Back to the Brushes 257

Plodding on through February, colouring in as it passes. 

The Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge X is over half way there and here its lagging about 4 weeks behind that. Some progress on the DAK with the support weapons now started. 

The first batch of Late Roman archers are nearing the finish line.

Last for this evening is a mixture of things including 6mm Macedonian Companions, 15mm Spartans and War of the Roses cavalry.

More to follow and there will be completed pieces soon.

Cheers for now

Dance of Bronze 20

These little fellows were painted during the 30 days 30 miniatures challenges in 2018 and have only now been fully based.

All three stands have figures from Rapier Miniatures Greek and Macedonian ranges.

Three more phalanxes are needed to reach the required amount for a DBA army and each base will require a rear stand for ADLG as the bases are double depth.

The cavalry will see use as medium Greek cavalry in both Greek and Macedonian armies with Companions and more medium cavalry to follow.

As always the massed effect of 6mm figures is hugely appealing and perfect for basing on 40mm fronts.

Next up will be some work in progress pictures then histoical and fantastical figures in varying sizes.

Cheers for now.

Dance of Bronze 18

Shown here are the completed stands of Greek light cavalry for ADG.

Based on 40mm fronts allowing use with a variety of systems including ADG, Basic Impetus and Command and Colours.

Cheers for now

Back to the Brushes 194

The 30 days 30 miniatures painting challenge is drawing near the end for this month and have just managed to complete another base of Greek cavalry in 6mm.

The figures are from Rapier Miniatures and paint up well from a white undercoat.

With only three days left in the challenge this is a cheeky little boost to the tally.

Day 27

Figures completed 25

Still time to finish another few figures before Friday midnight. 

Cheers for now

Back to the Brushes 189

Day five and six have now passed and the first stand of Greek medium cavalry in 6mm is completed.

One of the best things about 6mm figures is the sense of mass you get from such a surprizingly small figure. Will be using this with the cavalry to create finished elements that can be recognised for what they are by the number of figures and their positioning on the base. Easier to see than explain as a picture is worth a thousand words so the saying goes.

The figures are from Rapier miniatures and whilst chunkier than Baccus are still good in my opinion and once painted and based look great as a miniature counter for gaming with.

On to the Ayyubids for the next update.

Day 6

Figures completed 10

Cheers for now

Back to the Brushes 187

Three days into the 30days30miniatures painting challenge and as yet nothing is finished.

On days one and two the time to paint just never presented itself. Day three and some time was spent starting the 6mm Greek cavalry along with a bit of work on two 28mm figures that have been very nearly finished for a long time now.

The difference in scale really impressive. 

Hopefully, the coming days will see completed figures starting to appear.

Day 3

Figures completed - nil

Cheers for now

#30days30miniatures painting challenge - summing up

Thirty days have come and gone and the painting challenge has been a great motivation to complete a good number of figures that have been gathering dust on the painting table.

Overall, the total number of figures completed came in at 55 broken down as follows:

6mm -  20 cavalry

15mm - 21 foot

28mm - 14 foot

The 6mm figures were all started and completed during the challenge. The 15mm was a mixture of part painted and unpainted figures and all of the 28mm figures had previously been started.

Here is the painting desk at the start, midway and at the finish.

Then past half way

At the finish line

This last picture shows all the painted figures together in a group shot. More detailed pictures will follow on themed posts shortly. 

The main motivator in this challenge has been to clear some figures from the painting table. However, as you can see there are still many more figures to complete; so what next? Well continue the 30days30miniatures painting challenge this time however there will be both a theme and a personal challenge. This is one in the same thing here as the challenge this time will be to complete - not necessarily base - 30 pieces of cavalry in various scales. The reason why? I dread painting horses and yet when finished they are so rewarding. 

So take up your brushes, pick a theme and paint 30 figures in 30 days! You know that you want to.

Cheers for now

Back to the Brushes 178

Moving up to the half way point now and progress from day 14 and 15 below.

Above is a slightly fuzzy casualty marker for the Confederates in ACW. Whilst below is an equally fuzzy stand of 6mm Greek light cavalry.

Next up will see a return to 28mm and something new by way of a change.

Day 14 

Figures completed 34

Day 15 

Figures completed 39

In addition to being halfway through the 30days30 miniatures painting challenge this is the 500th post on Brushes and Bases. Become a follower and leave a comment if you haven't already done so.

Cheers for now

Back to the Brushes 175

Day 9 of the #30days30miniatures challenge and another stand of 6mm Greek light cavalry have been finished.

Also finished the second cavalry casualty marker for Confederates in ACW.

More to follow shortly along with some final based pictures of recently completed figures.

Day 9

Figures completed 23

Cheers for now

Back to the Brushes 172

Update on the #30days30miniatures challenge.

Day 4 
Completed another stand of 6mm Greek light cavalry.

Day 5
The first of two casualty markers for the 15mm Confederate cavalry.

Day 6
Returned to a larger scale for day 6 and completed the first of three peltasts for the second stand of these.

Day 6

Figures completed 16

Cheers for now.

