Wargames Factory Zombies

I picked these figs up at a convention, last year, on the cheap.  I put the multi-part plastic figs together, and wasn't really impressed.  They languished on the shelf for a long time.  For the price I paid, they were a great bargain, though.  The quality and crispness of the parts leaves a lot to be desired.  In the end, though, they painted up well enough to fill out a zombie horde.

Some of the figs you can put together are nice figs; others, though not so much.  Here's a pic of some of my more favorite finished figs.  You can see that I used some Mantic zombie heads, in place of the WGF ones. They work with some of the torsos.

I used a speed painting technique I read about on the Lead Adventure Forum.  Basically, you prime in a light color, and then use washes and stains to finish the figs.  It was quick, about 4 hours to totally finish these 23 figs.  For quick and dirty, playable figs for the table, I may use it again.

For the record, the figs that WGF has in their on-line shop are painted very nicely, and show what someone with a lot of talent, time and patience could do with these figs; you should check them out.

My "Clicky" Zombie Horde Grows

About mid December, I received a package, containing some Horrorclix figures; most of which were zombies.  I managed to pick them up on the cheap and have been able to bulk up my "Clicky" zombie horde by 15, for a total of 20. A little bit of converting, a little bit of painting; add in the five I already have completed,  and here are the results.

The first group of new zombies are some "Zombie Cops". I swapped a head with a "Shambling Zombie" on one figure (the one with the hat on), and a Mantic zombie head on another.  Three were painted as policemen, while the fourth was done up like a security guard

The next group are three "Shambling Zombies" and a "Pod Zombie".  Again, some head swaps, and the removal of a torn off arm.  The "Pod Zombie" is just a straight up rebase/repaint. He's a little out there; I figure he's been in a swamp for a while and just arrived on the scene.

The next group are female entries into the horde.  Three "Sorority Zombies" and a "Cheerleader Zombie"  Like the "Pod Zombie", these are straight rebase/repaints.  I have to say that so far, these are the weakest zombie figs in the lot; especially the face on the cheerleader (even if she is quite bubbley with her intestine pom-poms and skip in her walk).  They work, though.

Last but not least, we have some "Zombie Lawyers".  Who doesn't like to see deceased lawyers?  Getting to off them a second time is just gravy. :-)  It's hard to see, but I repositioned the foot on the one in blue to face forward.  Other than that and removing the letter openers from a couple of them, they are straight forward.

Check back in a couple of days as I post a pic of the horde, along with Big John and his new Friends.

Acheson ATZ Minis - Pt 4 (Militia #1 Painted)

This is the last batch of the current Acheson Creation figures that I have on the workbench.  Out of the three sets I bought, this is by far my favorite one.  All four of the minis are good sculpts.  Their equipment is easily identifiable and is a mix of Army surplus and law enforcement.  The uniforms could easily pass for late 80's/early 90's BDUs; even though I painted them up straight olive drab:

Starting from the left, the first figure is armed with an M-79 grenade launcher.  The next figure has a P90 style SMG.  The third figure is armed with a bolt action long rifle, complete with folded bipod.  Finally, the fourth figure is armed with what looks like a SPAS12 combat shotgun.  All the figures are equipped with old M17A2 gas masks and on their hips.  They are all wearing 1980's style flak vests, and knee and elbow guards, as well.  These figures could just as easily fit into a crime scenario, as a SWAT Team as they would a Post Apoc one.

Like I said, these are my favorite out of the three sets I recently purchased from Acheson Creations.  Now its time to to scrape together some money to get some more from their ATZ line.

---

On a side note;this has been a good exercise in photography and Photoshop, even if it hasn't turned out the best, so far.  Thanks to my lighting, the color of the minis, and the back ground, I can't seem to get a picture that shows both the color of the flesh tones and the greens.  I can get one, but not the other; the photo above is somewhere in the middle.  I've tried different backgrounds and playing with the RGB properties in Photoshop.  Nothing has worked.  I'm gonna plug a way and see if I can get better pic; somehow.

Acheson ATZ Minis - Pt 3 (Males Crazies and Cultists #1 Painted)

Today, we have the second set 4 minis from the Acheson ATZ minis, entitled Males Crazies and Cultists #1.  Again, these figures paint up much better than the Acheson site would suggest. 

