Tuesday 28 January 2014

German Zombie Horde In Helmets - Part One

These models are the first two figures I've completed from the "West Wind Productions" blister pack G-SOTR10 - German Zombie Horde In Helmets. These 28mm metal miniatures are from Andy Cooper's "Secrets Of The Third Reich" range and were frankly painted using a bizarre mixture of manufacturers' paints, both young and old. For starters I'm currently giving all of my models a simple undercoat of Black by "Coat D'Arms". I bought a few pots of this paint last year after I found the then new Abaddon Black from "Games Workshop" to be too watery for my tastes; and certainly not a patch on the old Chaos Black.

Any areas of uniform were painted either with my trusty Adeptus Battlegrey or (the greenish) Heavy Grey by "Vallejo". These parts were then given a "Citadel" wash of Badab Black or "Thrakka Green" respectively.

I've settled on undercoating all my zombies' flesh with "Vallejo" Heavy Bluegrey as I like the effect a wash of "Thrakka Green" has over this colour. I'm also going to stick with picking out open wounds and bullet holes using an old pot of "Citadel" Red Gore I've found, and then heavily washing the areas with Ogryn Flesh and Baal Red. I've even bought and tried out a pot of the "Citadel Shade" Carroburg Crimson but to be honest found it to be even weaker in colour than my 'drying up' Baal Red.

As always I plan to paint most of their helmets with an Adeptus Battlegrey and Badab Black combination. Although in order to represent a zombie from the Afrika Korps I have used the "Citadel Foundation" Tausept Ochre with a generous wash of Devlan Mud.
I tend to only paint one or two models simultaneously, so whilst waiting for a coat of paint or heavy wash to dry, I like to prepare and base other models for future projects. Indeed, sometimes as a diversion I'll even slap on a few coats of paint - especially if the models are simple and will be quick to finish. As a result I'm currently also pottering away on these plastic 28mm Heroclix models; notably DC Comics' Brain and Marvel's Howard The Duck. 

Monday 27 January 2014

First Models Of 2014 Finished

This single model from the Snow Trooper Set by "Four A Miniatures" and the fourth (and final) miniature from the blister G-SOTR37 German Zombie Bombs by "West Wind Productions" have become the first models I've actually finished in 2014. This is despite my New Year's Resolution to paint eight (or the equivalent in other scales) 28mm miniatures per month. Indeed I must confess I'm not even off to that a good a start as these sculpts by Adam Gayford and Andy Cooper respectively, only required a little snow/grass flocking to be glued onto their bases, having actually been painted and gloss varnished a few months ago.
I've finally painted up enough models to complete the first of my Zombie Horror squads for "Weird Wars Weird War Two". This setting and campaign book for "Savage Worlds" doesn't seem to actually list the composition rules for such a group, so I've based them upon the numbers of infantrymen (and MG34 machine-gunner) listed for a Wehrmacht Infantry squad pre-1943. That is ten Zombies and one exploding zombie. Ultimately I hope to have painted enough for the three squads required in order to form a full platoon, accompanied by Wehrwolves, Drownlings and Mustard Gas Breath zombies.

Sunday 26 January 2014

Some British WIP Reinforcements: Dingo Mk II Scout Car

This British Daimler Dingo Mark II Scout Car was actually bought some years ago, well before "Warlord Games" developed their "Bolt Action" range. It's finally being prepared for painting in order for me to be able to field a wider variety of personnel and equipment on the tabletop that I can attach to an Allied Force in "Weird Wars Weird War Two".

With my current range of painted models the only real options I have to accompany the heroes are a Heavy Machine Gun, as well as the possibility of them encountering some lost/straggler US Army Infantry and British Commandos whilst on the battlefield.

In the future I plan for the the Wild Cards to have the opportunity to utilize a number of British vehicles for their missions, such as driving to their objective in a Flying Standard 10' "Tilly" truck, or receiving some tank support from either an A11 Matilda I Infantry Tank or a Vickers Light Tank Mark VIb.
In the meantime I'm almost halfway through painting up my latest batch of models from the "West Wind Productions" blister pack G-SOTR10 - German Zombie Horde in Helmets.

Tuesday 21 January 2014

A Somewhat Late "Savage Worlds" New Year's Resolution

I've started work on a twelve-month project to try and concentrate exclusively on wargaming, painting and modelling using the "Savage Worlds Deluxe" rule-set by "Pinnacle Entertainment Group". I've made this 2014 Resolution after realizing I've done nothing but purchase a string of unread rule books, unopened board games and unpainted miniatures (predominantly through "Kickstarter.com") over the past few months.

Initially all my attention will be remain directed towards the "Weird Wars: Weird War Two" setting and campaign book I've previously gamed with. Once I've painted enough miniatures for this setting though I plan to expand into other 'Pinnacle Explorer's Editions' such as the "Horror Companion", "Fantasy Companion" and "Super Powers Companion"; as well as other titles such as "Achtung! Cthulhu" by "Modiphius" and the recently published PDF, "Weird Wars Rome" (a successful Shane Hensley kickstarter I backed last year).


First on the painting table are eight 28mm metal models from the "West Wind Productions" blister pack G-SOTR10 - German Zombie Horde In Helmets. These walking Undead from the "Secrets Of The Third Reich" range should provide some additional resilience to my current sixteen-strong Horrors of Weird War Two horde. In addition I'm just assembling four miniatures from the blister SOV-SOTR18 Soviet Zombie Horde to use as Mustard Gas Breath Zombies, and another four German Zombies that I hope to convert using green-stuff to represent Drownlings (waterlogged zombies).