Challenge Week 4 and Wrapping up 2014

Well my most recent post to the Challenge 3 Canadian Sherman tanks has gotten a lot of positive feed back.  I also got my Mount and Rider bonus Theme entry  entry in.  I am currently sitting in 14th place with 322 points (the bonus entry is not included).  I just about finished up a big Napoleonic unit with 24 figures and more Vikings are on the way.   My Mythic Bonus Theme entry is finished but cannot be posted until the end of January and I have my anti-hero Bonus Theme under production as well as some additional World War II vehicles.

The Next Bonus Theme is one that gave me issues.  Its Victorian a period of time that stretches form 1837 (or so) to 1901.  Now one could argue that the Victorian Era really only applies to the British Empire but I think it can be stretched a bit after all the British were setting many of the trends of fashion, industry and commerce here in the US so I think I shall take this opportunity to clear up some of lead that didn't get painted for Longstreet. I have a week an half... should me manageable.

I'm closing in on the half way point for my Goal and I am thinking of upping the goal a bit but New England winter could stall my painting at any time...

It was a very successful year for the blog this will be the 199th entry down from 254 in 2013 but still a large number posts.  I am a month or two away from 100,000 page views which is very respectable.

Gaming wise I got in a fair bit of Flames of War and played through an entire Longstreet campaign.

Luke excited using smoke effect in our Longstreet Game.

The Grand Duchy of D'Argent had a relatively peaceful year. I hope to see more from them in 2015.
With Thursday night gamin with John, or the New Hampshire War Gaming Alliance and Sundays at the Whiz, not to mention some involvement with the Boston Trained Band, Total Con and Huzzah I think I will be busy.

Personally it was a mixed year, I lost in quick succession my Aunt, my mother's best friend, and my Nana.  The last was after a long full life but the other two were far too soon.

My Nana Katherine Sullivan on her 98th Birthday the day I picked up her ring and about one month before she passed. You can tell she is pleased. 

I also got Ariana to agree to marry me an proposed using Nana's engagement ring (still in the original box with the date of her engagement written on the bottom, August 5th 1946 if you wan to know) mere weeks before the dear lady left us... My only regret were Nana is concerned is she never saw Ariana wearing her ring, she passed the day before we were coming to visit.  As regrets go its not to heavy regret to carry.

Before the Ring got sized.

As you know Ariana does not like pictures of her on the blog.

Challenge Entry: 15mm WWII Panzergrenadiers for Flames of War

One of last weeks entries for the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge. Be sure to check out the others.
So these guys are part of that self same set of miniatures I got from Battlefront as part of the Ranger program. In this case I did get enough men for a Panzergrendier or Grenadier company of two platoons. In fact I had enough officers to do the company commander and 2ic stands with and with out Panzerfausts which is handy when one gets in a pinch with points.


There are a total of 67 figures here (no I didn't make an error on the points I will explain.

The 2iC with Panzerfaust option... I like this aggressive take on the allies all by myself stance. 2iCs often get killed early in local games...

Same fellow but this time without the tank killing device.

While the sergeant directs traffic the private with the faust takes it easy...

OK the man in the centre is my Co with out panzerfaust option but I painted him a few weeks ago he matched up nicely but since he was painted before the Challenge he doesn't count.

I love this officer... clearly things have gone horribly wrong and he his cocking his pistol so he and couple of loyal troops can set everything right, or at least die in the attempt.

Every one but the officers is wearing smocks I tried to do a camo pattern.

Some times I think it worked out reasonably well in other cases it didn't.

I tried to add a little color to the derbies it blue window frame and green bottle do stand out.

The camo here is very clear... the men going Rambo with the MG42 fired from the hip are among my favorites.

Another good look at the camo also a great photo for highlighting every thing wrong with these bases (and the painter may be partly to blame).

These Cobble stone bases one the other hand are great I would buy set containing just these any day.

Battlefront didn't give me enough bases so I built some of my own... I tried to make them look similar to the rest of the company but...

you can only do so much with a plain base I did try using the left over hole filler pieces to add help them match and I think it worked OK.

Rear view shot I do like the cobble stone bases... wish the set had more of those.

Challenge Entry US Intelligence and Recon Platoon + Others

One of last weeks entries for the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge. Be sure to check out the others.

So the story behind these figures is I volunteered about a year ago to be a "Ranger" for Battle front. They sent me a bunch of plastic figures that and a few vehicles (you saw the StuGs already) that they say mirrored what was in the "open fire set." I hope this was not the case as I found I was far short of a US Para platoon or company. I did have enough Germans for another project and enough US for a good I&R platoon. This was good since I have discovered recently the I&R platoon is a very handy unit for the USA in Flames of War and having troop dedicated to portraying them will be nice. The troops are mounted on the Urban Bases (more on these latter).

