Zombtober 2014 - Week 2

Fashionably late, or just too darn stubborn to change the date of my posting? Regardless of which category this post falls into here's my Week 2 update for Zombtober.

Just the base-colours on the two re-based Zombicide models at this stage and one or two colours on the other two (not pictured).

Base colours on two re-based Zombicide Walkers

It's been great to get back to some simple individual miniatures and photographing them against the terrain I made is reminding me how much fun I had just pulling the whole project together.

Working on these and seeing everyone's efforts is inspiring me to return to Outbreak City and get a few more games of my All Things Zombie: Final Fade Out campaign played.

Zombtober 2014 - Week 1

Okay, so apparently I missed one of the rules of Zombtober...

You know, that rule about posting updates on a Sunday? Yeah, I missed that part, so I claim ignorane, which is bliss in this instance as I've simply been working away oblivious and enjoying every minute of it, and anyway, rules are there to be broken right?

So far I've re-based both of the Zombicide miniatures on 25mm round bases and added some milliput detailing and everything is now undercoated and ready to paint (George was already undercoated and painting had already begun).

It'll be nice to get back to painting on a white undercoat. I switched to white when I started painting my Studio Miniatures zombies for my All Things Zombies games, it was clear the miniatures on thier website were not painted on a black base-coat. However, recently, due to the darker base colours I've used with the majority of my Dust Tactics miniatures, I've steered clear of white in many instances and to be honest, I've missed it.

Time to get some paint on these guys!

Zombies, Zombies - Everywhere!

I was recently asked, by DocStout, how many zombies I could put on the table before I ‘ran out’ and up until the point I answer his question I hadn’t actually bothered to count.

"They're coming to get you Barbara."

Make-Do-and-Mend

For my first batch of zombies for ATZ I adopted a classic gamer made-do-and-mend, using whatever I happened to have in my unfinished projects bitz-box. I had a couple of packs of Games Workshop Warhammer zombies from which I selected the least medieval looking and based on 25mm round bases. I used my 'normal' style of basing painted in an urban style.

Games Workshop Zombies - What big hands you have.

I also had set of Copplestone Plague Zombies, a couple of modern zombies which I think are from Ral Partha or Grenadier and one old GW metal zombie.

Copplestone Plague Zombies - Standing the test of time.

Ral Partha or Grenadier and Games Workshop Zombies

The first batch turned out ok and it was great to be able to crack on with a project without actually buying anything but at the same time I was, pun intended, chomping at the bit for some modern looking zombies.

Zombie Hunger

After trawling the interwebs and studying as many blogs with zombie miniatures in as I could, I settled on Studio Miniatures for my first batch of ‘real’ zed-heads. I ordered the Horde 1 pack because I couldn’t resist the exclusive George A. Romero model.

Studio Miniatures Zombies

What can I say? The sculpts are superb, they come in a cool retro video case with a very cool cover and they have the perfect balance of character and Every-day-Joe feel to them. My only criticism is that de-flashing is difficult. Not because there is lots of flash, on the contrary there is very little, it’s just the models are so highly detailed I was simply worried about ‘blurring’ out detail, such as flods in clothing, as went.

Inspired by the Studio Miniatures promotion pictures and by the superb work of Christopher (aka Axebreaker) and Gnotta I modelled Miliput bases and picked up some Army Painter 'tufts' to help with the look I was after.

Studio Miniatures Zombies - Dawn of The Dead (2004)?

Studio Miniatures Zombies - Roadkill!

Studio Miniatures Zombies - Flesh-munchingly good

How many zombies does one need?

In answer to Doc Stout’s original question, I have just 40 zombies. It doesn’t sound like much of a horde but believe me, once the flesh-chomping little blighters are on the table it’s more than enough. That said I’d like the collection to grow. My current target is 60 zombies and I haven’t yet painted the Mr Romero model - I want to give him a little one-on-one time. 60 zombies would seem to be about the right number of zombies for most zombie miniatures games, allowing for a little recycling here and there.

Seeing the release of Studio Miniatures' latest offering, Zombie Mob 008, reminded me how much I love their models and I’ll definitely be adding another one of their Hordes to the collection soon.

Studio Miniatures Zombie Horde 008 - "Need!"

Enough is Enough?

I have just one question...will 60 zombies be enough?

Slavering Maws; A Tamiya Clear Red Discovery.

Whilst cracking on my first Studio Miniatures Zombie Horde in preparation for playing more games of All Things Zombie, I discovered a remarkable feature of the fabled TCR - Tamiya Clear Red. Just when we thought that the crimson nectar of zombie apocalyptic gaming could not possibly be any cooler that it already is, this happened.

Studio Miniatures Zombie - WIP

"Dude, your girlfriend doesn't look so good."

How? I'd left the lid of for a while as I touched up the blood splatters on a group of a few zombies. The paint in the lid had congealed (Tamiya paints are apparently well known for this) and, rather fittingly as I removed the brush, the paint strung out like putrified drool.

I have long wondered how this kind of effect might be achieved on a 28mm model and, as if my magic, the shopkeeper appeared. I have no idea how long the lid needs to be off for this to happen, or if I'll even be able to re-create the effect again, but you can bet I'll be trying.

"To The Man-Cave!"

In the spirit of a few other blogger's recent posts I thought I'd share a couple of shots of the man-cave.

The man-cave.

It isn't always this tidy.

