Analog Hobbies Painting Challenge Prep Work

With less than 24 hours to go until the kick off of the painting challenge I thought I would post pictures of my completed prep work.  By the rules of the competition we are allowed to base and prime figures but no painting until 12:01 December 20th.  

This year I am shooting for the moon.  I am aiming for 2500 points which equates to roughly 500 28mm figures.  Its a big stretch for me, as last year I was only able to paint 200 during the challenge period.  That was with a hiatus in the middle of the challenge for terrain boards and other distractions.

There are a couple of reasons I think I can increase my output this year.   I am ready.  As you can see from the pictures I am primed and ready to pain. Most of the troops I am painting are uniformed or have the same basic scheme. Primarily I think I can complete this because I will not be taking time off to build terrain boards.  Just to be sure I get started with the right motivation I am coming off a 2 week painting hiatus.  At 12:01 tomorrow I'll be on those pike blocks like a fat kid on a cheeseburger.

 

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Out of Hibernation

Despite the total lack of posts here gaming and painting have been in full swing.    Since the Painting Challenge is just around the corner I figured I had better blow the dust off this blog and see if I still remembered how to type.

I am pretty excited about the Painting Challenge.  Last year was my first year participating and I had a blast.  The community is amazing not to mention the motivation to paint the challenge provides.  

Last year I was able to paint about 200 WWI French and Germans. Of course in the middle of the challenge I took a 3 week break to make terrain boards (not the best plan).    This year I will be trying to more than double my painting output.  I am going to focus on Romans and Ponts.   My goal is to complete two armies and run a game at Cold Wars in March. Which should work well since the painting challenge runs from December 20th to March 20th

The rules of the challenge allow participants to prime and assemble figures before the start date but no painting can occur until the start on December 20th.    I will post some pictures of the process leading up to the challenge.  At this point I think I have gone through 4 cans of spray primer!

Check out the rules for this year and the posts from last year at

The Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge

Last Post in the Analog Hobbies Painting Challenge

Its hard to believe its over.  This challenge has been a blast.   Thank you all for your support and encouragement!  A special thanks to Curt for playing ring master to this circus.   Dave thanks so much for wrangling me on a weekly (or some what weekly) basis. 

On to this weeks entry.  Fitting as a last entry is the last of the Senegalese Triailleurs.  I was able to add 2 more squads and a supporting heavy Machine gun.   All the figures are from Gripping Beast.

In addtion to the Senegalese I was able to finish my Curtgeld in the form of none other than Rudi Schweinsteiger "The Black Count" star of the game we are running at Cold Wars this week.  All credit for the name goes to Sydney Roundwood.  His amazing site has been a huge inspiration for me as we took the plunge in to World War I.  Here is a link to his amazing site.  Roundwood's World



 In our games using the cards that Sidney designed, Rudi Schweinsteiger became a huge favorite so I felt it was only fitting to give him his staring role. 

 In hindsight,  I would be more thoughtful in my planning for the challenge.   I would have like to participate in the bonus themes but taking on the terrain board project precluded any such fun. In other words I needed control my spastic nature and stay focused!

Thanks again this has been a great experience for me. 

25-28mm figures

Analog Hobby Painting Challenge--8th Entry

Sorry for the long delay between posts.  We have been working on terrain boards for the Cold Wars Game.
I was able to squeeze in a few Senegalese Triailleurs.  The figures are from Gripping Beast.  Really nice castings.  They come with a standard body but are provided with separate heads that include Senegalese, Regular Poilu and Foreign  Legion.  I really like the concept.

In the front right and in the back left you can see a special figure they make with a trooper wielding a coup coup knife. Sorry for the photography, I really have to talk to that guy.

19-28mm figures

There were some requests for pictures of all the French together.   Here are a couple with the new terrain boards.

 
 

EricMc -Analog Hobby Painting Challenge 7th Entry French Casualties and Chauchat Gunners

The majority of my offering this week are French casualty figures.  I chose to give the casualty figures the basic paint job rather than add a wound.  I felt a little uncomfortable modeling wounds, I want to keep the game as light and fun as possible in what will be a pretty bleak setting.

