AHPC X - From MikeW - Odds and Ends (35 Points)

Having clambered up the Ice Mountain and waiting for the options for the final challenge to arrive I took the time to complete a few odds and ends that had either not made the cut on other posts or were simply picked up and work on as I found them whilst doing other more complete posts!

So to this end is first a 28mm Commander for my new Stirland Army, the rider has been kicking around in my spares box in the garage for donkeys years, if fact it was a little damaged and so had to be restored and then mounted on a suitable plastic horse that was also in the same spares box.

Stirland Commander

A lick of Green and yellow paint and some work on the cloak finished of the figure nicely, albeit too late for my last Stirland post.

And another view

Next are four Cadian Guardsmen, rooted out at the same time that I did the Cadian Walker earlier in this challenge, the two firing Lasguns were initially painted in the wrong colours! Only when  pulled out my reference figure from my collection did I remember that the webbing was tan coloured and not green - hence a delay and they waited on my workbench for some weeks...

Two Cadian Troopers

The Officer was found with only the power sword arm - so I had to source another and it took some to identify a suitable left arm, I found a great pointing arm and then I was able to take the spare helmet and Lasgun from the spares box to complete the figure.

Cadian Officer

Another view

Finally the standard Bearer - several attempts at painting the moulded on flag failed, in the end I cut it off and printed out a design I was able to take from the internet, a much better solution - I hate moulded on flags!

Standard Bearer, XXXIII Cadian Guards,

5th Battalion - The Cadian Greys

From the front

Finally an old Warhammer Bretonnian archer, plucked from the Bretonnian plastic mountain and test painted to see what I could achieve, end result seems pretty good to my eyes. Just as with the old Games Workshop Empire figures these old Bretonnian Archers are classics, only shame is that GW missed a trick and didn't do a suitable spearman / billman to accompany this fella...

Old School Brettonian Archer

POINTS
4 x 28mm Imperial Guards @ 5 Points ea = 20 Points
1 x 28mm Bretonnian Archer @ 5 Points ea = 5 Points
1 x 28mm Warhammer Empire Commander @ 10 Points ea = 10 Points
TOTAL POINTS 20 + 5 + 10 = 35 Points

AHPC X - From MikeW single 28mm Fantasy figure (35 Points)

I suddenly realised that we are rapidly heading towards the end of February and that there are only a few weeks left in this year's challenge...

Hopefully I'll make my target points this year, unlike last year when I fell short at the last hurdle!

In the spirit of Challenge Island, I thought I'd better stop playing around and cut to the chase and move to the Snow Lord's Peak - to give myself time to do whatever the fiendish Snow Lord has in wait for me there!

Sarah's Balloon from Douglas' Shallows to the Snow Lord's Peak

So to achieve this I'm calling on Sarah's Balloon to pick me up from Douglas' Shallows and take me direct to the Peak.

To earn my passage I have painted an old Warhammer Dark Elf Warrior, she's plastic and from a boxed set that I really can't remember too much about.

Dark Elf Warrior

I was never really into Elves (Light or Dark) and so never painted her, she was a welcome change to the usual figures I have been doing and will likely donate her to fellow club member Rupert, who has a wide range of Fantasy armies that she can likely take a leadership role within...

POINTS
1 x 28mm figure @ 5 Points ea = 5 Points
Sarah's Balloon Bonus = 30 Points
TOTAL = 5 + 30 = 35 Points

AHPC X - From MikeW - Various Warhammer Empire Miniatures (260 Points)

Following on from my last post I emptied out my bags of old Warhammer Empire figures on the workbench and was determined to work out how to add these in to my recently expanded Stirland State Army.

Undercoated Empire figures, Eagle-eyed readers will see one of the original figures

I did some 10 years ago being used as a reference!

Many of these figures are from the 'Classic Empire' era, but the rest are '2nd Edition'  Empire figures albeit with many of them missing arms and heads!

I spent some time building a number of new troop types, utilising parts from the spares box to achieve the results I was looking for.

First I'll cover the standard types that came to hand, there are 6 x 'Classic' Spearmen, converted to Halbardiers, as per the bulk of the figures I did in the last post, these all needed to have the halbard heads re-fixed to their poles, or new ones found.

'Classic' Empire troops with Spears replaced by Halbards, Billhooks

and sundry other unpleasant weapons!

Next are 13 x '2nd Edition' Halbardiers, from a Games Workshop boxed set that never got completed, today they are! Nothing special with these little guys, painted in Green and Yellow as per other Stirland Regiments. As previously stated I still prefer the Classic' figures, even though these came in a limited number of poses.

'2nd Edition' Halbardiers, almost straight form the box,

albeit 10-15 years late!

