From TamsinP: 15mm Mongol Cavalry (108 points)

From Tamsin:

For my 18th entry in this year's Challenge I've gone for something a little different - some Mongol mounted troops. The figures are all 15mm from Donnington Miniatures.

"Why Mongols?" you ask. Well, the Korean army lists in FoG allow you to take nomad troops either as an allied contingent or as mercenaries/auxiliaries within the main list. This provides a very useful addition to the main Korean troop types.

First up we have 24 light horsemen. I went with fairly muted colours for these, with some splashes of colour.

Next up we have a command group for when I use them as an allied contingent.

"Hang on a second - that drummer's horse's head looks a bit strange"

"Oh, that would be because it's a camel, not a horse!"

It has come to my attention over the past few weeks that there was a rule for this year's Challenge that I'd missed in Curt's email to us late last year. It appears that every Challenger must submit at least one painted camel. When I realised this omission from my plans I promptly ordered one and here it is in my Mongol command group.

I do have some more Mongols for this small force - some foot archers and some heavy cavalry - but they won't be painted until after the Challenge.

I should also note that this will probably be my final entry, unless I manage to find enough time over the next few days to complete my buccaneer dragoons or command groups.

That is a very cool add on to your Korean list Tamsin and I quite like the way you've painted and arrayed them.  Of course the star of the group is the kettle drummer on the shaggy camel - wonderful.

These Mongols will give Tamsin 108 points. An excellent finish to your Challenge run this year. Well done Ms. P!

From TamsinP: 15mm Thirty Years War Artillery Limber Teams (48 points)

This is the first day in which I've basically caught up with the Challenge submissions. Then again, I suspect that most of the participants are beavering away on their entries for the 'Vehicle' bonus round so I may be only experiencing an artificial reprieve. 

Nonetheless, having administered the Challenge a few years now I sense that we have left 'The Heady First Stage'; the euphoric, out-of-the-gate flurry of activity which is fuelled by the  abundant calories and free time of the holiday season. Instead, we are now entering into what I call 'The Grind'. This is where the pace of the Challenge becomes more measured and workmanlike. It's like the middle week of the Tour de France. Most participants are back to work and have to manage their hobby time judiciously.  It is also the period where many of them will think, 'I still have two months left, no worries.'  Ah, but  therein lies the rub as before you know it six weeks will have slipped by and we will be in the final run-in. It all comes down to good time management (something I always find challenging in of itself).

Accordingly, Tamsin manages to keep up her pace with this fine entry of six teams of Thirty Years War limbers.

From Tamsin:

Here we have six limber teams for my 30 Years War army. The figures are 15mm from Donnington Miniatures. Nothing else to say about them really.

Yup, just the facts, ma'am. Just the facts. 

It may seem like meat and potatoes but this is very nice work Tamsin. I quite like the civilian drovers with their wide brimmed hats coaxing the horses in their work.

These six limber teams will give Tamsin 48 points, well done.

From TamsinP: 15mm Swiss Halberdiers (144 points)

I'm getting a bit of deja vu here. Didn't we do this around a year ago? Nonetheless here we are on Christmas eve with a horde of Tamsin's Swiss demanding to be registered on the points chart. Really, who can deny them?

From Tamsin:

Is there any sight more certain to inspire terror in the hearts, minds and bladders of medieval Austrians, Burgundians, Italians, pretty much anybody in medieval Europe than a phalanx of Swiss halberdiers using both hands to wave their big choppers at you? 

What's that? Oh, yes, a phalanx of Swiss pikemen holding their huge poles with both hands and pointing them threateningly at you. I'll give you that one, but you'll just have to settle for these halberdiers as I won't be doing any more Swiss pikemen - 256 of the blighters is more than anyone can handle!

Figures are 15mm from Donnington Miniatures New Era range. These were very nice and quick to paint up (these took just 2 days to paint and base). The colours of all the cantons at Morat are represented here in this group.

Like I said, deja vu. That's 72 wee Swiss on the make - very impressive Tamsin. These lads along with the other 184 makes for a very impressive sight. Well done!

This unit of halberdiers will give Tamsin a very tidy 144 points. Great work Ms. P and Happy Christmas!

From TamsinP: 15mm Seleucid Cavalry (48 Points)

I was getting a little concerned that we had lost Tamsin amongst the rampaging herd of painters crashing out of the starting gate but here she is with her debut entry for the 4th Challenge.

From Tamsin:

Slightly delayed due to a nasty gut bug, here is my opening entry for this year's Challenge. These are twelve 15mm Seleucid xystophoroi cavalry from Donnington Miniatures.

I'm not currently planning to build a Seleucid army of my own, but my doubles partner didn't have enough elephants or cavalry for the army we are planning on taking to a tournament in January, so I volunteered to buy and paint up the missing units.

Unfortunately, I began work on the nellies before the Challenge started, so they don't count for points, but I have included them in one picture for their sheer glamour...

That's a fabulous unit of cavalry, Tamsin and I agree, the nellies do add that bit of something (well, a lot of something if you're the poor bloody infantry walking behind them...).

These finely arrayed xystophoroi will give Tamsin 48 points. Well done and welcome back Mlle.P!

From TamsinP: 15mm Renaissance Swiss Skirmishers (96 points)

From Tamsin:

For my final entry in this year's Challenge, here are some 15mm Swiss skirmishers - 24 handgunners and 24 crossbowmen. Figures are from Donnington's New Era range and are a mix of Swiss, Burgundian and WoTR (just to add a little variety - there are only 2 variants of each weapon type in the Swiss range).

These 48 figures leave me with just the command stands to do to complete my Swiss army for FoG:AM. And the camp and some leitzinen. And maybe some more halberdiers.

