Curtgeld

As I'm sure most readers of this blog will know, the Sixth Annual Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge drew to a busy close some 18 hours ago.  Between us 75 contributing participants submitted 75.450 points-worth of figures.*  Apparently, there were some forty-odd submissions in the last 24 hours alone.  Three of them were mine, and this week I'll be posting them here for those of you who lost them in the blizzard!

*395 of those were mine.  I didn't reach my 600 point target, but am pleased with the result and had a lot of fun doing it.

One of the traditions of the challenge is that we pay an entry fee by painting and sending a figure representing the year's theme to Curt, the Challenge organiser.*  This year's theme being Risk takers and Gamblers, I thought the following wise guy was appropriate.

*He in turn, generously donates $5.00 to the SPCA for each figure received.

He's BigT, a 28mm resin figure by Pigeon Guard Games I won last April.  Given that the figure was intended for Curt I really shouldn't have invested him with a back-story, but I couldn't help myself.  

I saw him as a Miami Beach bail bondsman who gambled that those small-time criminals he paid bail for would turn up to court.*  If not, well, he became the risk-taker who had to hunt them down.  That was until Z-Day, of course, when his talents found a new avenue...  Curt seemed to approve!

* 'Jackie Brown' anybody?

Loose Ends...

Ave Salute!

I hope everyone who is going to Salute has fun and managed not to spend too much money.

Me, I'm saving myself for Diceni and hoping I have some spare cash when it comes around.

Sid the Beast

After writing about snap dragons and 'obby 'osses yesterday, I remember that you can buy such a beastie of your own.  He's Sid from Fenris Games, and fits in with their Faceless Cultists range.  It's a range that's often tempted me.  He might also do well with the armed Morris Dancers if you put flowers in his hair.

Hey Goomba!

This morning in writing about BigT from Pigeon Guard Games I suggested that what we needed was a Paulie Walnuts.  Well, word on the streets is that a 'Wally Peanuts' might be joining the gang.

Order Received, Processed and Completed

Does anyone understand Black Tree Designs methodology?  

I placed an order with them on 29 Mar and received an acknowledgement that day; on 1 Apr I had an e-mail saying that the order had now been 'Processed' and on 23 Apr one saying it had been 'Completed' and dispatched.  Does anyone know what BTD means by all this?  I know the money was taken off me at point of sale and that as 'found stock' the figures didn't need to be cast or (a favorite one of there's) shipped from the US?  Personally, when I receive an order at Diplomatist Books I try to 'process' and 'complete' it that day...

Oathsworn

It wasn't my cup of tea, but here's a cry-out to Michael and Jo at Oathsworn for their successful Burrows and Badgers Kickstarter (£15,520 pledged on a £4,000 target).  Oathsworn are old hands at Kickstarters and mange them in an exemplary manner - there will be some happy customers once the figures are sent out.

Free Stuff!

We all love free stuff. don't we?

Sally 4th had produced a couple of pdf's to dress their Terra-Block system.  Those lucky enough to go to one of their workshops at Salute will get the whole room (blocks and all) free.  The rest of us can download the pdfs here.

Nice as the system seems to be, I'm afraid it doesn't fit in within my budget limitations.  However, I thought to myself, why not download the pdf and use it anyway?  (olde-time readers will remember I had a some success with a cardstock Egyptian tomb).  I'll keep you apprised.

Shiny! (Or Its Resin Equivalent)

On Monday I was notified by a sharp-eyed Friend of the Blog (thanks Christopher!) that I had won a draw being held on the Pigeon Guard Games Facebook page.  I high-tailed over there, gave them my details and yesterday morning received this splendid guy.

He's BigT (surely Tony) a Wise Guy with a distinct Jersey or Miami feel.  He's very nicely sculpted by Ian Mountain.  I understand from the Pigeon Guard website that he may eventually be cast in metal, but for the moment there is only a limited edition run of 100 (mine is number 20) in resin.  The spare hand isn't giving you the finger, but is holding a cigar.

I'm not sure what to do with him - he'd obviously be at hope in a modern city (capping Zombies or facing-off to Batman?), but that's not my scene.  My initial idea was to put in in that box 'for when I do a Blog giveaway', but I've decided he's far to nice for that!  Even The Wife was rather taken with him.  But now we need to find Paulie Walnuts.