We Have Our 47 - The 3rd Annual Painting Challenge Begins in 13 Days

C'mon y'all, let's do this thang...

Well, the title says it all. 

Like the 47 Ronin who assaulted Kira's stronghold in 1703, we have the same number now preparing for 2013's Painting Challenge. 

Schweet! This is going to be great time.

For their eternal edification, below you will find the Challenge Roster which lists all of this year's participants, along with their associated blogs.

Challenger (Nationality)	Blog
1.       AndrewS (UK)	Lokis Great Hall
2.       BenG (Australia)	Monsieur le Rosbif and Johnny Frog
3.       BurkhardS (Germany)	dhcwargamesblog
4.       CarsonG (Canada)	n/a
5.       ChristopherS (USA via Germany)	Bunker Hill
6.       ChrisP (New Zealand)	The Wars of Pooch
7.    MichaelM	Canister & Grape
8.       DaveD (UK)	One Man and His Brushes
9.       DaveR (USA)	Jack’s Painting
10.   DavidL (USA)	n/a
11.   FranL (Ireland via UK)	The Angry Lurker
12.   GregB (Canada)	Fawcett Avenue Conscripts
13.   IanH (UK)	Wargamers Workbench
14.   IanW (UK)	The Blog with No Name
15.   IannickM (Canada)	Par la bouche de mes canons
16.   JaccoK (Netherlands)	na
17.   JamesB (UK)	Exiles Wargames Painter
18.   JohnB (Canada)	n/a
19.   JohnM (Newfoundland via USA)	Wargaming in 28mm and Sometimes Smaller
20.   JuanM (Spain)	Jugando con Munequitos
21.   KaweWZ (Germany)	Grossbeeren 1813
22.   KevinH (Canada)	Fawcett Ave Conscripts
23.   KevinS (Australia via USA)	Digger's Home
24.   KevH (UK)	Kev’s Wargames Cabin
25.   MarkB (USA)	The Brien’s Great Adventure
26.   MichaelA (UK)	28mm Victorian Warfare
27.   MichaelF (Netherlands)	MiniStories
28.   MikeP (Canada)	Mad Padre Wargames
29.   MilesR (USA)	Lair of the Uber Geek
30.   NicolasC (France via Canada)	Nowhere to Lead Soldiers
31.   PeterD (Canada)	The Single-Handed Admiral
32.   PhilB (UK)	The Wargaming Site
33.   PhilH (UK)	Diary of a Gaming Magpie
34.   RayR (UK)	Don’t Throw a 1
35.   RobP (Netherlands)	n/a
36.   RossM (UK)	Brushes and Bases
37.   SamuliS (Finland)	n/a
38.   SebastienG (France via UK)	Back to the minis
39.   ScottB (New Zealand)	Scott's Wargaming
40.   ScottS (UK)	Too Much Free Time
41.   SidneyR (UK)	Roundwood’s World
42.   MikeW	n/a
43.   StefanoS (Italy)	n/a
44.   SteveM (USA)	n/a
45.   SylvainR (Canada)	n/a
46.   TamsinP (UK)	Wargaming Girl
47.   TimG (UK)	Megablitz and More

As the Challenge progresses this roster will be featured on the main page sidebar with each painter's points tally to-date.

So, over the next few months I encourage you all to come back, see all the fabulous painted figures, and give encouragement to the Brush-Ronin who will be furiously working on their individual projects.

'Okay, just give up this Ray character and we'll leave without a fuss...'

The Sword Drawn - The 3rd Annual Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge

January 2013 will mark the 310th anniversary of the attack of the 47 Ronin. A near mythical event in Japanese culture, the 47 Rōnin have come to represent the virtues of loyalty, honour, sacrifice and persistence (and perhaps a good dose of revenge). While a detailed account can be read here, I will outline the basic story.

