From TomC: Rataclysm! [Gluttony] (40 points)

Hello again everyone, it may have been some time since my last entry but it has been great to see all the entries so far, particular thanks to my fellow Thursday crew members for keeping the day's momentum going! Today's submission is a slightly unusual creature, the Rataclysm from Steamforged Games's Animal Adventures Gullet Cove Kickstarter. I'd painted one of the wererats from the set previously, but the Rataclysm is a materially more substantial prospect for any adventurers!

As you can see, life in the sewers has not been so unkind to this giant, three-headed rat-creature! Having broken free of its bonds, no shortage of culinary delights have clearly been available as our chap is now quite portly! I therefore thought this might qualify as a little too much Holiday feasting and so have offered it up for Gluttony.

As is probably evident, I used Citadel's Contrast paint to get most of the beast done, the body is Goregrunta Fur, which seemed the most suitable of the various tones I had to hand (most of which I picked up with a view to Flames of War miniatures, none of which have yet to see any Contrast paint, of course!).

This is my second trial of Contrast, I also painted a Beholder a while back, but I'm pretty happy with the results for the time taken and have tried to broaden the application, blending a little in with Vallejo Medium Sea Grey and Cadian Fleshtone to get a fleshy tone on the tail. Originally, I tried to use Basilicanum Grey for the stomach, but this did not work, it's much too dark! It is instead another blend of the Goregrunta Fur to Medium Sea Grey, with a little Dead White added towards the very centre. The veins had a little Genestealer and Xereus Purple blended in and the Basilicanum Grey was instead used for shading, where it was much more successful (to my eyes!).

Various details were picked out in the traditional manner: the claws and teeth were Vallejo Flat Earth, Heavy Goldbrown and Ivory in varying ratios; the eyes were going to be red, but I pushed this up to yellow as I enjoyed the contrast, I used Two Thin Coats Yellow Flame over Vallejo Orange Fire in the end. I particularly like painting rusty metal, the various manacles go all the way from Dark Rust to Orange Fire and now look thoroughly corroded! I did also try adding scratches with Russian Tank Crew (and then with added white) but kept these quite limited, to the point where it might be a little difficult to know they're there!

In terms of points, our beastie is quite generously sized, being in the realms of a 28mm monster and about the size of a light tank. I think 15 points is a fair claim as 28mm vehicles can be much bigger, but will defer to my Minion's wisdom! The location bonus is 20 points, so in total I have submitted 35 points, which should get me over my target for the Challenge! This is probably for the best as we are currently moving house and my wife is also now expecting so this may well be my final post and, if so, I would like to thank Curt for organising the Challenge (as always!), Teemu for bearing through my antics, the wider Minion team (without whom the Challenge would struggle!) and my fellow Thursday crew for doing all the heavy lifting!

TeemuL: I hope your not asking Thursday crew to do the heavy lifting of your move? Congratulations for your new home and the coming family member, I hope everything goes well! If you can, I belive you can post a voluntary wrap-up post after the Challenge to show all your painted minis in one post. It is always nice to see how much participants have actually painted.

Then the miniature. Goregrunta Fur is a very nice, strong brown colour and as Contrast paints work very well on textured surfaces, it would have been difficult to pick some other paint for this monster. The browns (and other colours) look great! I saw the comparison photo you sent me and this is a big one. To make it simpler and spreadsheet friendly, I have scored this as a 28mm vehicle - some vehicles are smaller and some larger, so I guess this one fits the category. 40 points in total, well done!

From TomC: Summary Judgement [Literature] [Fantasy] (50 points)

Fans of a certain vintage of British television might recall contestants on The Weakest Link whose hubris would cost their team dearly and so, with these lessons in mind, I have a narrow window left to 'bank' my recent efforts and will be sure to do so!

 First into action is an entry for the Literature section of the library, Commissar Severina Raine from Rachel Harrison's Black Library books, being a single 28mm miniature originally from Games Workshop. I did get this one from eBay and am still uncertain as to how directly this came from Nottingham, which I think is a reflection on Citadel's 'finecast'...

