KenR - Challenge 16 Wrap - Its all about the Pike !

 

Another year and another great Challenge, my first as a retired gentleman ! I always find it hard to get all the figures I've done into one photo and this year was no exception. I set a hefty target of 2500 and fell a bit short with 1700 ish but I'm more than happy with the overall output.

The big project was the 28mm Swiss Pike Block (and a bit), 128 figs for one complete Block and 32 more figures to make another block upto 128 figs. Stuff like this is not for the faint hearted but the end product is well worth the effort. The figs are from Perry, Steelfist and Petes Flags. The flags (to confuse everyone) are from Flags of War.

In addition to the Pike I added a group of 48 Spanish Cavalry to the Italian Wars collection, these figures are from TAG with Flags from Petes Flags. I painted a small group of 6 Cavalry in between each larger group of foot figures, something I've been doing for about 6 months prior to the Challenge. I've found it a great way to have a Palette refresh and keep momentum going.

Outside of the Italian Wars I added a few bits to my ongoing Plancenoit Project, a Battalion of 32 Prussian Landwehr along with some Prussian Guns. I also did some French Command Stands which was a surprise to me as I usually forget to do them until after an army is finished 😅  All figs are Perry

The final group of figs were some 28mm Gripping Beast Arab Cavalry for the Crusades which were done in a couple of small batches as mentioned above.

That leaves me to just thank Curt once again for organising this wonderful event and all the other participants for being so friendly and supportive.

I shall be donating to my chosen charity which is the Bradford Burns Unit Trust. For those who don't know I support a football club in the UK called Bradford City. Tragically during a match in 1985 one of the main stands caught fire and 56 people were killed, nearly 300 were injured. As a result of the fire a specialist unit was set up in Bradford and the knowledge gained and research done there has helped to develop new treatments and techniques to help burn victims across the world.

Hopefully I will see some of you around shows in the UK or you might tune into my Yarkshire Gamers Reet Big Wargames Podcast every now and again, either way I hope to see you back on the start line for Challenge 17 on 21st December 2026.

Until then, Sithee 

Regards Ken 

The Yarkshire Gamer

KenR - Obwalden & the Rear Rankers, Swiss Pike - 323 points

 

My final entry for this years Challenge (where did that go !) suspiciously sounds like a 1970s Folk Rock Band, in fact I'm thinking of forming a little pop combo called "Obwalden and the Rear Rankers" myself.

One of the main focuses this year has been to add to my Swiss pike collection and with 160 new figures done over the last few months this group of 64 finish off my target for the Challenge.

First up is the contingent from the Canton of Obwalden, these will form the final "column" in the overall 128 figure block I've completed. A nice and simple red and white scheme based around the flags which are from Flags of War.

Figures are of course 28mm and as previously are a mix of Perrys and Steelfist with a guest appearance from Petes Flags range of Renaissance figures (which he kindly sent me some samples of a while back). 32 figs here, 8 per base on 60 x 50 bases with an extended front base to protect the figures (and players) from those pointy sticks.

Added to that we have the Rear Rankers, I needed an extra base for four previously painted "columns" to extend another block out to 128 figures and whilst I was knee deep in Pike it made sense to get these done. Figures here are either Perry or Petes Flags.

No extended bases here as these 32 figures will join the back of existing units, the 4 "Cantons" represented here are Zug and Lucerne (blue and white) Basel - Stadt (Black and white) and Bern (red, yellow, white)

So for the final entry of the year I have 64 x 28mm foot at 5 points each and 3 Flags for a total of 323 to add to the total.

It's been another great challenge and although I'm well short of my target I really feel as if I've got something done.

I'll sum up in a Wrap Post after we finish, but a special thanks once again to Curt Campbell for organising this wonderful worldwide event.

Oh go on then, here's a 160 figure Pike Block 

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Wow Ken, these are the kind of posts I love the challenge for and wish we saw more of.  A HUGE massive unit of models, and every one of them stunningly painted!  This is what we all need to be doing and posting!  Although what on earth you need a 160 figure block of pike for is beyond me, but we are all mad in our own way.  Thank you for such a great post!

- Byron 

KenR - 28mm Swiss Thun Pike - 163 points

 

As we enter the last few weeks of the Challenge I have switched full production to the Swiss Pike in an attempt to get the planned figures done before the end of the Challenge.

Here are the boys from Thun, 32 x 28mm Perry and Steelfist Miniatures painted up in a mainly red and white scheme to match the flags, these will form a "column" within the main block.

The 3 rear bases have 8 figures and are 60 x 50, while the front base is extended to 60 x 110 to accommodate the levelled Pike at the front. Flags are from Flags of War.

Points wise it's 32 28mm figs at 5 pts a piece plus 3 flags at a point a piece for 163. I have one more "column" to do which are underway and then I have 32 more Pike to extend the rear ranks of an existing block (because 96 figures just isn't big enough 😄) and of course heres a group to date shot.

What a Thun-dering great pike block Ken!  (Don't worry I am only here on a limited engagement.). There's just so much to love here.  I know these fine figures and they've been beautifully painted, posed and based.  The read and white scheme is very effective and love the flags.

KenR - The last 28mm Italian Wars Spanish Cavalry (75 points)

 

As it's the last one I thought I would start with a group shot ! 48 Spanish Gent d'Armes (12 done pre challenge) are complete, for now. If you think it's a lot it's half the size of Italian horde 😁

This week's entry is 6 28mm Spanish Heavy Cavalry from The Assault Group, based in twos on a 50 x 60 base, with Petes Flags to finish them off.

Points wise is 6 x 10 for the figs and a couple of Flags for another 2 making 62 points in total.

With about 3 weeks to go I need to crack on with the Pike and with two entries in this week, let's see if I can make it 3.

