Acheson ATZ Minis, The Sequel

I got a second batch of Acheson ATZ minis recently.  I wanted to see what more of the line looked like. This time I purchased the following sets: Male Crazies and Cultists #2 and Militia Sets #2 and #3.  The former was $7.50 and latter two were $8.00 each.  I'm unsure about the price increase, as the sculpts are all of the same quality.

Crazies and Cultists #2

As the name implies, this is he second set of lunatics in the ATZ line.  From left to right, this set contains Homeboy 1, a mad Scientist, Homeboy 2, and finally a real live Cultist.  Homeboys 1 and 2 both have automatic pistols, which they are holding in stereo-typical gansta fashion; Homeboy 1 also has a machete.  They both have on baggy pants and hoodies.  The mad Scientist looks just that...mad; crazy hair and all.  He looks as though he's getting ready to pounce on an unsuspecting victim.  The  Cultist is reading from an open book, and aiming a double barrel shotgun.  He's barefoot and wearing a robe; like cultists are known to do.

Ok, the next two sets are Militia.  I have to admit that like a doofus, I got the figs all jumbled together.  Unfortunately, there are not pics of them on the Acheson site, so I can't unjumble them. I put them together best I could; I may not be right, though.  So don't go holding me accountable if I you buy them and I was wrong.

Militia Set #2

  

 This set of 4 minis depicts soldiers, even though they are labeled as militia.  As you can see,  they differ in size enough that I mounted them on 2 types of bases; 3/4" fender washers and 25mm round slotta bases, fo more height.  They are kitted out with an assortment of nondescript gear.  These guys would fit as generic military forces from the late 80s, or early 90s.  They also could pose as a rag tag para military group.  As far as weapons go they are armed with (from L to R),  and M-203, and M-16, what looks like an M-4, and an AR-15, with a grenade launcher.

Militia Set #3

 

The last set of figs are larger than the other ones; noticeably.  They are an interesting bunch.  Starting from the left, there is another pilot, who is wielding an M-14.  The next figure is armed with a SAW looking weapon.  It seems a little small; it does the job, though.  The third figure has a scoped M-16.  The final figure is decked out in aviation gear and is armed with a Mini-gun.  Yes a Mini-gun, ammo back pack and all.  As far as everyone's gear does, the air crew have flight helmets and suits on.  The other two are decked out like the other militia figs.

Again, for the price of admission, I'd say these are worth it.  They aren't top of the line sculpts.  Flash is minimal on all the figs, and mold lines aren't bad at all.  The detail is good; everything looks like it is supposed to.  The barrel of the kneeling fig's M-16 was broken off inside the package.  It was easily repaired.  If you want some inexpensive figs for you table top, I'd say these fit the bill.

Acheson ATZ Minis - Pt 1

Searching for inexpensive 28mm Survivor types, I found Acheson Creations "All Things Zombie" figures.  The line is made in conjunction with Two Hour Wargames ATZ.  They are reasonably priced at $7.50 plus shipping for 4 figures.  There are 9 set; although only 6 of them have pics in the online catalog.  I bought three set in order to see what they were like.  I'm going to do a set of quick reviews of these minis as I ready them for the table.  I bought the following packs:

Clown and Cultists

This set comes with(from L to R) a bearded knife and shotgun armed homeless looking man.  A chainsaw wielding clown.  A figure armed with a silenced pistol and machete who's mug bears an uncanny resemblance to Ed from THW.  The final figure is a pot-bellied man, with a scoped rifle.  As you can see, three of the four figs are rather large; much larger than the forth figure.  These three figs will fit in well with my burgeoning "clicky" zombies.  The detail on all the figures is good, and they had very little flash on them, which is the same across the sets I got.  

Males Crazies and Cultists #1

This set contains (from L to R) an individual with what looks an old field jacket and bull-pup style AR.  I can't tell if his outstretched hand is miscast, or just poorly sculpted.  Next is a man in a jump suit armed with an M-79 grenade launcher.  Third is a bio-suited flame-thrower operator and finally a youngster, or maybe a dwarf, wielding an M-60 machine gun.  The figures are equal in scale to the pot-bellied man from the set above.  These figs have some character; even if the youngster/dwarf leaves me a little flat.

Militia Set #1

The final set I purchased has 4 figs kitted out in paramilitary gear.  Three are bare headed, while the fourth has a patrol style cap on.  All have headsets and mikes on.  They are armed (from L to R) with a nondescript SMG, another bull-pup AR, and scoped rifle and a combat shotgun.  These guys would make good survivalists, or guards.

