From Curt: 28mm Jomsvikings 'The Bloodshields' (20 points)

I've done these four fellows up to represent a small mercenary band of Jomsvikings for SAGA.

The Jomsvikings were legendary and infamous swords-for-hire who were active during the 10th and 11th centuries. They were reportedly very disciplined, staunchly pagan and would sell themselves to any who could afford their exorbitant fees. They also had a nasty propensity to change sides - even in the midst of battle. 

These are 28mm Gripping Beast castings. I did some slight modifications in having one of the mercenaries being armed with two spears and I replaced the small axe on the leader with one that has a longer haft and a larger axehead.

I painted all four in a similar colour scheme and inked their shields to represent the Jomsvikings splashing them with animal blood to unsettle their opponents. The leader's shield design is by LBMS.

I like how the design of their clothes and shields are varied and somewhat exotic - giving the impression that some of them may have travelled quite extensively, perhaps to Russia, Italy, Constantinople or even the Levant.

In SAGA they have some very fun rules in which a player can purchase a Jomsviking warparty for use in your overall force. They are quite nasty in combat, but be warned, they do have a chance to betray their employer and change sides!

These four hard nuts will nudge me along for 20 points. Next up will be some Napoleonic unit markers...

From FranL: 20mm WWII British Armour, 15mm American Marines & Badly Accessorized Secret Service Agents (267 points)

Fran sends in this large mixed group of entries extending from WWII Matildas and A13 tanks to contemporary US Marines and Secret Service personnel. I'll let Fran describe the particulars:

Three 20mm Matilda II's (P237) and three A13 Cruiser Tanks (P238) from Frontline Wargaming, not a lot of stowage or markings due to the fact that with Operation Sealion invasion they would be coming out of the factories and heading straight for the invasion points....

Seventy-five 15mm figures, a full modern US marine platoon of 42 figures with 3 fire teams per squad giving the platoon 9 squads and a command squad, 2 sniper teams, one with a Barrett M107 .50 cal and the other with a M40, an EOD team (Explosive Ordnance Demolition), 3 man casualty team (one of which would be the attached navy corpsman to the marine platoon) plus 2 marines assisting, 8 casualty figures and 10 figures from a small company called The Scene which are meant to be Secret Service or FBI and include 3 body bags...

Amazing detail on the IED.

Based on their shirt and tie colours this could have been the security team for Liberace or Celine Dion...

Well, that is a cart-load of figures - well done Fran! This group will give him an impressive 267 points -  just 50 away from Ray... 

From Sylvain: 28mm Napoleonic Russians in Early-Period Uniform (Novgorod Regiment) & Command Stand (80 points)

Sylvain sends in this excellent battalion of early-period Napoleonic Russian infantry to add to his other fine unit he did for last year's Challenge.

These are 28mm metal Victrix castings sculpted by the talented Paul Hicks. Sylvain has painted them to depict the first battalion of the Novgorod Regiment. I've always liked how colourful Russian flags were during this period and these are no exception (done up by 'Flag Dude').

Above is a very nice command stand that Sylvain will use to indicate a Brigade-level commander. Great work and I like the incorporation of the junior officer on foot.

I've been teasing Sylvain pretty hard to get more Russians done so I'm delighted to see these emerge from his paining desk.

Some of the models for this unit were done before the Challenge began so 12 foot and 2 mounted will be scored. Nonetheless that gives Sylvain a very nice 80 points - well done and welcome to this year's Challenge, Sylvain! 

From PhilH: 28mm Pulp Action Femme Fatale and Pink-Arsed Baboons (36 points)

These baboons show to le Femme their collective opinion of 'Le Societe Archaelogique'.

Phil sends in this eclectic selection of figures: six baboons and a French femme fatale for his Pulp adventures.

Phil wanted Rhesus monkeys but happily made do with these baboons from Obelisk Miniatures in Germany. I really like them! They look suitably ferocious and very animated. Phil says he's never had to ponder the shade of pink that should be used for baboon arses...

Next up is a 'femme fatale' from the 'Societe Archaelogique'. Made complete with a jaunty beret, ubiquitous scarf and a small yet businesslike automatic pistol, one cannot help but look at her and say 'Allo Allo!'. She is a West Wind Production sculpt from their French Resistance range. Great plaid pattern on the skirt! Sarah quite liked the self-possession that this lass shows (speculating that her handbag must hold a bottle of Chanel, a make-up compact and an extra 9mm clip).

These seven will give Phil 35 points but I'll nudge it up to 36 for the nice pattern on le femme's skirt.

From ChrisP: 15mm WWII New Zealand Maoris (264 points)

I really like this stand with the camels and bedouin - no mistaking where this is!

Chis sends in this great force of WWII New Zealand Maoris in British desert service dress. 

These are 15mm Battlefront castings.

The 25pdr battery below benefits from a scavenged 105mm German gun. 

From Chris: 

'The Maori fought as part of their own battalion (the 28th), and were legendary as great light infantry, but also as amazing scavengers! There was a period of time where a company command's transportation was provided by a captured german halftrack- complete with towed 88!'

This group will give Chris a very tidy 264 points. Great work, Chris!

From TimB: 28mm Dark Age Scots, Vikings and a Norman (195 points)

Tim has been stoking the furnace of industry and sends in this great collection of ferocious, bloody-minded Dark Age Scots ('Pre-Feudal' Scots in DBA-speak) that would even make Lady Macbeth proud.

These are an assortment of Old Glory, Gripping Beast and Black Tree Design.

The round-based vignettes are to be used as Army Markers for Tim's DBA campaign system but I can see where they would be great Warlords for SAGA as well.

...plus a few Viking berserkers and a lonely Norman looking for a good time.

This collection of 35 figures will give Tim a base of 175 but I'm going to give him 20 points extra for the hand-painted shields, flags and plaids. So 195 points. Great work Tim!

From SteveM: 15mm British Parachute Company 'The Red Devils' (318 points)

Steve sends in this great unit of WWII British paratroopers for use in 'Flames of War'.

These are 15mm Battlefront castings (BBX16).

How: Primed grey, Vallejo acrylics, Testors Dullcote

Base: Sand, Behr flat house paint to color., tufts, silflor static

grass, woodland scenics tuft

Steve has a big Arnhem game coming up in March and so he is eager to see if these chaps will be able to beat the odds and hold that storied bridge. 

This group of 106 figures will give Steve a very impressive 318 points, vaulting him in amongst the leaders. Well done!  They look great and best of luck with holding The Bridge!

From GregB: 28mm Napoleonic Austrian Infantry IR#4 and Aide de Camp (210 points)

Greg sends in this excellent battalion of Austrian infantry depicting IR#4 along with a mounted ADC.

I really like this officer hollering his head off, exhorting his men.

The infantry battalion is composed of 28mm Victrix plastic models while the ADC is a Foundry casting.

Greg tells me he really likes the variation of poses available from this box. I agree as I did up an 1804-1807 Victrix French battalion last year and found they were great models if a bit time-intensive to assemble. From what I understand the more recent releases are less fiddly to put together which is an excellent improvement. 

In the shot above the footslogger on the right looks like he's saying, 'Look over there, Heinz, a horse that has two asses...'

These 38 infantry and 2 mounted figures will give Greg 210 points. Great job and a lovely unit!