Winter is coming - Taking Curt's challenge again..

Winter is coming and that doesn't only mean the festive season but Curt's Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge as well. 

"Official" picture by Curt

After my first participation last year I was lucky enough to get a slot this year again. This time the motto is "Anti-Heroes, Rogues and Ruffians". As usual the challenge lasts from early December (5th) 2014 until 20th March 2015 (spring) and the participants achieve points for painted figures they send pictures of to Curt. In addition he created a couple of bonus rounds which aren't mandatory but very gainful with 50 points for each fulfilled one. So my primary target is to complete each and every of the bonus rounds as I did last year:

1st Bonus Round: Cold (14th December):

There are some nice 1812 Poles by Paul Hicks (release by Murawski Miniatures) which are waiting for paint. Wonderful sculpts by this master of his business! At least a couple of them should be finished in time to achieve this bonus round.

Picture by Murawski Miniatures

2nd Bonus Round: Mounts and Riders (28th December):

Actually I wanted to start my Saga Normans earliert but probably they'll have to wait until December to become my entry for this round.

3rd Bonus Round: Victorian (11th January):

A unit of colonial British troops as a start for my North-West Frontier collection could be nice I presume. Or some of their 1860s British intervention force maybe...

Picture by Perry Miniatures

4th Bonus Round: Myth (25th January):

As mascot for my Vikings for the Of Gods and Mortal ruleset I bought a 40mm Thor from Wargames Foundry a couple of months ago. A good entry for this round I think.

 5th Bomus Round: Hot (8th February):

Not sure yet... Maybe another addition for the North-West Frontier project. Actually I have more than one unit ready to be painted...

Picture by Perry Miniatures

6th Bonus Round: Comedic (22nd February):

First I thought of some animals in uniform like Eureka's SYW Teddy Bears but more likely I'll go for a figure or two from Warlord Games' Dad's Army. Probably not the whole bunch since I'm not sure what to use them for afterwards... So maybe I'll turn to some of Artizan's Thrilling Tales figures. They make interesting sets and at least Big Joe and his mates should be comedic enough, shouldn't they?

7th Bonus Round: Anti-Hero (8th March):

Another difficult choice... Although I was first thinking of some great military leaders who finally failed tragically like Napoleon or Rommel but I'm not sure whether they really satisfy the term "Anti-Hero". So maybe I'll go for one of Batman's incarnations by Knight Models.

And besides this?

Actually I should paint a couple of French Napoleonics and a bunch of late WW1 Tommies during winter. We'll see how many of those chaps I'll be able to add to my Painting Challenge Account. Anyway my goal for this time is 750 points. That is slightly more than last year and would bring me into the midfield of the painters. With 350 points for the bonus rounds (7 x 50 points = 350 points) that would mean another 400 points to reach with painted miniatures. For example 80 28mm figures on foot or 40 mounted figures... Rather a lot for me but I'll take the challenge !

If anyone of you is interested in a little side challenge then let me know.

Last year Sir Michael from Awdry Towers and me decided to take all the bonus round together and in the end we suceeded. On the other hand I lost the 600 points race against Fran who got a pair of painted Scotsmen as price then. 

Although I don't fear to loose a bet I presume racing for points isn't my cup of tea. I'm simply too slow with painting...