Another for the Challenge

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A welcome return to Steve Burt, with his first entry of the year: some 1879 Zulu War British infantry. Steve has entered the Challenge every year since it started, making this his seventh year of entries.

There have also been lots of additional entries from those already registered for this year. Some lovely work here:

Celebrity Wargamer!

And last, but by no means least, an HG Wells character figure from John Haines.

I’ll be updating the Scorecard at the weekend.

Keep them coming!

One More For The Challenge

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I’m quite enjoying these shorter but more frequent updates to the Painting Challenge, timed for each time someone sends in their first entry of the year.

Today it’s the turn of Joe McGinn to return, with a very fine set of 28mm King’s German legion for Sharp Practice:

Also today we have entries from three Lardies already signed up for this year. First we have more 6mm Roman buildings from Lloyd: the big building is apparently a trireme shed!

Also Roman, but bigger, is a terrific 28mm scale watchtower from Travis:

Mind the Step!

Finally, today, Andrew Helliwell sends in two more entries from the Helliwell Home for Distressed Gentle-Figures. Here’s one of them: some Norman cavalry rescued “for a song” from a local flea market. Some very nice work on the horses.

More soon!

Three More For The Challenge

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Another three first entries for this year’s Painting Challenge.

The first of today’s returnees is Carole Flint. Carole has entered the Challenge every year since its inception, and thus starts her seventh gallery with some lovely Portuguese Napoleonics:

Another six year veteran of the Challenge is Mark Luther, king of the 6mm IABSM After Action Reports. He starts his seventh year with a mass of 6mm tanks and aeroplanes:

Our third returnees is Chris Cornwell, just beginning his third year of Challenge entries. He’s into the Italian Wars at the moment, and here’s one his pike blocks:

Finally today we have a second entry of the year from John Haines. Some Samurai and, as shown below, a very familiar set of 28mm Napoleonic British Riflemen:

Keep them coming!

Two More For The Painting Challenge

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Two more “first entries of the year” today.

First up we have the return of the Hat, Lloyd Bowler, for his sixth year running. Lloyd starts the year with a bang with two entries: the first some more of his magnificent Aztecs; the second some 6mm paper buildings that look very fiddly indeed to me! Here are the Aztecs:

The second is Ralph Plowman, extraordinarily fine painter of 15mm sci-fi figures. Ralph has entered the Challenge every year since its inception in 2014, so starts (for those of you who have had too many scalpel-related accidents whilst prepping figures) his seventh season. Ralph’s first entry of 2020 is a very nice planetary exploration team:

Finally today another honourable mention for Travis who has already submitted his third and fourth entries of the year: more dwarves and a team of, er, contractors, shown below:

All entries are available to view in the individual galleries, which can be found in the 2020 TFL Painting Challenge folder in the navbar at the top of the page.

Two More For The Challenge

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Two more of the regulars to the Painting Challenge are back for another year!

First up, we have John Haines, just starting his fourth year of entries. He opens the batting with a nice selection of Samurai figures:

Next we have veteran Challenge-r Andrew Helliwell with the first of his entries for his sixth year of submissions:

Andrew pops in some more ACW figures in 15mm and this rather nice MDF ruined factory from Warbases.

TFL Painting Challenge: More First Entries

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Chris Kay slams back into the Painting Challenge with a huge first entry for 2020: clearing the stash of 28mm vehicles that have been hanging around on his painting table for some time.

That’s 108 points for six 28mm vehicles:

TFL Painting Challenge: Another First Entry of the Year

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It’s John Emmett’s turn to make his first contribution to the TFL Painting Challenge 2020, with a rather magnificent 1/48th scale model of a Citroen motor car.

And, not to be outdone by anyone, Travis has already submitted his second entry of the year: dwarven command and the aptly named Gandalf the Field-Grey!

TFL Painting Challenge 2019 Now Closed...TFL Painting Challenge 2020 Now Open!

