Next batch

Things got ahead of me yesterday and before I knew it "time for work" So I didn't get round to posting well I'm sure you'll forgive me. I had originally booked next week off but they want me to work a few hours Monday and Tuesday. Overtime is of course too good to turn down. I should still get everything done, but might not be a relaxed Monday/Tuesday.

As mentioned in the last post still painting Zombies. Here's what I have managed so far. There are another 12 that are an easy finish Sunday morning. Then it's just bash out a few survivors and finish the carpark, EASY! Ok maybe not THAT easy, but it's do-able. Most if not all the survivors are from other games and will therefore have a mix and match feel which is a shame, but I will somehow manage. Being dark when I took the pictures this was the best I could manage. I'l try to do a few in the light and see if I can get a couple where they look at least half decent. I have "booked" the dining table for Monday/Tuesday (I'm sure you all have similar experiences) so I should be able to crack on especially with time off work. Although there is a danger of working in the dinning room I daren't make a stain!!! Up the Shed I can make as much mess as I want. (Well almost)

Well that's ti for today. Cheers Clint

First Batch Photos.

Well here are a few shots of the firat batch of Zeds. They are pretty roughly painted, but they'll serve, at least for now. I do like the monochromatic look of them, I think that works quite well. I also think they look good as a mass and not as individuals. But that's a matter of personal taste and you might just think you have gone colourblind. If you look closely you'll see that one is missing an arm. To be honest it fell on the floor while being varnished and it's now somewhere in the garden. I don't mind a missing limb on a zombie, after all it is just possible the fellow was an amputee befor the infection, or it could be that it was eaten by some other zombie. So the odd one without a limb is fine by me, as long as it does not become a theme.

The last pic has some of Kevs cars in it for scale. They are a little big, but not overly and deffinitly not anything to worry about scale wise. Afterall it is only a game.

The Second batch is well underway as I only have the hilighting and bases to do. Which does take a while, but is nothing to worry about, it's just a case of doing it. So I should barring accidents get them finished later. Just Spoke to Alan (Sittingborne club president) about progress and told him to look at the blog. Anyway we have re"thought" the idea for our play by text player. ( Yes there will be a guy who can't make it and yet still wants to play). The change from the original idea is that he'll only be give a bag of toys. He'll get to decide if the figure close to him (If he's within range) has been Naughty or nice. If they have been Nice He'll give them a pressie. Yes even Zombies can get pressies before you ask. and if they have been naughty he'll take a swing at them (hits 4+ Strength 2, stun only). He will be in another part of the country so won't have a clue who he attacks or gives gifts to. And Gifts could be anything he can fit in the sack from a hocky stick to a joke book, it will be quite random. (I may have to sort a bag of gifts out and get players to take one at random if they get one.) Zombies being good boys and girls will probly not open thier gifts. (But I'll see what I feel like on the day.











Second Batch

A quick post today. The Second batch of Zombies is now underway.(23 of them). They are all assembled and stuck to bases. Waiting for the glue to dry so thought I should type this. I'll use the ready mixed filler from the 99p store on the bases so you don't get that nasty step from plastic figure base to metal washer. Then a quick spray with matt black paint and they will be ready for the next stage.

Camera not getting to my house till 8pm tonight (.

Tha Cake I was making fell apart when I tried to ice it. So I chucked it in the bin. Oh well better luck next time.

First Batch

I think I forgot to mention yesterday that kev has lent me some cars for the car park. That takes some of the presure off and gives me a chance to relax. Thanks Mate.

Well no dog-escapades today. everything has gone quite smoothly. Apart from the first layer of icing I put on a cake I'm making for work tomorrow. But that's neither here nor there and nothing to do with wargaming in general or the Xmas game in particular.

So I have finished the first (trial) batch of Zombies. 12 in all. they don't look too bad but neither are they master peices. But they were quick to do and don't look to bad. So I'll stick with the greys as a colour scheme and just start bashing them out now. I will prep 23 more and have them ready to go by Thursday morning a the very latest.

