AHPC IX - From Mike W: 28mm Mountain Men (96 points)

Well, week three of the challenge! It’s been a funny old week, two days away, travelling for work and the two day unwell, with no inclination to lift a paintbrush...

15 x Mountain Men on foot

Luckily, I had got ahead of the game last and done a lot of work on another eBay lot I’d acquired some time ago - this time 15 x 28mm Mountain Men on foot and an additional two mounted.

2 x Mounted Mountain Men 

The figures looked great, full of character, so I wanted to do my best in bringing that out on the finished figures.

My plan is to use these figures to supplement the volunteer forces fighting for Texas against Mexico in the Texas Revolution.

Batch #1,with 2 Scotsmen and Chinese gentleman 

Batch #2 Two of these figures I added rifles to their empty hands, can you tell which ones?

Batch #3, guy at right end has military trousers on with red strip, added by using a red pen

There were a couple of interesting figures in the group, two Scotsmen, one in a kilt and a Chinese man armed with a machete!

I decided I could warrant his presence by him as a cook or labourer who’d got caught up in the Texan excitement.
As most of the figures would be in buckskin, I used a variety of browns to paint these guys, I used contrasting browns to paint the numerous fringes on their jackets and trousers and I gave a couple of them sky blue military trousers, just for effect.

Scotsman #1 

Scotsman #2 

A couple words about the Scotsmen, I painted the kilt as follows, a base of bright blue, then horizontal and vertical green stripes were added. When thoroughly dry I got out a black and a red pen, drawing in a black line, horizontally and vertically through the blue stripe. I repeated the same, using the red pen, to add lines on the green stripe.

I then used the red pen to draw in the dicing on the base of the Tam O’Shanter,I finished off this guy with firey orange hair to affirm his Celtic roots, I used the same dicing method around the top of the kilted chap’s socks.

I’ve discussed how I paint horses before, so won’t bore you again with this. The learning from this week’s batch came when I started to varnish them.

I decided to try something different - mistake!

I usually varnish my figures as follows - apply Army Painter Dark Shade as a painted on varnish, this drys rock hard an is very glossy. I then spray with Army Painter Matt varnish and job done.

This time I decided to use a different Matt varnish that be painted on, when I say different, I mean cheaper....

Mounted Mountain Men

I varnished one mounted figure as a test, (the one on the dark horse), as the varnish dried it created a white, powdery residue all over the figure. Disaster!

Luckily, I remembered reading somewhere that if this happens, simply add a new coat of varnish from a ‘good’ manufacturer and it will fix the problems, if the first coat is not fully dry. I had a bottle of Army Painter Matt varnish, I applied a new coat very quickly and the was resolved.

The new bottle of varnish is now in the bin.

Calculations: 15 x 28mm Foot @5 points each = 75 points, 2 x 28mm Mounted @10 points each =20 points. TOTAL = 95 Points

AHPC IX - Status Update

Whilst the idea of the Painting Challenge is to work against a self set target, it is always interesting to see how well you are doing against others on the challenge.

So I set my-self a target of painting 2000 Points worth of Wargame's figures during the 13 weeks of the challenge, to do this I need to paint about 150 Points worth of figures a week! Already that is feeling alike a high bar to reach.

This means about 30 foot 28mm figures or 15 mounted 28mm figures each week,  when I last looked, for week two, I had 195 Points and that put me 34th out of 80 participants. Fair to Middling, could do better!

AHPC IX - MikeW - 28mm Ottoman Turk Light Cavalry & Officers - 90 Points

Raw Ottoman Figures

Last week I was able to complete the batch of Ottoman Light cavalry and commanders that I obtained in an eBay lot in December. I have also been able to make some good progress on a second eBay lot of 15 Mountain Men on foot plus 2 on horseback - however - they will not be ready for this week's deadline 😒

So here's the lot as it arrived, pre-primed in a mixture of black and white,with many of the figures separated form the horses, I took time to file off any flash and re-seat the figures on their horses and to re-apply an undercoat where needed.



I decided to go with the black undercoat on the horses where this was good, others I applied my normal white undercoat. Undercoat colour definitely impacts the final colours you get - as you'd expect black undercoat mutes most colours applied to it....

