This year, as in the previous two I am taking part in the Analogue Hobbies Winter Paint Challenge, a Group of gamers and painters from across the world who get together, in a virtual sense, once a year. The idea is part competition, with points tables, side duels and part collective support of like minded individuals.

https://thepaintingchallenge.blogspot.com

This year I am taking the opportunity to try and blast through the corner of the lead pile that constitutes my 28mm Italian Wars Project so I can get to the point where I can field a decent sized army and get some game time in on the rule sets I am looking at.

The event started on the 20th December and runs for 3 months. So far for the Italian Wars I have finished a unit of 16 shot, who will appear on here when I finish the accompanying Pike Block. Finished this week is this 6 fig unit of Gendarme.

The figures are from Foundry and although fairly old they are still great figures. The flags come from Pete’s Flags on eBay and are representative of the early 15th Century Condottiero Micheletto Attendolo who died in 1451, a little early for my Italian Wars period but that isn’t going to stop me using these great banners.

I have used the livery on the flag as a cue for the colour of the units clothing and added the flower motif on the flags to the horse furniture and men. I bought enough for 5 similar units just before Xmas so I am quite excited about how they are going to look en masse.

Above shows the current extent of my Gendarme collection, the 2 other units have featured on the blog before. Even though it’s only 18 figures I am more than happy with the look, the flags and colours really give it something.

I have some mounted Crossbow up next as I slog through a Pike Block, looks like 2019 will be the year of the Italian Wars.