In 1701 a young provincial daimyo (Lord Asano) was being instructed in court etiquette by an shogunate courtier in preparation for a visit by the Shogun's emissaries. The courtier, being a nasty sort, relished in bating the daimyo, repeatedly insulting him for his uncouth country manners. Lord Asano, ultimately provoked beyond endurance, flew into a rage and injured the courtier on shogunate grounds. This was seen as a grave crime. The daimyo was ordered to commit seppuku (ritual suicide) to which he immediately complied. Asano's family was degraded, his lands made forfeit and his household samurai reduced to leaderless warriors - known as rōnin. Nonetheless, fourty-seven of these rōnin vowed to wash the stain from their master's honour and kill the pompous courtier who had caused his death. They prepared and waited for two years, many even taking odd jobs near the courtier's residence. Finally when the moment seemed right they attacked the courtier's grounds, slew his bodyguards and took his head. The rōnin then made their way to the gravesite of their master where they placed the washed and perfumed courtier's head upon his grave in final absolution. Upon hearing of the event, the Shogun was so impressed by this act of selfless devotion that he allowed them the honour to commit seppuku and be interred alongside their master (as opposed to being summarily executed as common criminals). Their gravesites at Sengaku-ji remains a venerated shrine in Japan to this day.

Honour, sacrifice, persistence and perhaps a bit of revenge? I think this sounds like a great recipe for:

 The 3rd Annual 

Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge

The Rules

The Challenge will extend from 12:01 am December 20th through to the first day of Spring, 12:01 am March 20th.

Figures can be prepared and primed prior to the start date (Dec 20th), but no colour can be applied until the 20th. In order to be scored the figures have to be based and groundwork completed. The figures have to be painted by you. The honour system will be followed in the completion and entry of figures to the Challenge. Great dishonour goes upon anyone who shames themselves in the time-honoured craft of painting toy soldiers!

The subject matter can be in any scale, but must be historical in nature.

In order to be scored, photos of all figures/units along with a short descriptive note must be submitted to me for posting on the Analogue Hobbies blog. Up-to-date scoring will be maintained on the main page.   

The Judge (me) will participate, but my score will not have any standing in the Challenge. 

The Scoring

6mm foot figure = 0.5 point
6mm mounted figure, artillery piece or crew served weapon = 1 pts
6mm vehicle = 2 points

10mm foot figure = 1 point
10mm mounted figure, artillery piece or crew served weapon = 2 points
10mm vehicle = 3 points 

15mm foot figure = 2 pts
15mm mounted figure, artillery piece or crew served weapon = 4 pts
15mm vehicle = 6 pts

20mm foot figure = 4 pts
20mm mounted figure, artillery piece or crew served weapon = 8 pts
20mm vehicle = 12 pts

28mm foot figure = 5 pts
28mm mounted figure, artillery piece or crew served weapon = 10 pts
28mm vehicle = 15 pts

40mm foot figure = 7 pts
40mm mounted figure, artillery piece or crew served weapon = 15 pts
40mm vehicle = 20 pts 

54mm foot figure = 10 pts
54mm mounted figures, artillery piee or crew served weapon = 20 pts
54mm vehicle, limber, etc. = 30 pts 

Other scales and miscellaneous models/figures will be scored on a submission-by-submission basis. 

The Glory

As with last year there will be prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd along with recognition for People's Choice, Challenger's Choice, Sarah's Choice and Judge's Choice.

The Catch

Ah yes, the catch, the catch. Last year's entrance fee was a painted 28mm Viking and so in keeping with the 47 Ronin theme, the shakedown, er, 'entrance fee' for this year's Challenge will be a single 28mm Samurai figure supplied and painted by the entrant. (This miniature can be submitted any time up until the end of the Challenge.) To generate a little positive karma (I can certainly use it), for each figure I receive I will donate $5 to the Saskatchewan branch of the  Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).

There you have it. If you're interested in joining our merry band of brush-jockeys please drop me a note, or leave a comment expressing your interest. Spots are limited so get your name in soon!

28mm Spanish Civil War - Carlist Requetés

As I apparently have the attention span of a sugar-addled 4-year old, I decided to do some more models for my Spanish Civil War collection. This time up are a dozen Carlist infantrymen who fought alongside Franco's Nationalists.

