From JezT: Challenge Island Pipers Peak - Swiss Skirmishers (40 points)

Dear All,

Making slow progress along the Path of Imagination. Now Pipers Peak means Mountains and Mountains means Switzerland and this leads to the famous Swiss troops of the Renaissance period. I already had some Swiss pike but did want to get a new alternative skirmisher Swiss crossbow unit to support the pike in any of my Impetus rules games.

Just a simple two figure crossbow entry based as skirmishers. The third picture puts them in position skirmishing in advance of a pike block. Pretty sure these are old Foundry figures.

So that 10 points plus 30 for the challenge – 40 points and on to Roundwood’s Tower. Also got me in the mood to get out my renaissance armies for a game!

Cheers Jez

Another visitor to my Peak whilst I am on minion duty, and what great Swiss skirmishers these are.

TamsinP

From TomM: Piper's Peak: Watcher of Kharna (35 Points)

Reaching the Peak, one can see the Snow Lord's Mountain on the horizon...

And as such Tamsin's challenge has been laid down, paint models gazing to the horizon.

To that end, I dug up a model from my MESBG pile, namely The Watchers of Kharna, especially because one of them is actually holding his hand above his eyes to gaze towards distant places, making him perfectly suitable for the challenge laid down.

So this elite warrior from the Fallen Realms arrives in my forces, bolstering the ranks of Harad and bringing wrath and ruin to Middle-Earth.

A total of a single 28mm figure painted as such, yielding me 5 points and the challenge bonus for this round, totalling 35 points.

___________________________________

Ah ha! This is a great rendition of Tamsin's theme - well done Tom. I was first stumped with the MESBG acronym, but the penny dropped when I hit the Harad reference - I guess I'm too old school, not wanting to give up on the 'classic' LotR tag. 

I quite like this model and your painting really does him justice, especially with the blue gems on his belts and the muted red sash and scarf as a contrast to his dark robes.  Lovely stuff.

Now, is it off to Roundwood Towers, Benito's Brook or trip on Sarah's Balloon? 

-Curt

From LeeH - Victorian Photographers (Pipers Peak) (40 points)

As I cut my way through the jungle on Challenge Island I hear a noise up ahead. I hear muffled voices and chillingly the only word I can make out is "...cheese...". What manner of terrible arcane ritual is taking place this far into the forest? Despite my fears, my curiosity gets the better of me and I creep silently through the underbrush. As I get closer I can hear the occasional mechanical clicking noise. With rising trepidation, I part the final fronds of the bush in front of me and reveal.....two victorian photographers! One stands ready with fresh photographic plates in his hands while his companion peaks through the viewfinder.

The figures are 28mm foot to eye. The camera is cast as part of the photographer but the tripod is assembled separately and for reasons that I don't understand was a proper b----r to stick together. I've assembled smaller models but getting the third leg to stay in position long enough for the glue to set seemed to be a challenge too far. Some days its probably best to just walk away! 

This is my fourth location on the island and in the distance, I can see the mountain of the Snow Lord himself. But first I need to see a man about a badger!

***

Great idea for this location on Challenge Island Lee. I sympathize with your frustration on getting the tripod assembled, and I'm sure many Challengers have had similar experiences, hoping that the right combination of glue, glaring and swearing will somehow make the process go faster...or go at all!

That's 40 points for you, great work. 

GregB

From ScottM: River Troll at Piper's Peak (37 Points)

Continuing my trek down the Path of Imagination, I arrive at Piper's Peak. I look through my assorted primed figs to see what I've got that fits one of the three options.
        i) associated with mountains
       ii) taking a look (or peek)
      iii) displaying anger ('a fit of pique')
Unfortunately I didn't have anything that fit the first two choices, but I do have something for the third option.

I went with this Games Workshop River Troll bellowing out it's rage at the poor sod no doubt crossing it's bridge.

Nice figure to paint with lots of expression.

This completes Piper's Peak. Hmm, where to go next? I think I might charter a ride to the Snow Lord's Peak. Now where did my passenger go?

So that should net me 1 x 28mm foot fig = 5 +30 (location bonus) = 35 points.


That's a superb troll Scott - well worht a couple of extra points as he's clearly taller than a standard 28mm foot figure. I'm going to score him as a 40mm foot figure, so that's 37 points for you.

TamsinP

From Curt: French Aide-de-Camp having a Peek - For 'Piper's Peak' (60 Points)

Hi Everybody!

Today I disembark from Sarah's Balloon onto Piper's Peak. I'm really enjoying using the balloon service as it allows me to work on my usual scatter-shot of projects ('focus is for the weak') and just zip to the location of whatever one I'm closest to finishing. This being said, at this rate I'm going to have enough SarahMiles to journey back to the mainland when this is all over!