Back to the Brushes 171

Day three of the #30days30miniatures painting challenge and another completed figure. This time another out of ammo marker.

Some more progress on 6mm light Greek cavalry and Arab horses.

More to follow shortly.

Day 3

Figures completed 9

Cheers for now

Back to the Brushes 169

First painting session for #30days30miniatures painting challenge last night saw the following figures completed ready for basing.

Above is another peltast from Foundry and below a stand of light Greek cavalry in 6mm from Rapier Miniatures.

The 6mm figures were started and completed in the same session - a rarity now.

Day 1

Figures completed 6

Cheers for now

Dance of Bronze 17

Slowly another 6mm Macedonian Phalanx moves forward; painted in less time than it took to trim, glue and base them in ranks of seven.

When viewed next to their colleagues the effect of massed 6mm figures does really work on the table. There will be more from this period in both 6mm and 28mm across the rest of this year as moving towards Basic Impetus again as rules of choice for Ancients.

Next up will be some work in progress pictures of these guys bigger brothers that have been cluttering the painting table since December '17.

Cheers for now

Back to the Brushes 144

Seen a bit of chat lately on the blogsphere relating to preparing for the start of this year's Analogue Painting Challenge (VIII) which has get me to thinking: what to do this year. As no theme has been announced yet for the Challenge looking to complete a few pieces here and there pre challenge and then work on the following:

• Trojans for Basic Impetus
• Retro Chaos Warriors and Orcs from Citadel
• Macedonians in 6mm
• WWII Vehicles in 20mm - as it wouldn't be the painting Challenge without some WWII vehicles.

The best thing about all of the above is that they are already prepped and waiting on painting which will give more time to finish off some  other stuff before hand. 

Once the theme is announced will sort out painting challenge level and wait on the start date.

To follow will be some more finished and work in progress pictures. 

Cheers for now

The Dance of Bronze 15

The first of many phalanxes in 6mm for, well for anything that is possible although primarily for ADG.

The white undercoat has been used to the painters advantage here as after washing there was little additional painting to do. Future stands will have both white and silver shields to represent some historical units.

There are twenty-eight figures on this stand and although thirty-two was the ideal number it was just possible. In fact in trying to get figures along the base line several joined the great lead mountain in the sky.

This stand represents one taxis comprising of four syntagma of 256 men or 1056 in total. This would be slightly under strength for a taxis as they were often 1500 men strong. Have never been sure if this number included super numeraries as well. The basic army will have a minimum of four of these.

More to follow shortly

Cheers for now

The Dance of Bronze 14

A tale of two scales.

First up are Greek Light  Cavalry from Rapier Miniatures in 6mm. Based for ADG and a test black undercoat as opposed to white undercoat. The jury is out on this at the moment.

Next is a casualty figure from Immortal Miniatures (now Warlord Games) in 28mm. Based for use as a casualty marker in Basic Impetus or Impetus.

There will be more from this period throughout the year

Cheers for now

The Dance of Bronze 13

Three figures from Rapier Miniatures that have been painted and based for use in ADG as a command stand. Recently seen here in the AHPC VII.

Some work in progress pictures to follow shortly

Cheers for now

Back to the Brushes 118

With only nine days left before the start of this year's Analogue Painting Challenge, the final preparation work has been completed.

Shown here are a variety of different figures that will keep enough variety to complete the point level set and hopefully more.

First up are range of different figures including in black Citadel Orcs circa 1985, Critical Mass recom troopers in grey and finally  15mm.co.uk Undead in well bone coloured undercoat.

Above shows another three different sets of figures.

First in chaos red under coat, Kaamados Dominion Aagamid Infantry platoon - there are another seven stands drying at present. Next are 11 20mm WWII British vehicles to flesh out the 11th Armoured Division support company. These are from Frontline Wargames. Lastly are the Caesarean Romans from Gripping Beast that will make up the bulk of a Basic Impetus army in 28mm, there are another 16 figures also drying for this range.

Above are Companions and Greek Heavy cavalry from Rapier Miniatures in 6mm and enough figures for two stands of phalanx.

The last picture below show the Curtgeld figure or in this case figures, from Gripping Beast's Early Saxon range - Penda the Last Saxon King. The main question here is do they get a black, grey or white undercoat? Lately have been moving away from black as finding it harder to see things. Guess its an age thing!

As you can see there are variety of different figures to choose from  and if things get boring there are plenty more prepped and undercoated figures to choose from in 28mm for Ancients and Dark Ages.

Cheers for now

Dance of Bronze 12

Very much a post of two halves and what was meant to be Dark Ages has changed to Ancients. 

First up a 28mm scale shield for a disorder marker in Impetus and any other game that needs a similar marker. Not much else to say about this as it is what it is; the emblem should say it all.

Next another four stands for ADG in 6mm, this time slingers from Rapier Miniatures.

There are only 20 figures over the four stands as there were a few casualties in preparing the figures for painting and moving on to the final base. Still looks the part.

Off now to finish that Dane axe as previously promised.

Cheers for now