Snow Challenge 7- The End

Well, today marks the end of the Snow Challenge. So, without any adieu; here is the army now....

I managed to get it all done! I have officially run out of British things to paint. I will need to go for a hunt, or go shopping to manage to find some more things to paint for a painting evening on Tuesday night.

So, what have I finished?

Company HQ (2 infantry stands)
JOE Vanderleur and Forward Air Controller (2 Armoured Cars)
Rifle Platoon x3 (27 infantry stands)
Heavy Machinegun Platoon (6 infantry stands, 1 Universal Carrier)
Anti-Tank Platoon (1 infantry stand, 4 6pdr guns)
Carrier Patrol (3 Universal Carriers)
Sherman OP Tank
2 25pdr Guns with Limbers
1 spare Piat Team

So, in one week, I finished off 37 Infantry stands, 4 Universal Carriers, 4 Gun teams, 2 guns without crew, 1 sherman tank and 2 limbers. All in all, a pretty darn productive week! As for the army as a whole? Well, it really, really needs some support choices. M10's, more 25pdrs and Typhoons all need to be added to the army, so they will be coming soon!

The light is terrible right now, so I will try to get some good shots of the units, including those freshly painted 6pdrs up tommorow.

Well, it was a damn productive week, and the snow has basically gone now. It seems like setting myself random challenges works pretty well, I will have to look into doing a few more!

CP

Snow Challenge 6- Getting there!

So, the snow stopped falling a couple of days ago, and I have decided to wrap up the Snow Challenge on Sunday, so I have 2 more days left to go!

This is the situation with the snow, here is what is left of Frank the Snowman....

 Lets be honest, he has seen better days.....

But, in spite of the warming weather I have managed to get some painting done! Firstly I managed to paint JOE Vandeleur, sitting atop a Humber Scout Car. Joe was the commander of the Irish Guards on their race to Arnhem; ably leading them to as close as 1 mile away from the town! Plus, he was played by Michael Caine (one of my favouritest actors) in a Bridge too Far, so he had to be in the army!

Driving along side Joe, will be my Forward Air Controller- The Fat Controller! His job is making sure my RAF Tiffies' rockets hit the Jerry tanks dead centre!

So, that is the armour. Now what about some infantry? I managed to finish off my 2nd Guards Rifle platoon; but I don't have a close up picture of them, because they basically look the same as the other Rifle platoon! So, now I have a legal Guards Rifle force, since I now have an HQ and 2 Combat platoons. Along with my 2nd Rifle platoon, I have also finished my HMGs. These chaps will get carriers (soon) but for now they can be foot slogging! They have acquired the spare PIAT that I painted earlier in the challenge, but I will paint another so I still have one spare.

So, with those done, all that leaves me left to do is the 3rd Rifle platoon, plus one PIAT stand. And I have 2 days to do it. Perhaps I need to add some more things to get done over those 2 days?

The army as it stands right now, tonight those guys on white bases will get primed, ready for paint tommorow.

How did other peoples snow painting go?

Models Painted: 25 Infantry, 2 25pdrs and Limbers, 6 Tank Teams
Models Remaining: 10 Infantry

CP

Snow Challenge 5- Any progress is good progress?

Any progress is good progress right? There is still plenty of snow on the ground, but it wont be here for long I don't think! Which is probably good actually, it is about time the town got back to normal!

Now, onto progress. I have one very important tip for young players. When trying to do a challenge (such as this one) it is a really good idea to not buy more things to add to the painting pile!

So... what did I paint today? I got a few layers onto my 2nd rifle platoon, but also I managed to get my OP Sherman painted too. And then what did I add to the list? An HMG platoon, plus JOE Vanderleur and the Forward Air Controller (Fat Controller from now on!)

So, here is the whole army, in its semi-painted state.

And here are two (average) pictures of my Sherman OP

So what painted tommorow? JOE, the fat controller, finish the 2nd rifle platoon and I reckon I can get the HMGs done. Which will leave me with just one rifle platoon to go- so long as I don't go shopping again!

Figures Painted: 16 Infantry, 3 Carriers, 2 25pdrs and Limbers, 1 Sherman V
Unpainted: 19 Infantry, 1 FAC, JOE Vandeleur.

So.... suddenly I am back to being under halfway through....

And so the painting continues....

CP

Snow Challenge 4= Progress!

So, the Snow Challenge continues. There is still a heck of alot of snow outside, so more than enough to keep me from having to work this week so far! More importantly, the challenge has spread to Jason and Craig, with Jason's panzers especially embracing the winter aspect of the the challenge! I managed to have a game against him last night too- as it turns out we live around the corner from each other, so it was a (relativly) easy walk to have a game!

