Completed Painting Challenge

 Back on October 1, 2024, I started a one hundred day + 10 reserve days painting challenge.  The plus ten was to build in cushion for some gaming conventions and the holidays and I ended up using all ten 'reserve' days.   I count the challenge as a success because on the last day, January 18, 2025, I had completed 1,023 figures with most of them table ready and the rest just needing based textured and seal coating.   That makes four years running I've painted over 1,000 figures per year.  Maybe not prize winning paint jobs but a figure painted on the table is a pretty good prize in and of itself.  And I contend that once a game is under way, the paint job barely matters most of the time. 

Charlie's Fistful of Lead: Bigger Battles game

Charlie G. ran a game of Fistful of Lead: Bigger Battles at Great Escape Games this past Friday with six players - each of us having three units plus a leader.  It was a "break through" scenario and his firsts time running the rules.  I was on the side of the Zanzibaris who needed to exit down the road or near it.

I started the game with the Ace of Spades and moved one of my units down the road towards our objective.  Got shot up and ended up having to pull back - there on the left above - and took some shock.

Mike's forces followed up in support and he to got a bit beat up.

Merrick, also on our side, lined the bridge (very cool from Miniatures Building Authority - as was the hut and the black thing (a tent but not up the usual MBA standards).

Mark, one of our opponents kept our left rear busy, his unit bottom left above.

And, again, Merrick on the bridge.  My third - and last surviving - unit middle left with a white stone denoting 'out of ammo' so only firing with half of dice did some good execution.  But by the end of the game our units up near the road had been wiped out.  My leader, by the tent, pulled back to the last unit and called out that he and his men had urgent business back at the tribal council fires.  And then he turned and cast a terrible spell on our enemy, no doubt dampening their victorious celebrations!  😜

Some painted figures added and a small group of unpainted figures to prep

First up below are some painted Napoleonic era (I think) Marines that were painted to use with my pirates years ago. They got 'fired' by the pirates as being too out-of-period for their liking and, when hunting for a missing pair of figures - still hunting, I found these and realized they'd be a nice reinforcement for El Presidente.  The back story is that each of the recent predecessor presidents, in far too condensed a time, wanted a unit in a uniform of their own design so now there are four different uniforms for this better armed and better trained part of the presidential guard troops - which means they have a better shot at resisting those wannabe dictators who are not so loyal and have troops at their own disposal. 

Just another shot of the more formal presidential guard - and that Trevor toy that will be a steam traction engine and a presidential sedan from Peter Pig.

Photo below shows on top are a bunch of spare figures and below is a Bluemoon Frankenstein's Lab set that will get shoe horned into this collection somehow.  Hmm, I wonder if there is a suitable 15 mm Terri Garr and Madeline Kahn figure to match their characters in the Young Frankenstein film?  Now that would be fun.

I also found a set of figures I was unsure how I would use and I guess they fit best here - though they might work with my Robin Hood setup, maybe both.  Here is a photo link to the set at Khurasan:

hero15-cbr-witchqueen.jpg

She is the Witchqueen of Azerbai from the 15 mm Heroic Fantasy range, Cultist Brutes of Raum subgroup.

Also added in a bunch of spiders for the 'critters' side of things as well as 'huminals' which will represent humans infected with a disease that has them behaving like wild animals (both from Battle Valor Games, the spiders meant as shields, I will use them as largish tarantulas).

Last of the Banana War figures ready for painting - I hope!

While it is possible that there might still be a figure or three somewhere about still in need of preparation for painting for my pulp Banana Wars, I believe they are all primed and ready now.  Lots of buildings and terrain to work on - and lots of painting to do, of course - but a major milestone nonetheless.  Note in the first image the two vehicles at the top, one on the left in operating condition, one on the right a crashed version.  Plans include a number of additional vehicles to be added, owned and generally in need of assembling but since the are not 'figures' but 'terrain' to me, they are not counted here, nor are the bits for trains.  There are now six boxes of figures ready for painting.

In the image above the leftists are on the left, the rightists are on the right - and each in the far corners are the wannabe dictators if they can only take over Conyuras from El Presidente.  But what is that in the center?  Certainly not a centrist.

But perhaps in some scenario a center of interest?  It is a Khurasan Sea Creature, the wavy water effect is from Weldbond.  And the dark green paint just seems more in order given my plans for the final coloration of the beast.

And for those happily awaiting seeing these figures painted - be patient.  I want to prep and prime my jousting figures and my Stone Age figures before I get going on painting.  But, when all is ready, I will have plenty of figures for several periods ready to go that should keep me 'in painting' for a good while to come.  And, ack, there is the possibility something might come to light that I'll want to add to my Banana Wars collection in need of purchasing.  Oh, the hazards we miniatures hobbyists endure.

 

Meet the Kongorillians - with figure comparison to show size

Above is an overall shot showing all six of the large gorillas - five of which have been seen before.  This time I've added 15 mm figures to show relative size of the beasts.

This is one of the smaller animals with a native leader (not sure of provenance - had for a lot of years).  Note the damsel - you will be seeing her again directly.  The Weldbond is still drying - that's why still white.

One of a few shots of Rage Kong with a damsel held upside down.

A closer shot.

And one with the damsel at his foot; she is from the Khurasan 15 mm Pulp range.  Note his repositioned right arm.

This one will need a little filler work on the left arm before painting.  The geisha comes from one of the 15 mm pulp sets that Brigade put out - and, sadly, the only sets they put out in 15 mm as far as I know.

A good sized brute.  The man is a figure to be used as an American diplomat.

One of the smaller gorillas with a certain famous archaeologist - and my favorite sculpt of the three I know of in 15 mm metal (and have with 2 of 1 of them but not 2 of this one) in my collection.  He, too, came from that Brigade release which I think may be back being available.

And this is one very big hulk of a critter and that man figure will be a British diplomat.

A different angle of all 12 figures, the six apes and the six people.  The jungle is a very new acquisition, got from a friend who was moving.  Very nice stuff.  The background is part of a cool pulp print I also recently acquired.  Those green hills came along with the jungle and will get some 'improvements' to reduce the golf course effect.

Some additional figures to go bananas with

 

The top three women and the middle three men come from Rebel Minis and are meant for SteamPunk but the closest I will get to that is my Banana Wars so here they land.  The bottom three men shall represent a variation of the three sergeants from Gunga Din - or maybe their sons or grandsons given my time setting.  It's Pulp focused so why the heck not?!

Naming a river...

Towards the end of my 2.8 walk this morning I came up with a name for a river for my Banana Wars games: Onokongno River.  Seems fun.  Perhaps a little later in the day I may get a group shot of all of my Kongorillas.  We'll see.