 I must confess that I haven't read any of the books, I just liked the miniature! I did read a sample and whilst she isn't highbrow, she is a traditional adherent to the Guard principles of shoot first raise morale later and very definitely snooty towards those with insufficient moral fibre! 

 The extract I read made no mention of her physical appearance, so she is broadly in line with the artwork available for her, although her hair is more whimsical, I just wanted something which wasn't black! 

 Painting was, for me, relatively speedy, I resorted to metallics in case I ever wish to expand my new Imperial Guard army of one. Otherwise, I tried to balance an all black miniature (there are four variations of black in there) and had a bit of fun with the pseudo full dress uniform (she's not wearing tracksuits, I promise...).

 Part 1 progress below for completeness:

 The other limb for today is a slightly less wholesome offering, this time from Steamforged Games Animal Adventures series, and is a were-rat for the Fantasy section.

 She comes as part of the Rat King of Gullet Cove set as one of four identical lesser villains to harass your party, in this instance primarily with the threat of tetanus...

 After an 8th edition Skaven army, our were-rat here is perhaps a little un-hip on her round base but definitely an opportunity to try something different out!

 She was the product of a single, rather feverish, painting session, having been undercoated earlier in the day. It's almost certainly the fastest I've completed a miniature (I don't count the Salute speed-painting competition...) and perhaps it shows, but it's one fewer grey miniature!

 The colours are almost entirely what happened to be on the palette after Severina was finished, which took me surprisingly far with some extras mostly for the 'special effects' (such as they are).

 I expect this is likely it from me, so our latest additions are both 28mm miniatures for 5 points apiece and fingers crossed for 20 points for Literature and 20 points for Fantasy for a total of 50 points for the entry in total.

I might be miles off my target total but I still got plenty painted and even... had fun! So, thank you so much to Curt for organising the Challenge, Greg for tolerating my accounting shenanigans, the wider minion team and Sarah for all their invaluable support and all the kind participants who have taken a moment to comment on any of my posts, you're all wonderful!

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Good work on the lonely Skaven and Severina Raine, Tom. Good gravy, who comes up with these Black Library character names? I suppose the handle works equally well for a Commissar, or a porn star. Still, she definitely looks the business with the peaked cap, storm coat and humungous epaulettes. Cool mini and a great paintjob.

I'm delighted you had a fun Challenge and also managed to slay some grey, Tom. I hope you can roll out with us next year.

- Curt  

From TomC: Aaaaaand cut!

I would like to (forgive me) set the scene before I go through what I managed to get through during the Challenge: it is late 2022, Liz Truss squats athwart the helm of the United Kingdom, and I have only completed one figure so far in the year.

There she is, 5 points worth of Corporate Security Unit from Corvus Belli's Infinity game. That was it. So, cut forward several months and I am very pleased to have at least managed to best that!

 All in the light-box (if not all quite in focus...), with plenty of firsts for me in there and thankfully just enough to get me over my points target! I was a little short of my stretch goal of reaching the Director's Chair but all in all I'm glad to have managed what I did get done. 

 So thank you, once again, to Curt for engineering the Challenge, Sidney for the wonderful locations, Phil and his phellow Minions for herding us cats, my wife for her patience, and to the many people kind enough to comment on any of my posts, you are all wonderful.

 With the spirit of the Challenge in mind, here is what I have on my list to do next and, now that I have offered that information publicly, I have no choice but to actually get them finished!

I did try (and failed) to get this corn-fed chunk done before the Challenge...
...perhaps before AHPC XIV?

 
As a post-credit treat (?), here is the Maestro with some biped:

She knows not personal boundaries

Until next time!

DavidB: D&D Detritus from the desk (points 215)

 

 Radar Love- Golden Earring

I actually put down my brushes a few hours ago, but computers, photos, typing....

The following have resided on my desk for most of the challenge getting licks of paint from the wet pallet between color changes.

First up is a group of fighter types for my son's D&D game. These are NPCs, PCs, or whatever else he has planned as all are sourced by himself.

A group of rogues 

Cleric and Paladin types

Monks....He requested Avatar the Last Airbender colors for them. They were each selected for a elemental power by him based on a show we used to watch together.

From the left- Air, Fire, Earth, and Water.

A couple of mages who seem to have devil blood in them hence the horns and tails.

