This month's optimistic intention to reduce my ‘peak of potential’ will be marvellously molded by Curt Campbell’s Thirteenth Annual Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge (AHPC), or rather my mad dash to clear my painting desk before the event starts on December 21st. First up will be the remaining Sons of Horus space marines I need to finish so I can field a 500-points traitor legion for "The Horus Heresy" by "Games Workshop".
Fortunately, I've already built, painted and even flocked a large proportion of these multi-part plastic figures. But over the next few weeks I still need to quite heavily focus upon the thirty-one-model force's third tactical contingent comprising of ten Blackshields - warriors who have entirely denounced their parent Legion.
To mix things up, I'm using several old "Forge World" resin kits I've had lying around since I last visited the Nottingham-based dedicated specialist's booth at "Salute" several years ago, alongside the pieces found inside the Warhammer: The Horus Heresy – Age of Darkness boxed set. So, each member of this pariah formation will contain elements taken from various armour variants (e.g. helmets, insignia-marked shoulder-pads etc), as well as extra equipment and weaponry.
In conjunction with this aim, I'll also be prepping many of the numerous miniatures I want to pigment during the forthcoming AHPC. I'm actually planning on ignoring all its side-quests this year, and simply focusing on completing approximately one hundred 28mm figures instead. A good portion of these models will be 3D printed sculpts taken from my "Patreon" subscription of "Big Mr Tong". But I also have plans for a contingent of Golemmar Gnomes by "Artisan Guild", which I hope to use (as Halflings) for "One Page Rules" Age Of Fantasy: Skirmish ruleset.
As far as the past four weeks' progress is concerned, I have enjoyed my most productive November since I first started recording my output some nine years ago. Indeed, I’ve now almost painted as much during the past eleven months as I did the entirety of last year. Much of this success has undoubtedly been due to my fascination with 3D printing the 28mm figures of “Big Mr Tong”. But I’ve also surprisingly rekindled my interest in the “Doctor Who” range of metal miniatures produced by “Warlord Games” due to the Nottingham-based manufacturer announcing the line’s imminent end, and resultantly offering a myriad of free exclusive models whenever an online order attains a certain price point.
With the AHPC starting in approximately three weeks’ time I have little doubt that even more science fiction sculpts by “Big Mr Tong” will be ready for the tabletop, and hopefully they should be accompanied by an equally impressive number of “Games Workshop” Sons of Horus Space Marines for “The Horus Heresy”, as well as the remaining 15mm “Battlefront Miniatures” German Panzergrenadiers I need to complete for my “Flames Of War” force. I am though, still busy perusing all the fascinating miniatures available via the various companies on “Patreon”, so wouldn’t be at all surprised if another one of those didn’t suddenly catch my eye…