From MikeW: 28mm Parthian Cavarly (950 points)

From MikeW:

Here with submission number N+1 - what am I at now? Four? My entire Parthian army for this weekend's WABGT (http://www.wabgt.co.uk): a batch painting job to wargames standard that took me most of a weekend and a week of evenings once I'd got them assembled.

23 cataphracts, being a mix of Old Glory Parthians and Palmyrans, with some A&A Miniatures Palmyran command figures. (Old Glory UK didn't have enough of the Parthians, and they basically said 'will the Palmyrans do, they're very similar). Horses were undercoated in Army Painter Matt Black, and dry-brushed with Army Painter Plate Mail (or, for the unit leaders, Weapon Bronze). Riders, to provide a slight contrast, were undercoated in Plate Mail spray, faces, hands (AP Tanned Flesh), metal kontos (Vallejo US Field Drab), leather work (Vallejo Red Leather) etc painted, and then washed with AP Strong Tone ink and the faces retouched with AP Human Flesh (a lighter shade).

72 (yes, really) horse archers, being 6 complete boxes of Wargames Factory Persian cavalry. Horses were undercoated in AP Matt Black, then given assorted shades of brown (AP Oak, Monster, Fur Browns, Vallejo Flat Earth). I went with the 'mostly bay or black' approach for what's probably a set of fairly inbred mounts, though there are half a dozen pale enough to be duns or roans - see  here for what I mean. Saddle blankets in Vallejo Khaki, and one of AP Red, Ultramarine Blue or Angel Green detailing, and then harness in Vallejo Red Leather.

The riders were undercoated in batches of twelve in AP Daemonic Yellow, Desert Yellow, Bleached Bone, Uniform Green, Ultramarine Blue and Necrotic Flesh. After that, I snapped them on the mounts (they're a tight enough fit not to need glue, actually!), did faces/hands (AP Tanned Flesh), headgear (AP White, which covers *superbly* well), leggings (AP Leather Brown) and leatherwork (Vallejo Red Leather), and bows (Vallejo US Field Drab). Final stage was a wash of AP Soft Tone ink which dragged back and evened out the overall 'look' of the different colours.

Basing was Tamiya textured 'Desert Sand' and then dipped straight into Javis Desert Sand mix: left to dry, a few dabs of PVA and a sprinkle of AP Winter static grass. Varnished with AP Anti-Shine, and bob's your uncle. Done with most of an evening to spare! The pile of dead plastic sprues was *impressive*.

Pictures are taken from the WABGT (handily I was on a desert table for my last two games). Oh, and for the record? I came last :D

Woah! That is a heap of Parthians! Incredibly impressive work Mike and they look very, very good. Sorry that they did not come through for you during the tournament but that always seems the case with new recruits... 

This horde of horsesoldiers will give Mike a staggering 950 points! So in one entry he's achieved his 1K target and also rides into the top 10 - Well done! 

Nonetheless Mike, I do remember a niggling detail regarding a Ronin AND a Viking...