From MattW: XIII - It’s a wrap

XIII it’s a wrap

A big hearty thank you to Curt, Sarah, the Minions and all of the participants for another great challenge. A wide range of inspiring, superb and cracking paint jobs were entered,  huge terrain projects, and massive miniature armies were built and hopefully lead mountains were diminished. 

I was really happy with my results this year, my first time I surpassed my challenge goal number and  completed the side challenge. I managed too complete every studio so that really boosted my points. My highlights for the studios were building the ww1 aircraft and the female miniatures painted for Lady Sarah’s limousine which turned out a treat, which too my surprise I won a prize for. 

Rabens Ravens

General Varus

The fruit picker 

Chieftain Marobodus

I had a lot of projects I wanted to get started on, my main focus though was my Roman’s and Germanics. Originally I planned only do 120 odd Roman’s but by challenge end it was close to 200 miniatures, and 140 Ancient Germans plus some nice commands. I did fail to complete the ten cohorts planned for my legion, due to a planning fail and the Royal Mail strike which left me short 4 foundry commands and 18 praetorian shields (which could be possibly in storage somewhere) and running low on enthusiasm for Roman’s and Germanics in the last ten days of the challenge. I plan to complete the last 4 units next month or so when I return from holidays in Australia.

Legio VI

Woden the all father

Seubi tribesmen

Looking forward to next years challenge, and plan too build another big army…..not sure what though. See you all next year.  

Cheers

Matt

From PaulSS: Gaslands gates -- 40pts

Starting gate, I included a reminder for the drivers to engage weapon safety

 

Hopefully this post will just make it under the wire.

I've added some more Gaslands Tracksessories in the form of six racing gates from Sarissa Precision that I picked up from the Northstar stand at Hammerhead a couple of weeks ago, apologies for the shonky photos, I set them out on the track ready for a game and forgot that it would not be optimal lighting.

Gate 1: Safety Off!

Gate 2: Rickety and held up with chains

Gate three with a blood splattered reminder you are half way there

Gate 4: Looks like it's seen better days

The finishing line

My daughter and her partner Neil are visiting this weekend so after setting up the track with the gates, Neil and I played out a 50-can Death Race with Neils' Dodge Challenger easily out in font and crossing the Finish line.

The three cars I used were all painted during the challenge.

Like all the best Gaslands, much carnage took place during the game with gate 2 being especially treacherous.

Thursday evening also saw the other main project I worked on during this challenge, the 12mm US and Germans for O Group also got an outing.

Like a couple of years ago, the end of the Challenge coincided with a trans-Atlantic relocation, so most of my gaming stuff is all packed up and ready for collection next week!

The race gates are quite large and would be two "terrain squares" for the lot adding 40 points to my final total.

Many thanks to Curt and all the Minions, especially Monday Minion Peter for all his work and words of encouragement.  

________________________________________

These gates look brilliant, Paul. I especially like the gate held up with chain tensioners. It's wonderful that you got in an early game with them as well!  I'll have to consider something similar for my beginners-level Mad Maximillian collection, so thank you for the inspiration.

It was great to have you with us again this year, Paul, and best wishes for your upcoming move - I hope it's not too stressful!

Until next season!

- Curt

From MattW: Hairy Germans (90 points)

 Hairy Germans 

I know I promised myself a break from spear chuckers but I could not help it as all I needed to do was base these chaps. Another unit for my Germanic army, 7 more units to go then complete. This unit is completely warlord miniatures with a few pieces from other ranges. 

18 28mm miniatures @ 5 points 

Total points 90

Another great warband, Matt! 

Tamsin

From MattW: Prussian Landwehr and skirmishers 200 points

 Prussian Napoleonic Landwehr and skirmishers

More additions to my Prussian army, a Silesian Landwehr battalion for my 1813 Prussian army collection along with a commander for my current WIP Landwehr regiment. Another regimental commander for next weeks entry another line regiment and finally some Prussian line skirmisher command which missed last week. The 28mm miniatures are from the elite miniatures range, as per most of my Prussian collection. 

 

Silesian Landwehr battalion, flag is somewhere in the post......