Returning to 'Classic' figures there are 5 x Spearmen straight out the box. You'll have noticed by now, that I do not use the shields on my Empire Figures, no real reason other than I like them better without shields.

'Classic' Empire Spearmen

Now on to the new troop types I have created - first 6 x Pikemen, built from the torso and heads form '2nd Edition' figures but with arms supplied from the recent Warlord Games Landsknecht boxed set. I purchased the Warlord set last year but floundered badly when trying to paint 'real' Landsknecht figures! However I really like the way these figures have turned out...

'2nd Edition' Pikemen, I have loads of pike arms in the spare box now

and no torsos to join them to, I feel an eBay trip coming on!

Next are 8 x Crossbowmen, five of which are built using '2nd Edition' torsos and the other three with torsos from the Warlord Games set - these are a little small and slender compared to their Games Workshop counterparts but not so bad to be a problem, especially if placed in back ranks. To each of these torsos were added crossbow arms from my spares box, these originated from an old Empire Militia boxed set or the '2nd Edition' boxed set.

Crossbowmen - it's pretty easy to spot the Warlord Games figures

There were two random Musketeers - one 'Classic' and one built in a similar manner to the Crossbowmen but using the musketeer arms from the Warlord Games set, on a '2nd Edition' torso.

'Classic' left and '2nd Edition' with Warlord arms right.

Here are 3 x Archers, one a classic figure that was missing a spear, - so bow and arrow hands were added from the Empire Militia box. The other two are in very similar poses both have Empire Militia Bow and Arrow arms - one has a '2nd Edition' torso the other has a Militia torso.

Archers - Militia figure left, '2nd Edition' right and 'Classic' in centre

.

Finally on the infantry side are three special figures, all converted from 'Classic' models with missing arms and weapons - an Officer, Drummer and Great Sword.

Converted 'Classic' Spearman - Officer with Pistol

Converted 'Classic' Musketeer- Drummer

Converted 'Classic' Spearman - Great sword man

The Officer has a pistol hand from the Militia box and a random spare left hand grafted on. The Drummer has a drum and drumstick hands from the Warlord Games set and the detail of the powder charges on the shoulder belt has been cut off, a couple of pouches and a dagger were added. Then the Great Sword has a weapon from the Militia box and another random left hand substituted for the originals - the Great Sword has had the second hand carved away.

Sneaking in at the end are three Empire Mounted Knights, these are all on barded horses and the knights are all in plate armour with a random selection of heads added to the figures. A Yellow and green pennant ties them together as Stirland Knights and one guy carries a Yellow and Green Banner.

Three Stirland Knights

So that's pretty much it on the Stirland front, I have an Army Commander in progress - so hopefully he'll see the light of day as a completed model, now that he's been brought in form the cold, dark garage!

Only danger now is I'll go and buy more figures to make more pikemen....

POINTS

6 x Pikemen @ 5 Points ea = 30 Points

3 x Archers @ 5 Points ea = 15 Points

2 x Musketeers @ 5 Points ea = 10 Points

8 x Crossbows @ 5 Points ea = 40 Points

5 x Spearmen @ 5 Points ea = 25 Points

19 x Halbardiers @ 5 Points ea = 95 Points

3 x Special Figures @ 5 Points ea = 15 Points

3 x Mounted Knights @ 10 Points ea = 30 Points

TOTAL POINTS 30 + 15 +10 + 40 +25 + 95 +15 + 30 = 260 Points

AHPC X - From GrahameH - Pipers Peak - Gebirgsjager - German Mountain Troops (230 points)

Pipers Peak - something to do with mountains. Resisting the urge to to paint ski troops in white camouflage displayed on a white sheet, I painted some German Gebirgsjager in colours that might show up better. However, I  have started Curtis idea for a 54mm Klingon Bird of Prey with it cloaking device switched on😊

These are all 15mm, mainly Battlefront, with a few Peter Pig . I already had two battalions of these, painted for “Rapid Fire” and I needed a third battalion. However, the Battlefront figures varied so much in scale to each other I lost the will. However, given that I had to find something to do with mountains it was a bit of a no brainier. I don’t think Battlefront make these anymore so I was a few figures short especially in respect of the crewed weapons. So Peter Pig models with drafted in with a few head swaps.

A Battalion of  37 Mountain  Infantry (74pts)

Gun Company. AT Gun, Mortar, IG Gun, and some Transport ( 18 x 2 including  cart, mortar  & mules 36pts and 10 pts for the guns) total 46pts

The MG Company. Two MGs and a Mortar (9 men with weapons) 18 pts

Then I went back and started filling in the gaps from the previous two battalions.

