Pulp Street Brawler

My hobby time has dipped recently, though I have prepped some resin stone walls (more on those later). I did get an hour to finish this chap, who will be a street brawler NPC in Pulp games. He still needs some dirtying up with weathering powders. He one of Pulp Figures&#39 Thuggee stranglers, whose garrotte I clipped off to make a pugilist. A lovely Bob Murch sculpt, I was reluctant to hack at him but the conversion came out well. I did think he had a striking resemblance to Ryu from Street Fighter.
In other news, I was chuffed to win the Sarah's Choice award in the Analogue Hobbies painting challenge. I've posted her before but here is one of the fashionable ladies who bagged me the prize. I wont list the full results, but you can find them here. Roll on the 2013 Challenge!

Challenge: Wrap up

I took this snap of everything I painted during the Analogue Hobbies Winter painting challenge. So this is my total painting output between 20 December and 20 March. Definitely good going for me, it feels like a long time since I have put out so much.
I hit the heady heights of 519 points, nearly 5% over my target. Scoring was 5 points for a 28mm miniature, 10 for cavalry and I worked through 80-something miniatures. My 500 wasn't even close to the leaders, who reached nearly 5000 points!
Looking over my entries and harking back to what I had on my painting table at the start, there is quite a difference. I started with a lot of Napoleonics to do, in particular 20- something cavalry. But have worked on my Naps for a couple of years, I'm feeling a bit burned out so my output was less, and primarily focused on finishing units off rather than starting new ones. With these done I'm thinking a break and some new projects is in order.
I did an unexpected amount of 1930s (ish) Pulp miniatures, which are always fun but were mostly bought once we'd begun. The driver for this comes from my brother's renewed interest in Pulp gaming. In fact, quite a few of these (and others I have prepped) are a gift for his birthday next month. This fashionable lady was the last of these, a shameless bid for Sarah's Choice and a delight to paint.

Manufacturers-wise, plenty of Perry and a bit for Victrix, Gripping Beast, Artizan, Pulp Figures. All excellent models and some of my favourite manufacturers. What else did I learn? Well plenty about the friendliness of our hobby, with a lot of camaraderie and encouragement from challengers and visitors alike. I learned about all facets of the hobby: modelling techniques, manufacturers, photography so forth. i saw some fantastic miniatures come off our collective painting tables, in all scales. I was impressed in particular with a lot of the 15mm work, a scale I've always avoided. Choosing my entry for the Challenger's Choice winner was tough, I can tell you.
So, many thanks to Curt for running it, it looked like a lot of work but I think we all appreciated it a lot. Thanks to everyone who entered, visited, commented and blogged about it, you are all true gentlemen and I found real sense of community in it. So, until next year: Curt has challenged me to 1000 points. Could I do it?

Challenge entries: summary

Before I start, I realise I've not written much other than about the Analogue Hobbies painting challenge for months. So apologies if you aren't interested in that at all (or follow Curt's blog yourself). Well, the Challenge closes on Tuesday, so there won't be much more to say about it. I would say normal service will resume, but As I go in fits and starts of Blogging I'm not sure what normal service looks like. 

Anyway, here is a summary of my latest Challenge entries, with just a few bits left to finish off before Tuesday. 

First, some converted 28mm Napoleonic Spanish Guerillas. A bit of a random project but they will feature in scenarios for Sharpe Practice. They are based on Perry plastic ACW cavalry, but use plastic bits from a plethora of the recent plastic sets from Perry and Victrix. They came out pretty well and each of them is a little bit individual.

Next up, some Viking Levy for Saga. These follow the paint scheme for my warband (http://infrequentwargamer.blogspot.com/2011/12/saga-viking-warband-in-all-its-glory.html) where the hearthguard are quite standard in colours of red/beige/black, Bondi tend to have more browns and greens and these, the Levy are more bland again - exclusively green, grey, brown and beige. They are Gripping Bast castings. 

Finally a few British Napoleonic infantry to bulk out my current units. A mixture of Perry and Victrix. Now these are done, I'm taking a well overdue break from Napoleonics! 

Have a good weekend all. 

Phil

Hobby time by candlelight

I was hoping to finish off some Vikings tonight, but a power cut plunged my place into darkness literally a few minutes before I sat down.
Did I let that stop me? Did I hell! Can you tell why my final job was?
Now, if the power came back I could get on with some more substantial work...

