More from me for once!

Of gaming... 
The festive season hasn't all been food and photo uploads this year (though there will be more of those later in the day), I've managed to roll a few dice here and there as well!

First of all there was the "Painting and gaming retreat". That is to say I had a few mates round during the day on christmas eve to play some games and do some miniature slaughtering before the family overdoses began.

Space Hulk Smash:
I played what can only be described as an epic game of space hulk. I was the stealers, and Simon and Mo took on a squad of terminators each. Simon was unlucky and I got to him fast, chomping both his flamer and his lieutenant within the first few turns. However, it was the evacuation mission and he managed to get one guy out so not a complete failure.

Mo on the other hand was indeed blessed of the dice gods on that day. Performing a perfect fighting retreat, he killed scores of genestealers in multiple locations. Giddeon (? thunder hammer dude..) himself was responsible for 60 xenos deaths - he simply couldn't put a (cautious) foot wrong. With plenty of snacking, chatting and festive tales intermingled, we managed to make one mission last about 3 hours!

The rest of the day was spent with the other guys, painting and chatting about festive hobby plans until we parted ways to head off to various pubs and family events for the evening. Its at this point I realise I've achieved none of those hobby targets except website updates.....

And FoW too:
But it doesn't end there. Once a month we meet up at a local pub for Hobbyists Drinks, and last night was the latest of these. Beforehand, Eddie came to my place to start a game of Flames of war. I fielded everything I have made up for my tank Company (2225points) ad he took a small selection out of his Estonian SS collections to face against me (his small selection also being about 2225 points... ). The grand plan had been to start the game at a ice relaxed pace, head to the pub, then finish it off sometime over the weekend.

There's no need to finish it off. It was a massacre!
My brave Yanks would be the attackers in the Hasty Engagement mission. Unfortunately they paid heavily for their lack of planning.

Before me was arrayed a single squad with attached HMGs and Pak 40, spread thin to be within reach of both objectives. The Pak40 stood facing mennacingly up the cobbled road through the center of the board.  On their left flank stood two .88's and on their right, the remaining two Pak40's.

Those fearsome, but stationary, AT emplacements were the least of my worries however, for as the attacker in this mission, I barely crossed the center line. The reason for this being 3 Panthers anchoring the center of the German line. Less Anchors however, more harpoons. The Panthers were immune to my fire from the front, and rolled forward in the first four turns to be within just a few inches of my base line destroying everything in their path, whilst my carefully surrounding fire bounced off from all angles completely inefficiently.

When I finally managed to get a few shots on target, and subsequently got some infantry in ready to finish the job, my battle weary forces turned around to be met by the german lines, almost untouched, before them. We attempted to move forwards once more, but a combination of the torrent of AT fire, the arrival of a Tiger reserve unit and some very fine Goliath Maneuvering left me with no units in Eddies table half at the end  of turn 6, and the battle was lost.

Great game, but I got to the pub with my head hung low.

Another Quickie...

Its a quick guest Gallery Bonus toight - a fuller update tomorrow, but that is not to detract from the great work in Matt Arnold's (aka"Rug") Dystopian Wars Kingdom of Brittannia forces gallery (7 pictures) .

I've thus far resisted the urge to dive into dystopian wars myself, but there's plenty of players around here with some great painted forces, so be sure to watch out for more Guest Galleries!

Totals:
New Galleries: 1
New Images: 7

Firestorm Invasion: Planetfall hits the HobbyBrush

Continuing the Catch ups...
I'm in a hurry, so No Waffle, just pictures for once!
The 10mm Sci-Fi section has opened up with TWO galleries of Studio Paintjobs I've done for Spartan Games / Studio Sparta.

Starting with the Dindrenzi Federation. ( 32 images) 

And Following closely behind, my Peraonal Favourites - the Studio Sparta Terran Alliance forces. (31 images) 

Totals: 

New Galleries: 2

New Pictures: 63

The Festive catch up begins...

Of Painting and gaming... 

