Well I can't believe that we are drawing into the last full week of this year's Challenge, there is so much stuff on my worbench that I won't get done in time, so as a result, I'll press on with some of my favourite projects and try and finish off those that I have the best chance of getting completed in time! As such I guess we now go into Free Fire mode with posts so hopefully I'll get 1 or 2 more posts done by the cut-off date/time.
| English Horse in line of column |
First off we have a small batch of 14 x 10mm English Cavalry for my Flodden project. These figures appear to be 'Border Lancers', common on both sides of the English / Scots conflicts for many centuries. As these came with my Pendraken English Army starter pack, I have painted these up as an English unit. However, I intend to get some more of these tiny guys and create a few additional command bases so that these can be deployed similar units on both sides in the future campign / game.
I opted to place four figures to a base, these were light cavalry, reserving five figures to a base for any heavy cavalry I might get in the future. You will notice that I found only 14 figures in the starter pack (one seems to be missing) I have a partially completed base to go with the three bases for the unit pictured.
| And in line of battle! |
I have also broken with Warmaster tradition and mounted my horse figures in line, rather than column on these bases - my thinking being this is a little more historically accurate.
| Two additional figures, awaiting some re-enforcements to join them as described above |
Anyway the painting techniques were as previously described, I used various GW Contract paint for the horse flesh and Army Painter Holy White to do the two grey horses. Basing with fine sand and various tufts and electrostaic grass to complete.
Next up is a vignette depicting St. George slaying the Dragon, these are a 28mm figure pack presented free to attendees of a past Salute Wargames Show in London, these figures were kindly given to me by my friend Dave, as part of the bundle that inclded last week's Dark Ages figures.
| St. George fights the Dragon |
| View of the stricken horse being wrapped-up by the dragon |
| Another view |
The figures were undercoated in grey an then dry-brushed white and then tackled one at a time. First off, I did the stricken horse, most of the imagary that I could find of St. George has him riding a white horse, so I opted for this classic depiction, I built up the whiteness of the horse with washes of thinned down white paint.
I chose to have the saddle blanket in blue as a contrast to the horse flesh and St. George himself, the horse's leather work was done, not unnaturally with Army Painter Hardened Leather, .
| Better view of the shield carrying his distinctive red cross |
Next the dragon, a classic green colour for it's top half, using GW Algae Green, I then dry brushed this with white before using AP Orc Skin to give a bright green colour to it's spinal scales and the larger scales on it's side and feet / claws. I used a watered down creamier colored green on the dragon's wings before washing with AP Green ink - this representing the msotly skin type flesh on these wings.
I painted the underbelly of the dragon yellow and washed this with GW Skeleton Horde to tone it down a little.
| Final shot from above |
St.George was again done in classic garb, I wanted his clothing to be predominantly white, so it is! But the figure is mostly chainmail clad, so I used GW Leadbeltcher on this and then AP Hoplite Gold on the armour scales to give St. George a noble feel. His cloak had to be red!
He carries a kite shield with a classic red, cross of St.George on it. Chainmail was washed in dark tone ink and the plate armour was washed in AP Flesh Tone, to give depth and shading.
I attached the figures to an MDF base and added some slate chips from the garden to give additional texture to the base. Then my usual fine sand, tufts and electrostaic grass mix to finished it off. I'm pleased with the result, it was a fn mini project to do.
In terms of points its not a high scorer, I'm placiming 10 points if everyone agrees - 1 x 28mm figure plus 2 x prone animals at 2.5 Points each! I'll let my minion adjudicate if this is fair!
Next we have 8 x Bretonnian figures for Warhammer Fantasy, these were found alongside the Bretonnian Archers I painted earlier this challenge. These guys are depicted as a militia unit - maybe a city guard - armed with various pole arms. There is a Corporal with the group armed with an axe plus a drummer and an officer, with an outragious moustache! Lastly I have pained up one of the figures as a Bretonnian priest, carrying a holy banner.
| The completed Bretonnian group |
The flag is actually based upon an image of a christmas card that I found online, suitably adapted it takes on th eguise of a holy banner pretty well.
| The City Guard group, four spearmen and a corporal with a axe |
I painted these using the same apprach as described for my oringinal batch of archers, I decided that the warror priest should have blue robes with white under-robes, maybe to signify his purity!? All figres painted and based in my usual manner.
| Close-up of the City Gard Officer and his outragious moustache |
One point of note on these Bretonnians is that I long ago lost their shield arms - ths I have pressed alternatives in frm eth bits box, these are Dark Ages shield armss, I'm not sure who manufactured these but t wold be Gripping Beast, Vitrix or Conquest Games...
| Drummer, with inscription on the gold shield on the drum |
| Warrior Monk, with Holy Banner |
Another break here and I present my last Female Gue'Vesa Tau warrior, I was holding her back for one last Lady Sarah's Trolley dash, but I can't really figure out how to use it in this last week so here goes!
| Female Tau Gue'Vesa |
This figure is again based upon a Wargames Atlantic Eisenkern Stormtrooper figure, with GW Tau weapon and Arm Pad added to gve it th eright look and feel. This person also has a Eisenkern female head, which sports a natty cap.
| Another view |
The figure is painted and based in the way that I have previously described for my Tau Army.
Next I have six 28mm Norman Crossbowmen from Victrix, these guys are lovely little sculpts and were a joy to paint. Again these will be fielded at my forthcoming Hastings game,, where they will help bolster my Norman Misslemen!
| Completed group of NormanCrossbowmen |
Figures were undecoated grey then drybrushed white, hands and faces getting extra attention wit heth white paint. GW Darkoath Flesh was used on hands and faces, then highlighted with AP Barbarian Flesh. All Chainmail and metal was done in GW Leadbeltcher and then various clours used to finish 'dressing' these guys. Leatherwork was completed with AP Hardened Leather before highlights were added.
| Head on close-up of three guys |
| and their side view |
| The remaining three figres in close-up |
| With side view, the guy pulling his crossbow on the left would in my opinion get a little repetitive if I'd purchased a whole pack of these guys. |
Next pair of fgures is another Salute figure give away (again thanks to Dave) depicting Arthur fighting Mordred, these guys are both on foot and are depicted in Anglo-Roman grab. Good old King Arthur (the once and future King of England!) has been depicted much like I did St. George, Mordred was done in complimentary / contrasting colours.
| Mordred & Arthur going at it! |
| I'm assuming this is Mordred, he's wearing a full face mask that is part of his helmet |
| And good King Arthur |
| WoR Man-at-Arms |
| with a rear view |