Crossing the Start Line: Challenge Day 1

Here’s a rousing picture to show the start of the Fifth Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge, courtesy of Ralphus’ Wars Of Louis Quatorze blog, which reminds us that today is the anniversary of Frederick the Great’s victory over the Austrians at Leuthen, of which more below.

I see one fellow here has tripped over his paintbrush, but the rest of the Challenge participate are marching forward with the stalwart bearing of Grenadiers.

To give inspiration to my fellow Challengers, here is Klaus the Organ Grinder, who I met this evening at Kitchener’s Christkindl festival.  Sadly, the monkey is only a puppet, but he was wielded with great panache and the tunes were quite lively.  It was a worthwhile trip.  I stocked up on sausage and stollen for Christmas day and resisted the allure of the cheese pretzels and gluwhein.

 

Unfortunately there are still fellows lounging about on my paint desk, shirkers and stragglers from pre-Challenge projects that need to be chased off   They include this lot of Foundry 28mm Union ACW cavalrymen, who are about 95% done.   Hopefully I can get them finished and out of the way this weekend.

 

As I try to get the Yanks finished, I’ve made a start on my first batch of figures for the Challenge, a section of Artizan British WW2 commandoes, who are destined to play a part in my Weird War Two adventures.   This is my first time painting Artizan figures, and I am liking them.

 

I hope I’ll make some progress on them this weekend, especially tomorrow, while Mrs. Padre is committed to the Anglican Church Women’s Christmas Bazaar (I’ve promised a brief appearance, and I’ll buy you all shortbread cookies if you behave).  

However, to give me a break from painting, I did take down my unpunched copy of the Frank Chadwick designed game, Leuthen, by one of my favourite little wargames companies, Victory Point, and I’ll try and have a report on it done for the next Tuesday Boardgame feature.

 

 

In the meantime, blessings to your brushes!

MP+