The IG Guns and MGs (  the MGs and one of the guns doesn’t count as it is in the other Photos (6 figures 2 guns 22 pts)

Two more MGs. These the Peter Pig head swaps (12pts)

More transport, and AT element ( total 10 figures including cart 20pts)

RHQ and a sniper team. I may have to add a few figures the this HQ (8 pts)

Think that brings my total to 200 pts for this entry plus 30 for the island challenge.

I fancy a trip by balloon next but the only female figure I have unpainted is Joan of Arc being burnt at the stake. Not very PC. Better  buy another figure.

AHPC X, From GrahameH - Bromley’s Butte - Recon & some bits (290 Points)

The next stop for me on the island challenge is Bromley’s Butte. For this I decided to paint a squad of  10 x 28mm scouts conducting a recon and some surveillance. Unfortunately, being very professional at what they do (apart from hiding behind a lone tree) it is hard to see them, but I am sure you will take my word for it. So I think that is 50 pts. 😇

Camouflaged so they can’t been seen - 10 x 28mm Scout Squad

Just in case you didn’t believe me I painted something more visible, three 15mm WW2 SAS jeeps from Battlefront. These were quiet fun to paint but not as easy as the 10 figures in the picture above. 6 x 2 for the crew and 3 x 4 for the jeeps. That’s errr 24pts plus 30 pts for the island challenge, 54pts

15mm SAS Jeeps from Battlefront

I had a few Lombards left over so I have have painted them as German Cavalry for my Carolingian Frank army. I say army, but these are the only units I have painted.  All Essex (love Essex Miniatures) 15mm. 72pts

15mm Essex Lombard Figures painted as Other Dark Age German Cavalry

I also finished off the last of my Lombard army ( apart from the camp) by painting the final two bow units. I had a couple of figures left over so these will be “Heroes” for To the Strongest Rules” and the extra points 😋. 36 figures and 2 mounted 80pts

More 15mm Essex Lombard archers and a couple of 15mm cavalry

Also finished were the last of my Eastern Cavalry again with a few “Heroes” 84 pts

The last of my 15mm Legio Heroica Mongol Miniatures

That brings my total for this entry, not including the hidden 28mm Scout Squad, to 290 pts.
All 15mm
3 SAS Jeeps = 54pts
18 German Cavalry = 72
36 archers = 72
2 cavalry = 8
21 Mongol 84

Next. Something to do with Mountains????

AHPC X - From Grahame H, Walkers for Frans Fjord (70 points)

I have probably left starting the island challenge a bit late, but that should make completing it more of a challenge.

Having gone through my mountain of unpainted shame (and it is a mountain rather than a pile) I found these two Walkers. I have no idea where or when I purchased them. Equally I don’t know who made them, but if it wasn’t for the challenge they made have never even been painted.

Now that I have done I’m thinking I should buy some more Sci-fi stuff. When will it ever end????

Anyhow the figures.

Points

Well I know that is 30 pts for exploring Frans Fjord
Not sure about the walkers themselves . They measure about 3.5” so is 20 pts each too much?

Makes a total of 70pts

AHPC X - From MikeW - 33 x Classic Warhammer Empire Stirland Halbardiers, Spearmen & Musketeers (167 Points)

In Challenge IX, I tackled my Warhammer Green-skin plastic mountain, it seemed logical that this time around I would shift focus to address the Empire troops that I've have lying around in various bags and boxes for too many years!

Contents of an Empire bag emptied on my workbench...

.. three knights will be the subject of a later post

When I say 'Classic' Warhammer Empire, I am of course, in this case, talking about the original Empire troops, Spearmen and Musketeers that came with what I think was the 3rd Edition Boxed Set in the early 1990s.

At the time, I was taken by the Landsknecht visual references and enjoyed the whole 'warring states' environment set-up in the Empire world. I plumped for the Stirland forces for two reasons - their ongoing fight against the Undead and their colour scheme - Green and Yellow - this matched the colours of my local football club and Manchester United's original club colours way back when!

Officer and Standard Bearer, need to sort out a musician and another

standard bearer to get things just right for this regiment.

So these particular models I got from eBay as a job lot some years back but I never got round to doing anything with them. I'd painted up a Regiment of Stirland Spearmen about 10 years ago and these models were obtained to boost their numbers.

What I hadn't realised is that they had been converted to Halbardiers by their former enterprising owner, so they didn't didn't in with the existing spearmen models - so I stopped that project...

... fast forward and I have them out of their bag, fixed a few halbards back on their poles and started painting.

16 Halbardier Figures and one guy with a spear - can you see him?

White undercoat, followed by random, halves or quarters in yellow, followed by green, with a few white leggings and blue or lack hats where required. Most of the musketeers have a leather jack and all the halbardiers have armour.

Figures were shaded with Army Painter dip and then finished with matt varnish before the bases were worked on, in my usual manner.