Bits of this and bits of that, but nothing much of anything really! However, HobbyBrush HQ is hosting a paiting & gaming day tomorrow (Christmas eve) so more interesting waffle to come!

Of Updates and Galleries...

This is the important bit. Starting with the galleries recieving updates..

Alex Foyster's Eldar army First graced these cyber pages over a year ago. To be honest its so long ago I've forgotten. All I know is that I took updated photos way back in Spring '12 and they've been languishing in my "to do" pile since then. So Sorry mate, but here they are at long long last- beautiful work, every one of them! (21 pictures)

A little something from me for a change, but they're pictures taken when I sold the units back in 2010, so its hardly new, just more clearing out the backlogs :) My WHFB Orc and Goblin gallery gets a few almost detail shots added. (7 pictures)

Back to the wonderful work of others, and Matt Arnold (aka "Rug") returns to the ranks of Guest Galleries, this time with my arch-enemies across the table when we play Blitzkrieg Commander. These are his 6mm Germans, and yes, there is camo to be seen on the infantry! (10 pictures)

Lastly for tonight, but not for the festive season, I'm sticking with the World War 2 theme with two small galleries of my own recent work, just to prove brushes have actually been moving in my workshop over the last few months! There's a tiny little gallery which I'm looking forward to expanding, in the form of my Blitzkreig Commander Scenery (3 pictures). And there's  also some early war 15mm German armour for you to peruse, from Forged in Battle with more to come soon! (14 pictures) 

Totals: 

New Galleries: 3

New pictures: 55

The Iron Fist Challenge - Results.

Of the Iron Fist 2012... 

Last weekend I witnessed the closing stages of one of the most impressive feats of painting I've ever seen.

A group of Hobbyists got together at The Games Shop (link Pending) in aldershot to spend 48 hours STRAIGHT each attempting to paint a full 1750point warhammer 40K army.

I was pleased to be there for the final few hours, to get the chance to photograph some of the entrants and also to help Rhys (the Shop owner, and himself a Gallery holder on the HobbyBrush!) Judge the finished entries.

I was so impressed by the results I had pondered spreading out the galleries into multiple updates and multiple galleries, but I have instead squashed them all into one location.

This gives me the perfect excuse to visit aldershot again soon with my camera and expand upon the event gallery into individual Guest Galleries at a later date. For the moment, I present the Iron Fist Event Gallery (87 Pictures)

First Place went to a superb Iron Warriors Force from Andy Brown
Second Went to another Chaos Marin Army, from the brush of James Taylor
Third Place went to Lex Head for his Themed Demon Hunters army
Special Mentions go to James French, Brian Best, Kris Marland and Stephen Barney for completing their entire quota of Forces.
Extra Special Mentions go to James French and Stephen Barney for not sleeping at all in the process...... Words fail me other than well done!!

Of My own Painting...

Whilst I was at the event, I did a little paiting of my own. I painted a Belt Buckle. On a Model. Oh, and half a piece of shoulder armour! There were just too many other painters to talk to and models to look at!!

At home however I have been slightly more productive, finishing of a number of projects lately and now the editing of the Iron Fist Photos is taken care of, I'll start proving my own work once again!

Iron Fist Painting Challenge

There's insanity impeding in Aldershot and it goes by the name of the iron fist Painting Challenge.

From the facebook event page: 

"So what's this all about then ?

The"Iron Fist" Painting Challenge is a 48 hour "paintathon" open to anybody over the age of 18.

Each participant will have 48 hours straight to paint a 1750 point Warhammer 40,000 army.

At the end of the challenge, the winner will be decided by a panel of judges, comprised of 'Golden Demon' winners and GW Army painters."

Yes, that's right. Nearly 20 guys have signed up to paint for 48 hours straight and The Games Shop, Aldershot!! Sleep is optional. Showers haven't even been mentioned. This is Hobby hardcore at its limits!

Unfortunately I cant make it for the whole event but I have been asked along on the Sunday to help Judge and I will, of course, be taking my lighting and photo gear to make sure I can document the results for all to enjoy.

edit: Oh, and they're all getting sponsored too - its charitable hobby insanity!