Anyway, it's a very nice view from here. Much less congested than some other locations on the island. I hear Sander's Sand Dunes is a bit of a nightmare, what with all the t-shirt stands, red light district and the dodgy 'Island Tour' excursions. ;)

Okay, on to business. Piper's Peak asks us to submit and entry that is:

i) associated with mountains; or 

ii) taking a look (a peek); or 

iii) displaying anger ('a fit of pique')

I decided to go with the second option with a small vignette depicting a group of Napoleonic French aides observing (taking a 'peek' at) their distant opponents. 

I had done a similar one to this several years ago which I gave away as a gift, but as luck would have it the Perry's double shipped my original order so here I am with a redux version.

While cleanup seems to be a perennial issue with Perry metals I'm still a big fan of these figures. Like so many of their offerings they have such evocative, natural poses that really lend themselves to telling stories. I especially like the fellow with his spyglass braced over his saddle, taking a good long look at the enemy lines. You may not see it in the photos, but he has his boots crossed at the ankles conveying a nice, relaxed pose. Terrific stuff. 

A few people have asked about the bases. Greg and I base our Napoleonic collections on metal sheeting. The corners can be wicked sharp, but it gives a nice, thin profile on the tabletop and allows us to use magnetic sheathed carriers for transport.

This vignette will join the other two sets that I had done up a while back.

A group shot of all the REMFs to-date.

I like using these to help add more colour to the tabletop. I like to place them at the trail of artillery batteries to try convey the formation's greater depth (Yes, I should have limbers to do this, but that way madness lies). Now I just need to do a few more of these for the Brits and Austrians...

As to points. Well, let's see. We have two cavalry figures and two fellows on foot, so that's 30 points plus another 30 for Tamsin's location. My mad skills on the abacus puts that at 60 points, give or take a bead.

Next up is, you guessed it, another balloon trip! Weee!!

-Curt

***

Brilliant work Dude, it is always a treat to see your paint brushes churning out more 28mm Napoleonic goodness. These sorts of command vignettes always add a lot of character to any gaming table, and can also find their way to all manner of uses in specific scenarios. 

And yes, while it is infuriating to feel like you must carve your metal Perry figures out of a pile of flash, the results are always worth it in the end, as the sculpting is marvelous.  Besides, I would rather shave/cut/fix up 100 metal figures than fumble through a single multi-part 28mm plastic historical figure!

That is indeed another 60 points for the Snow Lord! I can see him checking his phone now, waiting for an indication from Balloon Uber as to when his ride will arrive... 

GregB

From MikeW - 'A Fit of Pique' at Pipers Peak - 1 x 28mm HYW Archer (35 Points)

My journey so far...

I came by this figure (and a second identical figure) as a freebie given away with entrance to Salute 2015. In actual fact I didn't attend the show but a friend of mine Mike N. from our club had been given a handful of them and passed a couple on to me.

Unmade Figure

Now I painted one of these almost immediately but cannot remember what happened to it, with the need to get something done for Piper's Peak the H.Y.W English Archer giving the two fingered salute to his French adversaries seemed to fit the bill of a 'fit of pique'!!

Now my hope is that I have made a legal move from Benito's Brook to Piper's Peak, there certainly appears to be a the between the two locations.

The figure is plastic and is of course from the Perry Miniatures stable, it assembled very easily and quickly and after an undercoat in white and a couple hours to dry was able to build-up the colour.

A busy workbench is a happy workbench!

So I have been asked how I can 'churn-out' so many figures, the answer is to have several projects on the go at any one time, that means when I do get some spare time I can always get straight in to a painting or modelling job and maximise my time to 'churn-out' figures.

It also helps having a workbench that can be left from day to day without having to pack away  items at the end of the day only to have to get them all out again - next time you have some hobby time.

So in the photo is a glimpse of my workbench, this figure in undercoated stage, next to some 28mm 1672 figures that I'm also working on, above and to left are some Ottoman Balkan infantry nearing completion and basing - so three Challenge items active at the same time! (ignore the 15mm M113s and Chaos Marines - they old and being renovated before dispatching for sale on eBay to fund new projects!)

Rear View

An Angry English Archer at Agincourt!

 This time I stared with the flesh then the leather jack, keeping to a muted mix of colours I did most of the archer in various browns with a splash of colour for his faded green undershirt and a red leather for his sword scabbard.

Livery Crest on display

Leggings rolled-up to keep out of the mud

A splash of colour on hi s left breast is a livery shield. Truth be told this was originally meant to be a red cross on a white background but I mad such a hash of the vertical red stripe it immediately took on the form of a white and red halvede shield! I added a black emblem and it became a nice livery sign.

This chap seems to be well armed, with sword and buckler as well as his bow an a dagger, if things get rough he has also got his hand axe.

Whole figure was washed in Army Painter Light Tone and then matt varnished before completing base.

POINTS
1 x 28mm Foot Figure = 5 Points
Piper's Peak Bonus = 30 Points
TOTAL 30 + 5 = 35 Points

From MilesR: That's a superb archer.  To be honest the painting quality and photos make it look like a 54mm figure rather than just a 28 - excellent work!