Challenge done but not completed - lessons learned

I have finally finished the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge. I loved it and it drove me crazy. When I initially considered the Challenge I thought that I could maybe get 250 points (based on 5 points per 28mm infantry, 4 per 20mm etc) because I am a very slow painter. However there was only the choice of 500 point intervals so I went for 500, lowest I could choose.
As it turns out I only made it to 216 points. There were many personal challenges along the way, not least of which was my eyesight. I ended up purchasing a flip down magnifying visor (as used by watchmakers) which helps a lot.

Me with my total output from the Challenge, wearing my new magnifying visor and traditional painting fez.

To be eligible for the Challenge a miniature could be cleaned up and undercoated before the start but no additional paint could be applied. It also must be completely finished, including basing, to be earn points. Herein lies the greatest lesson learned - I have way too many unfinished miniatures. Ranging from one or two colours applied, or nearly fully painted through to fully painted but no basing done. This is not acceptable.

So, from now on I am keeping a tally on the blog with two divisions;
Painted Miniatures - meaning painted this year from scratch through to finished as determined by the Challenge requirements.
Finished Miniatures - these are miniatures that I have started previously, or purchased part painted or similar that have done the extra work on to be totally finished. Including magnetizing the bases.
This will be a summary tally on the side of my blog and a more detailed running one at the end of each post. Maybe this will help my output. Or make my shame public.

Type	Painted	Finished
28mm Dark Ages Infantry	12
28mm Empire/Lion Rampant Infantry	8	11
28mm Empire/Lion Rampant Mounted	1
28mm Slaughterloo Infantry	4
20mm WWII	11

The Best Napoleonics Games Ever Made? Slaughterloo!

After a very long hiatus I managed to get in a game of Slaughterloo! with David K. We have always loved this Napoleonique Fantasy game. It has very simple but demanding rules that make for a fun and challenging game.

The Centre of the table

For those not familiar with the game, Slaughterloo is a mass battles game by Alternative Armies set in a fantastic world that roughly mirrors ours in the Napoleonic period with fantasy races representing each nation -the British are Orcs, French are Elves, German states are Dwarves and the Russians are Undead. With various other races scattered around the map - a personal favourite are the Todarini (Italians), frogs who don't do much at all except march around in pretty uniforms.

Zoltan's 666th Foot advance

Today we played the Undead vs the Living Alliance (Elves + Orcs) in a simple 1750 point per side game. Dave controlled the Undead while I took command of the Living Alliance division.

One of the mechanics of the game is that any living unit (ie not Undead) can make a single action such as move or fire automatically. To do any more than a single action you need to make a Form test with modifiers for the more actions you are attempting plus Disorder etc. Undead must make a Form test to do anything - they're dead so they don't exactly leap into action. So I tried to do more than one action with all my units in the second turn of the game. They ALL failed and became Disordered. The sneaky Undead passed all their tests. The game went downhill from there for me.

Umm, lads...are there Jagers in those woods?

On my left flank, my Orc Line Infantry ground to a halt in the face of withering fire from the Undead Dwarves of the Krautian Fleshless Legion and the Undead artillery. 

My Elf Line Infantry fired at no effect on the Licantzrop Jagers sneaking through the woods.

Sharke and the Rifles face down the Graviski Infantry

In the centre and right flank I had more success (just) with Sharke's Orc Rifles and 1er Velite Grenadiers De La Garde Mordred as they steadily advanced upon the Zombie Line Infantry. In the centre Sharke's Rifles took heavy fire from the Undead Gravinski Infantry but their stiff green upper lips held firm and they hung on and returned fire.

The Licantzrop Jagers leap out of the woods

Then disaster struck! The sneaky Jagers leaped from the woods and took on my Orc Line Infantry in melee - in the flank! We tussled for a couple of turns but the Orc's fate was sealed. They were soon annihilated and my left flank started to collapse. Soon my artillery piece was threatened, all was looking very bad.

On the right flank the Zombie Line Infantry were being steadily eroded by the combined fire of the Elf Voltigeurs, Chasseurs and Grenadiers. I killed their officer which rendered them unable to move and I took the opportunity to peel off the Voltigeurs to threaten Dave's centre and one of his Graviski Re-Animators (pesky devices by which the Undead can increase the size of their army by re-animating any casualties - from both sides!) and it looked like I could save the game.

Graviski Infantry flanked by the Reanimator Unit and Undead Artillery

My optimism proved to be unfounded when the Jagers continued their rampage across the field by assaluting my artillery unit, wiping them out in a single melee round. That took my army past it's break point and they fled screaming from the field, no doubt traumatized by their close encounters with the Undead Legions.

All in all, a rollicking fun game, perfect for the holidays. And yes Buck, I did use some of the 4Ground La Haye Saint set on the table.