I realized that I had left the French under-supported so I added four Chauchat gunners.  

My full offering for the week.  Its a bit diminished from previous weeks.  As I mentioned last week my son and I are working on a game for the upcoming conventions Cold Wars so most of my time was spent working on terrain boards.

Heres an early look at the "great time sink"

Analog Hobby Painting Contest 6th Entry

I am sorry I dropped the ball last with last weeks post. I had a mishap with Fallout 4.  After a family intervention, I am 4 days clean and back to my normal obsessions.  

After kicking the Fallout habit,  I am finishing the last of the living french.   I have a few casualty figures left to paint but after that I am on to the Senegalese .

This week I finished off 2 more units of Chasseur for the Bois de Cares game (coming soon)

In addition to the Chasseur I finished off 2 37mm trench guns and crew.

 


My production is going to start slowing down.  My son convinced me that we need to run a game together at Cold Wars.    I cant say no to that invitation.  So in addition to painting we well be building terrain boards for skirmish game set between the trenches at Verdun.  My hope it this will hook him, like his introduction to Fallout hooked me!

26-28mm Figures   

Analog Hobbies 5th Entry

I am back at it with more horizon blue.   This week I painted  2-10 figure units of regular French Infantry.  I think the best aspect of the Old Glory figures is the specialty figures they make.  Included in this weeks entry are several trench fighters. I was also able to complete 2 Hotchkiss machine guns and 2 staff officers. . 

I think my favorite is the bald bearded trooper brandishing a pick axe. He truly is a Poilu. (hes hiding behind the staff officer.

Last but not lease I completed a German straggler.  This is an Old Glory medical officer. 

Weekly totals 29-28mm figures  145 points

Last week there were a few questions about my Horizon Blue recipe.  I start with a base of Army Painter Electric Blue followed by a wash of Army Painter Dark Tone. Once dry I hit the highlights with a mix of Electric Blue and Vallejo Sky Blue (the sky blue was camera shy)

Analog Hobbies Painting Challenge 4th Entry

After three weeks of German Gray its nice to paint some blue.   My offering this week is three 10 man units of French Chasseur.  I am planning on running a small game based on the fighting at Verdun around Bois de Caures.   The excellent gaming blog Scrivsland has several after action reports that have provided inspiration.  

All of the figures are from Old Glory.  While they are a little rough with some blocky looks and odd castings once I got started they painted quickly and with decent results.

30-28mm figures   150points.

Analog Hobbies Painting Challenge. 3rd Entry

This week I finished up the last of the WW1 Germans I have on hand.  More are on the way.  Its a sickness.

One mixed unit of infantry with a captured Lewis gun

I also finished a late war anti tank rifle.   I didn't realize anti tank rifles were used that early until I opened a pack of Great War Miniatures and saw this beauty.   I will have to find a way to work this in.  But it will only make sense if I have TANKS!!!  There's my perfect excuse to buy TANKS!!! 

Next up are two heavy minenwerfer from Old Glory and one light minenwerfer from Great War Miniatures.  

I really love the sculpts of the Greatwar Games Snipers.


I am planning to use these messengers as part of a scenario.



Here's the whole gang.  Its a mixed bag of odds and ends.



As usual I had to experiment with the basing again.  I think its too bright and reminds me a little too much of the desert basing I used for my Dervish. I am sticking with my mantra that done is done.  No going back only moving forward.   Speaking of forward I am really looking forward to painting some French for next week.

Thanks for looking.

24-28mm figures--120pts.

Analog Hobbies Painting Challenge 2nd Entry

Sorry for the second entry being back to back with the first.   I was able to finish this group of Germans pretty quickly.  I promise only one more boring group of Germans then on to something more fun.  

 

 I did experiment a bit with the basing.  I think I like the basing color of the groups in the first post better 

The flammenwerfer teams were fun to paint.  I think I like the Great War Miniature version better where the weapon is held low.  The over the shoulder version may be accurate but you would have to be crazy to use it that way. 


Thanks for looking.
26 28mm figures at 5pts each is 130 points