves (or is that Dwarfs?) - 115 points

It's so good to be Challenging again! I committed to sticking with two historical armies in the Challenge this year. Carthaginians and Carolingians. Therefore my first entries are Late Romans and Dwarves. Mistakes have already been made!

 I was introduced to To The Strongest by my AHPC and Odinian mates a year or so ago and I love it. So much so that I have decided to build several armies to play. AlanD already has 4th Century Romans (among others) so it made sense to do an opposing force.

 I bought a painted army as the core but it was legionary heavy so needs Lights and Cavalry to round it out. I chose to use a mix of Gripping Beast and Victrix miniatures.

 

  

 

 

My mat has 150mm boxes so Standard Units are on 135x60mm bases and Lights as here are on 125x50mm. They are actually based in smaller groups to allow use with other rules but saboted to those sizes.

 My catephractii are the first two test figures for this unit (ok, I haven't bought the rest yet but I know a guy..) and I am quite pleased how they are coming together. Gripping Beast figures.

 

 

 

As these will be one third of a Standard cavalry unit they are on a 60x45 base (or sub-base if you will)

Right, now I get to blame Millsy for the next lot of figures. Late last year we played a game of Oathmark. I have had a copy of the rules since they were released some years ago but not gotten around to them.

They are cracking good fun and scratch the "rank and flank" fantasy itch without being too complicated or hide-bound in lore. I saw an opportunity to use some of my many, many dwarves that are not quite right for WHFB or Old World.

 

 

 

 

I dug through my stash mountain and found some old Kev Adams, Marauder and Citadel dwarves plus a couple of newer plastics. I love the idea of Militia units. Ordinary folks called upon to defend their homes, armed with what ever comes to hand.

I present to you two groups The Smashers and The Slashers, Dwarf Militia. 

The Smashers 

The Slashers

 

The dwarfs are based on 25mm rounds (except for two on 20mm square which will be used for a WHFB army) as they will be used with a sabot tray and be available for Dragon Rampant and other fantasy skirmish games too.

Thanks to the Antipodean crew for helping me get this far. Our paint and chats gave me a chance to relax during the hectic Christmas/NY period.


From Millsy:

LOL. Fair call. If I had a dollar for every sentence I've seen that started with"I blame Millsy..." I'd rarely have to fund my habit myself! Given how well the dwarves performed for both of us when we played I can see why you'd want to paint more. You've done a lovely job on them and they have a proper old skool feel John.

Seems like it is the season for Late Romans too. In some sort of weird tit for tat I am blaming you and Alan for getting me painting mine, although you've managed to beat me to the punch with getting some finished. I particularly like you variation of the helmet colours. I should have thought of that myself and will have to sneak that into my force later on.

Well done all round mate. I look forward to facing these sooner rather than later. 115 points it is to get you started.

Cheers,
Millsy

From Kerry T - All on the table - AHPC XV round up

 Morning, afternoon & evening all

Its been a more relaxed week this week because I haven't frantically been trying to get things on the table and though I've still had the brushes out, they're working at a more leisurely pace. I'm certainly not missing the rushed weekly basing sessions and am looking forward to returning to my habit of basing en masse when I run out of room on the desktop!

First things first and most importantly a big thank you to Curt & Sarah for organising the challenge once again and allowing me to take part in this, my fourth challenge. What a fantastic concept this is and I so wish I had discovered it years ago. I'm envious of those of you who've been in all the way through. Secondly a huge thank you to the minions, especially the awesome articulate Aussie Millsy for his diligence and kindness in minioning my work and coordinating our twice weekly chats where as many as 5 or 6 of us down-underers have chewed the fat. It has really added something special this year. Last but not least, my fellow challengers for their unwavering support and encouragement. Very many thanks to you all, the camaraderie is fantastic, its what makes the challenge

I set myself a target of 2,500 points with the aim of reaching 10,000 career points and am pleased to say I made it and though my score was higher with bonuses I actually managed to knock off 2,500 points worth of figures.

The completed host with 2 extras!

I'm embarrassed to confess that I dropped a clanger this year at the end and miscalculated the time that the challenge finished here in NZ. Rushing home late on Thursday night I thought I had a few hours left and put up a post only to have missed the deadline! Curt there's a draft post sitting in the queue which needs to be deleted please. If only I'd tried to tackle 6 not twelve hobilars I would have finished in plenty of time!

Here they are -zero points but they want their moment of fame!

See the red thing in the distance not quite finished, I needed another 20 minutes - sniff!

I just had to dry brush its spines and claws - another sniff!

I've always used the challenge to beef up my Italian Wars collection. No Gendarmes this year but some Landsknecht pike, characters, command and artillery. The intended Milanese units got bumped down the queue

The Emperor Maximillian

Warlord Games looters

Foundry big guns

Artizan pike to complete an already painted pike block

Over the Christmas holiday I painted up a load of horses and quietly drove myself bonkers churning out cavalry in the early part of the challenge but I put a big dent in the ECW leadpile

A mix of Empress and Bicorne horse

I should get around to playing FKP rules now

The other main theme for me this year having bought a resin printer, was printing, prepping and painting some of Medbury Miniatures STLs for the Scottish wars of Independence and 100YW 

Victrix knights with LBSM transfers

Medbury Miniatures, Footsore and Antediluvian Scottish pike /spear here

Then there were a few other odds and ends along the way

Little man with a big banner

Artizan Black Guard Moorish infantry and horse

Finally TAG Polish Hussars because I'm a butterfly

With very many thanks for your encouragement and support again this year, I've had a great time and hope to see you next year again

Valleyboy