TFL Painting Challenge

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Originally posted 19th July 2014

Lots of achievements today. Must be something to do with the weather!

We have cops and dogs from Matt Slade; much weirdness from Fred Bloggs; ruins from Mr Hodge; fifty-one infantry from Melvyn; Soviets from the Mad Padre; Mr Luther with his palms and sixty-five 20mm infantry; Kev, still painting despite his knees; Dave Bailey with a big entry; and, to finish, Treadhead with some more Finns (did you see what I did there?).

Today's picture is from the Mad Padre:

AAR: Sorok

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Originally posted 15th July 2014

An AAR covering the next game in the Bashnya or Bust! campaign I'm currently playing against my regular opponent, Neil.

Following the events of the last game, the initiative had passed to the Germans. Their objective: to take the ford at the village of Sorok...

TFL Painting Challenge

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Originally posted 15th July 2014

Today's achievements are from Kev (despite the fact that he's on his knees!); Alexandros (mixing his scales in a dizzying fashion); Mark Luther (more trees, but enough to take him through the 1,500 point mark); Jon Yuengling (more ships, and enough to take him through the 2,000 point mark); and finally the Mad Padre (who bursts from cover with a tremendous update).

And, in other news, I have finally broken the 500 point mark myself. Huzzah!

Today's picture is from Alexandros:  one of his 15mm T-34s. Yes: 15mm!

Type 41 75mm infantry/mountain guns

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Originally posted 13th July 2014

One of the good thing about Battlefront extending its range to the Soviet-Japanese border conflicts of 1938/9 is that it's a great opportunity to fill in the gaps in my Japanese WW2 army.

Here's one example: I finally have the Type 41 75mm infantry/mountain guns that form part of the brigade assets of a Japanese infantry regiment. Nice models.

Bulldogs for Vietnam

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Originally posted 13th July 2014

A unit of Walker Bulldog tanks from the Battlefront Vietnam range. These are really lovely models that I picked up in their 40% off sale. 

I know these are technically a bit cheesy marked up as US tanks, as in Vietnam I believe these were only issued to AVRN forces, but they will suit for US troops in Korea...and they were 40% off and do paint up nicely!

Chuhuac

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Originally posted 13th July 2014

Finally finished the second platoon of Chuhuac. These look so much better in the flesh than they do in the photograph! Just the grav bikes and the special forces mobile troops to do now.

TFL Painting Challenge

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Originally posted 12th July 2014

Today's achievements are from Mark Luther (who bursts through the 1,000 point mark with some very annoying coconut palms); Jon Yuengling; Jason Ralls; Dick Bax (who breaks the 500 mark); and Chris Stoesen.

AAR: Germans Retreat

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Originally posted 10th July 2014

Another great AAR from the Mark Luther archive (all available on Flickr but gradually being added here too). This is another IABSM game in 6mm: this time it's action on the Eastern Front as a German column retreats.

 

AAR: Eastern Front Double

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Originally posted 5th July 2014

Added a couple of archive battle reports from Amokfigur:  these date back to 2006 and are taken from a website that declares itself in hiatus. Well, I hope all is good with Amok and he's still playing IABSM...and I do love the way that King Tiger is painted.

Heldenhausen

Somewhere in Russia

TFL Painting Challenge: 2,000 Points Reached!

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Originally posted 5th July 2014

Achievements today from Mr Ralls (more aircraft); Alexandros, whose lovely DAK half-tracks and Soviet BT-5s take him past the 500 mark; Mr Plowman (some nice sci-fi figures); Owen and his Wild West buildings (now a town bigger than Scarborough); and Treadhead with his big poles.

Significantly, Owen's entries make him the first person to go past the 2,000 point mark. Most impressive, and let's see if you can do 5,000 before the new year!

Today's pictures are another double. The first is of Alexandros' half-tracks, the second is Mr Plowman's GZG grav bikes and APC:

PS  If any of you do notice that my maths is out on the Scorecard, or that I've forgotten to add an entry, do shout out. I tend to update this late at night when my usual attention to detail might be wavering slightly! 

Also, thanks for all the kind words from those of you who have said that the challenge is increasing your output significantly. Don't worry: I'm not burnt out yet, and have every intention of carrying this through to the end of the year!