So there they are 2 infantry Stands, a Bazooka stand and an LMG stand as well as two command stands.

I like the they troops have a variety of weapons I&R platoons tended to have lots of firepower.

They get to ride in Jeeps so having a bunch of .30 cal LMGs is not an issue you can switch out your regular infantry stands for up to 3 LMG stands, I always take at least one.

Again troops in Jeeps have no problem carrying a bazooka and the Platoon leader is the phone to HQ while his sergeant looks at the map.

Carefully picking our way through the rubble strung streets of some French or German town

The premade bases are a great Idea but I really didn't find them like working with them.

The miniature bases stand out too much a problem I might be able to fix...

The bases them selves really lack something to my eye as I look down on them... I may need to just cover them with some flock but having painted them it seems a shame.

I put together this extra command stand to use with my Para forces if I ever want to field Major/Captain Winters form Band of Brothers. The stance just reminds me of a an image from the series.

This rear shot didn't come out quite so well. US uniforms are oh so exciting...


Another example of the basing that I think still needs some work. I am pleased with the figures but the bases... I won't get these again and I am glad I didn't pay for them.

The other day I made a US Infantry list with a sniper only to find I had not one US sniper... This will fill the gap. They were supposed to be part of two additional LMG Stands but the 4 men making up the 2 LMG stands went together so badly I scraped them and put these two salvageable figures together as a sniper team. (For those who are wondering they were prone).

I didn't have any more pre-made bases so I did up my own... and your probably not surprised to hear I like it a lot better.

The sniper takes aim using a fence to steady his aim while his partner watches his flank.

Rommel Vs. The Train an early war Free for all.

Early war was the theme of the day at the Whiz, and we had a great turn out.  Several guys are trying to get tournament ready and I'm happy to help.  Nick had his Russian Strelkovy with the Armored train list.  I ran my Mittler Panzer company from Hell-Fire and back at 1390 points I included Rommel since I didn't know what to do with the last 70 points. The Mission was free for all as you can see that a lot of Russians and the train hasn't com in yet.

Not a lot of Germans...

The right flank looks a little better but those are all light tanks...

Hear comes the train, those armored cars would come boiling off it petty quick and bailed out both the 8-Rads I had in the area.

My Pazner IVs got one train car.  Nick made an error that we fixed latter he should have deployed the infantry company on the train at this point, since he doesn't have a car for them to ride in.

The mass of armored cars have me concerned to I swing a light Panzer platoon over and make short work of the armored cars.

On the left my Panzer IVs are shooting up the Strelkovy its so much fun to shooting at conscripts,  I actually killed a few too.

On my right the other light Panzer platoon charges in after devastating MG fire pins the Russians.

With Five swings I get 2 kills... (need to kill them at a faster rate) Nick motivates and come back at me.

He puts a scare on several tanks but no one dies and I get 3 more when I successfully come back...

Nick comes at me one more time an bails a tank... I fail motivation to continue the assault losing a Panzer I.  I didn't do quite enough to force him to test. At this stage we would have timed out with a 2-1 loss in my favor (in normal people speak a draw but I am ahead on points)

We play on Nick gets some lucky shots bailing out two more of my tanks...

And successfully launches an assault from my platoons left flank.

The follow up assault is stopped cold when I get 6 of 6 with my Defensive fire.  My men fail their motivation but Nicks pass... and at this point we both have to pack up. I lost 1 platoon and Nick lost one (though he had another on the ropes.  The train is fun mowing down Russian infantry is fun, I think Nick enjoyed himself too.  I have to find another use for those 70 point because Rommel didn't help me much.

Challenge week 3 part 2 proof I must be insane.

Only one new item to report in terms of completed painting at this time three Canadian tanks they are submitted but not yet posted so you can't see them at the moment.  Fortunately the weather was good on Friday and I had time off so I was able to get some stuff primed at long last and I am back on track.

Oh my proclamation that I am insane... I am painting 28mm Napoleonics again... Something I promised my self I wouldn't do but  I got these for free from JohnM and though I gave most of them away to Boston Trained but these I kept form my self... and this seemed like a good time to get them done... if only so they will be off my mind.  Here they are and if you don't recognize the uniform there is a reason for the... but sorry not just yet.

 I'm also working on some M-10s, some rides for the Panzergrenadiers I posted to the challenge the other day.

More Dark age spear men to keep the mix interesting.