The batch represented 3 Ottoman Commanders plus a unit of 6 Mameluke Light Cavalry, on closer inspection the Mamelukes were mostly Riever Castings figures (with one exception, that I can't place) and the Ottoman Commanders were likely from another unknown company - simply due to the different casting qualities.

The painting techniques were very similar to those I discussed on my first post, building up from a white undercoat with layers of colour, adding detail and metalics at the end before fixing all the errors and mistakes I made!

Completed Mameluke Light Cavalry

These light cavalry were a riot of colour, so I have deliberately mixed many colours into the unit to give it that irregular look, I have also mixed the colour of the horse furniture to add to the irregular look.

The 'Red' Mameluke

I tried to get some idea of rich silk clothing by adding some patterns to a couple of the figures, I kept it simple using 'triangles' of dots in contrasting colour - a tip I read many years ago, the effect can be best seen on the 'Red' Mameluke. Unfortunately my photography skills are lacking, not sure how well these show up and the photo makes it appear that the figure is gloss varnished when in fact it has had several layers of Matt spray varnish this morning! Tips on camera settings welcome!

The horses were a variety of colours, I have a chart of all the common horse colourings and so use this as a basis for all horseflesh I paint. I apply the base colour and then usually paint the mane, tail ad lower legs black, If the mane or tail is a lighter colour  - I the add that colour before adding white blazes to the horse's head and a variety of socks to their feet.

Hooves are painted a dark tan colour before adding the reins and other saddle / tackle to the figure. Inevitably I have to fix a lot of the base colour after that process and then I add in metalics at the end as usual.

Using the Army Painter Dark Tone dip for figures gives a great shading effect for the horses and blends in all the colours to one unified result.

'Odd one Out' Mameluke

Ottoman Commander #1

You'll notice a couple of greys in the mix for the officers and the 'Odd one Out' Mameluke and a couple of the ottoman commanders. I got this effect by using a light grey base coat and then dry brushing with white - the more dry brushing you do the lighter the horse will get!

White socks and blaze are then added and on all greys I dry brush their snouts (don't know the technical term for a horse's mouth area!) flesh coloured. In fact I do this for any horse that has a white blaze that reached their mouth area - seems that's what happens for real horses as well! Again the dip adds shading as required...

Ottoman Commander #2

Ottoman Commander #3

Points Calculation: 9 x 28mm Mounted figures @10 points each = 90 points

AHPC IX - MikeW - 28mm 17th Century Polish Hajduk Infantry - 100 Points

So here it is the first ever post to an AHPC event....

Assault Group Polish Hajduks

These are 28mm Assualt Group, Polish Hajduk Infantry who will make up a unit in the Polish intervention force in my Siege of Vienna (1683) project.

The Raw Figures

The infantry in Polish service at this time were very much considered to be second to the cavalry arm - with the famous Polish Winged Hussars, supported by Pancerni armoured cavalry and Cossack Irregulars.

The infantryman was considered a peasant - hence the name Hajduk, armed with a musket and a sword and dressed in simple coat.

Many units were however, well drilled and well dressed, this unit being one of those that helped liberate Vienna.

Four man base, 3 x Musketeers plus 

1 x NCO with Poleaxe

Eagle-eyed readers may note that I have painted 22 figures - optimally I would have liked a 6th base of four figures but only two suitable ones were available in  the lot! Thus I am waiting on some additional figures to be supplied to finally complete the unit to 24 in total - I will claim the points on these when I get these done!
The figures were source from eBay, without the optimum mix of musketeers, Command and NCOs armed with poleaxes! This this unit is painted as 5 bases of 4 figures, 20 in all.

I usually undercoat my figures with white paint, I did so with these, and began painting the blue coats, then the red trousers and coat linings. Red chest braiding was added by dry brushing over the raised detail.

Next was the leather work - belts and boots, followed by brown for the muskets and yellow/brown for the flag staffs and poleaxe shafts...

4 Musketeers in various marching poses

Metalwork next - first oily steel for musket mechanisms, barrels, sword scabbard fittings and poleaxe blades, followed by brass for buttons and sword hilts etc.

I usually paint on the flesh first, to bring the undercoated figures to life but this time for some reason, flesh was left to the end. Then hair was added for mustaches and forelocks.

The colour process is then repeated as I fix all the mistakes, smudges and other errors that I can spot before applying a coat of Dark Army Painter dip to provide shading. I always apply this by brush and work it into figures, I don't like getting too much on each figure as it would spoil the detail.


