From TimG: 1:285 WWII Japanese Artillery & Armour (18 points)

More microscale WWII Japanese for Tim's collection. This time artillery and armour.

From Tim:

To assist my 6mm Japanese in their quest for world (or at least regional) domination, I have provided them with these mighty artillery units. The 75mm Infantry Guns may not be the most feared weapons but these chaps look as if they know what they're doing.  The larger gun being towed (by another GHQ Isuzu lorry) is a Heroics & Ros model of a Polish 75mm gun.  Don't tell the Japs.

 

This rather larger gun is a Scotia model - I found it at the bottom of a box of stuff so it's origins are shrouded in mystery! Whatever it was intended to be, it certainly looks the part and my Japs are very pleased to have it.

There are 1/285 scale GHQ castings of the later 'Shinhoto' version of the Type 97 medium tank. Rather than the stubby 57mm gun of the opriginal, this had a longer 47mm gun which was easily capable of punching a hole in a dry paper bag.

Great work Tim, I really like the camouflage on the tanks (they'll need all the help they can get). Are the little tabs on the rear-left of the bases magnetic for labels?

These forces for the Emperor will give Tim 18 points.

From JohnM: 28mm Dark Age Early Saxons (50 points)

John is getting prepared to try out the Dux Britanniarum campaign system and is in the process of completing his Early Saxon warband. 

From John:

My next submission is quite small, just 9 figures, but some extra work has gone into the Saxon command stand. These are all Gripping Beast figures.

I am looking quite forward to trying out the campaign system offered in Dux Britanniarum, the new Dark Ages ruleset from Two Fat Lardies. The game is set 4-5 centuries prior to the period of the SAGA ruleset, but I felt I could use my SAGA Vikings for Saxons. You can see the army in the background of the first photo. The hoard trays are from Warbases UK. I will have more about this on my blog in a couple of days.

I did need 9 more figures though to complete the starter army. The command figures are from the Early Saxon range. I just could not resist the Saxon lord with the two heads in hand! The game requires a commander and two sub-commanders as well a champion (the one with the red and blue shield). The banner is from LBMS Saxon range, it was hard to make a choice from the sheet. The Saxon Lord is on a 60mm base and the sub-commanders and champion are on 30 mm bases.

I also needed 4 more elite warriors, and for these I picked another set of Joms-Vikings. These are by far the best figures I have seen from the Gripping Beast range. An absolute joy to paint. 

All the figures were primed white and then airbrushed with GW Boltgun Metal. I should have another submission in a couple of days, no metal on these guys though!

You've done a beautiful job on these Saxons John! There certainly will be no mistaking which is the command stand in this force!

This warband will give John a base of 45 points but I'm adding another 5 for the Warlord's basework and banner, so 50 total. 

From MikeW: 15mm WWII American Infantry (100 points)

From Mike:

Remember I said that was it for the US 15mms? 

I, um, lied :D

Two more batches, in fact! The first (first three pictures) is four 4-man M1919 .30cal sections, three 2-man mortar teams, three snipers, two FOOs and a couple more 3 man command stands, for a total of 33. The second (last picture) is four M1917A1 5-man MMG teams, and another command bases, for a total of 23, and a grand total of 56. Same general details as before - Army Painter + Vallejo paints, Tamiya textured paint + Javis grass (and a couple of Army Painter tufts and a resin rock). 

That really /is/ it for the US. Next up, some Germans! (and an Amazon order for a small portable light tent and a better tripod, since it appears I'm going to be doing a lot of figure photography this year!)

Great work Mike. Tamiya textured paint? Hmm, I have not heard of this product - sounds interesting. How do you find working with it?

These Yanks will give Mike a very tidy 100 points. 

From DaveD: 28mm Bromhead, US Marshals & Al Capone (40 points)

From Dave:

As you will see this is not the Napoleonic gentleman in red !- I have had a re-arrange of a commission order so these will be along a little later! So i have had to prep another one instead and in the meantime thought I had better keep the scoreboard moving.

So here is Plan B:-

So first up I give you Lt Gonville Bromhead by Black Scorpion . I did one of these last year as well , but parted with it. The collectors series are limited edition and these are now out of production.

Part of the reason for doing the rifles last time was I had a request for a vignette for a friend who wanted it as present for a birthday - the recipient was very happy! 

I thought I had done all the Cowboys, but while rooting around I came across a mislaid pack - and what a pack it was Artizan Designs Town Marshals - Including a rather dandy "Bat Masterton" complete with bowler and stick.

A finally - I have made up my mind on this years new project - a bit of "Mad Dogs with Guns" 1920's prohibition America. It will use the same bespoke card activation system used in the Cowboys game and a range of different pulp figures (thanks for the distraction Curt) . So who better to start with than one Al Capone by Steve Barber - Prohibition Wars. Complete with an emergency getaway vehicle - no credit to me for that bit - its a straight Lledo Days Gone By - Packard - picked up for under a £1 on ebay! - he has a rather more imposing Rolls Royce on order for a whole 99p 

Phew - a very bitsa week!

Lovely work Dave. Those Marshals are particularly fine and I especially like the pinstripes!

These eight figures will give Dave 40 points. 

From KevH: 15mm WWII Afrika Korps Armour & 28mm ECW (114 points)

Kev debuts with this very nice collection composing of 28mm ECW musketeers and a 15mm DAK force.

From Kev:

Here are my first entries into the challenge. Now I have finally got going after the Christmas break.

The first are 6 x 28mm ECW musketeers. Redoubt bodies I think  with Bicorne heads. These are unbased as they are a commission to be based by the owner.

The rest are my Christmas present from my lovely Charlie. These are 15mm FoW. 12 x Tanks and 2 x Aircraft The Tanks are all Plastic Soldier Co.

The Aircraft are Zvezda. I have a very large 20mm WW2 collection for Rapid Fire that I play at home in my games room, but we play FoW at my local club.

I decided to do a small panzer force to allow me to play at the club without always having to borrow miniatures. Hence a Chrissy pressy from my Mrs and now all done and ready to go.

Two evenings of painting, the quickest paint job ever, haha. But they look ok, I just need to learn the rules now.

Great work Kev. Those Zvezda aircraft look excellent and I love those old Redoubt ECW sculpts. 

This collection of figures will give Kev a very tidy 114 points for his start up the Challenge roster. Welcome aboard Kev!