The central Halbardier Block with Command Figures

To meet my OCD cravings on unit organisation, the regiments are supposed to be a central block of halbardiers, spearmen etc - including command, flanked by two wings of musketeers, archers or crossbowmen.

The 14 Musketeers, in a variety of Green and Yellow

The observant of you out there may notice there is not quite enough figures to achieve this in this batch - but when combined with some more figures I have found then the optimal 8 musketeers per wing can be achieved! Hopefully subject of a future post here.

The completed Regiment of 30 figures plus 3 spares for an existing Regiment

Which reminds me the flag was taken from the internet, each regiment should have two flags (in my world), one the Stirland State flag as shown here and the second a Colonel's flag, typically green and yellow with a family or town crest.

POINTS
2 x 28mm Command Figures@ 5 Points each = 10 Points
14 x 28mm Musketeers @ 5 Points each = 70 Points
17 x 28mm Halbardiers @ 5 Points each = 85 Points
TOTAL POINTS 10 + 70 + 85 = 165 Points

AHPC X - From MikeW - 17th Century Landing Craft! (40 Points)

Having meandered around Challenge Island, I found my-self at Douglas' Shallows and needing to do something faintly nautical...

... being a land lubber that posed a bit of a problem - until I realised that one of the Scenarios that I have been hoping to put on as a game at the SAS Wargames Club  was a 17th Century Amphibious Landing - and I need some suitable barges to offload the invading forces.

As an aside - the SAS in the club name does not refer to the famous British Special Ops Regiment, rather it originally stood for Sussex Association of Simulators and later Southern Association of Simulators, in more recent times it has stood for Sussex and Surrey!

Thus reflecting English counties our members are from... we also have a member who lives in Somerset, but as that begins with a 'S' as well he's still allowed in!

Back to Douglas' Shallows, next I had to source an appropriate number of barges, I did briefly consider scratch building them but after a browse on eBay I found a set of barges from AnyScaleModels.com that would do just nicely and they were really good value for money.

5 x 28mm Landing Barges

The models duly arrived and I proceeded to undercoat the resin models with a Grey Primer spray, once dry I painted the outside of the boats / barges brown and then highlighted and applied washes to give a natural wooden feel, before varnishing.

The inside of the boats were painted grey, then again highlighted and washed to give the models a more 3D visual when on the table top.

Close-up view of Barge - which could equally be used as a ferry

The resin models were well cast and had very little flash that needed to be cleaned-up, in a couple spots near the water line I left some of the flash in place and painted this blue with white highlights to give a hint of water.

Another view, highlighting grey interior

As to the scenario I plan to use, it is based on one by Barry Hilton and is the Battle of Camaret Bay, 18th June 1694, when a British and Allied force landed outside Brest, France only to find their mission compromised and they were thrown back into the sea....

And finally in action, transporting a regiment of

English Foot, spread across two barges!

Not sure on how to score the Barges, they are approx 14.5cm (6") x 5cm (2") so have assumed that they are equivalent to a 28mm mounted figure so 10 Points each. Treating them as 28mm vehicles @ 20 Points each, seems a little over generous...

POINTS
5 x 28mm Barges @ 5 Points each = 50 Points
Douglas' Shallows Bonus  30 Points
Total Points 50 + 30 = 80 Points

Boer War Game

John staged an initial game on Jan 31st, followed by a two week game running from Feb 7th - 14th. The following photos are from the second two week game, some are action shots taken  during the game and some show the positions of each side at the end of the first week as the table had to be broken down between sessions as Mike N. was hosting a family meal over the weekend!

British Horse Artillery arriving on table, part of Rupert's command

Wider shot of Rupert's Artillery

Manchester Regiment plus Royal Engineers, under Steve's command
marching to the mining town on the British left flack, which is held by three Boer units.

The Mining Town, held by entrenched Boer Commandos.

Maxim Machine Gun, de-training to join march on the Mining Town

British Irregular Light Horse from Mike W's command,
having just been given a bloody nose when approaching the Mining Town

Final Position, Week One, one Boer Commando cleared out of the Mining Town
British Lancers and Native Horse, under Mike W's command, 
attempt to outflank the position.

Final Position, Week One, Two Boer Commandos remain in the Mining Town.
These troops under Nigel's command and troops were apparently Germans, not Boers!

Final Position, Week One, Steve's flanking march by
Manchesters and Royal Engineers

Final Position, Week One, Rupert's relief force of Cavalry and remaining
two Artillery Batteries - having lost one already to Boer Artillery fire.

Final Position, Week One, Boer positions on the right flank of 'The Neck',
under Mike N's command. Note two Boer Guns now revealed

Final Position, Week One, Boer Camp at the Centre of 'The Neck', under Mike N's command

Final Position, Week One, Boer Positions, under Dave's command,  on the left flank of 'The Neck'