2017 Review Time!

 Well, season's greetings and all that; here we are again, another year drawing to a close so it's time for the annual review.

 It's been another fairly progressive year, a little down on last year perhaps but I've managed to cross off one or two long term goals.
 The year began with more additions to the ever growing chaos army (which incidentally started 20 years ago this month). I finally got round to repainting my foot and mounted Chaos Knights from the Citadel C33 Mounted Adventurers range.

 I also managed to get a couple more beastmen finished to get the unit I'd started at the end of 2016 up to 10.

 Then there was also an appearance from Jaek and Helwud foot and mounted before I called a halt on Chaos army proceedings for now.

The army currently as it stands

 I managed to make a start on a Frostgrave warband, getting 4 of the 8 finished.

 The same went for my Mordheim Possessed warband with half of it done.

 Another long term project was achieved - the iconic toad dragon complete with chaos warrior rider.

 I've plans for a Marienburg warband but only got as far as the mercenary captain. I still need to finalise which figures are going to be used here.

 Earlier in the year I'd made a start on a heavily converted rogue trader but he spent several months half built until I made the effort to finish him off and paint him plus the additional members of his party.

Then, with this being my personal highlight of the year I decided to put an old idea into production, a diorama featuring a Balrog slain by demons of law.

 Quite tricky and testing at times, it took about a month to complete. There are more details here.

 The pace dropped off a little towards the end of the year as I planned what should come next. Then I decided to get involved in The Old World Army Challenge that had been set up on Facebook (painting an army over the space of 6 months blah blah blah) so October was spent planning for that with me deciding on a Border Princes Army.

 November's installment was managed just but I'm currently up against it with December's!

 So what for 2018? Well, getting through army challenge done firstly which will end in April. Then, who knows? Usually this time of year I have a rough plan for what's to come but the future is uncertain at present!

 There is murmurings of possibly another diorama; bigger than anything I've produced before but this is only a collection of ideas at present.
 So at that point, I wish you all a happy new year and look forward to seeing more fantastic work from the community in 2018!

My Contribution to the Army Painting Challenge - Border Princes

 Well it's been a while since my last post; 2 months in fact. The time has been well spent mind, preparing for something I had not been expecting to get involved in - The Old World Army Challenge.

 To save me waffling on about the rules, and probably getting it wrong, here are the details as follows:

The superb Army Challenge logo as designed by the talented Clarence Harrison

 Now this isn't the sort of thing I'd normally take on, the idea of painting an army in an allocated time fills me with dread but seeing as all other projects  (or most of them anyway) have been finished off, I decided to give it a go.

 I opted for a Border Princes Army or The Northen Borders Confederacy. This will give me the opportunity to paint an Empire force but it gives me the freedom to incorporate several different coloured uniforms into the army from each principality - plus adding some dwarfs into the mix.
 I intend to use a mixture of 4th Empire figures plus a number of the Marauder Empire and dwarf range. I may even go for some non Citadel figures as well.

 •THE ARMY LIST

1 Mounted Border Prince
1 Mounted Hero
5 Border Heavy Cavalry
5 Princes Bodyguard (on foot)
15 Halberdiers including champion
10 Handgunners including champion
8 Dwarf Spearmen
1 Great Cannon
1 Helblaster Volley Gun

Total Points 1007

 So the first instalment is done. Only a mere 4 figures this month but it does include the army commander and hero.

• Lord Durant, Principality of Akendorf     Army commander
Heavy armour, barded warhorse
110 points

•Duke Beaucamp, Principality of Brovska
Empire Hero
Heavy armour, barded warhorse
75 points

•Dwarfs*(2 from an 8 man unit)
Sword and pistol, sword  (standard not included in points)

*making up points to roughly total 200 for the month.

 It's been an impressive start to proceedings from the challengers and December should prove equally prosperous. Myself, I'm not sure what's in next month's installment yet. Need to decide quickly though and get cracking.
 Incidentally, my blog page has just turned 4 years old. Time has certainly flown.