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So the 2019 TooFatLardies Painting Challenge is now closed, with thirty-three Lardies participating: about the same as last year.

Those of you who follow the Challenge will know that it is not a competition between the entrants, but a competition where the entrants try and improve on their year-on-year performance, either in terms of quality of painting or points scored. In 2019, we had twenty out of thirty-two, or 62.5%, of people improving their scores, with one new entrant: a most impressive performance by all concerned.

We also now have sixteen people have now participated for all of the six years that the Challenge has run, with four more only missing the first year i.e. completing five years in a row.

I’m quite happy as well, as I managed to hit 2,000 points for the first time ever, scraping over that particular benchmark with some intensive painting over the Christmas break to hit a grand total of 2,004 points.

The good news is, as I mentioned in previous posts, that I will run the Challenge again in 2020, and declare the competition officially open as from…now!

Details are up on the site as usual but, as a quick reminder, send your entries to the usual address (with the photos clearly labelled please and, preferably, with the points totals already worked out) and I’ll open your gallery with your first entry. New or returning participants are welcome.

And what better way to start off the year than with a first entry from regular participant Travis Hiatt. Travis is an accomplished painter whose galleries are always worth a browse. Here’s his first entry of the year: six dwarven archers:

Ladies and gentlemen: pick up your brushes!

TFL Painting Challenge: Last of 2019 Entries

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Here are the last of the entries for 2019 TooFatLardies Painting Challenge. Well done to all those of you who have participated over the last year: there are some very impressive scores and beautifully painted miniatures to see in the individual galleries.

Here are the final few entries for 2019:

As usual, clicking on the name of the person above will take you straight through to their gallery, which will open in a new window. Final scores will be updated within the next couple of days.

The competition continues into 2020. Usual rules and destination address applies. New entrants welcome!

Here are today’s pictures:

Painting Challenge: Important Notice

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For a variety of different reasons, I won’t have an Internet connection for the next few days, including over New Year’s Eve and Day.

That means that rather than updating Challenge entries right the way up to midnight on the 31st, I won’t be adding any entries until my connection is restored sometime towards the end of this week. So the final scores for this year’s Challenge won’t be available until probably the 4th or 5th of next year.

Fear not, however, any entries received before midnight on 31st December will count towards your totals for this year. Anything later needs to be clearly marked as belonging to 2019 or it will be counted as a 2020 entry.

And yes, that means that the Challenge will be continuing into 2020: usual entry requirements and rules apply, but don’t forget that without Internet it will take me a few days to set up all the galleries etc for 2020.

Hope everyone has a very Happy New Year.

R

Painting Challenge: Big Pre-Christmas Update

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Lots of work from lots of people as they frantically finish off their projects before Christmas, presumably in the expectation that Santa will add to their lead mountain!

In no particular order, we have:

  • Chris Kay with some Portacabins (yes, really)

  • The usual big and beautifully painted entry from Travis: a spot of barbarian horse and quite a few dwarves

  • Some medievals and more Napoleonic re-basing from Mervyn

  • Loads from Joe McGinn: US Airborne and AWI and Napoleonics

  • A mix of 28mm WW2 figures and vehicles from Jason Ralls

  • Mark Luther sends in some 15mm WW2 vehicles, guns and, er, sheep. And an awful lot of trees.

  • David Scott is up in the Blue with some 15mm WW2 Brits for the Western Desert

  • The Condotterie himself from Carole, with some Swiss Handgunners

  • More Aztecs from the Hat

  • And last, but not least, more SYW and more ACW in 15mm from Andrew Helliwell

As always, clicking on the names of the people in the list above will take you straight to their galleries. Still plenty of time to get your last entries in for the year!

Here are today’s pics:

TFL Painting Challenge: mid-December Update

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Loads of entries flooding in as we come to the end of this year’s challenge. There’s still plenty of time to get those last minute entries in, and no holding back to try to be the first entrant of next year’s event!

