From PaulSS: The Last Danse Macabre - 114 pts

I was determined to get a few more units added to the Midgard undead army I've been working on this week before Challenge XVI ended and I'm writing this post while the glue on the bases to dry* so I can take some photos!

*Note: The glue was not dry when I took these photos :D 

Five more characters make it over the line in the form of a mounted Skeleton champion and four Banshees.

I'm not sure if I'll ever have a requirement for four Banshees, but here we are.

The grave stones are from Cromarty Forge.

Another unit of Skeleton Knights joins the Danse.

I broke the scythe of the base while adding the static grass! I've set it aside somewhere to stick back on, but it's in such a safe place I have no idea where it is!

Finally, a couple of units of Skeleton Warriors.

This makes six units of skeleton warriors, a good solid core for an undead army.

78 foot and 12 mounted 10mm figures will add another 114 points to my total, taking me to nearly twice my initial target!

Also another good collection of Skulls for the Skull Duel, there are 106 skulls in all here!

It's not been all painting though. yesterday evening I managed to take the Undead out to the club for a game against Midgard author, James Morris so we could give some new abilities a spin out. I had ~300pts of Undead from what I'd already painted against his newly painted Orcs of a similar size.

James Orc Warg riders

As I mentioned both armies were newly painted so one of us was going to do terribly, I'll drop the suspense, it was me :D 

First game my Necromancer double ravened a risk to heroes test in a combat he had no right to be in and my army reputation crumbled with him. 

The Danse deploys ready to face the Orcs

Second game I tactically decided to put him behind the front line where he would less susceptible to getting thumped. A unit of Warg riders took a shot at him and inflicted five hits from six dice, the army fought on  bravely, but with so much reputation gone, the writing was on the wall.

The Skeleton Knights are undefeated, less said about the rest of the army!

Stars of the show were the Skeleton Knights led by the Vampire, he can take a turn as general next time!

And so the Danse comes to an end for this year, I've been way more productive this challenge and feel so much better for it. Thanks all, until next time!

From Millsy:

I've thoroughly enjoyed your Danse Macabre stuff Paul. You chosen palette, the quality of your brushwork and the amazing detail on the miniatures has made it something that has rekindled my interest in Warmaster. Your knights and character stands in particular are absolutely smashing.

Your note about glue not being dry made me laugh. I'm equally guilty most years :-)

Well done on a great Challenge and thanks for sharing your work. You under costed your last post, the correct points is 114 according to the Spreadheet of Doom.

Cheers,
Millsy

From MartijnN: Just past the post! (402 points)

Wow, I don't think I have ever been cutting it so close in the Challenge. I have been painting steadily throughout, if not as often or as much as I would have liked, but never seemed to get anything really done. So, I have only managed a few posts this time on my appointed Saturday (sorry, Sander!). However, I really wanted to get as close to my target as I could get, so here are my final contributions:

First, there are two more vehicles for my Bolt Action French army. As I said before, I really like the quirky French camouflage schemes, and these two are no exception. Here is a Panhard armoured car, a Warlord resin and metal model that arrived on my doorstep recently. It's a nice model, and I think the Panhard looks surprisingly modern.

Then, there is a Hotchkiss light tank. It is a 3d printed model, designed by Counlane Models. It is a very detailed model, and it went together nicely; it would have been even better had I used a less flexible resin. However, the end result is quite acceptable.

Then, I printed and painted more of the excellent Colonel Muller figures. Here is another squad of reservists, complete with VLB grenade launcher.

I also painted two LMG teams. I put them on a single base, just so that the loader is always with the gunner, and I like them that way.

Finally, a few regular infantry and an officer. In all, there are 20 28mm figures.

Then, I have painted my first "mass" units of 28mm Napoleonics since the 1990's. They are two 24 man battalions of the 28th French Line Infantry, the first battalion with the eagle and the second with the fanion, No, that is not a white flag, thank you very much. I also painted two mounted officers to go with them. The first battalion are Warlord plastics, the command figures and the mounted officer in metal; the second battalion are the gorgeous Piano Wargames figures, now also available in plastic, but these were 3d printed by myself. I have since switched over to a more flexible resin, which is just as well for the first bayonet has already broken off and disappeared into the unknown, However, the unit still looks good I think.

So there you have it. I'll claim 2 points for the Panhard commander, so as not to go down the 0.5 points route. The tally should be, then:

2x 28mm vehicles @20 = 40

2x 28mm mounted @10 = 20

68.4 x 28mm foot @ 5 = 342

For a total of 402.

Must be the most points I have ever gathered in a single post! And hit my target after all, phew.

See you in the wrap-up!

