Painting Challenge: Final March Update

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Just time to pop in a quick March update for this year’s Painting Challenge.

First up is Sapper, with some rather nice Romans of the Republican sort and a host of figures for the Wars of the Roses:

Next we have our regular submission from Mr Helliwell: all 15mm this time, and mostly Napoleonics with a smattering of AWI thrown in for good measure. Shown are only some of his entries; do please visit his gallery (accessible via the top navigation bar) to see all:

Zofficus has been busy this month: some Assyrian chariots and a rather large Swedish camp.

Here’s two more entries from Steve Burt: some Swiss and a Scots commander:

Mr Luther continues to add to his vast collection of 6mm aeroplanes, with another twenty-two models for the air way over China in 1944-5.

And finally last, but by no means least, Dex has painted up a platoon of early war French infantry:

Keep them coming!

Painting Challenge: First March Update

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Huge amounts submitted, must be time to do a Challenge update!

First up is the return of Mr Luther, who has sent in at least a couple of squadrons worth of little aircraft for WW2 aerial gaming. Here’s a selection:

More tiny aircraft, one of two themes of this week’s update, this time from Mervyn. Today’s submission is one to be sued for Algy Pulls It Off, the Lardies rules for WW1 warfare in the ait:

The second theme of this week’s update is buildings, lots of buildings. Let’s start with Carole, who has sent in ten! Here’s a selection: see the rest in her gallery, available through the Navbar, above.

And Mr Helliwell has also sent in loads of buildings. Some troops, yes, but definitely loads of buildings! Again, here’s a selection:

No buildings, but here’s a huge entry from Dex…two platoons (plus supports) of WW2 US Marines. Here’s some of them:

And finally, lst but by no means least, here’s Stumpy with some more figures for Test of Honour:

That’s it for this time, but do keep them coming! Next update towards the end of the month.

Painting Challenge: a Second February Update

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The entries for this year’s Challenge have been coming in thick and fast, so let’s get straight down to the latest submissions…

Nick Cooper sends in his first batch of the year: more assorted fantasy figures for his collection.

I particularly like the Giant’s lightning and, of course, the Guinea Pig with the huge gun (from Bad Squiddo).

Next up is Stumpy, with some kit for CoC in the Ardennes and for Test of Honour. Loving the sumo doyo and, if the snowman wasn’t enough, you can see the rest of the Ardennes submission in Stumpy’s gallery, accessed via the NavBar, above.

Let’s look at what Andrew Helliwell has sent in next. As per usual, a huge entry featuring a range of Napoleonics and a few other bits and pieces…

Carole has been dabbling in the Eldritch, sending in some nicely painted scenery from Bad Squiddo and Fenris. There’s also a warrior queen and commitatus in there too. And a dragon, don’t forget the dragon!

And last, but by no means least, Mervyn has been building terrain and re-basing some 15mm troops:

That’s all for now, but do keep them coming!

Painting Challenge: First February Update

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Plenty of entries coming in, so easy to have an update in the first week of February.

First up is new participant Zofficus, with some very nice 28mm light cavalry meant for a Pradithran Indian army. I’ve faced these particular figures across the tabletop, and they fight as well as they look!

Dex is preparing to play the Road to Bremen Pint-Sized Campaign for Chain of Command 2, so has stocked up on some 15mm, 3D printed houses. Here’s some of them: see the rest in his gallery, accessed via the NavBar (above).

Carole has sent in two batches of figures: one with some D&D adventurers and one featuring a vampire count and his retinue. Here’s some of them:

Mervyn has been finishing up some odds and ends: French casualties and Spanish civilians - sounds like the last shot before the credits of a Sharpe!

Mr Helliwell is next, with a huge entry of seven battalions of 15mm Napoleonic Austrian infantry, and a few 28mm medievals thrown in for good measure. Here’s a four of the battalions, see the rest in his gallery.

