From TimP -Challenge XVI wrap up and Thank you!

A hearty thanks once again to everyone involved especially

Curt, Sarah, DaveD and the minions for other days.

Really enjoyed it, and not wanting to repeat too much from my last post, it's helped get me back painting. It's amazing how the pressure of a totally voluntary target and posting day deadlines can ensure figures are produced and finished. Normally I'm surrounded by projects that are 95-99% done.

Didn't manage a Squirrel or any side duel - maybe I'll manage that next time.

All the figures.

Lower angle shot showing the SOCO at the front.

Next steps, get the Saxon standard bearer finished, and finish the buildings I didn't get done in time for his time. 

Here's looking forward to next year.  

TimP

From Barks: Space cops (35 points)

One of my main goals this Challenge is to paint some figures for Guards of Traitors Toll... in space! I've been inspired by GoTT, which has you play as City Guards in a fantasy town- very Ankh-Morpork Night Watch. You need a good amount of town scenery, scatter, and citizens- not to mention some watchmen.

Anyway, I thought I'd give it the lightest of re-skins so I can play it in a Necromunda-type setting. I made my own Enforcers mostly using Stargrave Troopers. One of the first challenges is to port across the weapons- ranged weapons are rare, and empty hands are useful. Not to mention spears, swords, billhooks etc. Despite having a plethora of bits, the Stargrave sprues rarely have exactly what you need in the pose you want, so there's a lot of green stuff going on.

I like this guy's thumping arm, from the Automatons kit. I went for a black beret, I think it suits the paramilitary look.

I used a blue wash (Army Painter Magic Blue) over the shock mauls for that electric look.

I think this hand was reloading a grenade launcher, but it looks like she's using her wrist comms. I should paint her amazing eyebrows.

A few scratches really help add subtle texture and interest to the plain armour plates.

I'll make another shotgunner (I'll use the crossbow rules from GoTT).

I was pleased with this torch- it's a big RPG rocket with the nose cone cut off.

This shield is Imperial Roman, with a transfer. Are chequers used for police in many jurisdictions? I'd like to do a second one, but will need to kitbash a different right arm as that's the only pose holding a maul.

I've got a few more figures I'd like to build for this watch house, but this first bunch were a good test of concept. They're lacking in the grimdark gothic over-the-top-ness I enjoy (not to mention the absence of skullz), but I like the blue and black scheme. It's fun to try and make them all have character, despite wearing identical black uniforms, helmets, and glasses. I know gloves would make more sense, but it adds a bit of visual interest.

7x 28mm

From Millsy:

Dang! I've been tempted by GoTT and this is an angle I'd not considered. I can feel my limited resistance crumbling by the minute, thanks in part to this wonderful lot.

The way you've edge highlighted the armour, and used a blue tint across the minis to accentuate the cool black/grey is some amazing brushwork mate. And the stubble effect! Very cool indeed.

35 moving violations added to your total Barks.

Cheers,
Millsy

From AlanD - Parsnips and Partisans (95 points)

First up this week, I've been working on another long-running project, painting figures for Partisan warfare in the Balkans in WWII.  After my last contribution of inter-war armoured cars, this Italian AB41/40 from Blitzkrieg Miniatures looks positively futuristic. Since the model came with two turrets, I cunningly made it with two options.

First, this AB41 is from a German Schutzpolizei unit, with a commander converted from Warlord Games figures. I've seen a photo of one with the Schutzpolizei badge painted on the front, which I've tried to replicate here. Paul O'G has criticised the commander's shortsightedness for the way he's holding the map, but really he is shielding his eyes from the bright Bosnian sunlight.

The Partisans also made use of a number of AB40/41s, which they either captured after the Italian surrender or from the Germans in 1944-5. I gave the second turret a Partisan commander, but also made a Partisan flag from the foil off a wine bottle to drape over the Polizei insignia at the front. It isn't a perfect solution - you can still see the German Balkankreuze - but the idea is this has been so recently captured that they haven't had a change to paint over the German markings yet... 

My second entry for the week is another unit of miserable Fodder for Turnip28, which I now realise I forgot to spray with a bit more filth. Squelchy.

As for points,  that should be 60 for the Parsnip People, 5 for the two commanders, 20 for the armoured car and maybe 10 for the additional turret, if we call it a crew-served weapon? If that sounds right, then 95 points please Tamsin!

I must confess to still being bemused by the appeal to some people of root-vegetable corrupted soldiers for gaming. Still, whatever floats your boat.

As for the turret as a crew-served weapon...oh, go on then!

Tamsin 

From SebastianR : American Police - The Guardroom (72pts)

So. These are American police. Most in riot gear. For my latter day American Civil War project.

No further comment.