Illustrations kindly provided by Juan from Jose Bueno's 'Militares de la Guerra Civil Espanola'

The Carlists were (and are) an ultra-conservative popular political movement in Spain. They took their name from Carlos V, son of Ferdinand VII, who was a pretender to the throne of Spain with his declaration to be rightful heir on October 1, 1833. Politically, the Carlists advocated for a monarchical form of government modeled on the late-fifteenth century reign of Ferdinand and Isabel, who shared their power with the regional governments of Spain's various kingdoms. In addition, the Carlists supported the Salic Law enacted by Felipe V (r. 1700-1746), which reformed the process of succession in Spain such that only male heirs could inherit the throne and female heirs only in the absense of a male heir on any royal line. (Yeah, these guys weren't exactly lighting the world on fire with their progressive social agenda...)

Although they historically rejected any form of strong centralized government in favour of greater regional control, the Carlists allied with Franco and the Nationalists during the Spanish Civil War. From 1931, the Carlists had been cooperating with right-wing Catholic movements in an effort to resist the spread of republicanism, which they saw as the greater threat. Starting in 1934 the Carlists began to organize and become more paramilitary in nature, with several plots attempted to overthrow the Republican government. With Franco's military coup, he found the Carlist militias instrumental in driving forward his Nationalist cause. Throughout the Spanish Civil War it is estimated that the Carlist Requetés accepted between 70,000 to 100,000 volunteers into their ranks.

While many Carlists had no difficulty in allying with other right-wing groups, even those that were fascist-based, in ideological terms many Carlists were divided in their opinions. Purists hoped for a Carlist uprising that would install a government that was sympathetic to a decentralized monarchy. Other Carlists were more flexible and were in favour of a strong state that would 'purify Spain' in order to prepare her for a decentralized Catholic-monarchist utopia. Nonetheless, in spite of these differences the Carlist Requetés were a powerful force, vital to the Nationalist effort, especially in the early part of the war.

These 28mm models are from Empress Miniatures, though I understand several of them had their origins as Anglian castings before they were acquired. The figures are very nice, with great animation, requiring very little cleanup.

I find the Requetés' uniform to be quite smart (in a fascistic sort of way). The tasseled red beret with khaki jodhpurs and puttees are very distinctive. I have to admit that when Juan informed me that these troops often wore home-spun checked shirts and civilian pattern blanket rolls my eyes glazed over a bit. Nonetheless I tried out a few and they turned out alright I guess.

Next up for this project will be some Republicans from the International Brigades.

The Samurai Arms & Armour Collection of Richard Beliveau - Pointe-à-Callière, Montreal

The Pointe-à-Callière Catalogue and Pamphlet for the Béliveau Samurai Exhibit.

As I've mentioned earlier, a few weeks ago we were in Montreal for a little vacation, and along with getting in a great game with John, Iannick and Nicolas I also managed to visit a couple excellent museums. One was the the Ben Weider Napoleonic Collection which is on permanent display at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and the other was an exhibit at the Pointe-à-Callière of Richard Béliveau's collection of samurai arms and armour.

Please forgive these poor images taken of the book. The pages are quite glossy making it a little challenging to photograph properly.

Well-known in Québec for his work in the prevention and treatment of cancer, Richard Béliveau is a university professor, researcher, author, and speaker, as well as a devotee of Japanese culture and a great collector of Japanese objects and artwork. For the first time, Mr. Béliveau is exhibiting part of his vast collection. It is one of the most important collections of samurai artifacts in the world, both for its historical value and rarity, as well as in terms of the number and diversity of items it contains.

I'm a big junkie for museum exhibition catalogues. Whenever we visit an exhibit at a gallery or museum I always try to get the associated catalogue as typically the photography and descriptive text are top-notch. The 144-page book which was produced for this exhibition certainly does not disappoint, the photography is fantastic, the descriptions informative and the overall layout very nice.

I was struck that the price of the book was only $39.95, which I think is an absolute bargain, especially for these limited print-run specialist publications. It definitely holds its own with any similar books I've seen from other print houses. If you're interested in a copy it can be purchased from the gallery book store here.

So, if you find yourself in Montreal between now and March 31st I can't recommend this exhibit more - it's absolutely stunning and well worth the visit.

A final note: This post also provides a thematic clue to an upcoming Analogue Hobbies event. I know, I'm sure you're wriggling in your seats in anticipation! More on that soon...