And last but by no means least, here’s Stumpy’s submission: the start of a collection for Test of Honour.

A great selection of painting for the Challenge. Keep ‘em coming!

Painting Challenge: A Second January Update

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As it’s January and people are keen to get their first entries of the year onto the scoreboard, here’s another Painting Challenge update.

First up is new entrant Jim Jackaman, with a couple of beautifully painted, 1/600 aircraft from Tumblinb Dice:

Next up we have Andrew Helliwell’s first entry of the year. As you might expect, it’s a biggie: loads of 15mm Austrian Napoleonics, a handful of 28mm D&D characters, and trees…a veritable forest of trees!

Sapper has also sent in his first entry of the year: Knights and Archers for the Wars of the Roses.

Now on to those who have sent in their second entries for the year. First up is Dex, with some more WW2 15mm figures:

Then Carole, who has been busy recruiting for her 15mm Imaginations campaign:

And lastly, but by no means leastly, here’s Steve Burt latest additions to the townsfolk of Traitor’s Toll:

As always, plenty more to see in the individual galleries that you can access from the NavBar, above. Keep them coming!

First Painting Challenge Update for 2026

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Happy New Year again to all, especially as it’s time for the first Painting Challenge update of the year.

First up, we have Carole, with some very nicely painted High Elves from Northstar:

Next we have Dex, who is adding to his already impressive WW2 collection with some 15mm Partisans and a car park full of German armour:

Stumpy has been busy over Christmas: here are some Spanish Lancers and a single Brunswick Lancer needed to complete a unit:

Also busy over the festive period was Mervyn. Here are is superb Scots Greys in 28mm:

And then last, but by no means least, here are some Traitors Gate figures from Mr Burt:

So that’s the first update done for 2026: please visit the individual galleries via the NavBar above to see all the shots that people have sent in. There are all the historical galleries available as well, dating right back to 2014, although there are only a few people who have managed an entry every year.

If you’d like to take part in this year’s Challenge, details are also available in the NavBar, or click here.

Christmas Eve TFL Painting Challenge Update

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It’s almost Christmas and just time for a Painting Challenge update before Santa arrives to replenish the lead mountain!

Lots of entries this time round, so let’s jump right in…

Sapper is back, with mojo fully re-engaged. Huge amounts of French Napoleonics; some Wars of the Roses infantry; large numbers of Epic English Civil War pike and shot; and then some large scale D&D figurs to finish. Almost 1,000 points in one entry: most impressive!

Mr Helliwell also sends in a large entry: this is the start of an Austrian army in 15mm. These are only some of his pics, so do make sure to check out his gallery, accessed (along with all the others) from the NavBar at the top of the page).

Another big submission is from Nick Cooper: lots more fantasy figures for us all to enjoy. Again, see his main gallery for everything, but here are some highlights:

Mervyn has sent in some mean looking gunfighters and a bit of scrub terrain:

Next up is Mr Burt, with some Swiss, some assassins and some Templars:

Carole has painted some more Romans:

And last, but by no means least, is Ralph, with some more Greek psiloi in 15mm:

A great haul: a positive cornucopia of goodness!

There’s still time to get any last entries in for this year and, of course, the Challenge will be back in 2026!

Happy Christmas everyone, and I hope Santa brings you everything you desire!

TFL Painting Challenge: Pre-Xmas Round Up

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A quick round up of the latest entries into the challenge just before we get the usual end-of-year, pre-Christmas rush.

First up we have Carole, with a selection of rather lovely figures from Bad Squiddo: Vampire Hunters and, perhaps, the fate that awaits them!

Mr Burt has been busy producing more medieval types. There are some French knights for Agincourt; and some Burgundian handgunners, so sort of French!

Andrew Helliwell sends in his usual substantive entry: huge numbers of 28mm foor for the Wars of the Roses, and more American War of Independence types in 15mm - separated in the gallery below so they don’t fight each other whilst you’re trying to admire them!