These figures make nice modern survivor types.  Starting from the left, we have a figure with a  field jacket and a P90 style SMG.  The hand I had issues with in my original post paints up well enough; although better sculpting, or casting would be more desirable.  Next is a figure with decently sculpted dreadlocks and an M-79 grenade launcher, who is wearing coveralls.  Instead of a survivor, the fig would work just as well as a modern criminal.  Next we have a man in a contamination suit, with a flame thrower.  This is one of the nicer figs of this type I've seen.  The stance is very natural, IMO. You can imagine him contemplating whether that approaching group are undead, or rag tag survivors.  Lastly,  we have a dwarf (not a youngster) wielding an M-60 machine gun.  Once painted it's obvious he's not a youngster, like I thought originally.  The fig has an awesome Elvis pompadour hair style.  I painted him to look like he is wearing a Mo. Conservation Dept. uniform.  Don't ask why, I just thought it worked.

Acheson ATZ Minis - Pt 2 (The Clown and Cultists Painted)

Here are the first painted offerings from Acheson Creations line of 28mm All Things Zombie line of figures.  After my initial review last week, I decided to paint the Clown and Cultists set. Mainly, because the three over sized figures tie in nicley with the Big Jon and the Zombies post from December.  You can see in the photo below, that even mounted on fender washers, they stand half a head taller than the other fig on a 25mm round slotta base.

I was right, these figures paint up much nicer than the photo on the Acheson site would suggest. I don't know if it is the photo, or the paint job, or what; they just do. The homeless guy has lots of "flair" on his coat and a maniacal look on his face.  The clown's face is just down right creepy.  And again, who doesn't need an evil clown in their collection?  The machete wielding man has what I take to be a flight suit and life preserver on; which makes my mind whirl thinking of what kind of back story you could come up with for him.  The pot bellied man is wearing what looks like a tuxedo jacket, complete with tails, and trousers to me, and has a tool belt, complete with hammer and other tools, and a boy scout hatchet chinched around his waist.  Again what a back story you could weave for him.

All in all, at $7.50 + shipping, these figs are well worth the price, in my book.

On The Workbench 01/12

I hope the new year finds everyone in good health.  Big plans this year, so let's get started.  Here's this month's "On the Workbench" post.  Despite all that went on last month, I did manage to complete several items.

The new items and projects that I added stuff to are denoted by an * next to them.

On the Workbench for January 2012:
(This is all stuff that is partially finished; in no particular order)

15 28mm PA Survivors - 3, 5 man packs from Lead Adventure Miniatures
20 Mantic Ghouls - Mantic Ghoul Regiment 
20 28mm Zombies - Wargames Factory Plastic Zombies
6 28mm Survivors - Obelisck Nighthawk gang 
5 28mm Vampires - Pontoonier Wierd West vampires for Two Hour Wargames.  Unfinished commission work that is grinding along on no certain timeline.
5 x MegaMinis Forest Creatures* - More commission work
11 x Pulp/Steampunk Minis* - Commission painting of some Fiendish Fabrications figures
8 28mm Survivors - Atcheson Designs ATZ figs.  Four down, eight to go.
28mm Post Apoc Ruins Project - Ruins made from Gamecraft's Foamcore 6 story building.  This one is half done.
10mm Ruins Project - Foamcore ruins for a BTech style game using Mechwarrior figs; another half finished project. 
28mm Vehicles* - 6-8 vehicles for my survivor; added another vehicle in November
15mm Suburbia - Paper/foamcore houses for suburban Lazarus. 
50 20mm WWII Russians - Minis for a semi defunct NUTS! East Front project I planned
2 T-34/85s - Same As Above
Various Fantasy/Sci Fi minis* - I have a box of old minis I use to try out techniques and hone my skills.  I have quite a few half painted figs that I'd like to finish


December's Finished Projects/Minis 
 (I will be posting these up through out the month, as I get photos and such)

20 Clicky Zombies - These will be up this month on this blog.
2 x Ral Partha Fantasy - A Ranger and a Rogue on ZSS
2 x Pontoonier Figures -  Mayan Vampire Priest and a Spanish Missionary, coming soon on ZSS
3 x 28mm PA Ruins - 3 more ruins for my PA project on ZSS
1 x Zombie Reindeer - Christmas greeting from WTL and the first mini in my 2012 FCM Challenge
4 x Acheson Creation ATZ Minis - Coming in a couple of days
28mm River Barge - Post Apoc watercraft on ZSS