Analogue Hobbies Challenge: Modern Russians and Brits plus some Chindits

 I'm starting to get back into "high production" mode for the Challenge.  With this group I've completed all the figures I need for this years Historicon games.

 16 Modern Russian infantry from Empress miniatures.  Wonderfully sculpted minis.

 A group of 10 Warlord Chindits.  I'm sorry to say the casting quality of these figures was really awful.  They came out alright but required a lot of clean up.

 Lastly a largish group of British infantry - 20 regular infantry and

8 SAS operators.

Like the Russians, these figures are from Empress and are truly superb.

AHPC VII Team Yankee: US Forces

 My submission the West Bonus round in the Challenge was a Team Yankee US force.  All of the vehicle models are plastic kits and I highly recommend them.  The infantry are metal casts and are so-so.

 First up, the heart and soul of my US force 6 M1 Abrams

 Two supporting units in the form of some TOW armed m-113's in the front and some vulcan AA equipped M-113's in the rear.  AA is a critical factor in Team Yankee

A US mechanized infantry platoon

Lastly a pair of cobras and a m113 command vehicle objective marker,

Trenchworx JagdTiger

My last tank from the Trenchworx "Tanks of the Western Front" kickstarter is a massive JagdTiger.  I've never done a winter themed army so wanted to give is a go with this beastie.

I also created my own "secret recipe for mud" which I think came out rather nicely.  The mud mix is a concoction of Liquitex flexible modeling paste, some Vallejo paint and fine cherrywood saw dust from my workshop.  Why cherry wood, because it's what I had on hand.

The winter-white wash was a lot simpler - base coat the tank German Field Grey and then use a stippling motion to apply the white - I did use a sort of dry brushing technique to take mot of the paint off the brush before applying to the tank.

I think it came out rather nicely.  I really wish I had loaded up on more of the Trenchworx's Western front kickstarter but their website isn't that far away.  Hey wait a minute here's a link - you should go there now!

Maybe, one day if we're all good they do a tanks of the Western Desert or Tanks of the Pacific campaign.  Maybe.....

:)

AHPC VII: Week 9: Sprint to the finish

Forward momentum has returned to my AHPC VII performance with a total of 476 points submitted during week 9.  My current total now stands at 2,571 points placing me firmly in third place but within striking distance of the lead

I'm not sure I can catch either DaveD or martinC but we shall see.

I'm setting a personal goal of getting back to last years total of 3.3K points.  The weather, however, isn't cooperating as it's been spectacular here on the Chesapeake - 70 degrees in February with strong and steady winds.  I'm getting the urge to put Bucentuare back in the water and go sailing which would be a major reduction in painting time but good gosh the weather has been nice.  I have been painting outside so perhaps that will hold off my more nautical desires for a few more weeks.

So far I've made 32 separate submissions but have not done any naval miniatures - that will need to be rectified and soon.  I may have visited the War Times Journal site in the past few days......

 Yet more Trenchworx tanks and some dungeon baddies in this installment of "As the Analogue Hobbies Challenge turns.....

First up two tank destroyers  a US m-18 and a Jagdpanther.

 Next something a bit more modern a BTR-80A

 2 reaper Bones monsters a rather silly "Dragon Tortoise" and a purple worm.

 That will leave a mark!

 Lastly six armored Skeletons for Frostgrave

Building the Blood Bowl Travel Box/Dugout

 The overall dimensions are 15 inches by 12 inches and 2 inches in height.  All the wood was recycled from old projects.

Clamps are your friend while working with wood.

 Cutting the "stone blocks for the dugout - they're brought .75 inches square on the ends and 1.5 inches long.

I love my Proxxon hate wire cutter!

 Test fit with minis and game materials

 The lattice for the turn counters and scoring was a bit of a pain to make

I'm not happy with the colors and will redo them

 Tet fitting the blocks without glue

All glued down and ground material applied

 First coat of grey paint.  I used three coats of a water down cheap craft acrylic paint and then dry brushed white.

Some of the interior details.  The chalkboard was a lot of fun

 and the finished product!