It seems my camera was not needed so I'll get it back lunch time on the 7th. Someone borrows your camera and does not take any snaps .. I ask you!! With luck and no distractions I'll get a snap or two on the zeds. I am also painting a couple of Warmachine cryx models and some scooby-do (Hassle free) figures as well, as it does occur to me that I might be short a few civilian types.....well those not armed with guns that is so they'll have to be finished, and I'll also need to paint a security guard as well. But that will all become evident in the next edition. Or maybe the one after that.

Thanks for reading and talk soon.

No Good deed goes unpunished.

Long story short looking after a neighbours dog this week or so. Taking it for a week this morning we were on our way back home when another dog, a Staffy, ran across the Busy A2 and got clipped by a car, which then drove off. Firstly let me say the Staffy is ok, a few cuts and bruises, some grazes and the like but generally ok. No sorry I did not get the car number either or make or model, which when I look back makes me feel useless. Anyway the Staffy bounded across another road and came towards me. I managed to catch it and keep hold of her but she had no collar and the neighbours dog (a Jack Russel) is not that social and was emmitting some low level growls as I made a fuss of the Staffy. So with No spare collar (a Jack russel colar is not gonna fitt round a Staffy's neck anyway. I carried the staffy into the local golf club where they were good enugh to get the grounds men to get me some rope. (After 100 yards or so wriggling staffys get heavy and bad tempered Jack russels don't make it any easier.) Comming finally to the point eventually contacted the local council. Some time passes (about 20 mins) and the local dog wardens turn up. The Staffy is chipped so they are pretty sure they can find its owners. Ahhh my good deed for the day.

All the above just goes to show that even if you plan to have a painting Zombies day life sometimes conspires against you. So I have done nothing with the carpark today. Nope nothing at all. But I do have 12 zeds on the production line and while I would not say they were propainted standard, It looks like I could do 20 figures a day if I applied myself. I'm gonna give then another Black wash when I finish typing. To be honest they are quite rough, but they pass the "Is that a Zombie test?" I have batch painted these 12 using only greys, and they do look like they are in a black and white film, which was not really the idea, but with some work they should look like Left 4 Dead Zombies, which was the idea. ALl in all I'm not totally unhappy with them.
Thanks to "Zombie Kev" AKA Mr Zed I have about 70 figures in all. I don't need that many zombies for this game, but I'll see how many I can get done.

That's it for now. Have a good one.

Sunday

Well it's been a mixed day for me. Did not get anything of the carpark done. As went to the Rainham wargames club. I perhaps maybe could have gotten something done before I went but I had two lots of visitors, An Aunt and Uncle with my cousin Mark. And ten minutes after they left my Sister turned up so I did not really have so much time.... Nice to see them but without 30 hours n the day it was gonna be a struggle to fit things in.

Anyway Whining over (who am I kidding). On a positive note thanks for the positive comments both posted and in person, it's a real boost so cheers.

Getting on with it. Had a game of 7TV down the Rainham club. Introduced Tim to the game, he's already bought some time lift figures, (AKA "NOT Captain Scarlet figures") from Crooked Dice (CD). He's a good painter so I'll look forward to seeing how they come out. Having played the rules now he says he's  thinking of a Zombie Captain Scarlet game, as he says the Mysterons were Zombie-esq. If I'm hinest I cant remember that far back into my childhood, but he says it's all explained in some book or other.

Anyway the game worked quite well. I must admit to being naughty and designing a cast specifically to take on Andy. Yeah I feel mean, but I felt it fair as he beat me rotten last time. I might find an excuse to loose the Disintergrator gun card. The setting is a steampunk one with 4 factions fighting it out over crashed flying saucers and the technology that they hold. Here's my Grey Alied strander cast trying to get thier saucer home so they can escape Earth, probly with a view of comming back with some friends and starting world war one, or getting world domination, whichever comes first.