Challenge Countdown

Well, the Analogue Hobbies Challenge has flown by. It's been real fun but the entrants are into the last two weeks and I'm getting panicky that I won't reach my self-imposed target. With just 12 days to go, I've hit 409 points, so need another 91 to make the magic 500, that's nineteen 28mm miniatures. Given my pace, this is a daunting task.
Now, I've a group of Vikings on the workbench, perhaps halfway finished. Will hopefully wrap them up over the weekend - despite being away at a Stag do for much of it!
That still leaves me needing to do one big or two small batches in a week - eep! I've some Redcoats nearly finished but I know from experience the finishing off takes an age. I've another Pulp female to do to take another punt at Sarah's prize. After that...more Vikings?
Wish me luck!

Challenge entries: bumper edition and Cavalier

All,
Many apologies for not posting recently, been a bit busy with work, socialising and even some frantic painting!
Here are my last few entries to the Analogue Hobbies painting challenge. Some Pulp nazis, one Anglo-Dane Warlord for Saga (a gift for my brother), a van for Pulp and some Indian peasants, also for pulp.
I also made it to Cavalier 2012 in Tonbridge the other week. A small show but was good to get on the show circuit before Salute in April, mostly to scout out what I might fancy buying at Salute. I only grabbed a Crooked Dice scary angel (I like Doctor Who, and fancied it as a little jokey piece of terrain) and some bargain bucket half price Copplestone gangster-era civilians which I think will be useful for Pulp gaming.

Another challenge entry

These were my fourth challenge entry, eight 28mm Artizan designs WWII Sikh infantry. Really nice models, bought for the officer with pistol drawn, who will be another Pulp character. The others can serve as Indian military or police allies/antagonists. The joy of Pulp is the opportunity it offers to buy random inspiring models and finding an excuse to use them later!
These weren't that exciting to paint, mostly just variants of khaki/beige. But they came out pretty well. Te only thin, I'm not totally happy with is the skin, I think it came out too dark. Suggestions for a good method for Indian skin will be warmly welcomed. I tend to still use GW paints, much as I've gone off them as a company their paints are what I'm used to. Also, they have improved the line with new additions, their Devlan Mud and Gryphonne Sepia washes come in particularly handy.

The actual third Challenge entry

Time has run away from me, I meant to post this last week but haven't had chance. Here was my third entry to the Analogue Hobbies painting challenge, fifteen Mahadist Ansar. These will be used for Pulp gaming as jungle or island natives, or even as central Avrican tribes, perhaps!
Although bought as a cheaper option to metals, I thought these were great figures which really show the Perry's grasp of anatomy. I used the painting guide from the Perry website to get the dark skin. Think it came out really well.
I submitted my fourth entry today, so maybe I'll also post it here this month!

Third challenge entry....

...done and submitted!

But you'll have to wait until it appears on the Analogue Hobbies blog...

;-)

I also wandered into my LGS today, I hadn't been in since I moved to London. It seems very well stocked with interesting minis and hobby supplies all apparently sold below RRP. Although I'm mostly interested in historical gaming, I could be tempted by Malifaux or Dystopian Wars as a small side-project. New Yar's resolution to investigate their games nights and get a demo or two in.

PhilH

Challenge entries

A bit late, but these were my first two entries to the Analogue hobbies Painting Challenge.

A 28mm Spanish clergyman who has been given the name 'Padre Padilla' (thanks Juan!) and the second half of the 'Regimento Voluntarios de la Patria', a Spanish Peninsular War Junta regiment. These will fight alongside my British and were picked last year as a welcome change from painting Redcoats. I had a spare box of Victrix plastic French, which appear to fit the bill very well, see the leftmost figure here:


Which was sourced from here

I wasn't hugely worried about getting the uniform exactly right, but I think they've come out pretty close. They were deliberately made to look a bit more ragged, both in terms of the mixed posing (altough I was restrained by only having a half-box), covered/uncovered shakos as well as varying the colour of the trousers, mis-matched packs and so on. Perhaps more realistic for a unit on campaign, but different tro my more uniform redcoats....

Credit also to Aki at Too Much Lead as I shamelessly copied his idea for using Victrix French to represent this regiment.

They have no colours yet and one of the standards has snapped. None of my Napoleonics have Colours (the shame!), but I plan on getting them all in one go from Flag Dude, at Salute in London again in April. Hopefully he will be able to provide something suitable for my Spanish units as well as British, I've not actually checked yet...

Thirteen 28mm miniatures were painted for the challenge, but I've here is a shot of the full 25-strong unit.

Next us are some Perry Mahadist Ansar - nearly finished in fact!

Further ideas

So, still mulling over some purchases. A front runner are the below Lancers de la Mancha from Eagle Figures It's the uniforms that are carrying these, they look awesome but that might be the paintjobs. I gather these were a Junta unit fighting with the French, so could lend them to my brother, or fight alongside my Spanish if I'm happy to tweak history a little. Drawbacks - cavalry take an age and I've already more than 25 on the workbench!