The whole group together with some showing off the fancy cloaks. They are all base coated in contrast/speed paints and highlighted up in acrylic. 

Some monsters from Reaper Bones for use in Silver Bayonet, Frost Grave, and Star Grave or wherever a toothy monster is needed

I really like the fanged beast on the right as he will definitely be used to challenge samurai

A displacer beast and a beholder

The Beholder is now mine as my son has two I painted last year and was just informed that this new one is now Dad's for payment of painting all the D&D stuff for him this AHPC.

Gotta have creepy mind flayers to challenge a party.

One seems to be an assassin type

My wife found these at the FLGS and added to my pile.

A Saint Bernard cleric, Golden Retriever wizard, Dachshund sorcerer, Blue Heel ranger, Beagle barbarian, .....and the Chihuahua is of course a rogue( I'm certain he is a murder-hobo)

They do have a lot of chacter and my wife intends on using the St Bernard in my son's games 

And she got some felines too. A Dragon Li monk, Ragdoll bard, Persian warlock, Korat paladin, Norwegian Forest druid, and my wife's dream cat... A Main Coon fighter

They are just as cute as the doggos.

43 D&D figures 215 points

1 beholder for 10

225 points for part 1

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Geez, your son is sooo lucky to have a wonderful dad who will paint his minis in such style (and quantity!). Good on you, David. Oh, and I especially like the doggos....

- Curt

From TomC: Necromeowncer and skele-cats [Fantasy] (33 points)

 Hello hello again, apologies to reappear sooner than expected, behind schedule for the last studio and making up lost time for this studio, the Fantasy studio. It's been straight historical content for me so far, but the internet loves cats and so this is the place to get them in.

 These are from Steamforged Games's Cats and Catacombs / Animal Adventures series of feline (and canine) adventurers for D&D, in particular, two of the Kickstarters. The first we backed had a feline necromancer (the Necromeowncer / Nekomancer depending on how you like your puns) as a bonus, but you can't have a Necromeowncer without any undead to raise! Luckily the second Kickstarter we backed had animated feline skeletons to give the adventures some low level adversaries, so now the whole gang is back together! 

 I enjoyed painting these immensely, I think the miniatures are very characterful and have enough detail to bring some techniques to without becoming a headache.

 I wanted a black cat to establish villainous credentials but included the white patches as an homage to a childhood cat. I then tried to keep the various accessories quite colourful and textured so it wasn't too gloomy, although that was difficult with such stylish assistant-rats. The various bones I imagine are useful for distracting canine adventurers...

 Both the leather and gold are Andy Wardle recipes for NMM, the gold is VGC English Uniform, IJA uniform, then S75 Tenere Yellow and I used Citadel Ceramite White for the reflections (a prince amongst paints). The leather I modified a little (thus explaining my lack of critical acclaim) to Citadel Mournfang Brown, Tuskgor Fur and VGC German Orange. I hadn't tried either before but I'm glad I gave them a test, I can see myself using both more in the future!

  Another shot of the feline skeletons for completeness, it's just the one sculpt replicated, as often seems to be the way with Steamforged's D&D goons. They're my usual series of Citadel Gorthor then Baneblade Brown and Karak Stone which I employ for most bone: on the Necromeowncer I took this on to Rakarth and Pallid Wych Flesh for the croissant helmet horns, not required for low level minions!

 For the bases, I was aiming for a dusty dungeon theme, as appropriate for ne'er-do-wells, and hopefully suitably generic for a few locales.

 Now, points wise, they're about 20mm, give or take being on all fours, so I've taken the feline skeletons (3x) to be 3 points apiece, as they're quite bare bones (the end is nigh, I promise!), and the Necromeowncer as 4 points. They're all pretty fantastical, so all in with the studio bonus should be 33 points.

 I'm thinking Swords & Sandals next...

Friday Minion: How did you know I'm a cat person? Though I'm not sure these are the cutest moggies, they are very finely painted, I like the dark bones rather than bleached, and the Necromeowncer looks appropriately haughty. Fine work on the NMM too, was there a reason you went NMM? 

Very reasonable scoring bid, too, making my life easy. 33 Points to you!