So, in no particular order, we have:

  • Travis Hiatt with an assortment of beautifully painted 28mm figures. I do heartily recommend a visit to Travis’ gallery: inspirational.

  • Some terrain from Mr Hodge

  • Another inspirational painter: John Emmett with a garage full of 28mm vehicles

  • Carole pops in some more Frostgrave-y type miniatures

  • Nice to see Chris Stoesen back in the fray: Yamassee Indians and some Romans and some Celts

  • Mervyn is still re-basing

  • Sapper has some nice SYW cavalry for us to admire

  • Chris Kay must try harder: just one half-track, even if it is a good one

  • It really is the week for 28mm vehicles: four more from Doug Melville

  • Mr Helliwell scores with some 15mm Confederates and an excellent 10mm-for-15mm village

  • And last, but by no means least, Chris Cornwell has some Burgundians and Swiss joining his ranks

As always, clicking on the names of the people in the list above will take you straight to their galleries. Do please take the time to have a browse: some excellent and, as I said, inspirational work on show.

Here are today’s pictures:

TFL Painting Challenge: Huge Update

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Well you all seemed to respond to my request to get those last few entries of the year in…especially as we’re now in the final month of this year’s competition, and last year’s scores won’t beat themselves!

Just one of Doug’s 28mm Hetzers

Today’s entries are:

  • Doug Melville with an incredible amount of WW2 28mm kit on show. So huge an entry was this that I almost considered giving Doug his own update!

  • Some casualty figures and sabot bases from Chris Stoesen

  • More beautiful Aztecs from The Hat

  • Travis pops in three LVTs and some more winter Americans

  • Five houses and, most important of all, a pub from Mervyn

  • A massive re-base from Jason Ralls…but hasn’t made the classic “cardboard base” error in the past?

  • I scoff at Steve Burt’s claim to have sent in the last of his Crusades figures: it’s never the last!

  • Carole returns to Games Workshop, spiky bits and all (the figures, not Carole)

  • Bits and Bobs from Fred Bloggs

  • And last, but by no means least, Andrew Helliwell with his usual plethora of figures

As usual, clicking on the name of the person above will take you straight to their gallery (opens in a new window) and I do recommend doing so: there are some magnificent paint jobs and collections on show.

Keep them coming: the end of the year beckons…

Here are today’s pictures:

TFL Painting Challenge: A Bit Quiet For The Time of Year!

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Here’s the latest update to the 2019 Painting Challenge…and despite the healthy number of submissions in the list below, it’s a bit quiet for the time of year.

We’re just past the middle of November, which means you have about six weeks left to get those last entries painted, based, finished and photographed. Last year’s scores won’t beat themselves, you know!

Personally, I’m also on my final push: desperate to get to 2,000 points. I missed it last year by a gnat’s whisker…and it looks as if I’m going to do the same again this year. I must obviously try harder: so do join me in a final push.

Here, in no particular order, are today’s entries:

  • Travis is first up, as always, with some beautifully painted Winter Americans and a few moderns as well

  • Chris Cornwell submits a large chunk: medievals and a host of Zouaves

  • Mr Luther is back on the terrain: scratchbuilt houses and some gravestones

  • There’s more Condottieri from Carole

  • Steve Burt is in Zululand with the 24th

  • Joe McGinn goes Airborne for Market Garden

  • Another big entry from Mr Helliwell…he must be running out of space by now!

  • And last, but not least, Mervyn has some Haradrim

As always, clicking on the names of the people in the list above will take you straight through to their gallery (opens in a new window). Scorecard will be updated once I can get on my home PC: currently colonised by Minecraft every night!

Here are today’s pictures:

TFL Painting Challenge: Large Update

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Only eight weeks or so to go before the end of this year’s Challenge…and the paint brushes are flying around as people get their last few entries of the year ready.