Just smashing work again Ken, a lot of eye candy to feast on here.  I am a little sad that this particular project has come to an end.  Surely you can find more can't you.  The opening shot is breath taking.  I am bumping your score to 75 to recognize the sale and quality.

KenR - 28mm Prussian Landwehr - 161 points

 

These just missed the finish line last week, a little break from the Italian Wars sees me add another unit to my long term Plancenoit Project.

This is the 1st Battalion of the 3rd Neumark Landwehr forming part of the 13th Brigade of the 4th Corps at Waterloo. This is the 8th unit so far for that group, Prussian Brigades are not for the faint hearted !

The figures are of course 28mm and are from the Perry Miniatures metal range, a lot more expensive than plastics but the available options are shockingly bad compared to these, so I'd rather spend the extra brass on quality (in figures not tabletop performance 😉)

So the vital statistics are 32 figure unit on 4 x 8 figure bases, each base is 60 x 60 mm. 32 figures at 5 pts each give me 160 more plus one for the flag.

This is likely the last Napoleonic unit of the Challenge, I really want to get the Swiss Pike done before we close and I still have 96 to do, so that's priority. Last of the Spanish Cavalry next.

Nice looking Landwehr unit Ken, they have a suitably shabby campaign appearance to them.  My understanding is that by 1815 some Landwehr units had ben in the field long enough to become decent quality infantry.  I also remember hearing that a Landwehr unit was the first Prussian unit on the field at Waterloo.

KenR - 28mm Swiss Pike - Glarus (175 pts)

 

After a week off last week for a birthday trip away with Mrs YG, it's time to get back to the grindstone, or in my case the Pike Block.

So this is the "column" of the block from Glarus, a city and Canton in Switzerland. The figures are 28mm and are a mix of Perrys and Steelfist. There are quite a few more Steelfist in this "unit" mostly on the front base.

There were no uniforms in the Italian Wars but to get a feel for a unit I have used the colours from the flags, which are mostly red, so to give me a bit more variation I used a deep red and a scarlet red as two separate colours, along with black, yellow and a touch of white.

In total there are 32 x 28mm figures at 5pts each for 160 points plus 3 flags at a point each making 163 in total.

I'll leave you with a couple of pictures of the block so far (half finished), I will be doing a "Thun" column next. But before that I've some obligatory Spanish Heavies to do along with some Prussian Landwehr.

Great Schnabziger Ken, those are amazing!  Love the mass, the posing and basing and the colours.  I agree with your idea of using a key colour to identify units, and the red from the flag seems an excellent choice.  I have to say that's sinister looking preacher on the lead base's flag.  I am rounding your score up to 175, cos I get to do these things.

KenR - 28mm Spanish Heavy Cavalry 4 & 5 (124 pts)

 

Not one but two units of Spanish Heavy Cavalry for my Italian Wars collection this week, a slight brain slip meant I ended up doing two horse units back to back as I forgot to do the planned infantry unit in between !

You should be familiar with these by now, 28mm figures from The Assault Group (TAG) based 2 per base on 50 x 60 bases with 6 figures per unit, horses painted in oil, figures in acrylics, flags by Petes Flags.

Unit one in a red, yellow, white and black scheme (based on the flags), I realised after doing the photos that the centre bases were in the wrong units !

Unit two in a yellow, red and blue scheme. Points are 12 x 28mm mounted at 10 points each plus 4 flags at a point each giving 124 points.

And finally because I know you like to see here are the Spanish Gent d'Armes so far, just 6 more to go, which could be done next week. On the table at the moment are the Prussian Landwehr Battalion I should have done this week 😆

They may be early, but they are a wonderful sight Ken.  Fantastic as always. Now put a sticky note up to work on the Prussian Landwehr. 

KenR - 28mm Spanish Italian Wars Heavy Cavalry Tres (70 pts)

 

No alarms and no surprises with the 2nd entry this week, it's the ongoing saga of my Spanish Gent d'Armes for the Italian Wars and here is the third of six units I have planned.

As previously the figures are 28mm from The Assault Group and Flags from Petes Flags.

6 x 28mm Cavalry at 10 pts each and a couple of Flags for 2, gives me 62 pts.

So that's half of these done, and there's just time for a couple of group shots (cause I know you like them !) of the completed units to date (plus the two pre Challenge)

See you all next week with some Swiss.

Another fine set of Spanish HC Ken.  I've bumped up your points score for the overall impression of the work  you've done on these riders.  That groups shot at the bottom is marvellous.  Does the tabeltop shake when they gallop across the field of battle?  The flags really help make the scene for this period.  Well done, and I for one am looking forward to seeing more Swiss next week.    

KenR - Count Lobau 28mm French Napoleonic - 40 points

 

In addition to the Command Bases I did last week I was also working on a Corp Commander base and came up with this for my French Vi Corps.

The base has been extended to 100mm and includes 5 figs in a bit of a diorama. The figures are all 28mm from the Perrys Napoleonic metal range and consists of Count Lobau himself, a General de Division and a Adjutant (all mounted). Added to that are a Hussar and a Guard Tirailleur who are parts of units in and around Plancenoit who are outside the immediate Corp.

Scoring is really easy, 3 mounted 28mm horse at 10 each and 2 foot at 5 each, giving this entry a total of 40 points. I should have some more Spanish Cavalry in today and in the background I'm working on the Glarus section of my Swiss Pike Block.

Having done the Command Bases at the top of the Order of Battle for VI Corps it will be some regular French Infantry next time I come back to these.

Obviously you are going for a top down approach to this project Ken, having completed the Commanders first.  Looking forward to seeing someone for these guys to boss around in the coming week.s. However, another stunning and very busy command base.  I do like the posing and he inclusion of the extra corps units.  I'll look out for your Spanish cavalry.