TFL Painting Challenge Update

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Originally posted 3rd July 2014

Quite a few post-second quarter entries today. We have achievements from Pat G, the Ambler Gambler, Mr Ralls and Mr Slade.

There are two pictures today, as I couldn't choose between Mr Ralls' WW2 Heinkels and Mr Slade's sci-fi Warthogs: 

TFL Painting Challenge: Huge Update

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Originally posted 30th June 2014

Bumper entries today as people rush to get in their entries before the end of the second quarter!

So today we have achievements from:

  • Owen, who cruises past 1,500 points at the speed of light with a large sci-fi entry which also takes him into the lead at over 1,800 points
  • Kev, with another forty SYW infantry
  • Vidal, who not only beats me to the first Martin tripod entry but also passes the 500 point mark
  • Jon Yuengling, who is so prolific I now spell his name with ease
  • Treadhead
  • Derek Hodge with a collection of buildings, scenery and farm animals (sounds like my love life) that taxed the points system of the challenge but resulted in him passing the 500 point mark with flying colours
  • Egg, whose wonderful 1/1250 ships are today's star picture
  • Topi with a collection of 15mm WW2 figures
  • Mr Danziger
  • Stumpy, who went basing mad and achieved half points for 375 Zulu War 28mm figures which neatly took him past the 1,000 point mark
  • Mr Plowman whose four Big Men take him past the 500 mark, as the actress said to the bishop (I'm here all week, try the fish).

And Kev and Craig: you were indeed imprisoned in my spam box, but should now be recognised as legit for future entries.

Here are Egg's beautiful boats:

AAR: Vyazma

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Originally posted 28th June 2014

Craig Ambler finishes his Vyazma or Bust! campaign with Scenario 3B: The Outskirts of Vyazma. I can't wait to see what he makes of Bashnya!

TFL Painting Challenge: Quick Update

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Originally posted 26th June 2014

PatG has finally broken his duck: scoring twenty points for five 28mm Victorian Sci-Fi figures. Nice to see you finally on board, Pat!

In other news, Manuel adds some more Franks, Jason Ralls cruises past the 1,500 point mark with forty 15mm foot and twenty 28mm foot, and Thomas paints some troops for Dust.

AAR: Keren at Partizan

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Originally posted 22nd June 2014

Scrivs and friend took their amazing Keren game to the Partizan in the Park show. Some excellent new additions, including this great Sikh stretcher team:

King Tigers!

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Originally posted 21st June 2014

I've had problems painting late war German tanks ever since I first started on them. How do you get that camouflage looking right without using an airbrush?

Of course, the simple answer would have been to get an airbrush...but I haven't, but have finally worked out how to do it. The answer? A sponge!

The Battlefront 15mm Konigstigers below were painted with a base coat of dull yellow, then stripes of sponge applied green and brown paint. Pop a brown wash over the top and there you are. And where did I get the sponge from? Well Battlefront put loads in all their boxes as part of the packing!

TFL Painting Challenge

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Originally posted 21st June 2014

Right...let's get everyone up to date. 

Achievements today from Craig Ambler; Joakim Strom; Benito Vera; Dave Bailey; Kev and Vidal. And today's picture is another from Kev...there's just something about his style that just suits the SYW:

Q13 Army Lists: The Quar

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Originally posted 20th June 2014

I have been so busy with Bashnya or Bust! that I missed the next wave of Zombiesmith's 15mm Quar releases.

This introduces some very welcome additions to the range, including the much-needed basic company support weapons for both the Crusader and Coftyran forces. It also includes Coftyran officers, new tractors and a great looking Weedl scout kite. Finally, there is a new nationality of Quar released, the Kryster: desert raiders equipped with fast-moving three-wheelers and their own tractor. I have immediately ordered about a metric ton of these, and can't wait to get them on the painting table.

 New figures means a revised army list, so the Quar list now contains all the new releases plus details of the Fidwog forces as well. My thanks to Josh of Zombiesmith for the free pdf.

TFL Painting Challenge

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Originally posted 20th June 2014

Only time to put a couple of people's achievements up tonight. More tomorrow, but up now are Owen's and Mr Ralls' 

And here's a quick pic of Mr Ralls' 28mm hospital for Rourke's Drift. NHS cuts:  fousands of 'em!