An alternative is the Victrix Marine heads pack. This gives a slight variation on the redcoats, but opens up possibilities of games around the Peninsular coast. Better still, I reckon those top hat heads would be ideal for a whole raft of Spanish units, so will undoubtedly come in useful. I fel this would be a luxury purchase though, £15 for some heads and 3 command seems a lot!

I need some brushes too, I'm tempted to stick with the Army Painter ones I tried out this year, but I could be swayed by other brands. Any recommendations?

Yours,
PhilH

Post-Christmas plotting and planning...

Happily stuffed with Christmas grub, I find the mediocre TV on offer is encouraging me to ponder hobby projects. Now, a few years back I started a new tradition - after Christmas I would spend a little money on myself, guilt free. This is by no means because I don't get good Christmas gifts, I fact, my family are all very kind and choose great presents. However, they will lean towards be household items, clothing and luxury goods - rarely hobby supplies!

So, I'm in the Market for a few bits and bobs. If the Challenge goes well, I should deplete my stocks of miniatures to paint. But what to get? Possibilities include:

>random Perry bits (British RHA, Light infantry, Wellington, other bits)

>Old Glory rocket troop (because rockets are fun!)

>A second unit of Spanish line infantry (torn between new Brigade Games or Capitan miniatures - anyone recommend either?)

>Spanish cavalry, probably made out of Perry plastic French Hussars

>more Peninsular terrain (won't score me Challenge points though)

>sidestep for variety into Brunswickers or Portuguese (metal-only, so pricey)

>something for Pulp gaming (needs my brother to choose a setting/theme, he's in charge)

>A new project for 2012?!

The alternative is to think about Napoleonic French. My brother and regular gaming partner is about to have his first child, so I expect his (already limited) hobby time will be minimal for a few years. Perhaps I could help, to ensure fully painted forces for years to come. Torn between making the offer and picking up some bare plastic when I visit in February, or perhaps picking some new stuff up on his behalf, painting it in secret and giving it for his birthday in April. But what to buy? I'm pretty spoilt for choice for French!

Or perhaps I don't want anything enough? Nah, who am I kidding, we all want more lead...

PhilH

The preparations are complete (ish)

So, for the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge I've been clipping, trimming, filing, filling, gluing, basing and finally spraying any miniature to hand. And here are the results.

From top to bottom we have:
-A flock of Napoleonic redcoats (I'm thinking 'the Buffs')
-A gaggle of Spanish Guerillas (yes, those are scratch-built mounted guerillas, honest guv'nor)
-Quick era switch to a shoal of Viking levy for Saga
-Back to Napoleonics, this time a herd of Spanish infantry
-Later, a (small) horde of Perry plastic Ansar
-And finally a pack of British Napoleonic Hussars (yes, these are just horses. Riders are tonight's job, if I get a moment).

After what seems like so much work, I don't feel the above is that impressive, actually! Still, it should score me a tidy sum of points, especially with a bunch of cavalry.

Other than the above, in various stages of preparation I've some Perry metal household cavalry, umpteen more Redcoats, more plastic Ansar, some pulp bits and bobs and that blister-pack shaped Christmas present which rattles when I shake it. And if that runs out, I've no doubt I will make a few purchases between now and March...

And with that thought, I will close by wishing all of the other entrants the best of luck!

Presents in the post

So, in preparation for Curt at Analogue Hobbies' winter painting competition, I treated myself to something new to paint. Slightly guilty given it is just before Christmas, but I rarely get much in the way of hobby material as presents. I've also made a big dent in my lead/plastic pile this year, so I felt a need for a stock up.
The Ansar aren't for a new period - I've picked them up for generic natives for Pulp gaming. Pulp is historical, right? Anyway, the Perrys were the cheapest solution other than plastic Zulus and will be nice models to boot.
The Hussars look lovely, chuffed the Perrys have finally started on British cavalry! I'll do a full unit of 8 British Hussars, not yet decided which regiment. That will leave six spares, which I also haven't decided what to do with.
So, a shout-out, has anyone any suggestions for conversions into one of the more quirky light cavalry regiments present in the Peninsular? I've already a fledgling force of Spanish allies...

A Challenge...

All,
Curt at his excellent Analogue Hobbies Blog is running another painting challenge, in which he helpfully awards points to inspire us to work through our lead piles.
Having been inspired to paint more last year even without participating, I leapt at the chance this time and am already thinking of what minis I can prep to start on.
If a light-hearted challenge appeals, get in touch with Curt through http://analogue-hobbies.blogspot.com/
Finally, an appeal - does anyone have any spare plastic round shields suitable for Vikings? Flat ones from the Wargames Factory set would be preferred, but any will be gratefully accepted. I need just four!