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As the Call to Arms 2023 Challenge is getting close to its end, I will share here some family portraits of my contributions. In the Xenos Stronghold - running for Aeldari Forum - A Saim Hann War Host. Except the Wraithlord (Edit) and the red WS that have been painted prior to the Challenge but that I cannot leave away from their amtes, all the models have been painted in 2 distinct vows. Special note of the converted Venom, that is enlisted for Master of the Forge. Still in the Xenos Stronghold - running (as a proxi) for the Leagues of Votann Forum - a lone Squat trike Enlisted as a single and lonely vow In the Imperium Stronghold - running for Space Wolves SubForum - a column of Rhinos All belonging to 2 distinct vows In the Imperium Stronghold - running for Astra Militarum - some isolated SW auxilaries investing an abandoned outpost All belonging to 3 distinct vows And, finally, still in the Imperium Stronghold - running for Adeptus Mechanicus Forum - Part of an Extermination Maniple This vow was initially planned to be my main contribution to the Imperial Stronghold, but, because of shipping delays, it happened being the last one, the rest of the Imperial troops being the activated contingency plan. In total this represent a Grand Total of 201 Points: - Aeldari - 102 pts - Votann - 2 pts (but so far accounted as 2 extra points for Aeldari in the List of vows) - SW + Astra Militarum (as they are all included in SW vows) - 58 pts - AdMech - 39 pts Nota: Ruins and Scenery are inc. in the Imperium related vows.

I am quite satisfied having been able to close my third vow in the Imperium Stronghold before the bbell toll of Sept. 30th. Here bellow are my last 2 pieces of enlisted units and scenery: - a barricade made of sand bags - an outpost made from proxy Munitorum container (Rescued from a old (broken) toy found in the attic of Grandpa and Grandma) With some views of the outpost: I still have some of these plastic sandbags, but I will reserve them for another project... When I will have decided what kind of project it will be. My third vow is therefore fully complete now, and, let´s be frank, I will NOT add anything more. SO no new vow in the Chaos Stronghold, as the 2 other strongholds are alredy fitted with 3 vows each... Shall I have time (to be understood spare time under day light) I will try to shoot some cleaner familly portraits of all 6 vows. But it will be another day and another post.

A small and short update as the sand from the glasshour is slowly but surely flowing down. As of today, Sept 25th, all the Skitarii are painted, based and ready to be dispatched in their new units. Indeed this batch of 10 was meant to legalize my previous Rangers so that they may fit the new Index rules. To be understood as being closer to legality than they used to be in the past (No more pair of Transurannic arquebus in a single unit of 10, I am afraid). So I painted 2 plasma boyz and I will reorganize the diferent rangers in 2 units. Probably one on the march and one in firing position, at least in terms of majority of poses. This also makes me think that I will not use the numbers on the decals when time will come to set some. Only cogs and skulls, so that Rangers can be reorganized on demand. For example, if I want a datatether and a scanner in the same unit, as the lack of arms holding a single gun prevent you from doing it in all units: so its is not possible to get both options at the time unless getting as much rangers as vanguard units of converting some radguns with the spares left... As far as I am concerned I have prefered using a spare gun to do an Alpha pointing out a vengful finger and spending bitz in convertions, kitbashes and custom scenery during era of 9th Ed... So in terms of progress I have painted so far in my third vow: - Cawl - 10 pts - 2 Kastelans and their datasmith - 11 pts - 10 Rangers - 10 pts - one scrap pile - 2 pts Are still to be completed: - a second scrap pile - 2 pts - a proxy armoured container - 4 pts So 33oo39 pts completed. I guess it is achievable...

This week progress report will be the last one before the conclusive date of the Challenge. I am on the way of closing my third vow, even if the tick tocking of the count down is still present. Todays' issue was getting short of primer. By chance some other comitments led me close to a DIY store where I took the first can I found. It is enough to get the 2 remaining pieces of scenery painted. While it dries, I will focus on the Skitarii. So next (and last) week will probably be a quick and dirty scenery painting. The big achievement is that Cawl is done. A nightmarish model to paint even if it is worth the effort. The final result is not too bad. Or at least it is of the same level thant the rest of the Admech army of mine. Clearly I was afraid that this complex model would be too much for me and would end up being a kind of wart... But I am quite satisfied of the final result. In the background, you can guess the presence of the Rangers - bodies, back packs and heads done. weapons are WIP. Final assembly probably this WE. And as a desert, the pile of tires. What remains, beside of the 10 rangers, are therefore the Proxy container and a sand bag (large) barricade. ....tick-tock, tick-tock...

As a third vow in the Call to Arm 2023 Challenge - Imperium Stronghold, I pledge the following stuff for the Adeptus MEchanicus Sub Forum: - Cawl - 10 pts - 2 Kastellns - 2 x 3 pts - Their Datasmith - 5 pts - 1 unit of Skitarii - 10 x 1 pt - 2 Pieces of scenery/small scrap type - 2 x 2 pts -1 Piece of Scenery/Munitorum Container type - 4 pts Total: 39 pts It´s a lot for just 2 weeks left, but I will try it. Pure Glutony. I count on the fact that the Scenery and the Kastelans can be painted quite fast and that I already defined and developped the paint scheme on previous models earlier this year.

