From ChrisP: 28mm WWII Germans & Ajax (36 points)

A fresh entry from Chris:

I am working on a nice big lump of troops for the challenge (will be finished at the weekend, I hope!), but here are a few random things to keep the points total ticking over.

First up is Greater Ajax for the Greek SAGA modification. The core of the model comes from Immortal Miniatures, being the body and the head. The arms come from a Warlord Games Ancient Briton, the cape from a Gripping Beast Saxon plus greenstuffing a new collar to fit the model. The axehead is from a Gripping Beast Viking. I am pretty happy with him - the conversion is a little bit "wooden", but it should serve to make him look sufficiently different to any other Greek commander out there! Now, mythologically speaking he should not have an axe, but I have bowed out to the hollywood pressures for him. I have a whole speal lined up about him, but I will save that for my blog, will put it up tomorrow (what a tease).

Next up is a group of 6 Warlord Games plastic Late War Germans for WW2, painted up to represent the 5th Gerbigsjager. These 6 are all standard kit models, no modifications. I have given them all field caps to help reinforce that they are Gerbigsjager, as well as having a crack at painting an Edelweiss patch on their right arm. Now, Warlord plastics are getting much better- their new Russian Napoleonics I actually quite like, but the faces on these guys... oooh... They have a certain ugly charm, but they are exactly that, ugly! The 6 men are an officer, and a 5 man squad with an MG42 and a NCO with MP40. The arms/guns don't fit together wonderfully, I can see me getting grumpy when I assemble the other 19 of them....

This group will give Chris 36 points including a pip for the conversion on Ajax. Very nice work!

From SteveM: 15mm WWII French Foreign Legionnaires (99 points)

Steve sends along this great force of axe-wielding French Foreign Legionnaires Sappers for use in a 'Fields of Glory' variant.

These are 15mm Battlefront castings. I quite like the arid effect Steve has achieved with his basework. (Makes me want to go get a glass of water.)

This collection will give Steve 99 points in the battle for 2nd and 3rd position. Well done!

The Challenge and The Big Push - Woof Woof!

Let's Doooo IT! 

As we enter into the final week of the Challenge I'm starting to see many of the lads make that extra effort to get submissions done in order to meet their personal targets.  I find this is all very inspiring and exciting. I know I have a few projects that I'm desperately trying to get done so I can keep pace with John and Greg.

After Kent, who's first place position in the points roster seems virtually unassailable, there are six Challengers who are all are within striking distance of 2nd and 3rd. I think it will come right down to the last hours to see how it all turns out.

On top of the points race we also have the Judge's, People's and Sarah's Choice awards to keep things interesting. These will be determined in the weeks following the Challenge to give time for folks to get their picks in. 

Just as a reminder the deadline for submissions is March 20th, 11:59 pm (Saskatchewan time). I plan to spend much of the 21st furiously catching up on what I know will be a deluge of 11th hour submissions - it will be a lot of fun so stay tuned!

And for that extra bit of inspiration: 'Stay on target, stay on target...'

From PhilH: 28mm Norman Archers (45 points)

Phil has been working hard to meet his personal challenge of 500 points and so sends in this fine unit of Norman archers for use with SAGA. He even worked by candlelight when the power went off in his flat!

Phil's been working so hard on his painting that he forgot to pay his power bill..;).

From Phil:

Luckily, all I had to do was 'tuft' them - perfectly doable by candlelight. 

Eight Viking Levy for Saga. Gripping Beast sculpts. A few minor conversions to add variety: head swaps, arm twists and swaps and the addition of spare hand weapons. The other four are sitting on my paint table still to be done. 

I've something of a paint scheme for my warband:

(http://infrequentwargamer.blogspot.com/2011/12/saga-viking-warband-in-all-its-glory.html) where the hearth guard are quite standard in colours of red/beige/black, Bondi tend to have more browns and greens and these, the Levy are more bland again - exclusively green, grey, brown and beige. 

Two carry shields on their backs which will get LBMS transfers. But I'm waiting until I've another batch done so I can sit down and do all of the transfers together. 

Well done Phil! These lads will get you 45 points (with a little extra for the conversions). Now you're well within striking range of your 500 points!