These figures represent part 1 of a 2 part diversion into experimental basing techniques, frustration and a massive dip in p r o d u c t i v i t y at great mild expense for an effect that I don't think is any better than what I would otherwise have achieved with my traditional techniques.

 

I decided to order in some sticky tarmac effect sheets to simulate the roads they'd be fighting over, however, the sheets that arrived were much lighter than advertised, leading to the need to wash them, and somehow come up with a way to hide the brushstrokes as part of the wear of the road.

And then of course I had to saw through the models at the feet which was it's own chore, a process which took way, way too long and was far too messy.

 

To be fair though, I always knew my output was going to fall off a cliff when I went back to work, but these guys took so long, that I managed to leapfrog both these and the next item in the queue to complete queued item number three before completing these.

20pts for the challenge and 52pts for 26 15mm foot figures

From StuartL - Bad Boys, Bad Boys - 30 Points

I realise that I haven't really introduced myself to my fellow challengers, and being a first timer here, I thought that maybe I should.

Nice to meet you all. My name is Stuart and I am an addict. 

I started gaming with minis with the Hero Quest boardgame by GW/MB Games way back when, but even before that I was shooting matchsticks at toy soldiers using spring loaded 25-pdrs with my uncle. 

I grew up around military vehicles as my father enjoyed rebuilding old Land Rovers and attended rallys with other enthusiasts who had a collection of jeeps, trucks, armoured cars and even a tank or two. Needless to say I still enjoy these things, though at the much more reasonable scale of 1:48. 

I used to play 40K primarily, but about 6 years ago I got into historical gaming in a big way. Since the switch, I have been much more diligent about getting fully painted armies on the table. I have acquired numerous forces for WW2, Napoleonics, the Anglo-Zulu War and more, nearly all in 28mm. 

I am currently living near to Nagoya in the centre of Japan. There isn't a huge gaming group, but there are a few other expats and a growing number of local players, so I can usually find a game or two of something, even if I have to provide both sides myself.

I joined this challenge to see how much I could get done if I had a solid focus and goals in mind as I didn't get as much done as I had hoped last year. I set my initial target at 500 points and I think the post below should take me to that score and we are still less than 1 month in. 

So, should I rest on my laurels and lay down my brushes, or should I see if I can pass the 1500 mark before the winter comes to an end?

Just a small group of models for this week's post. Recently I bought a bunch of North Star's miniatures for A Fistful of Kung Fu. I already painted up a few of the figures before the challenge began, but I still have plenty to do. Here we have 6 cops sporting a variety of gear and weapons. The building in the background is from Knights of Dice and isn't a part of the challenge.

Providing some serious firepower, we have 3 SWAT team members in full body armour and gear. To add a bit more flavour, I have tried to give the guy on the far right a tattoo. Perhaps he was in the special forces before finishing his tour and joining up with the police department.

And here we have two beat cops and a detective. The models from North Star were nearly all nice, clean casts with very little flash. However the detective model had a slight miscast on his face. Rather than try to file it off and risk damaging the model any more, I decided to work with it and tried to paint it as a swollen, bloody mess. Now he has his hands on a shotgun and is out for revenge. I also tried to paint a chalk outline (complete with bloodstains) on his base to help set the tone a bit.

6 figures at 28mm should come to 30 Points and 1 more check on my Squirrel tally.

________________________________________________________________

Some tough looking cops there, and worthy of inclusion in the Hong Kong action film of your choice. Positively crying out for a flock of white doves!

Nice save on the wounded detective as well, very creative solution to a problem we encounter all too often in our hobby.

30 points to the gentleman in the sunglasses and white linen suit!

Ev

From FranL - 15mm Sci-Fi Paramilitary Police (146 Points)

.....and Medical Support!

These are from Alternative Armies with some GZG vehicles, the police figures are resin and not a bad sculpt, the medical crew are meant to be synthetics and are some awful sculpts but with a medical cross on their backs and bags (I thought they were okay by the pictures.......sigh........but they'll do).

This is your contracted protection for that backwater planet but with valuable resources, the G4S of the future!

Headquarters vehicle with robotic land sharks......

Medical teams......

Protesters or zombies?

Aircars.

Bikers.........

The boys and girls of Backwater Security Services.....

Even attempted a head swap....

5 vehicles and 51 figures inclusive of figures, bikes, bodybags and cybermastiffs!

---

More near future madness. Is it too early to deploy these guys in Post-Brexit Britain? (too political ??) A great mix of stuff as always. I'm treating the bikes as cavalry/mounted so 4pts apiece which is the same as the bike and dismounted rider at 2pts each (call me anal but I like the points in the correct column on the scores spreadsheet!!). I'm throwing in a couple of bonus points for the larger vehicles (cos its big of course) and another couple for the madness of attempting a head conversion!! So that brings you up to a very respectable 146 points for this entry. Well done Fran. 
Lee