Mantic Zombies - Part 3 - The First Batch

The first batch of 8 (including the test zombie) of my new shinny Mantic Zombies are finished and ready for peoples perusal.

Dreadfleet - A New Scenario From GW... Sort Of...

On yesterdays 'Whats new today' blog Games Workshop posted A second PDF for Dreadfleet! This came as a bit of a shock to me as I really wasn't expecting any more support, but it looks as if they still have a few copies left in the warehouse (I hope it sells out in the end as I want GW to develop more big boxed games like this and Space Hulk).  The file contains a basic sceanrio to give you a flavour of the game, with a time limit of 15mins instead of a turn limit, having played dreadfleet I can safely say that you won't achieve hardly anything in 15mins and you'll need to at least double that.  I was quite dissapointed I was really hoping for a new proper scenario, oh well.  The second page is a admittedly useful quick reference guide.  Like the last PDF this is hardly going to set anyone alight, but if you have dreadfleet you should still go take a look.

Why I Love The Works....

My local town is pretty rubbish for shopping, we have a Games Workshop, and a hardware shop that sells airfix models, but that's about it gaming wise, no decent proper bookshop or even a HMV or other DVD shop.  The shop I think I actually spend the most money in is the Works, which is a discount bookshop, but sells other bits and bobs as well.  A lot of my books, and in particular History and Nature books have come from here.  I popped in today as I was waiting for the bus, not especially expecting to find anything (the gems are always hidden behind piles of rubbish), but find stuff I did, I came out having spent £15 and feeling very happy.

The most exciting thing they had today was a pile of new board games, of what I believe are termed the 'eurogame' variety.  There were 4 games in all, all priced at £7.99, I only bought one, entiltled Ming Dynasty, a game of political intrigue in ancient china, it all looks very pretty, even if I would have prefered plastic sculpted pieces, these types of games traditionally have abstract wooden pieces.  No idea about gameplay yet, but will post on it when I get a game in (unfortunatly the way things are going that won't be to the new year, damn real life and a dull job in retail at christmas.)

I also got a pair of military history books, 'A Tidy Little War - The British Invasion of Egypt 1882', and 'Haigs Command - A reassessment'.  I'm particulary looking forward to ' a tidy little war', the egypt campaign is one I only know a little about, but almost preludes the Sudan campaign's that I've been painting models for, the danger is of course that this book might be the start of yet another painting project.

Overall I'm really chuffed with all of these, I'm trying to resist the urge to buy the other eurogames they have, but with the christmas season coming up I need to be good.  But I love this shop, I was only looking to waste 15mins but came out with some totally unexpected cheap little gems.

Dreadfleet - The Curse Of Zandri

The next ship rolls off the painting line, this time the tomb kings ship the curse of zandri.  It's my least favorite ship from the set. I'm not entirely sure why, but I just don't like it that much, anyway its done and I can move on too other ships that I do like.  The Seadrake is currently on the table waiting to go.

The final shipwreck piece

The Dreadfleet (minus its leader) sets sail.

Dreadfleet - The Heldenhammer & Castle Island

Finally I've finished the Heldenhammer from Dreadfleet, it has taken me ages, all the detail on the sides and in particulary the sails is great, but boy does it take a lot of work.  It's a good model and I am pleased with the result, however I can't say I'm excited about tackiling the bloody reaver, and if I'm honest there is more I could do to the Heldenhammer, but I frankly don't have the time.

And this is castle island, the final major terrain piece from dreadfleet (I think i still have one of the smaller shipwreck pieces to go)

Mantic Zombies - Part 2 - The Test Zombie

Just a quicky today, a few pics of the first 'test zombie', I don't usualy do test models, but was unsure on how to do zombie flesh.  In the end I used a basecoat of Denheb stone, washed with thraka geen and then rehighlighted with denheb stone, it seems to work well and I'm pretty pleased with the results, its a bit basic, but is also quick and easy.  More zombies soon, hopefully.

This final picture is a random mode I've just discovered on my new camera, I think it looks kind of cool.

Dreadfleet - Leviathan Island & Flying Auxillaries

The latest few painted bits from dreadfleet today, no big ships, but one of the more interesting terrain pieces and the rather cool dragon and dirigible pieces.  I'm over half way through dreadfleet now I think, I have two more warships and the last major terrain piece nearing completion, including the heldenhammer (which has taken an awful lot of work).  Work is always very busy at this time of year, and I keep getting distracted, but I'm currently aiming to have it all done by the christmas holiday, but we will see.

Leviathan Island

Dwarf shipwreck piece

Shipwreck piece

 

The flying dragon and dirigible auxilaries from the elf and dwarf ship respectivly

White Dwarf 383 & Wargames Illustrated 289

I have two wargaming magazines on subscription, White Dwarf and Wargames Illustrated, both feature different aspects of my wargaming world.  White Dwarf is of course Games Workshops inhouse magazine and only features articles and models for GW's systems.  Wargames Illustrated is a historical wargames mag and rarely has any fantasy or sci-fi content, but covres a range of manufacturers and systems. 