Stumpy has submitted a mixture of painted and re-based figures…remember: you get half points for any re-basing you do. I’ve only shown a couple below, so make sure you check out his gallery for more.

Next a couple of names we haven’t seen for a bit of time. First up is Mervyn, with a a couple of nice-looking entries featuring Vikings (you can never have too many Vikings!) and some figures for a French game called Forager.

And last, but by no means least, is Ralph and some great-looking 15mm Greek cavalry,

Last few weeks of this year’s Challenge now upon us, so let’s get those last bits of painting for 2025 done…and then it’s on to 2026!

TFL Painting Challenge: Mid-November Update

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Frost on the car this morning for the first time this winter, decorations and Christmas songs everywhere: must be almost the end of the year and the climax of the 2025 TFL Painting Challenge!

Lots of entries in this batch. First up we have Carole, and a lovely set of general Dungeons and Dragons types from Bad Squiddo:

Next we have Andrew and some more medievals: this time a mixture of 28’s and 15’s, all mostly from Mirliton:

The painting fairy has visited Stumpy, so lots of re-based figures from him. You still get half points for re-basing, so always worth sending them in:

Nick has been very busy: a huge entry of some very nice 28mm fantasy figures and a couple of outriders in a larger scale.

Dex has also been hard at it, sending in an ersatz German late WW2 Volksturm platoon for Chain of Command 2:

And last, but by no means least, here’s some of Mr Luther’s 6mm orchards along with Steve’s French knights from Agincourt:

Still plenty of time to get your entries for this year in: the Challenge doesn’t close until midnight on 31st December.

Keep them coming!

TFL Painting Challenge: End October Update

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Gosh, is it that time of year already? Soon be Christmas and another excuse to buy lots and lots of new little soldiers. And don’t forget the Black Friday sales argument either: I had to have it, it was such a bargain!

Once you have bought all the shinies, it’s time to paint them, and that’s where the Challenge comes in: more motivational than a goose giving a TED Talk in full business casual (thank ChatGPT for that one).

Here are this week’s entries: first up is Carole with some very nice 28mm figures from Bad Squiddo.

Next we have Mr Helliwell with his usual cornucopia. This time it’s a mix between the Napoleonic and the Medieval, with some lovely terrain builds as well. Below is only a fraction of what Andrew has sent in: a visit to his gallery (accessed via the NavBar at the top of the page) is highly recommended.

Mr Luther has some more tiny aeroplanes to add to his collection, and a vast amount of trees and bramble.

Steve Burt is still adding to his Agincourt collection. Here are some axemen and swordsmen.

Finally, here’s Stumpy, who’s been busy re-basing after a visit from the Painting Fairy:

Inspired by all the above, I’m off to put some paint on some Haiduks: keep them coming!

TFL Painting Challenge: Early October Update

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Three weeks since the last Painting Challenge update, and plenty enough entries to justify another.

First up we have Dex, who adds to his collection of 15mm WW2 Japanese troops. I’m loving the coastal defence gun, might have to invest in some of them myself!

Next up we have Carole, with three technically 28mm figures. I say ‘technically’ as they are all of the giant/ogre types so well over 28mm tall. Mind you, with scale creep being what it is, in a few years time, these will probably be seen as “small 28’s”!

Time for Mr Helliwell’s regular monthly entry. Andrew has been chipping away at the base lof his lead mountain, so an eclectic mix of odds and ends plus a unit of 1/72 figures: you don’t see many of them these days.

Mervyn is back to the Napoleonics: more 15mm figures, this time British and Dutch.

And finally we’ll finish on an unlikely pairing: Greek slingers from Stumpy and Agincourt French spearmen from Mr Burt.

A very varied mix of figures taken from all parts of the broad church that we call wargaming!

Keep them coming!

TFL Painting Challenge: Mid-September Update

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It’s been a couple of weeks since the last update, so plenty of entries have poured in.