The command base was made-up pretty much as per the other bases, it consists of two standard bearers, a drummer and an officer.

The standards are made via help of Microsoft Paint and images taken form the internet.

The officers of the day were generally free to dress as they wished, I have kept this officer fairly well in tune with his unit in blue coat and red trousers

Bases are 40mm x 40mm 2mm MDF, covered with fine sand and then dry-brushed and sprinkled with electrostatic grass.

2nd NCO base

Spoiler Alert! So what's next? I have a couple options, a group of 15 foot and 2 mounted 28mm Foundry Mountain Men, these are already undercoated and will join the Texicans who are bravely fighting against Santa Anna's Mexican army. Again this batch came form eBay and strangely includes a Chinese gentleman armed with a Machette - I'm pretty sure there were no Chinese people at the Alamo but he can add colour to the Texan Independence campaign!

The other option is yet another group of eBay finds, 6 x 28mm Ottoman Light Cavalry - actually they are Mamelukes from the Reiver Castings range, with them came three Ottoman mounted officers. Again all are undercoated and awaiting a lick of paint, immediate foes to the just completed Polish Hajduks!

So Points tally: 20 x 28mm Infantry @5points each = 100 Points!

See more about the Challenge and other competitors <here>

Off the Workbench - Mike W,31/12/18

So as the year draws to a close I pick-up my paint rush again and start to exercise the mysterious arts once again!

This time it is as part of a global online, competition, so hopefully I won't fall flat on my face and I can bring some honour to the club!

The 'Analogue hobbies Painting Competition' runs until the end of March,  part of the process is submitting figures to be judged and awarded points each Monday, so these 'Off the Workbench' posts will tie into those weekly competition updates

What's On the Workbench 31/12/18

Well the workbench is actually fully loaded!

I have 22 x 28mm Assault Group Polish Hajduk Infantry for the Siege of Vienna 1683 project. These are currently undercoated and part painted, I actually need to acquire two more figures to complete the unit - I got these off eBay and whilst there was a good range of figures I'm short two musketeers.

28mm Assault Group Polish Hajduk Infantry

Likely I'll order some new figures form Assault Group - getting a pack of Hajduk musketeers and combine that with a larger order for 12 x 28mm Polish Pancerni cavalry.

Next on the workbench are 15 foot and 2 mounted 28mm  Foundry Mountain Men, these again are undercoated and will join the Texcans who are bravely fighting against Santa Anna's Mexican army. Again this batch came form eBay and strangely includes a Chinese gentleman armed with a Machette - I'm pretty sure there were no Chinese people at the Alamo but he can add colour to the Texan Independence  campaign!

28mm Foundry Mountain Men

and their comrades on foot....

Next up are another group of eBay finds, 6 x 28mm Ottoman Light Cavalry - actually they are Mamelukes from the Reiver Castings range, with them came three Ottoman mounted officers. Again all are undercoated and awaiting a lick of paint.

28mm Reiver Castings Ottoman Light Cavalry & Officers

Finally there are some 28mm Warlord Games, Croat Light Cavalry- these have been on the workbench for some weeks now, stalled and desperate to get completed. They are very nearly done so hopefully you'll see the end results soon.

What's Off the Workbench today...

Well so far nothing!

With Xmas this week I have had little time to do a lot of painting, although I have made good progress with the Polish infantry and am hopeful that they will be completed in time for the 7th January competition submission!

I've also made a start with the Mountain men and the Mamelukes.

Under the competition rules you are allowed to undercoat figures before the start date, so these are the batches that I had pre-prepared, Other figures still waiting to be added to the workbench include a number of 28mm Mexican units for Santa Anna's army,multiple 28mm 17th Century Franco-Dutch Wars / Siege of Vienna units plus a coupe of Cruel Seas Flotillas.

The Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge IX

So I have taken the plunge to enter into a Painting Competition and fly the SAS Wargamers flag for the club!

Luckily the competition does not focus 100% on quality, though I think my attempts are of  reasonable level in that area but it also awards points basis quantity - from what all our guys say to me,I seem to be able to bang out the figures at a good rate!

Competition runs form midnight tomorrow through to midnight 31st March (I believe), so you will see the return of the 'On The Workbench Posts' during this period as well as links to the Competition Website <here>