Today, in no particular order, we have:

  • Lots of snake fencing and a squad and a bit of US soldiers for the Bulge from Travis

  • Squadrons of WW2 aircraft for the desert of Med from Mark Luther

  • Joining Mark on the aircraft production line is Jason Ralls, but he adds some WW2 shipping as well

  • Our favourite Valkyrie, Carole, paints a famous shieldmaiden and some Jotuns for her to fight

  • Mervyn is clearing some of the more obscure bits of his lead mountain

  • Andy Duffell is all slingers and ogres

  • There’s a mix of Napoleonics and WW2 from Sapper: they’re all still PBI though

  • Lloyd is still painting Aztecs: loads of colours never used before and never to be used again

  • More 15mm SYW Austrians from Mr Helliwell

  • A mixture of skeletons and samurai from the Hodgemeister

Lots of beautiful paint-jobs on show, so make sure you visit some of the galleries. Clicking on the name of the person will take you straight to their gallery, which will open in a new window so you don’t have to faff around with navigation etc.

Here are a few examples to wet the whistle…

TFL Painting Challenge: Big Update

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Aztec Priest from The Hat

Morning All! Big Painting Challenge update today.

I’ve actually been adding entries over the last couple of days, but haven’t had a chance to get it all finished until now. Scorecard is up to date as well.

We’re now only a couple of months away from the end of the year: so let’s have a big push from everyone…especially those who haven’t sent much in so far.

So, today, in no particular order, we have:

  • Carole adds to her Gothic horror collection

  • There are lots of Romans from Mr Stoesen

  • Lloyd is off to South America with some amazingly painted Aztecs

  • Jason Ralls sends in some nice early war WW2 figures

  • Mervyn finds time not only to see Alice Cooper but also to finish some banshees (no comparison made, I’m sure!)

  • There’s a mix of Hessians and Romans from Travis

  • And a big lot from Fred Bloggs: his usual mixture of everything from Epic scale to 35mm

  • David Scott sends in his first entry of the year, proving it’s never too late to break your duck

  • A new army from Mr Helliwell: 7YW Austrians are now underway

  • Andy Duffell is back: some French/Indian wars native Americans plus a confused looking German officer (although I’m not sure they’re together!)

  • And last, but not least, Mr Luther is back in the Ukraine with some hovels and haystacks

As usual, clicking on the name of the person in the list above will take you straight to their gallery (opens in a new window).

Today’s pictures are below:

TFL Painting Challenge: Update

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I thought I’d get ahead of myself as I have a busy weekend coming up!

In no particular order, we have:

  • Derek Hodge with lots of Samurai and WW2 goodness

  • Carole with some more sci-fi figures

  • Mervyn is in the middle-ages (oh, in so many ways!)

  • A lovely mix from Travis: an armoured car, some buildings, Hessians

  • Mr Helliwell also sends in a mixture…along with a foolish claim to have finished one of his armies (we’ve all heard that before!)

  • Mark Luther fills a gap or two

  • There’s a gigantic castle and some occupants from Chris Cornwell

  • And last, but by no means least, it’s great to welcome Jason Ralls back to the challenge, and with a big first submission of the year as well

As usual, clicking o the name of the person in the list above will send you straight through to their gallery (opens in a new window).

We’re in the last quarter of the year now, so keep an eye on those points totals: got to beat last year! Speaking of which, the Scorecard will be updated in the next day or so: apologies for the delay, especially after my previous exhortation!

Today’s pictures:

TFL Painting Challenge: End of September Update

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More entries have been flying in, but generally from the same people. Come on the rest of you! Let’s make a bit of an effort in the run up to Christmas!

Today, in no particular order, we have:

  • Mark Luther and a lot of Germans for WW2 Crimea

  • Lloyd Bowler submits a stunning model of HMS Blankney

  • There are some sci-fi Ghosts from Carole

  • An emergency paint job from Mervyn

  • Lots of barbarians and a few Romans to face them, and some Shermans, from Travis

  • Stumpy has shroffed up an E-Bay bargain

  • Matt Slade has a multitude of Sengalese Tirailleusr for us to admire, and some tanks

  • There’s more Moorish cavalry from Steve Burt

  • Sapper sends in the Spanish

  • And last, but not least, there some more Italian Wars figures and, randomly, two doors, from Mr Helliwell

As usual, clicking on the name of the person in the list above will send you straight through to their gallery.