Martijn

______________________________

Martijn, lovely work on this veritable points bomb you have for us! I've very much enjoyed watching the progress on your WWII early French project. The armoured car and Hotchiss look suitably en français in their distinctive ameba camouflage. I also like your soon-to-be-demobbed reservists (and agree about having the squad weapon loader based with the gunner). Finally, your first mass units since the 90s! Well, that is something to celebrate, especially when they look as good as these. Again, I have to agree with you in that those Piano models are very nice (and now available in plastic, no less). The only thing that would make them better would be them in the early Empire uniform, but that's just me. :)

I'm delighted that you hit your target with this last post, Martijn and I hope we enjoy your company for the next Challenge.

- Curt

From MartinN: Fallschirmjäger and Firefly (65 pts.)

Another challenge is drawing to an untimely close and once again I come up short a few points. While I had a good start I rapidly lost steam and only were able to pick up speed again those last few days. I'm pretty certain that a lot of you know the feeling only too well. But the ride was a lot of fun and once again I enjoyed myself immensely. I wasn't as active on here as I'd have liked, but I enjoyed watching the daily stream of gorgeously painted miniatures.

First off for my last entry this year is a 20mm 3D printed Sherman Firefly by Arvernes Miniatures. Having painted two regular 75mm Shermans for my Canadians previously I felt the urgent need to add a Firefly for that little bit of extra punch. The stowage is mostly from AB Figures as is the tank commander.

This is then followed by a Squad of 20mm Fallschirmjäger, also from AB Figures. They're a mix of regular Heer figures, mainly with Zeltbahn, and Fallschirmjäger with head swaps as I was aiming for a very late war feel. So these should be more suitable for those battles following the German defeat in Normandy. A time when the Fallschirmjäger were a mere shadow of their former strength. I don't like the hype that surrounds some of the supposedly 'elite' German units and having this hodge podge of grizzled veterans and raw recruits is just my thing.

For points we have one 20mm tank clocking in at 15 points, a half figure tank commander for 2 points and 12 Fallschirmjäger of which two are prone figures for another 44 points. All this should give me 71 65 points.

A huge thank you for goes out to my good friends Sarah, Curt and Greg as well as all the other minions. 

***

Nick I am confident I speak for all Challenge participants when I tell you it has been an absolute treat to have you along for the ride once again. Your brushwork sets the bar, as ever, and combined with top-shelf photography, your entries are a real treat for all of us. I think many Challengers will relates to the ebbs and flows of interest and momentum when it comes to painting all of these miniatures - and many of us will come up short in the face of our targets (certainly I will!). 

But what a treat is has been! And you close out with some absolutely stunning brushwork. Nothing makes me bonkers like camouflage patterns of late WW2 German units, and you have made it look stupendous here, and the blend of the zeltbahns and sky-blue uniforms, of the veterans the rookies, it is all just spot-on and makes we want to get back to painting some WW2 myself!

But my favourite here is the Firefly! When it comes to WW2 tanks, I'm always struck by how dreary so many of the western allied designs were. Even the ones with cool names were disappointing to see. But NOT the Firefly! One of the best silhouettes of the war (and only improved once the IDF started cracking out I-Shermans later on) and you've done it absolute justice here. Even the weird colour pattern at the bottom of the barrel - excellent!

As for your points, the magical spreadsheet tells me this is all worth 65 points - so I'm going to listen to the spreadsheet. Great Challenge Nick, it has been a treat to "minion" your work!

GregB

From PaulSS: The Danse Macabre Marches On (135pts)

 The Danse Macabre marches on!

Since my last update a Vampyre and five new units have mustered for the Danse. Like the previous entries all are 10mm 3D prints of the Forest Dragon range from MGS Miniatures.

I'll mostly be playing Midgard with these.

A terrifying winged Vampyre stood atop crumbling masonry leads this contingent.

The level of detail in these prints is mind-blowing, they are a joy to paint.

My first unit of ghosts, I debated with myself as having entirely ghostly grey, but went for grey robes then skulls, limbs and weapons painted normally. 

Another unit of Zombies to shuffle along leaving a trail of discarded body parts in their wake. 

For the cheapest unit in the force, they are probably the most effort to paint of them all.

A fourth unit of skeletons were added.

I used a lot of the Raised Dead models in this unit, making the Front ranks and middle of the second rank look like upstanding spearmen, while the remainder of the unit rises from the ground to form on them  

Lastly two units of Vampire Bats to harry the foe from above.

Here is the force painted so far over the past couple of weeks, I'll be playing my first game with them tomorrow (Thursday) evening, of course being newly painted they will do terribly.

I didn't realise that the Skullz Challenge was drop in, so counting all the skulls on display so far, there are 282 skulls atop skeletons heads, standard poles, on standards, decorating masonry and as part of shield designs.

I hope to get at least two more units completed before challenge ends.

The models painted for this entry constitute 135 10mm foot to be added to my total.

==============================

Sylvain: I can feel your suffering when you say: "For the cheapest unit in the force, they are probably the most effort to paint of them all." I find that in most (all?) armies, the cheapest units are the ones giving the "flavor". The "family picture" of your army at this point in time is just astonishing! It feels redoutable and creepy at the same time. Bravissimo!