Kings of War Slow Grow Challenge Episode 6: The First Milestone!

Checkpoint Reached – How Did We Do?

This week marks a big milestone in the Slow Grow Challenge: the end of our first six-week stage.

The goal was simple: have roughly 500 points painted for Kings of War, or a Champions Company ready for the table. A manageable chunk, designed to get things started without feeling overwhelming.

So… how have we got on?

Ross is still on a short hiatus while he focuses on the DreadBall All Stars Kickstarter (which launched on Tuesday and hit its funding goal day one!), but we’ve checked in with the other three challengers to see how they’re progressing.

Tobias – The Hobby Dynamo (Xirkaali)

I’m happy to say that I've completed stage one, right on schedule! I've finished a Witch Hunter, a Warrior Pack regiment and Spearwarden regiment.

Going into the challenge, I knew I’d be quite quick, but I also had a busy run of trade events in February, which I thought might hamper me. I’m glad to say that it didn’t, really – I got through stage one quite comfortably in the end.

The key to my progress has been keeping things simple. Spraying the models orange as a base colour meant I could minimise the number of painting steps, which really helped with speed. With Xirkaali also being a relatively low model-count army, the six-week window felt like more than enough time.

In fact, I’ve already started working on the next 500 points. My plan for stage two is straightforward – building out the rest of the Xirkaali battalion box. I really like how cleanly that box translates into a solid 1000-point force.

One thing I will be changing is the colour scheme slightly. I’m not 100% happy with how the dark brown fur on the warriors looks, so I’ll be switching to a mix of grey and a more ruddy brown going forward.

If I had one piece of advice for people following along: paint little and often. Even 20 minutes a day adds up quickly.

Dan – The Lore-Led General (Xirkaali)

I’m pleased to say I’ve also got my first 500 points completed and ready for some games. My starter army consists of a Witch Hunter, a Warrior Pack regiment and a Plainstalker regiment.

Looking back, I’m fairly happy with how things have gone. I would have liked a bit more time to tidy things up, but viewed as a full ranked army, I think it’s going to look great on the table. One thing that I’m especially pleased with is the basing. It’s the first time I’ve used lichen and foliage in this way, and I’ve really enjoyed the contrast it creates. It adds a lot of character without requiring a huge amount of extra effort.

Time was definitely the biggest challenge. Six weeks sounds like plenty, but fitting hobby time around work and family life isn’t always straightforward. That said, the slow grow structure clearly works – here I am with the first quarter of the army done. I’ve also found the format particularly effective when done alongside others. Having that shared sense of progress – even just checking in – makes a real difference to motivation.

For stage two, I’m looking forward to expanding the army with some different units. The Xirkaali hard plastics are great to work with, and I want to keep things visually varied, so I’ll likely be adding some Yan and Wildfangs. I also really enjoyed building the Plainstalkers, so I’m keen to revisit that kit from a slightly different angle.

In terms of process, I don’t think I’ll be changing much – I’m just starting to get into a good rhythm.

If I had one piece of advice: don’t overthink faction choice – go with the faction that ‘speaks to you’ and that you’ll find good fun to build and paint. Then grab a battalion box and get stuck in! Those boxes are part way between the ‘old’ Army and Mega Army boxes, so you get plenty of hard plastics, a good selection of units and many hours of hobby fun to enjoy – even before your models hit the gaming table!

Alex – The Reformed Perfectionist (Trident Realms)

Sadly, I didn’t quite manage to complete stage one on time in the end. Not entirely unexpected, given the house move from Germany to the UK – I always knew it would get in the way. If anything, I may have underestimated just how disruptive it would be! Oh well…we live and learn.

That said, I have made some further progress this week. I’ve basecoated my Naiads in line with the colour scheme of my test miniature. So they’re now ready for the wash step and then highlights.

Of course, it’s a little disappointing not to hit the milestone on schedule. But I’m really enjoying painting the Trident Realms so far, and very excited to get playing some games with them once I have the rest of my Champions Company box finished.

Looking ahead, I’m confident I can pick up the pace now that things are settling down on the home front.

My new goal: catch up and hit 1000 points by the end of stage two on 1st May.

One Quarter Down – We’re Just Getting Started!

With stage one complete, we’re now one quarter of the way through the Slow Grow Challenge.

Dan and Tobias have done a fantastic job staying on track and getting their first 500 points painted and ready for the table – it’ll be exciting for them to start getting some small games in with their new forces. Alex and Ross have both made solid starts – real-life commitments have slowed things temporarily, but they’ll both bounce back.

The important thing is, the challenge has only just started! There’s plenty of road left between now and the finish line in July.

Last but by no means least, we also want to say a massive “thank you!” to everyone in the community taking part alongside us. Seeing your armies come together week by week has been hugely motivating.

Next week, we’ll be shining the spotlight on some of those community armies – so stay tuned!