Here are today’s pictures:

TFL Painting Challenge: Latest Update

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I’m determined to keep on top of the Challenge as we enter the busiest time of the year, so here’s another update. In no particular order, we have:

  • Travis with some more barbarians

  • Mark Luther (fresh from his AAR from Friday) with the first of his German pioneers

  • There’s some Kickstarter sci-fi from Carole

  • Finally Mervyn has escaped Hyboria: there’ s some foot sergeants and wild west desperadoes on show

  • More 15mm Renaissance from Andrew

  • And last, but by no means least, Lloyd claims to have finished his 6mm ACW armies for now with another large submission. Time will tell…but looking back through his gallery, he seems to have painted vast numbers of Greys and Blues over the past few months

And that was it for this week. For all my protestations, quite slow after a very busy summer. As per usual, clicking on the name of the person in the list above will take you straight to their gallery (opens in a new window). Here are today’s pics:

TFL Painting Challenge: Monday Morning Update

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Morning all. Didn’t have time to update the Challenge over the weekend, so you get it first thing Monday morning instead. What a great start to the week!

So, without further ado, and in no particular order, here are the Painting Challenge entries from the last seven days or so:

  • Mark Luther has been building trenches and pimping up tanks

  • More Saracen archers from Steve Burt

  • Yet more Conan figures from Mervyn Douglas…and it’s a trick question: he punches the camel in both Conan the Barbarian and Conan the Destroyer

  • Travis has switched to painting Celts

  • It’s good to see Stumpy back on the list: an eclectic list of basing from him

  • Three gorgeous vehicles and an amazing Arnhem bridge in 28mm from John Emmett

  • And last, but not least, a mix of sci fi, fantasy and samurai from Derek (I recognise those buildings!)

As always, clicking on the name of the person above will take you straight through to their gallery (opens in a new window); and I’ll be updating the Scorecard later in the week.

Here are today’s pictures:

And as a reminder:

The 25% Off The September War Scenario Packs Sale Is Still On

To mark the 80th year after the accepted start of WW2 with the invasion of Poland on 1st September 1939, the TooFatLardies and I are pleased to offer a great discount on the two September War scenario packs for I Ain’t Been Shot, Mum! with a whopping 25% off when you buy them as a bundle.

Written by Robert Avery and Alexander Kawczynski, each September War scenario pack for I Ain’t Been Shot, Mum! provides thirty scenarios for the theatre, making sixty available in all.

Divided into eight mini-campaigns, the first pack (The September War Part One) begins with the battles at the border, then covers the fight for the Polish corridor, the Polish Thermopylae at Narew, the Siege of Warsaw, the climactic battles at Bzura and Tomaszow Lubelski, and the actions of the 10th Motorised Cavalry “Black” Brigade and the Independent Operational Group Polesie. There are attacks, counter-attacks, encounter battles, desperate defences…there’s even an armoured train or two.

Divided into six mini-campaigns, the second pack (The September War Part Two) begins with four based on specific German units: Panzerdivision Kempf, the 1st GebirgsjaegerDivision, the 4th Panzer Division, and the 1st Kavallerie Brigade. Then there are two mini-campaigns based on the Soviet invasion of Poland: the Belorussian Front and the Ukrainian Front. Finally there are details of two stand-alone battles: Westerplatte and the Hel Peninsula. As always, there are attacks, counter-attacks, encounter battles, and desperate defences, all containing a whole host of useful scenario mechanics that can be re-used elsewhere.

No need for any preparation: each scenario contains a brief background history, maps, a full game briefing, and a full briefing for each player. Simply print out the pages you need, make up the deck from the list of cards required, unpack your figures and dice, set up the table and away you go!

Click here to buy the combined bundle.