Thursday 30 March 2017

ByronM - What I did this winter!

When people find out you are from Winnipeg, and that it normally gets down to -40 for at least part of the winter, the inevitable question becomes "What the hell do you do when it gets that cold?". 

Here is my answer, "This year I stay inside and do this...."


I aimed to get 1000 points done this year, but over achieved by quite a lot, ending with around 1600 points, so quite a lot!

Funny enough as well, I view myself as mainly a 28mm wargammer, but looking at what I did this year, most of it is NOT 28mm, or at least it seems that way.

I now run into another issue...  Last year I re-did my man cave and put in a bunch of cabinets to hold and display things.  As you can see, I have one tiny opening left, and all this stuff to put in it.  Hmmm, first world issues....


Also, last weekend was the Manitoba Model Soldier Society painting competition, so I took a few pieces from this year out to it, a gang I painted just before the challenge, and some tanks from last years challenge (that I forgot to take last year) and came away with some hardware!

Bronze in Wargame Unit Category

Bronze in Historical Ordinance Category

Bronze in Historical Category (Hence me not including the scorpion!)
Silver in Fantasy Category

So four entries and four metals (3x Bronze and a Silver)!  Not too shabby, given the quality of painting around here.

With that, another year's challenge is done and over with.  Thank you once again for running this Curt and trying to keep us all on track and giving us something to do over the winter.


Wednesday 29 March 2017

AlanD - What I did on my holidays and when I should have been marking

Another fun-packed Challenge down - my fourth. Thank you to Curt for this wonderful juggernaut he has created, the sponsors, the minions - especially Paul my Tuesday co-minion - and all the Challengers for their encouragement, banter and good-spiritedness throughout.

This year I fell a little short of my 2000 point target, but for the first time my entries consisted entirely of 28mm figures. Look upon my works, ye mighty, and despair.


I was pretty focused on some specific projects this year, painting Dwarves for Dragon Rampant, Fallschirmjaeger for Chain of Command, French & Indian Wars and Retreat from Moscow figures for Sharp Practice and German Revolution for Through th Mud and the Blood. Actually, now that I think about it, Challenge VII for me was a very Too Fat Lardies event, although I did also paint a few Medieval Russian cavalry.

All up, that's 237 foot, 28 cavalry (including armoured bears!), 3 guns and a golem, for a total of 1803 points.


Thanks everyone! It's been fun.


Tuesday 28 March 2017

From DaveD -Challenge Round Up

Well where did that 3 months go. Its been wonderfully productive. As Miles stats post showed we really knocked it out of the park this year , with a number of new participants finding their feet and help us old hands to keep on with our projects

you need a Sennett hat don't you know...

I had already prepared a significant amount of figures to add the Sudan project. This would complete the mahdist forces (yes finished) and bolster the various imperial forces with some interesting units.

Finished preparation , ready and waiting.
The project desk is out of commission a the moment due to man cave moving so I can't set up a group shot or video at the moment , so here are some reminder pics...

The Sudan entries


















and this is one of the photos from a recent battle 


There is still life in the Sudan project yet ... it will back next year for sure.

There were also diversions into micro tanks with Soviet hordes and small British battlegroup




a little bit of 10mm napoleonic madness too


 I was pleased to come away with a win in the West bonus round too with a 54mm figure.

Viva Zapata!

We also tried something new this year using other social media in the form of Google+ and Facebook to help co-ordinate various Paint and Chats video calls which were great. 





I set myself a target of 2500, which I was able to crack off fairly swiftly and push onward toward 3500. I certainly had time to do more however the new man cave works meant limited desk space and committing time to refurbishment. But of course that means I will have new improved facilities for next year.  MMMMWWAAHHAHAA!

 The new cave will be finished ready to move into next week




Until next year..... 




AdamC: Challenge VII Recap

Since last year I provided an image of me portraying an American militia man I figured an image of me in the uniform of Regiment Saintonge(complete with a terrible mustache I won't do again) part of the French Expedition to North America during the American War of Independence. Here is my challenge review I'm it a project at a time so you can see the miniatures.
 My Pikeman's Lament project.  The Gray regiment on the left, and the Blue Regiment on the right.  In the center we have skirmishers, and the combined pikemen of the Gray and Blue Regiments between the two musketeer wings
 To the back we have the Armored Pikemen, and the two units of horsemen and the officer.
 Here we have Bess, her husband Bill the butcher and their motley crew of "clubmen."
 Milady and her servants a better sort of Civilians.
  Three Ruffians ready for some trouble.
 Firebrand monks ready to battle things that go bump in the night.
 The Sleepy hollow militia who are probably facing those same things that go pump in the night.
 Four swashbucklers ready for trouble.
 Vikings with loot in hand and ready to get more!
 The Frostgrave collection mostly bad guys Gnolls, Skeletons, Zombies, Ghouls an ice toad and Drizit and Guenhwyvar.
 The Imgi-Nation troops in 15mm force of Drconia on the left and D'Argent on the right.
 Close up on the Draconian troops.
 My entry for West the French 75s.
And my other world War I project for the challenge (I had plans for more but not everything goes according to plan)
Tribesmen of the northwest territory
One of my favorite pieces my ruined tower repurposed as home for a band of hearty adventures exploring Frosgrave.
My entry for East and intrepid mariner.
I will finish off with my Curtgeld done in partnership with JohnM. My thanks to all who took part especially John for partnering with me.  Milles for his fine handling of the Monday Minion duties.  I would especially like to thank Curt and Sara for hosting.  Taking part in this event is one of the highlights of my hobby year and I hope that with the new baby I can still take part next year but probably in a reduce fashion.  Thank again for all the good wishes and compliments.