I really do thank Curt for all his hard work in running the Challenge - dealing with all of us loonies and getting our pics posted must have had him screaming at times.

I've had great fun taking part and have amazed myself with the output it has somehow pushed me to achieve. It is a shame that I've ended up just short of 2000 points, but I simply don't have time to paint up anything else. Still, I'm extremely happy with my final score, especially considering that I thought my original target of 800 points was going to be a big stretch.

Thanks again Curt, and to my fellow Ronin - I salute you all!

Excellent final effort Tamsin! These fellows look the business in their quartered livery, jacks and sallet helms. Lovely stuff.

These crossbowmen will give Tamsin 96 points to close her participation in the Challenge. 

Congratulations, you really gave Ray (and most everyone else) a good run for their money. I'm especially happy as I know at the start of this you were not sure if you'd be able to keep up the steam. Well, as it turned out you were one of the heavy hitters with not only meeting your original target but blasting past your second! Well done Tamsin and thank you.

From RayR: 15mm Scottish Pikemen (546 points)

Well, we've all been waiting for our previous year's Champion to start his dash to the finish. So not to disappoint, here's Ray with his final run-in:

Its a big one!! Like Tamsin I've been busy painting pike units, not Swiss though, but Scots for the Battle of Flodden. 

There are 16 units of 16 figures. 15 represent King James IV's command at the battle and one unit the green flagged unit Lord Home's is from his command.

All the pikemen are from Peter Pig while the front rank troops are from a variety of manufacturers including Essex, Peter Pig, Donnington, Frei Korps, MY, Feudal and  Minifigs.

There are another 30 odd of these pike blocks left to paint, I've stared some, but don't think they'll make the Challenge! Unlike some other stuff waiting in the wings!!!!

Excellent work Ray. I imagine this is only the first sandbag to fall away from you as you dash in? Cheeky git.

These sixteen (!) units with their lovely banners all proudly flappity-flapping will give Ray 546 points. Yep, you read right. 546. That is a shed-load of points in anyone's books! Well done young man!  

Now, the question is: Does Tamsin have the 200+ points to bridge the gap?

From SebG: 15mm Spartacus Army (82 points)

From Seb:

I started my new projet: a Spartacus army in 15mm, first for Art de la guerre, and then , if motivated enough, I'll upgrade it to a FOG format.

I know it's a project that will require a lot of minis, but I also want a Kubrick feel about this army. So, I've cheated a bit. I need 12 bases of untrained slaves/ desperate peasants. I've started looking here and there, and opted for a mix of Corvus Belli and Xyston.

So, first, you have 6 bases of 5 minis each, with 7 shields and a floating hand-painted banner. All the minis are different! For the floating banner, I cut a piece of paper, painted it, including the highlights, and then glued it on the pole. I chose purple because I'm quite sure the slaves would have found a rich villa and taken everything valuable. A purple cloth would be very useful, easy to spot in a battle.

And next, the piece de resistance: Kubrick's Spartacus is famous for the final battle scene, and the fiery rollers! To cheat a bit, and paint a bit faster, I've made six fiery rollers, from cleaning pipe and some metallic stuff whose name escapes me at the moment. For an Hollywood effect, I added desperate/ dead Romans: 2 Corvus Belli, + 3 dead from Freikorps and Donnington.

I love this submission. The figures have such great colour with their varied sheilds, the basework is excellent and the 'burning rollers' are genius. Well done Seb!

This emerging project of slaves and gladiators will give Seb 82 points. Great job!

From Seb: 15mm Chinese General, Supply Wagon & Renaissance Commanders (73 points)

 From Seb:

It's been a few days since my last entry. I was feeling a bit down, and wasn't much interested in painting. Let's hope the mojo's back. You'll have to excuse the crappy quality of the pics, but I didn't have access to my usual place. First, I've finished the Chinese general for my friend Chris, a pretty simple base, with  4 Museum minis. 

Then, A wagon with driver for my camp, again from Museum, but I added a Donnington. 

And finally, my generals! 4 bases of three horsemen, and 3 flags. On one of the pictures, you can see the Condé from Testudo. He's quite nice and was easy to paint. For the flags, I admit I'm wrong, because those are infantry flags. But I wanted to be sure to differentiate them from my cavalry units. 

So, to sum up: 6 foot, 12 mounted, 1 wagon and two horses, plus 3 flags in 15mm. Not bad hey?

The good thing is, my French army is now finished! I can now finish my cold war French, finish painting your Ronin (almost done), and then start my new project in 15mm: just a clue, it's an Ancients army, rarely seen on the tables, but there is a good modelling challenge. And No Tamsin, you can't say a word!

That's a very nice mix of figures and periods Seb! All are lovely but I have a particular soft spot for REMFs and that barrel wagon is excellent. 

This submission from Seb will provide him with 73 points.

From Tamsin: 15mm Scythian Light Cavalry (48 points)

From Tamsin:

For my 9th entry, here are some 15mm Scythian light horsemen. I'd actually started painting the horses before the Challenge, but the riders hadn't been touched so they count. 

Figures are from Donnington. The sculpts don't seem to have as much "texture" as their other miniatures, so the Klear/ink step hasn't been as effective as normal.

For my next entry I'll be returning to 28mm with some more Normans. Now I've just got to assemble them (a job I dislike, but that's the price you pay for using plastics!).

Excellent work Tamsin. Like your previous unit of light horse, I really like how vibrant you've gone with these. 

These Scythian boys will give Tamsin 48 points to add to her tally. This just leaves her a few points shy of her original Challenge Par Goal with 40 days still to go - impressive effort and great painting!