'Characters/Scene from' MichaelP: Haldir's Elves at Helm's Deep

The scene in Peter Jackson's film The Two Towers where the elves arrive at Helm's Deep is not in the books, but it is a terrific scene.

So here are the stars of my version of that scene.  A unit of Games Workshop elven infantry (the plastic figures are from the Warriors of the Last Alliance set as scene in the prelude of SPJ's FotR, the metal figures are high elf figures, some of which are OOP now).

Elf archers, also from the Warriors of the Last Alliance plastic set.

Elf command group:

Besides these 21 figures, I present the other star of this entry:   this castle plays the role of Helm's Deep.

I started making this castle back in November, just at the start of the Challenge.   My intention at first was to use it in the Jan 31st Defensive Terrain round, but when that round was revealed to be a typo, I  thought I could use it for a scene from the Siege of Gondor, as I had some Gondorian infantry half painted.  However, they lagged in the painting queue and I realized that I could use this with my elves and call it Helm's Deep.  Sorted!

I had enough sections made to cover the dining room table, almost three feet in length.  I made it out of black foam core, following a recipe in the GW Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game rule books.  I sort of pecked away at it as a way of settling down after visiting my wife in hospital in November and December.  Today it's a delight to have her home and watching me bemusedly as she watches from the living room.  She is responding well to chemo and there is much hope and laughter.

"Helm's Deep!"

"Helm's Deep!"

"It's only a model."

Haldir's elves arrive and enter the gate (which sort of works).  Yes, the gate should have a big ramp leading up to it, but hey, this was shot on a budget.

Theoden greets Haldir:

 Elves and men line the ramparts.  I should have shot this in the dark using a rain machine, but Madame Padre has her limits.

"So it begins!"  Uruk-Hai from my collection hired as extras.

Ladders go up along the walls.

Berserkers on the battlements!  I like the one elf defending his red potted plant.   That's the downside of using figures based using flocking and  ground effects for these sorts of setting.  Oh well.

This looks bad.  Might be time for Aragorn and Gimli to make an appearance.

"Someone's knocking at the door".

At this point I ran out of film and after catering lunch for this lot, I was broke, so I am calling it a wrap.  I will take whatever points I get for this (21 X 28mm foot figures) and hope you enjoyed this tribute to the Two Towers.

Blessings,

MP

'Home' from MichaelP: 'Home Away From Rome'

Where does the tired and weary legionnaire go at the end of the day of defending the Empire?  Like any other soldier, he wants his grub and he wants to go to ground.   Home is the field kitchen and a crowded, smelly tent with his mates.  Soldiering never really changes.

These 15mm models are from Baudea Wargames in Italy.   I purchased them for my friend Chris Stoesen, who was my giftee in two Christmas projects, the Santa Clause gift exchange run by Chris and the Secret Santa project run by Ian and Cath Willey.   Chris collects the Roman army in 15mm, and he suggested some camp scenes from Baueda.  Because my wife was quite ill in November and December, Chris kindly told me to take the time I needed.  Happily, things are better now and I was able to get them done.

I knew nothing about Baudea before I went to their website.  A very impressive range of terrain, mostly in 15mm as far as I could tell.   The tents and cooking scene items are in resin, and very cleanly cast.   The figures are metal and were a little less impressive - I have seen cleaner 15mm figures.

Cook working with a field stove, with his assistant in the background.  One thing my military career has taught me, is always be nice to cooks.

Supplies.  I have no idea what Roman rations are like so don't ask me what those green things are in the basket - little cabbages, maybe?

Officers have a drink and a chat while something delicious cooks on the fire.

Officer's and soldier's tents:

Bases are laser-cut MDF by Six Squared Studios, a Canadian company that is worth watching.  They do some nice work.

Thanks for looking.   

'East' from MichaelP: Pasha Moustasha Ali

My entry is a single figure. Family circumstances are challenging at present, but painting gives me great stress relief, even in small amounts.

 This 28mm figure is by Canada's Bob Murch, proprietor of Pulp Figures. I love Bob's stuff and can't paint enough of it. For several years now, Bob has sculpted a moustachioed figure for "Movember", the charity for several health issues unique to men. Donors to the charity get one of his Movember sculpts. Last year his sculpt was a handsome gentleman that I painted up as "Flashheart of the Mounted". This year's figure is called "Pasha Moustasha Ali", and he has a definite eastern look (depending on what side of the Dardanelles you happen to be on).

This figure has a slightly chunky, cartoony quality which is typical of Bob's figures, but to mind that look is ideal for pulp-oriented, larger than life gaming.   

Pasha is not staying in my collection.  He is a gift for Jonathan Freitag, the proprietor of the Palouse Wargaming Journal, who was the winner of the online Diplomacy game I ran last year.   I promised the winner a painted miniature, and since Jon played Turkey, this seemed like the perfect choice.  I may run another game later this year, if you're interested.

The nice thing about these kind of figures is that you can read any back story you want into them.  As I was painting him I imagined a tough and capable fellow who clawed his way to the top in Turkish politics, as one of Ataturk's trusted lieutenants.   The pistol and sword may be worn for effect these days, but in his time he's used them well, and often.   Today he has returned to the old battlefields of Gallipoli for a ceremony, and has wandered away to stare at a landscape he knows all too well.

He remembers how the waters were full of ships, and how their giant shells almost blew them off the hills they were ordered to hold at all costs.

He thinks of his first command, just a platoon of scared peasants, but he was proud of them, as if they were  the finest Janissaries of the Porte.  He remembers how they crossed bayonets with the bronzed Australians, and refused to yield.  It was long ago, and now the young are so eager to build their new Turkey, like his aide over there, looking anxiously at his watch, for he is already late for his speech.

The general sighs, and turns his back on the ghosts of Gallipoli, returning to the present.

'Armour' from MichaelP: Early WWII German Recce

My entry consists of three 15mm German plastic kits from Zvesda:  two Panzer 38s and one SdKfz 222 armoured car.

While I have a decent 15mm late war German force, I have wanted an early war one to go against a large Russian army I acquired last year.  So, these guys are done in an early war paint scheme: Vallejo German Grey with a wash of Citadel black, some highlighting and weathering and a light drybrush of a craft store tan acrylic to suggest the dust of a Russian summer.

The turret numbers are by Dom's Decals and the crosses are from a FoW decal sheet.   The bases are artisanal hand-crafted MDF with my own special family recipe for flocking.

Zsveda models are reasonably cheap and mix well with the usual 15mm suspects such as Battlefront and Plastic Soldier Co.   They practically snap together.  For these Pz38s, the track and bogey assemblies are all one piece, so it's a breeze to assemble them.  However, some might say they suffer from a want of detail, as they are very simple models.  At least they are simple to paint.

Three 15mm vehicles at 6 points each gives me 18 points plus the Bonus Round bonus, I believe.

Looking forward to seeing what others have done!

Blessings to your armour!

MP+