So, the title says progress, so that means I need pictures! First off, this is where the army is as a whole.

So, while out for a walk today I was met by Jason, who generously provided me with the paint needed to get my armour done, which meant I could finish my Universal Carriers....

And also my 25pdrs.

But not only that, but I also managed to get some infantry painted. Firstly, my Company HQ (with random PIAT)

As well as the first of my three Guards Rifle Platoons.

You will notice in the army picture that I have a few more infantry done from the 2nd platoon, but I just don't have a photo of them. I have also painted the limbers for the 25pdrs, but apparently they are shy, since none of the photos of them turned out at all!

I have also added a Sherman to the painting mix, I acquired him in a trade with Jason, he needed a Panzer IV, and I needed a Sherman OP! So that will go up on the painting block tommorow too, along with the remanants of the 2nd platoon. Plus I should get the bases done on the last platoon, so they will be ready to go on Thursday when I get around to painting them!

Models Painted- 16 Infantry, 3 Carriers, 2 25pdrs and Limbers
Models Remaining- 14 Infantry, 1 Sherman

My oh my, what a productive day! Any encouragement glady appreciated for tommorow!

CP

Snow Challenge update 3= And lo did the heavens open.....

And so, the heavens opened last night, and then this was the scene in the morning.

So, it is official. The Snow Challenge has snow!

And I managed to get a bit done today. I started by painting my Universal Carriers and 25pdrs, getting them base coated... only to realise that I don't have the right paint! Doh! So, they are undercoated, and hopefully I can source myself that paint colour....

So, moving on from that little "hiccup"; I got cracking into painting and basing my riflemen. I managed to get a really good start on one whole platoon, who I should be able to get finished in the morning. More excitingly, I got ONE stand finished!

Here is the Piat stand for one of my rifle platoons- showing off their sweet bases! Despite the average photo, I am really happy with how it has panned out, I am actually looking forward to getting some more done!

The whole mob, as i stands. One platoon is looking particularly small, and that is because the rest of them are currently drying in the garage after being sprayed black. The UC's and the 25pdrs really just need to be painted using the right colour.

So, the weather? Snow. And looking like more on the way.

Amount Completed? 1 stand (yay!)
Amount Remaining? 29 stands, 3 carriers, 2 25pdrs and limbers.

But... thats progress right?

So, Jason is painting for the snow challenge, Stephen is painting some Paras and Craig is painting some Ruskis; what are you painting?

CP

Snow Challenge update 2= Impatience

So, the much vaunted snow, that I have based this entire challenge on hasn't arrived. So.. um... the snow challenge continues? Despite the lack of snow!

Possibly in keeping with the disappointment over the lack of snow, my productivity today was equally poor! I managed to base my Company HQ and first Rifle Platoon, as well as priming my 25pdrs and my Universal Carriers.

Oh, did I mention I managed to find a packet of Universal Carriers lying around? (don't mock my floor storage system) So they have been added to the challenge since they will be in the army too!

Onto pics.
Weather? Fine!

 And the amount of painting done? Poor!

Amount Completed: 0 Stands
Remaining: 30 Infantry, 3 Carriers, 2 Guns and Limbers

CP

Snow Challenge update one

Well, here is the first of the Snow Challenge updates!

Weather: Currently calm, but it is the calm before the storm....

Painting completed: Nothing, not at all. But, I have everything glued onto a base, ready to go, thats gotta count for something right?

So, my three rifle platoons, the company HQ at the front and the 25pdrs at the back.

Tommorow will bring paint....

CP

Snow Challenge Rules

For those who are not in New Zealand, we are expecting some serious snow over the next few days. So, with anticipating 3 or more days of no work, and of no leaving the house, I propose a challenge.

I played a game of FOW on Thursday night, against Jason. I fully blame him, because he made me want to play FOW again, it is completly his fault. Now since I am making a Guards army for Lasalle, it is only appropriate I make a Guards army for Flames of War!

My challenge then, is to fully complete all of the infantry I need for a British Guards Rifle Company before the snow is gone! Which could be 3 days, or it could be a whole week. I will be painting....
-Company HQ (2 Stands)
- 3 Rifle Platoons (27 stands)
-Spare Piat team (1 stand)- I had it spare, I might as well paint it, I might use it with an HMG platoon or something.
-2 25pdrs (2 guns, 2 limbers)- Again, I had these spare. No crews yet, that will have to be fixed in the future!

Well, that is the plan so far, might have to modify it if there is more/less snow!

So, other southern gamers, I propose you make yourself your own challenge, since we are all facing a bit of inside time; all you need to do is make some updates and do some painting!

Update 1 will be later tonight....

CP