Season's Greetings & A Happy New Year

A View from the Porch: A Glorious Christmas Eve on the Canadian Prairies

We've been blessed with a good year here at Schloss Hanks-Campbell. Much of this is due to the warm companionship of friends, both old and new. So we're happy to take this time to pause, count our blessings and wish the very best to you all for the coming New Year. 

Happy Holidays Everyone!

From JohnM: 28mm Napoleonic Brunswick Artillery (150 points)

John has unlimbered his guns and entered the fray with this entry of two batteries of Napoleonic Brunswick artillery ('The Black Brunswickers').

From John:

Here is my first submission, the Brunswick Artillery at the Battle of Waterloo. The Brunswick Corps had 2 Artillery batteries, one Foot Artillery unit under Major von Moll and one Horse Artillery unit under Captain von Heinemann. Both units were comprised of six 6 pd cannon, I use a ratio of 1 base for 2 actual cannon, so here we have 6 bases. My research indicates that the equipment were captured French or Westphalian cannon, so I have gone with an olive green colour for the woodwork. I am not sure how much action they saw that day, but I am sure that they will see action on the wargaming table.

I must say the submissions to the Challenge have been impressive so far in both quantity and quality, I almost feel like a British Infantryman at Badajoz, trying to surmount the breach!

Beautiful work John and your excellent terrain really flatters them as well. They are Perry models, correct?

This veritable artillery park of guns will give John 150 points to mark his entry into this year's Challenge. Well done, mon ami!

From TimG: 54mm Tratvian Infantry (200 points)

Tim sends along a battalion of Tratvian infantry in 54mm. For those inquiring minds 'Tratvia' was a fictitious state featured in the late 60s radio comedy series called 'The Embassy Lark'. 

From Tim:

Tratvian Militia Battalion.  Armies in Plastic 54mm figures (20 of 'em) from various sets including the Landwehr and Russian Militia boxes.

The Empire of Tratvia (as every schoolboy knows) is a huge country which straddles Europe and Asia. Among the countries it borders in the west are Forbodia, Vulgaria and Svenhasselstein. While economically somewhat backward in our period (1910-ish), the country is rich in natural resources and has vast reserves of (as yet mostly unpainted) manpower.

Very, very cool! You'll need to do a command stand featuring a rotund King Hildebrand III. 

These lads will give Tim 200 points to add to his tally.

From SylvainR: 1:2400 WWII German Naval & Ronin #45 (58 points)

Sylvain opens his gambit with a wonderful selection of microscale WWII German U-Boats,  Z-Boats and his Challenge Ronin (#45).

From Sylvain:

Here is my first entry:

10 U-boots & 9 Z-boots, all at 1:2400, from GHQ. I've provided a close-up of a type IX U-boot hanging on my finger.

There is also my entrance fee, a samurai archer.  I don't know the maker. There is this notice on the base: AEG - Murch. I got this one from a friend in Montréal a long time ago.

Next up: Kriegsmarine light cruisers.

Beautiful work, Sylvain, and on such tiny castings! Very impressive. I also really like the basing you've done. Can't wait to play a game with them.  :)

With the work on the basing I'm going to score these ships the same as a 6mm vehicle, so 2 points each. Along with the samurai archer (Thank you again, Sylvain!), this will give him 58 points as a basis for his climb up the points roster.

From TamsinP: Ronin #47 (20 points)

Tamsin begins her dash up the roster with submitting her Challenge Ronin.

From Tamsin:

This figure is a mid/late 1980s Citadel Miniatures Samurai in 25mm (although to be fair, by then Citadel were pushing towards 28mm). Rather than going for riotous colours, I opted for a more muted brown look. The painting took a day (during which I was also doing work on some other figures) and used a series of thinned down layers of paint to bring out the richness of the colours on the cloth. All parts of the figure got at least 3 levels of shading (some 4 or 5), before receiving a Klear/ink coat to seal the paint and shade the recesses. Folowing a matt varnish spray, the cloth and hair were given a brush-on coat of satin varnish; the sword blade and scabbards got a coat of gloss varnish.

Lovely work Tamsin, thanks so much! I really like seeing these 'Old Skool' Citadel castings. They bring back memories of a varied and vibrant Games Workshop, back before they became dominated by their established corporate branding (Warhamer, 40K, LOTR, etc.).  Ronin #47 will give Tamsin 20 points for her entry on the Challenge Points Roster. Well done!

From MilesR: 28mm Japanese Infantry, Light Mortar & Mountain Gun (100 points)

Miles adds more Japanese forces to his collection with this collection of infantry, command and a mountain gun.

From Miles:

Just a few more Japanese to submit for the challenge:

1, 10 figure infantry squad

3, 2 figure light mortar teams

a 70mm Mountain gun plus 2 man crew

Great work Miles. These lads will give you 100 points - well done!

From ChrisP: 28mm Special Forces, Mogadishu (15 points)

Chris breaks away from his impressive stretch of 6mm work and shows us three Special Forces operators in 28mm.

From Chris:

Here are 2 28mm US Delta Force Operators, representing Shurgart and Gordon, who rappelled in to defend the downed Black Hawk helicopter in Mogadishu, which ultimately cost them their lives, but earned them the Medal of Honor for their sacrifice. These guys came from a Wargames Illustrated pack ages ago. I painted them to stop myself from going too loopy from painting all that 6mm!

Very nice work Chris. These three will give you another 15 points to add to your tally.

From RayR: 28mm 95th Rifles (120 points)

Finally our defending champion has entered the field with that irrepressible,  well-worn old chestnut: the 95th Rifles.

From Ray:

As you requested I've been slogging my guts out trying to get my first entry in. I didn't think I'd make my Xmas deadline but its done. My first entry into this years Challenge is a 28mm Napoleonic one. Not the usual 15's!  Here we have 24 Front Rank figures, representing two companies of the famous 95th Rifles. 

Special guest stars include: 

Rifleman Harris

A Sergeant, not Hakeswell!

Sharpe?

Col. Forbes Champagne, what a great name!

Very nice work Ray. I'm not actually sure if I've ever seen 28s from your brush, so this is quite unique. (BTW, I don't think that's Sharpe as he's actually wearing his shako and I don't see him sporting a mullet...)

These 24 figures will give Ray a very tidy 120 points to enter onto the roster. Well done Mr. Rousell!