As you can see from the pictures, with the exception of the first three figs, the minis fall well within the 25/28mm range.  While the details aren't the best in the world, they do look like they were worth the price of admission.  We'll see how they paint up as I work on them in the coming weeks.  I will be honest. I am not impressed with the paint jobs these minis got on Acheson site.  I think these minis can look way better than they do in their online catalog.

Hmm, I'll be able to squeeze at least 3 more posts out of these minis.

On The Workbench - 12/11

Here's this month's "On the Workbench" post.  Despite my best efforts, I ended up adding more stuff to the pile of unpainted minis.  My finished items and new items offset each other, a bit.  Still, not a bad month's output for November.

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

On the Workbench for December 2011:
(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 Clicky Zombies* - Beefing up the amount of clicky Zeds I have.
20 Mantic Ghouls* - Mantic Ghoul Regiment
20 28mm Zombies - Wargames Factory Plastic Zombies
6 28mm Survivors - Obelisck Nighthawk gang 
6 28mm Vampires - Pontoonier Wierd West vampires for Two Hour Wargames.  Unfinished commission work that needs to be done ASAP, as I've really let Ed down on this.  I have a feeling that I am just going to finish the project gratis
12 28mm Survivors* - Atcheson Creations ATZ figs.  I will be doing a review and size comparison on them, soon.
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 River Barge - Post Apoc watercraft
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


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

15mm Armor - USMC LAV-25 and a US Army M2 Bradley
30 28mm Zombies - Mantic Zombie Regiment Box (Look for this post over at Welcome To Lazarus in the future)
2 "Clicky" Zombies - (Look for this post in the future) 
1 Foundry Street Violence Figure (Look for this post in the future)
6 man 28mm Post Apoc gang - Junior's Salvage Crew
10 15mm Survivors -You can see the first half of the "Here"
15mm Suburban House Test - Test house for modeling a suburan area for Lazarus
1 "Clicky" Scarecrow Conversion - Not sure where this one will show up, yet.

"On The Workbench" - 11/11

I decided that as an ongoing feature, I am going to post a rundown of what I have on the work bench, and what I have completed from the previous month's list.  Some of the items will not be Zombie gaming related.  They do affect what I get done in regards to material for this blog, though.  So, I figure they are pertinent to the conversation.  Many of them will be dual use for Welcome To Lazarus and other projects.  I'll denote them with an asterisk.

The workbench in the Hobby Cave.  It's actually much better lit than the pic suggests.

If anything, this running dialog will keep me on track and help me prioritize what I need to get done.  Your input is more than welcome, and you never know.  Maybe if there is enough hue and cry, an item will get bumped to the top of the list, just to placate the masses.

On the Workbench for November 2011:
(This is all stuff that is partially finished; in no particular order)
15mm Armor - USMC LAV-25 and a US Army M2 Bradley *
30 28mm Zombies - Mantic Zombie Regiment Box
20 28mm Zombies - Wargames Factory Plastic Zombies
6 28mm Survivors - Obelisck Nighthawk gang *
2 "Clicky" Zombies - Ongoing conversions
6 28mm Vampires - Pontoonier Wierd West vampires for Two Hour Wargames.  Unfinish commision work that needs to be done ASAP, as I've really let Ed down on this.  I have a feeling that I am just going to finish the project gratis
12 28mm Survivors - Atcheson Designs ATZ figs.  I will be doing an indepth review and size comparison on them *
28mm Post Apoc gang - More survivors to battle in the rubble.
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 River Barge - Post Apoc watercraft
28mm Vehichles - 6-8 vehicles for my survivors *
15mm Suburbia - Paper/foamcore houses for suburban Lazarus. *
10 15mm Survivors - Figs from a company called "The Scene".  I have 5 Survivors and 5 Government types in the works. *
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


October's Finished Projects/Minis
6 28mm Survivors - Look for them next Friday!*
2 28mm Aztec Vampire Maidens - Part of my sidetracked Weird West commision for THW
1 Steampowered Armored Suit - "Clicky" rebase and paint for Post Apoc gaming
90 15mm Rebel Minis (Zeds and Survivors) - Commision job for Scale Creep; looking forward to seeing what Mark does with them.  It'll be a hoot.
5 28mm Ruins - Part of my Post Apoc Ruins project

Ladies Of The Night - Pt. 2 (WIP)

As promised, here is a pic of the last three "Sin City" girls I am working on.


It's the Anime twins, Sora and Yumi, who are REALLY into COSPlay, along with Ellie, who has a bit of a cowboy fetish. 

More Reaper-Chronoscope figures.