And we're back

We apologize for the studio interruption, and now return you to your regularly scheduled blog, already in session.

The truth is, I have not put paint to brush, let alone mini, since May. An untimely flood rendered by previous abode uninhabitable, the refugee camp was not conducive to paints, and with two major moves in there, the paints and minis have sat in the storage boxes since.

The upside is that I have been regularly gaming, it's the painting, photographing and the blogging that have slowed down to nothing

Fortunately, the The Fourth Annual Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge has rolled around again, and it's prime to get me back into painting and blogging. 

For those not familiar, here it is, according to Hoyle:

The Challenge will extend from 12:01 am December 15th through to the first day of Spring, 12:01 am March 20th CST (Central Standard Time).

Figures can be prepared and primed prior to the start date (Dec 15th), but no colour can be applied until the 15th. In order to be scored the figures have to be based and their groundwork completed. The figures have to be painted by you. The honour system will be followed in the completion and entry of figures to the Challenge. Again, great dishonour goes upon anyone who shames themselves in the time-honoured craft of painting toy soldiers!

The subject matter can be in any scale and in any theme, including sci-fi and fantasy.

In order to be scored, photos of all figures/units along with a short descriptive note must be submitted to me for posting on the Analogue Hobbies blog. Up-to-date scoring will be maintained on the main page.  

The Judge (Curt) will participate, but my score (typically negligible) will not have any standing in the Challenge.

Naturally, of course, there is a twist:

For an added bit of fun, this year we will have 'Fortnight Theme Bonus Rounds'. Each 'Theme Bonus Round' challenges Challengers to enter a submission that illustrates that particular theme. The Bonus Rounds are not mandatory, they are just a little bit of silliness to mark the path of the Challenge.

Any Challenger who manages to submit an entry for a 'Fortnight Theme Bonus Round' will get an extra 50 points on top of the regular entry tally. No scales less than 15mm will be eligible for the Theme Bonus Rounds but they can be of a historical or fictional subject.

The Bonus Themes along with their submission deadlines are: 

     •   December 22: Non Combatant(s)
     •   January 5: Villain(s)
     •   January 19: Vehicle
     •   February 2: Hero or Heroic Group
     •   February 16: Casualty / Casualties
     •   March 2: Favourite Character
     •   March 16: Last Stand

And, as always, Curt's cut: 

As previous years, I ask for a small memento from each Challenger. Last year's entrance fee was a 28mm painted figure of a Ronin and so in keeping with this year's 'Wild Bunch' theme, the entrance fee' for this year's Challenge will be a single 28mm figure that is inspired by a Sam Peckinpah film. The figure will be supplied and painted by the entrant. This miniature can be submitted any time up until the end of the Challenge. Again, same as last year, for each figure I receive I will donate $5 to the Saskatchewan branch of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).

The theme of the competition being Sam Peckinpah, that suits my Western/Cavalry collection theme. But, in that vein, it also works with my Colonials and Africa; while Peckinpah did not do any of the colonial epics as far as I know, it's the same kind of storytelling. So that's where I will focus my efforts. I do intend to do better than I did last year, where I was playing along at home, scoring an absolute zero, getting nothing finished during the competition.

Since the goal is to get me painting again, I mean to better that. I've set the goal of 200 points, which is 40 25mm foot figures, or 20 25mm mounted figures. I'm also adding the further optional goal(s) to discipline my painting:

1. Be able to run a game set in the East Coast of Africa (Cairo to Durban and all points in between)
2. or Be able to run a game set in the Old West

Now, I don't know what's up with this smuggling budgies in sandbags nonsense, but I realize I don't paint quickly enough to have a shot at winning through sheer volume. I can, however, rack up Bonus Theme points, and probably submit minis that can compare with most/all other comers. 

I have approximately twenty-five (25) days to put together a plan and prep figures. That's looking at what I have available, what (few) bits I plan to buy, slotting things into order, and figuring out how to hit all the bonus themes.

Over the next few weeks, I plan to blog my Diabolical Scheme to Win, posting my painting ideas and photos of the prepped items. So watch this space.