The two mags come at very different times as well, Wargames Illustrated comes to me earlier than release date (around the 21st of the month) and White Dwarf shows up around 2 weeks later when we are into the next month.  I don't actually mind this as it means I'm never more than 2 and a half weeks away from a new gaming fix.

This month we have the Necron issue to conincide with the new Necron codex.  For the necrons you get a breif history, design notes, painting ideas and a battle report.  All expected and fine, I've never been massivly interested in Necrons, but I can't really fault them for covering the big release of the month.  We also get a couple of tactics articles (one for warhammer ogres and one for the lord of the rings strategy game), a featured sisters of battle army (including a nice organization diagram for the orders).  The other two interesting articles are the short regulars standard bearer and citadel hall of fame, two of my favorite series actually.  It's all ok, but half the mag is taken up with the Necrons which I'm a bit meh over, still if you like necrons I'm sure you'll be happy.

Wargames Ilustrated also themes its monthly output.  This months theme is the pelopolnesian war, and there are 4 articles on it, a basic history overview, a land battle, a sea battle and a look at the warriors of sparta.  Amongst others you also get a good flames of war article, a look at last argument of kings (the new supplement for black powder) and an interesting article on the Cape Helles part of the gallipoli campaign.  One problem with wargames illustrated is that it's very broad outlook keeps tempting me to start new periods.  The mag is full of pretty pictures of models as you would expect and I actually learn real history every month.

So which is better? I definately come down on the side of wargames illustrated, both magazines are the same size but WI just has a lot more content and takes a lot longer to read and is generally more interesting.  This isn't to say WD doesn't have its moments, and there has been a definate improvement of late, but it still feels light in comparison.

Mantic Zombies - Part 1

I took advantage of wayland games recent halloween offer to finally pick up a box of 30 mantic zombies, which came in at the great price of £14 for 30 zombies. I've had my eye on these ever since they first came out and they will fullfill several gaming uses, a regiment for warhammer and dungeon densins for both warhammer quest and dwarf kings hold.  The set comes with 10 sprues each containing 3 multipart zombies, 30 bases and 2 mantic points.

The Sprue, I got 10 of these.

4 of the 'pretty' Zombies assembled.

The models themselves are fantastic and are fully compatible with the ghoul models.   I much prefer them to the regiment of GW zombies that I also have. The only complaint I have is that with only three models per sprue variability is limited, I'd have liked to have seen a bigger more varied sprue, but I'm sure that wasn't done for cost reasons, and I'm still chuffed with these.  I've only assembled half of them so far, but have streched that out to 17 models, I gained one more by using a spare ghoul torso (left over from the ghast) and using the crawling zombie, and gained the second one by having a crawling zombie and a pair of legs with the spinal cord exposed.  The spinal cord model is ok as a one off, but I think I'll only include one in my regiment, I think too many would look silly.  I'm much keener on the torso on the floor half of it.

The Spinal cord legs and crawling torso

A zombie using a spare ghoul torso

This is also the first time I've used the new liquid green stuff from Games Workshop.  I used it to fill the gaps between the legs and the bodies.  It worked really rather well, filling the gaps easily and hardening quickly.  This was only a little job, but its done it well.

The first 17 Zombies assembled

Right off they go to the undercoaters (the box in the garage) and then into the queue.

Revell 1:76 Scale T-34/76 Tank

Another random impulse purchase that I saw in a clearence section of a local store, a 1:76 scale model of a Russian T-34/76 tank.

 The Box

 Whats in the box

The three pieces assembled

This is the first Revell kit that I've ever bought, and I have to say I'm pretty pleased with it.  Compared to the couple of airfix tanks I've done it all went together a lot easier.  The moving parts mechanisms are better and the real winner for me is that the tacks whilst they appear to be made from the same flexible material as the airfix ones just clip together rather than having to be glued (something I've not had much joy with in the past)

 

 

The model also comes with this little scenic base featuring a russian soildier.  I can't decide if I like it or not, but still you don't have to use it.

 

Uncharted Seas - Iron Dwarfs

My latest impulse purchase today, I was taking advantage of Wayland Games halloween Mantic Zombie offer (more on them in a day or two) and couldn't help but to add a few Iron Dwarf ships from Uncharted seas to my basket, I've been eyeing up the spartan games stuff for a while and the 40% off was just too tempting.  I am now the proud owner of a Iron Dwarf battleship and 6 frigates.

These are the first things I've ever bought from Spartan Games and I have to say I'm impressed.  Firstly the sheer size of the battleship, it's a lot bigger than I expected, I shudder to think what certain other companys would charge for a lump of resin that size.  The resin itself is very solid, and detailed, it looks similar to the flames of war resin, but I'm no expert, and it took the paint absolutely fine.  I'm also excited by the fact that I'm impressed by these and I know full well that better more detailed versions are due out soon.

The ships themselves have a very American civil war feel to me with the battleship reminiscent of a casemate ironclad and the frigates with a definate monitor feel.  I also think they don't look out of place next to the Dwarf ship from Dreadfleet, which is always a nice potential bonus for rules fiddling.

Overall £8 well spent, even if it does mean I've gone and started another project (probaly two, as resisting dystopian wars is getting more and more unlikely).