APC Update - Why the Cardinal? Caution: Footnotes

Well, because nobody expects...

No seriously, my second submission to the APC was a 28mm metal figure from Black Pyramid Gaming - their Prof Stanton Brook.

Professor

He's obviously based on the Sydney Paget illustration of Prof Moriarty for the Strand Magazine, and that's why I bought him, but on handling the figure I was immediately put in mind of this chap from my youth.

Archbishop

This is Henry Edward Manning (1808-1892), Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, and I somewhat perversely decided that I wanted him in miniature.

The expected question was asked - "From your youth?  How old are you Edwin?"  No, I don't remember Manning, but I did spend quite a lot of time reading about him. (1)  So much time that I even considered submitting him as my entry to the Nostalgia bonus round. (2)

1  He was the subject of my Master's degree.
2  But decided that was too self-referential and obscure.

Enough about me.  What about the figure?

Whether the criminal mastermind has decided to disguise himself as Dr Manning, or whether - more shockingly! - His Eminence is himself the Napoleon of Crime will have to be the subject of further investigation.  It is however an odd co-incidence that Manning's death occurred mere months after Moriarty's supposed demise in Switzerland...

The base. again, is one I won from RayR.  I have tried to catch M's cadaverous pallor and broke the monotony of clerical black with some uncanonically grey gloves.(3)  You mayor may not be able to spot the purple bib.

3 I'm sure you all remember the story about John Henry Newman donning grey trousers in 1845...

I titled the submission to the APC 'Eminent Victorian'.  This is of course a pun on Manning's position as a Prince of the Church, but also a reference to Lytton Strachey iconoclastic book of the same name. (4)  Some of you (5) will immediately think "By gad!  He's going for a full set!".  Yes, I've already done one of Strachey's victims subjects - I only need Florence Nightingale and Thomas Arnold and I'll have a crime-busting quartet the pantheon of Victorian respectability.

4  Of course, he was using the same joke - weak minds think alike.
5  I'm looking at you Mr Awdry.

APC Update - Leg It! It's the Filth!

Evenin' All!

Last week was a bit of a lost zone as regards painting.   My self-imposed aim of entering each of the bonus rounds in the APC didn't even stretch to the second one, which was (no irony intended) Epic Fail.  It's a shame really, as I'd intended to use the French Foreign Legion's attempt to turn Laurel and Hardy into part of a crack fighting force.  However, the Defensive Terrain project is faring better - at least it has been primed!

However, over the weekend I managed to do three figures to contribute to Team Monday's efforts (Yay, Go Mondays!).

The first were Sgt Bung and PC Savage, two representatives of those fine boys in blue - the Berkshire Constabulary.

They're 28mm metal figures from Ainsty Casting's Aggro range and are ideal for anyone who wants to game on the streets of 1970s or 1980s Britain.  Soviet invasions or zombie outbreaks spring to mind, but for me they're more likely to be Yeti-bait in Dr Who games.

The bases are some I was lucky enough to win on a blog give-away run by RayR.

They're nice sculpts, and I''m tempted to get some more of the range.

And here's a treat for those of you who remember the '80s

Dr Who Wednesday #6

At last some miniatures painted!

For the Nostalgia bonus round of the Analogue Painting Challenge I went Dr Who and submitted these boys...

Loyal readers of this blog are rewarded with a better photo than
that submitted to the APC

Cybermen of course.  These are from BTD - their 'Earthshock'* version, with the exception of the one I've painted up as the Cyberleader, who is an earlier model.  They were something of a rush job and I'm quite unhappy with the basing - indeed there is a seventh where the basing all fell off as I tried to paint it before the glue dried (I told you it was a rush job, didn't I?).  He'll appear later in the Challenge with other odd Who figures.

*Poor old Adric - he never did get his end away...

The good news is that I found the Jon Pertwee figure that I'd lost!

And finally, just because,..

"Silver chap over there - five rounds rapid!"

Terrain Tuesday #11

Just a quick post this week as terrain takes the back burner due to the Painting Challenge.

However, I still keep my eyes open for bargains - like this little ceramic ornament I picked up in a local charity shop this morning for 50p...

Painting Challenge Update - Nostalgia Bonus Round In

Well, I've finally got around to submitting my first entry to the Painting Challenge!  I'm quite amazed at the productivity of who have already dropped major points bombs - I sincerely hope they don't get burnout.

I made the deadline for the Nostagia round by painting up a half dozen figures today - which for me is pretty quick work.  I'm not allowed to tell you anything about them (that'll have to wait until Dr Who Wednesday - wink, wink...) but they will be unveiled by Curt tomorrow (or given the number of entries, possibly the next day).

But I'm glad to have broken the duck.  These are the first figures I've painted in months, and it feels good.  This is why I enter the challenge - not for high scores, but because it gives me the incentive to paint.

As the Padre says - 'Blessings on your brushes'.