 The 150 rating cast is two co-star In-human Servitors, 2 technicians and some tribal cultists. I'll not mke excuses they did quite well but Captain Cobblie (military mind) and his redcoats are particularly good at killing Anything which is not English. Sally Strapon and Hughgo First were allied with captain Cobblie and were defending the crash site that was discovered in a previous game. While my Greys and Doctor Evil (Kev) where keen to take it from them. I conceeded in the end when passing morale checks I was finally down to a single Grey, with no funcuioning guns and reliant or 4+ brawling.. I am not making excuses but IF DR Evil wants to achieve world domination sponsored by alien technology he really has to keep his Femdroids under control!

If I am able I'll set the next game on a "ship" carrying the downed saucer  back to the England. (Be sometime in the new year.)

Final thoughts for Today. I am trying to organise the club game for the BROADSIDE 2012 show. (The Rainham club, not the Sittingbourne club). I was going to build a section of modern New York and run a superhero participation game, but am now very likely to get side tracked. but only time will tell what if anything I actually manage.

That's it for now. Camera away in Canterbury for a few days so no pics till Thursday, Speak soon Clint.

Carpark 0.5

Yes the camera is going on Holiday but I shall have it till 8am Monday morning. So I should be able to post a pic or two after today.

Comming to the point I have marked in a parking grid. Done the best layout I could given the restraints and the need not to over think it. So it's head on parking to the sides and paralel parking between the pillars.

I found the best way to mark the bays was with a white colouring pencil. It's quick and easy and no fuss. Other more professional ways are availible but this gave the least effort for the best results. I did miss the line a couple of times and know there will be comments, but until they do better I can ignore them. It is looking more like a carpark now the parking bays are indicated. I know it's a long way from perfect but it is slowly coming together.

I shall start the Zombies as soon as I finish typing this. I think I shall do them in batches of 12. As I mentioned earlier I will try them in all greys first and see if I can get the computergame look. No idea if it will work, but got to be worth a go.

Tomorrow I have a Rainham club game of 7TV to put on. so you may have to put up with some ramblings about that as well. And if I remeber the camerera maybe a pic or three (but probly gloss over the whole thing when I loose).

Catch you later. Clint



Carpark 0.4

Well I am afraid that I was unable to post anything yesterday. Real life got in the way.

Anyway heres the latest. I have put myself a little behind by repainting the tarmac. It was getting to look to  light. I think for a Zombie game darker might be better. I have about 10 days now so still plenty of time so no worries just yet.

As you can see I have painted thebase again, darker. it's Quite patchy but for a car par I don't see that as a problem.I mixed a really nasty brown (black, read yellow and a touch of white) to represent the walls and slapped it on all the vertical surfaces. It's far from neat, but as a throw-away game it'll do, no point being precious about something only used once or twice, (2 different clubs).

As mentioened below I hope that painting all the cut walls bright red will give the players the idea that it's not full height and they can't just hop over from one room to another. As you can see on the second photo I have left it "natural" where the ramps meet the edge. I WILL paint it a tarmac colour when time permits. Probly tomorrow. I did want to mark the bays out today, but better to leave it til later and try to do it properly...... or at least not in a rush. The New Metric handbook has parkin at 26.5 sq m per car. Or in laymans terms 5.8m by 14m (for 5 cars) for head on parking. But I'll do whatever looks right when the time comes.

Karl at Crooked Dice has kindly offered to lend me 30 Pro-painted Zombies for the game. I have declined but can't express in words how generous I feel this offer is especially as we have only met once. I start painting mine tommorrow as the painting table is now clear.