When we originally viewed the house some 7 years ago the vendor showed us into a back room as she stated "...and this is the games room." Within seconds I'd re-decorated and was figuring out how to fit in two 6' by 4's. There's a room just off this with a sink, and storage area and a seperate washroom. A kettle was added to the ante-room for our last gaming weekend and once a beer fridge is installed (planned for later this year) we can dissapear into the realm of battle without surfacing in the rest of the house for weeks at a time.

Outbreak City's Aftermath
Whenever I play a game I have been planning and working on for some time two things happen:

1) I breathe a huge sigh of relief, content in the warm glow of gaming geekery
2) I get giddy about new projects and start something fresh for the playset.

New projects include: more vehicles for my 40K Orks, some 15mm moderns, the completion of some Star Wars Miniatures 3d terrain and a stupidly ambitious 1/35th scale WW2 skirmish set. All good stuff, but what about the undead for All Things Zombie?

I recently spent a long session basing my Studio Miniatures Zombie Horde 1 hjust before the big game, but didn't get a chance to paint them all. I used the miliput method and, for the most part, copied the examples of the Studio Miniatures marketing shots as reference. It was only the 3rd time I've used miliput. This week's lesson covered mixing only the amount you can work with before it cures. Whoops.

Base Monkey Mafia. SM Horde plus Hasslefree WIP.

I couldn't wait to get some paint on them and so (after the Hazmats were finished) started right away. I've almost finished the first few. The rest should follow shortly.

Studio Miiniatures - WIP (+an old GW mini on the right)

I picked up a couple of new 1/43 scale cars to add to the collection.

Alpha Romeo - Tourer

New York Checker Cab

I am particularly pleased with the New York taxi. I assume it is only supposed to be seen in New York (perhaps someone can confirm if they are found elsewhere) but they are so iconic - let's just say Outbreak City has yellow checker cabs too.

My first battle report was run using the 2005 All Thing Zombie rules and I felt that an upgrade was long overdue.  I picked up ATZ- Better Dead than Zed from Two Hour Wargmes last week. I experienced superb customer service from Ed at THW. I placed my order for the pdf. version on a Sunday and I was reading the rules just a few hours later. Thank you Ed. They look great so far. We have a couple of games planned for the weekend of Salute, in addition to a trip to the show. One using ATZ - BDTZ and one using No More Room in Hell. I'm looking forward to our Undeadathon.

I ordered some Litko THW token sets (here and here) and eagerly await their arrival. One of the reasons I wrote the batrep in a narrative style was that when I looked back at the pictures I simply couldn't remember at what point in each turn I had taken them (there were over 50 taken in the end). I found it surprisingly difficult to explain what is happening in game mechanic terms and tell the story at the same time. I am interested to see if the Litko tokens help make it a little easier to translate what is going on. My hat goes off to anyone who has written batreps. Writing my own has made me appreciate what goes into them all the more.

Flu-like symptoms and new additions

A week away on business and a bout of flu that left friends and family members ‘in the know’ wondering if they should simply put a bullet in my brain before I started chewing on them were not events that meant a whole lot of hobby done of late.

Microtactix supermarket

Before those two occurrences another building for my All Things Zombie Outbreak City did get completed. The Microtactix supermarket. It was a tricky build due to the inset entrance. It wouldn’t have been a problem if I had worked in card but my decision to use foamcore bit back. The building is very flavoursome and will likely be an obvious survivor destination.

I have another supermarket, this time from TommyGun, underway and look forward to filling them both with plenty of groceries and loot.

I did add a few additional roof access stairs and air conditioning units, to add a little more flavour and some cover for roof-top battles.

Air Con Unit

Before I went away or succumbed to being patient zero I ordered a plethora of new toys to keep the postman busy and give me something to look forward to.

The Ebbles Archive DVD finally arrived. Whoot! Unfortunately a trip to the post-office and an additional payment to Mr Revenue and Customs was required to collect the treasure trove of card-modelling goodness. Thankfully there is so much in the DVD that by the time I got it home and started browsing the charge seemed irrelevant. So many of the models work superbly for zombie gaming; underground bases a la that Umbrella Corporation, check, military vehicles, check, barracks, check, stock room supplies, check, bathroom sink (and showers) check. Whilst there is a gritty sci-fi theme running through the work there are tons of great models screaming out to be built.

Ebbles FUS, pre-build print outs

The first model to be made was a simple workshop bench, to add to the generator workshop, following Doug and Bryan’s, advice a medium FUS is printed and ready to go.


What I wouldn't do for two chainsaws and a canoe paddle

Studio Miniatures Zombie Horde #1 have had a little love, just a few pieces have been de-flashed and are ready for basing. They should be hitting the painting table soon.

Studio Miniatures - Awesome

Studio Miniatures Zombies

I needed a few more survivors and having trawled the Ebbles DVD I’m tempted to give Gun Crawl a go, with a zombie make-over. To that end I purchased the Hasslefree Hazmat Squad, with a few extra 25mm bases to replace the studio miniatures ones. I don’t have a problem with the studio miniatures bases (they are actually rather good) it is simply that a wider base makes it harder to fit miniatures into a small building and by the time you’ve filled a small room with set-dressing, a few mm can make all the difference.

Who you gonna call? Zombusters

All I need to do now is actually focus on any one of these mini projects and perhaps I’ll actually finish something.

All hail paracetamol!