First up is Dex, with some figures that I really like: SMASH aliens (i.e. from the 1970s TV commercials) and supporting vehicles.

These are apparently from a Kickstarter that has now finished: one that I wish I’d seen as I think I would have invested as well.

Next up, we have Coop and his regular monthly entry. Coop is always a month behind, so here are some of his August figures:

Mr Helliwell also sent in his usual monthly entry: more Medievals and more American Wat of Independence, both is more than one scale.

Stumpy has been re-basing like crazy: all Napoelonics, mostly for the war in Spain.

Carole’s painting mojo is back after its summer holiday, and as a result we have some a command stand, an Otyugh, and some entrenchments.

Finally let’s pop a couple of singletons together. On the left we have Mervyn with some little boats - a departure from his usual fare; and on the right is Steve with what he laughingly calls his ‘final’ batch of Agincourt Knights…as nothing, where collecting our little soldiers is concerned, is ever final!

Some lovely work all round there. Keep them coming!

TFL Painting Challenge: Quick End August Update

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Exactly what it says on the tin: a quick end of August update to the Painting Challenge.

First up is Mr Burt with the last of his Traitor’s Toll figures and a return to his Agincourt Knights.

Next we have Mervyn with a couple of Darkest Africa entries: British Naval types and Askaris.

Also sending in a brace of entries is Stumpy, with some casualty markers for Sharp Practice and some British Light Dragoons.

Finally we have Mr Helliwell with his usual cornucopia of entries. This time it’s mostly medieval with just a hint of the AWI.

Loving the shields on the last two!

That’s it for this time: just a quick one as I said.

Keep them coming!

Weave of War: the End of Painting Tartan

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Ask any miniature painter what the most difficult thing to paint is and “tartan” will always appear near the top of the list. I’ve certainly struggled with getting kilts ands cloaks to look good whether I’m painting 19th Century Highland infantry, Highlanders to support my 17th Century Covenantors, or just looking to add a bit of variety to Celtic types.

A new company, Weave of War, now has the solution: they sell little 28mm “Campaign Cloaks” that simply wrap around your miniatures.

This is an absolutely brilliant idea that has me reaching for the lists to plan a new army of some kind of Highland infantry just so I can use them!

There are currently eight varieties of tartan with, according to the website, more planned. A pack contains eight cloaks and there’s currently a launch offer giving you two packs for £11.

Here are the eight varieties:

And there’s even a YouTube video that shows you the best way to fit the cloaks

What a good idea…now all I have to do is persuade them to produce them in 15mm!

Painting Challenge: Early August Update

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It’s beena couple of weeks since the last Painting Challenge update, so let’s have a quick run through the latest submissions…

First up is Nick with his usual collection of fantasy figures. I particularly like the six thieves, bottom left.

Dex has also been busy, this time with a German WW2 Volksgrenadier platoon with a section of Jugend in support.

Dex also sent in some rather neat sci-fi figures as well: check out his gallery (accessible via the top NavBar) to see them.

Let’s get the third large submission out of the way as well now: Mr Helliwell with a rather lovely set of American War of Independence figures (well, it was July when they were actually painted) mainly from Peter Pig’s excllent range.

Stumpy is up next, with a few odds and ends sorted. Here are his Roman cavalry and a few British WW2 Home Guard.

And last, but by no means least, is Mervyn with some trolls of the non-Internet variety:

Keep them coming! I’m off to finish my Berber horsemen…

TFL Painting Challenge: Late July Update

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Here’s the latest batch of entries for this year’s Painting Challenge.

First up, Dex has had a very productive few days producing both a Hungarian platoon and a Japanese Special Naval landing Force in 15mm:

There are more figures in his gallery, accessible from the top NavBar, and I’d always recommend looking at people’s full galelries rather than the selection I post here on the updates.