My Camera is going on Holiday for a few days, so very unlikely there will be any pics till Thursday. And by then most if not all of the terrain should be done, or very close to being done. I plan to start Andy (from Ainsty castings) moon scape boards soon as well. I'll post the details here as I go. Thanks for reading. Cheers Clint

carpark 0.3

Well Everything is dry. As the base work is dry I thought I should get some of the other things done. As you can see in the photos, I have started on the lift block. I know it's as rough as barb wire underpants, but that will change as time passes. I have made the lift block seperatly so I can detail it in doors (warmth). But Have only made half height walls. This is deliberate before any ask. I know I'll take some stick for it and some ribbing, It's what they are like! The reasons are to make sure it fits in the paste table and also for ease of moving figures. I could run a sweepstake on who will be the first person to say they are clibing over the wall, My guess is Alex in the Sittingbourne club, and Ian in the Rainham club. Although it is pretty open as several people have that kind of mind set. I shall paint All the cropped walls bright red and the pillars and paste table edges, in a feeble attempt to deter people from saying such.

I had a small order from Ainsty castings today. First time I have ever used them and must say very nicly cast well packaged and swift delivery. I wanted some vending machines for the carpark, just because I know players will find a use for them, probly for blocking doors and staeling cans to chuck at zeds/each other. We all know they will. Also got a water cooler which I really like but  not sure where that will go (maybe not for this project. I can also paint two of the vending machines as ticket dispensers, but probly not have to wait and see.

The lift block will consist of a lift, (naturaly) the indication of stairs for if the power fails. Whatcha mean if power fails, surely not! In addition there will be three public lavatories. Male Female and disabled. I did point out a company who do make a Zombie in a wheelchair, but I will not have it as it comes with a load more I don't want. Later I may look at getting it, maybe the company (Blue Moon Minis) will sell me a few of this one casting, I shall enquire in the new year. I might do a seach later today to see if I can find some "star" zombies. Maybe a Hunter or a Tank or a Boomer! For when the players get bitten.

I'll continue working on this on an off today, comming indoors to keep warm then going out again to freeze.

The lift block seems so far away from the Exit ramp!

I may put a service elevator in as well, but as yet I am undecided if it should go in and if it does where it should go. But I'll see what time is like and what else needs doing. I am getting to the stage where I'll be painting the parking bays and walls soon. Planning to do it Friday. Right lunch time so I'm off as I have Curry today.

Carpark 0.2a

Good news and bad news. Mr Zed has offered to lend me some zombies for the game. Which is really generous. Thanks Mate.The bad news is I have been awak since 2 am so I am not gonna get anything done today with regard to this project. I will clear the painting table though so a fresh start on the zeds tomorrow.

Tomorrow the 'Strike' is on and have to look after an eleven year old, while he will be willing to help, he'll soon get bored and cold and want to get on the computer. Sounds like I'm getting my excuses in early.... Time will tell.

Carpark 0.2

As ever things are going slower than I would hope, however they are progressing and moving in the right directions. No Photos today. As nothing really new to show, I am waiting for it to fully dry. Everything is drying and looking ok. So no problems. It was cold in the shed at 6:30am with frost on the grass outside. Looks like I'll clear the painting table today and with any luck start the zeds.

Carpark 01a

It's Sunday so didn't want to make any noise this morning and wake the neighbours. So waited till 7am before going up the shed. There has been a minor setback, nothing to worry about still ahead of schedule. Some of the hard board had come up rough where it was painted so I sanded that back. I'll have to repaint but that's 10 mins work plus drying time, and as I'd have to touch it up after the bays are marked out it's not an issue.

The minor setback is that when I was sealing the ramps they failed to glue down, and even some of the mix was still wet. Darn. So all I am doing today is attaching the "support pillars" to the other side of the board. I will restick the ramps this afternoon, even if I have to use a glue gun, although I do prefer PVA.

So wargaming wise today I'll start to clear my paint table (I am far too ashamed to post a pic of it). I have some Early WW1 Germans (28mm) to finish, a couple of bits for warmachine (which will probly get set aside for now) as well as quite a few unfinished odds and sods. The idea being I can then start painting Zombies come next week.

That's all for now folks, more later, most likely tomorrow.