Landwehr regimental commander

Line battalion commander

line battalion skirmisher command

28mm miniatures x 36 foot @ 5 points =  180 points

28mm miniatures x 2 mounted @ 10 points = 20 points 

Total 200 points.

Cheers

Matt

Smashing work on these Landwehr and skirmishers, Matt. I'll look forward to next week's continuation of this project.

Tamsin

From PaulSS: Last of the WWII Germans -- 85 pts

This week I finished off the last of the stuff I have in hand for the German force for O'Group, I've now got enough American and German troops painted for a medium sized game and I hope to get at least one game in before everything gets packed up for the move back to Wisconsin at the end of the month.

The final troops in the Victrix German Infantry and Heavy Weapons were completed adding several more sections of infantry, a couple of machine guns, commanders anti-tank and patrol markers. although looking at the photos some of them could use a spray of matt varnish.

I picked up enough sabot trays from Warbases  for all eighteen American and German infantry platoons, but I've only included a couple of shots here, once you've seen one movement tray you have seen them all!

An order from Pendraken sorted out some heavier infantry support for the Germans, a pair of leIG18 7.5cm infantry guns.

And a pair of PaK38 5cm anti-tank guns.

I also made a small order to Red3 as they have some nice defences suitable for our Normandy games. I picked up a pair of Tobruk machine gun positions.

And a pack of sandbagged positions to represent dug in infantry.

Lastly Pendraken also furnished some armoured support for the Germans, a Tiger I will be a formidable opponent for the Shermans.

A pair of StuGIIIG complete the collection.

60 12mm infantry and crews, four 12mm guns, three 12mm vehicles and a one point each claim for the Tobruks and defences will be 83 points added to my total, and I've passed the target I set myself with days to spare!

Squirrel Duel Tally: 4 (40K Kroot, Gaslands, WW2 US, WW2 German)

Another finished project apparently!  Fine looking Germans for you Normandy Paul, they every bit as nice as your prior units.  The sabot bases may look alike, but they look great.  It's also nice to see you field the workhorse support units like the 5cm ATGs and the StuGs.   I am looking forward to seeing AAR of your O  Group games.  O Group was a bit of a bust with our gaming group, but that's another story...

Wisconsin?!?  Are you taking travel advice from that tosser in Love Actually?  But seriously, good luck on your move back across the pond. 

From PaulSS: Gaslands "La Troca" and a load of tires -- 25pts

 

More Gaslands madness this week with more additins to the Gaslands collection, you probably only need at most four or five vehicles to play thsigame, but sourcing Hot Wheels cars and then kitting them out for combat is great fun.

Victoria bought me this Hot Wheels 1950 Chevrolet 3100 lowrider "La Troca" and I wanted to do a rather simple build on this. It was kitted out with exhaust, hub spinners and hood exhaust pipes and then a massive secondary exhaust all sourced from Etsy 3D prints. I wanted it dirty off-white, so the main colour is Contrast Skeleton Horde.

Another Etsy buy was a set of ten sections of 3D printed tires/tyres, three in the form of piles, six as tire walls and the last a flaming tire fire.

One 20mm vehicle and I think 1pt each is good for the tire sections will add another 25 pts to the ongoing total.

Squirrel Duel Tally: 4 (40K Kroot, Gaslands, 12mm WW2 US, 12mm WW2 German)

Another fine looking jalopy to park in your Gaslands garage Paul.  La Took looks every bit the part.  Also really liking the tire scenic bits.

From MattW: Germanic Tribesmen part two (180 Points)

 Germanic Tribesmen

Another two units of tribesmen for the Germanic tribe collection. The normal problem of getting them to fit onto the tight 60x60 bases, being the big challenge with the Warlord Games figures so quite a few have been chopped to drop arms or added green stuff to make them stand taller,  some Victrix arms and weapons were also added. 

Again the miniatures are again a mix of Foundry and Warlord Games with Warlord Germanic and Victrix heads. The shields are all LBM transfers and hand painted metal wicker shields with hand painted runes. 

28mm miniatures x 36 miniatures @ 5 points = 180 points

cheers

MattW

You've certainly been busy over the past week! These Germans look fantastic, but I'm sure you will need lots more to match up against your huge Roman legions.

Tamsin