Next up, Mark Luther who has replaced all his telephone poles (66 of them) and found time to add a few more aircraft to his collection as well:

Melvin has been busy too: working towards finishing a Norse and a Congo project. I’m not quite sure what he means by this word “finished” but it’s probably an excuse to buy more figures!

Along the same lines, Mr Burt uses the words “final batch” in his e-mail to me. Well, I know what a “batch” is, but I think we all know that the word “final” is, shall we say, flexible in wargaming collection terms…

And last, but by no means least, here is Mr Helliwell with his usual mass entry. Lots of Napoleonics and Medievals for us to enjoy.

Keep them coming!

TFL Painting Challenge: Early July Update

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A quick interuption of the flow of AARs from the To The Smallest competition to update the Painting Challenge.

First up, we have a new entrant, Dex, who has sent in some very nice WW2 miniatures, including a Phillipino force. Welcome, and we’re all looking forward to seeing more of your work:

It wiuldn’t be a Painting Challenge update without an entry from Mr Helliwell, so here’s a selection of the usual vast amount of figures that he’s sent in:

A bit late, so added after this post first went live, is Sapper, with some very nice 28mm figures from across the ages:

Steve Burt and Stumpy get to share a spot with their entries this time around: more Traitors Gate from Steve and some Italian Napoleonics from Stumpy.

And finally here’s some re-basing (always a horrible task) from Mervyn for the Congo game from Tomahawk Studios:

So just a quick update this time, with the last two AARs from To The Smallest following shortly!

TFL Painting Challenge: Second June Update

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Plenty of big entries into the Challenge since the last post, and a quiet Sunday morning before gaming this afternoon has given me time to log them all in…

First up is Carole, with a vast number of Peter Pig WW2 figures as she prepares to play Chain of Command 2: Germans, Soviets and British.

Next we have Nick’s usual month-late entry ;) . Here we have a selection of fantasy figures from large (a giant) to small (some dwarves) and all sizes in between!

It wouldn’t be a Painting Challenge update without Mr Helliwell’s contribution. Here we have some 15mm Napoleonics and his usual selection of 28mm medieval figures…and there’s a sneaky fantasy figure sneaked in their too!

Mr Burt has been producing figures for Traitor’s Gate at a rapid rate of knots. Here are two more groups of civilians and some geese…

And to finish a couple of singleton’s: Mervyn’s 28mm Napoleonic Portuguese and some more of Ralph’s 15mm Greeks.

Some lovely looking and highly inspiring figures posted there. In fact, I’m off to the painting table myself now. After all, those Berber Spearmen won’t paint themselves…

Painting Challenge: End of May update

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It’s a ovely sunny morning and all are asleep except me…which gives me time to do a bit of basing (they are drying) and to update the Painting Challenge.

First up is Carole, with a whole grimmace of ogres:

Next we have, as always, Mr Helliwell, with some more 28mm medievals: the result of a large Bring & Buy purchase!

Next we have four singleton picture entries, with the caption telling all…

So a short but sweet Challenge update this time. Keep them coming!

TFL Painting Challenge: Mid-May Update

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Loads of entries coming in this year: we all seem to have got out painting mojo back!

I recommend visiting everyone’s individual galleries (the NavBar, above, has all the links) but here are some highlights of this entry’s batch.

First up is Mr Cooper, with his usual eclectic collection of 28mm fantasy figures:

Steve Burt is also living in a fantasy world, with his civilians for Traitor’s Gate:

Back to reality now with Andrew Helliwell’s entry. I haven’t shown the hills, but here are two 15mm Napoleonic battalions and a rebased unit of Seven Years War cavalry:

Mr Luther, king of the micro-tanks, has another large entry: an assortment of WW2 eastern front vehicles. I haven’t shown them all here, and you can see them all in action in his many battle reports in the IABSM AAR section of this website.

And to finish, here are some individual entries:

Let’s keep those entries coming in, folks!