ROUND 4 Pro Patria Mori vs Wargames - Animal Farm Winter 1946

[Grimm]

OK I like the first one for the story that tells the picture .
I like the Animal Farm for the amazing paint job on the pigs .
But the terrain in the second picture is normaly a no go .
After all the pigs get my vote they are very good painted and it is a paintig contest not a terrain contest.

Grimm

[Vanvlak]

True Grimm - I agree and really do have to get better scenery.
But - oh wow, thanks for the great complement on the pigpaint - coming from the likes of you, that IS something! 
Keeper - I checked the product, and it was of course a Vallejo terrain slurry: grey pumice, 26.213 - basically acrylic resin with grit to produce a rough surface. Useful stuff. it comes in a 200ml tub.

[Hammers]

OK, I'll have a shot at explaining. But first - yes, using the trench and the view 'over the step' was a grand idea.  

Animal Farm was a swipe at Communism by George Orwell, and in this the pigs led a revolt which resulted in an animal-owned farm; eventually they themselves became an elite, and things ended up same as before for the other animals.
In this case, some years down the line the Pigs are at war with their neighbours, and they're into mechanized warfare (hence the SU with the - uh - sawn-off cannon); and four of the bosses are meeting to plan the next campaign (on what I'd love to have for a games table!). The tank happened to be passing; and there's a human mechanic (his tools in his apron can only just be seen) for no good reason except that he has slightly porcine features, which can of course not be made out in my photo. With him is a cat. Cats belong anywhere.
The pig is in the tank because I like tanks with a Saukopf...    
The four 'main' pigs are, by the way, allegoric: one is a War pig, one a Worker pig, one a Sea pig and one an Air pig (hence the propeller leaning against the table). Yes, I know, hopelessly over the top and whatever happened to the-picture-tells-a-story?
But they were fun to paint. And I'd had this table idea for ages, so this provided a good excuse to use it.
WireLizard - yes, the table is a map tile from GW's Mighty Empires campaign pack (the current edition) - it was free with an old White Dwarf; the pigs are actually mounts for a range of dwarfs from -dang! I forgot! I'll try to find out.

Love it. Truly oddball.

[keeper]

Thanks for the info, Vanvlak   I think I shall look into this slurry ...

[Pil]

I love the animal farm entry, the addition of the tank did help a lot, otherwise it would've been dull I think (pigs around a table). The first entry is very nice as well and sadly I didn't notice they were halflings at first. The use of background photo's works really well in pictures like these.

[Hitman]

I must admit the set up of the first photo looks great, yet the animals in the second one look quite real!! Both are nicely painted. Tough decision!!

[twrchtrwyth]

Both nice entries but the pigs got it.

@Vanvlak:Is the mechanic the shopkeeper from The Maze of Zagor game?

[Vanvlak]

Both nice entries but the pigs got it.

@Vanvlak:Is the mechanic the shopkeeper from The Maze of Zagor game?

I wish I knew! I got him along with a pile of other stuff (from orcs to skellies to heroes to a dragon and a manticore and a large vampiric monster) from a kind contributor to The Pile That Remains To Be Painted.

*checks The Google*

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/3794 from Board Game Geek - it's The Legend of Zagor, and although I could not make out the little guy, the other models are the ones I'd been sent, so yes, that's almost certainly his provenance - well spotted  In fact the Vampiric Monster type is actually Zagor himself, it seems.

[keeper]

Well played, Vanvlak   Congrats on the win in this round!

[Vanvlak]

Well played, Vanvlak   Congrats on the win in this round!

Awww, thanks. I have to admit I voted for yours though - the scenery coupled with the background photo was brilliant