My second vow for the Imperium Stronghold is now completed. I was missing the kit bashed Scion Unit, based on various Scouts kits plus some SW, Scions and Skitarii bitz. It complete the other enlisted stuff shown in my previous Blog entry and painted last WE - see here: With some close-ins for 3 of these: The latter has been done by repositioning a scout from the Speeder model.

If you are following the Hi-Los of my AdMech minis order, you will remember that, anticipating a larger delay than the one already registered, I started a second Vow with a contingency plan. Until part of my order appeared. So I am a little bit in the middle of a No-Mans´ Land now: trying to speed up the painting process of what is currently WIP in order to be able, eventually, to enlist a third vow with this new material, freshly received... From my second Vow, the current status is as such, at 8th of Aept (I am a little bit anticipating on the Week 11 progress report...): - 10 Kit bashed Scions - as pure as their virgin white spray coat can testify - not started starting details - 3 Rhinos Chassis - main colours applied, shades dones, starting details all completed - 1 LR Executioneer - main colours applied, shades dones, starting details completed - Scrap piles from Bitz box - all completed* Total: 28oo38 pts. 7oo38 pts. In the mean time, I Primed the sprues of the Extermination Maniple and I am preparing the scenic bases for Kataphrons and Kastellans. I also gathered even more bitz to start a fifth Scrap Pile - Tires this time**. * Apologies to offended Fists´ and Sucessors´ Players: the Banner is not meant to offend anyone. Let´s rather consider that my SW will go and recover it before devolving it in a kind and fraternal demonstration of brotherhood. Sons of Dorn will supply the ale and beer in return (don´t forget finger food too). A fair deal, don´t you think? ** All of this when light is too low to pretend painting properly. So it is not really competing with the main project, But eventually with the fourth Season of Jack Ryan that I am still pending watching..

As a matter of fact, we are rather going to talk of resuming activity rather than progressing at anything. After a 2 weeks break, mainly because I was hoping receiving some purchases of mine (which by the way did not showed off yet...), it is time to activate a contingency plan. There are only 3 and a half weeks left and it would be too short (far too short) to pretend painting a whole AdMech extermination maniple... At least at my current rythm and considering my availability for hobby stuff in Sept. So, let´s activate the plan B. I will basically field as a second vow in the Imperium Strongold the kit bached Scions and the scrap terrain I published in my previous blog entry. And to boost point levels, I will repaint some old stuff. It will gives us: - 3 medium scrap piles at 2 pts each - sub total 6 pts - 1 small scrap pile at 1 pt - 1 unit of 10 Scions at 10 pts - 2 ooP razorbacks (on of these being a proxy) at 5 pts each - subtotal 10 pts - 1 ooP rhino at 5 pts - 1 Leman Russ Exterminator (the first kit) that I used in my SW army under 3rd Ed rules at 6 pts. So a total of 38 pts if I did not misevaluate the point costs. The old LR is a nice kit in fact; really better looking that the current one in my opinion. the turret and accessories gave it a je ne sais quoi that make him more appealing. This or it is nostalgia...

As a progress report for this week, I report my first vow in the Imperium Stronghold is now completed: 2 Rhinos, one with Spaced Armour 1 converted Razorback, using shield from ooP Sororitas Immolator 1 proxy Predator Baal That´s all for this week. As I am waiting for some AdMech miniatures, probably at beginning of next week, I will potentially field another vow in the Imperium Stronghold. While I am waiting I will see if I can scratch build some barricades or scrap piles from the numerous bitz I have here or there. A way to spend time and increase the point value of a future vow...

After completing my 3 vows in the Xenos´ Stronghold, it is time to focus on some more Imperium related stuff. As I still experience some delivery delays for the miniatures ordered to increase my Adeptus Mechanicus Force (my New Year/New Army Project), I went to see why I could recover from my crates of long forgotten minis... Let´s see what I found: - Lots of WFB minis - out of scope - Few Fantasy Ral Partha minis - out of scope too - 6 Spore mines - if only I had found them earlier they would have been enlisted in the Xenos Challenge... - Some old Rhino Chassis, some painted in the 90´s (beautiful splash painting in the style of my 6 y.o. daugther) and some still in their Mechanicum Grey Factory Livery (understand - raw grey plastic). - 4 of them will be perfect! One of these was built as a proxy Razorkback (Infernum Pattern) using Shield from a Battle Sister tank (same era). You can notice the metal Spaced Armour available at the time on the Rhino. Other bits from Battle Sisters tanks were used, to get these spare caterpillar sections on the Rhino of to swap Heavy Flamers from the Predator Ball. As I found the Assault gun barrels "goofies" y I also swapped them for Heavy Bolters. Some VDR rules latter, and, at the time I built it, I used to play it in my SW army as a "Black Bear" predator. Will still be a Baal Predator proxy nowadays. These 4 tanks will fit for vow Nº1 in the Imperium Stronghold, while waiting for my AdMechs that will eb shipped (I hope) when the FLGS will come back from its well deserved summer holiday break. More soon.