From PeterA: 28mm Cartel & Zombies! (165 points)

 Hello all! Although I haven't posted for a couple of weeks I have been pottering away on a few things (and enjoying the Six Nations) and have got some finished for today.

First up are 9 Cartel figures - they are 3D prints from Black Hills Games and Turnbase Miniatures. Last year I came across a modern skirmish solo game called Haywire. The author has a YT channel full of excellent videos showing off the game and his incredible terrain. One of the settings for the game is special forces taking on cartels (think Sicario 2 or Triple Frontier). Suitably inspired I ordered a bunch of 3d stl files and these are the first to be done.

The woman in the yellow shirt and the kneeling sniper are Turnbase figures, the remainder are all from Black Hills Games. The latter are a bit heftier than the former but not so much as to be unworkable together IMO, as the next photo shows I think. The figure all in black is mostly painted in GW Contrast paint over a grey undercoat. The others are painted using standard acrylic paints - I used Army Painter Fanatic colours on the woman as they are quite saturated and bright, and this contrasted nicely with the more subdued AK 3G and Vallejo colours used on the figures with assault rifles. A couple have red bandannas in Army Painter Pure Red for a bit of visual interest/contrast and as a cartel 'colour'.

The three with assault rifles and body armour are, not surprisingly, more lethal than the more lightly armed foot soldiers. The woman will count as a Sicario - a nasty assassin-type in Haywire.

Here we have two figures equipped with SMGs and two with pistols - these guys tend to die quickly in Haywire  but you do get a lot of them!

They are mostly painted in Army Painter Speedpaints, although the trousers/shorts of two are painted in AK 3G sand and green-grey acrylics. I experimented doing the flesh in Army Painter Warrior Skin speedpaint over a grey undercoat given a heavy white drybrush. I don't think it looks as good as my usual method using normal Vallejo Flesh acrylics, but it is a lot quicker! Good enough for the table and from 3 feet I reckon.

Finally, we have a Turnbase cartel sniper - here you can see the difference between the skin done with speedpaints and my usual method of highlighting over a darker skin tone.

As well as the modern ruleset, there is also a zombie game called Haywire Outbreak, which uses many of the same mechanics (and like Haywire, is available to download for free).  This prompted me to dig out an old box of Zombiecide zombies I've had for years and done nothing with. All were painted using GW Contrast or Army Painter speedpaints - getting them done quickly was the aim as these will only be used for the occasional fun game. They then had a generous amount of GW blood effect paint stippled on.

First are three 'bloaters', which can be made to blow up, taking other zombies/unfortunate survivors with them.

Then we have six 'runners'. Faster than the usual shuffling undead, meaning they can get into close combat more easily, so need to be kept at arms length for as long as possible!

The rest of the herd is made up of 15 'normal' zombies. Individually not too dangerous but far more so once they start gathering in numbers!

A couple of group shots to finish.

So that's 33x 28mm figures for 165 points.

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SylvainR for DaveD: Tough looking thugs and rotting zombies. What is there not to love? Your brushwork really highlights the decaying look of the foul undeads while your choice of figurines for the cartel employees and the way you paint their clothes oozes "attitude" and criminal confidence. A very productive week for you!

 

 

From BruceR: Still Warmaster just new army, Vampire Counts (257 points)

It's been in the deep freeze here in the North US so easy to stay inside and paint.  I continued on with my Warmaster  project/obsession with a new army.  

Over the summer I had painted a box of Wargames Atlantic Orcs and tried out ordering 10mm 3d prints from etsy.  More Orcs so an army was formed.  I took off the shelf a Byzantine army I had painted while deployed in 2008, which had never found an opponent.  My empire force was born.  A gaming compadre flew in before Xmas and we played no less than 5 Warmaster games and the crew was hooked.  I maybe somewhat of a driving force with our crew and why not.  Now four others have launched armies, but who knows how long before they will be ready, so....

I ordered a Vampire Counts 1000-point army to add to my Orcs for flavor.  I usually seem to play good or at least not evil forces so I thought I would give them a shot being a couple of the mates have used undead when we had played WHFB.  

Who doesn't need an evil vampire lord or lady terrorizing the villages and hamlets of the empire.  

Wait!

That's more like it.

I set to work on one unit, then another, then another, .....Oh well.  I Have 80% of the 1000-point force done.

The force requires two skeleton units and two zombie units.  So, these were done first.

Lots of speed paints and a few highlights.  Grey base coat.  Mix of washes for the bone and then blue speed paint for clothes and shields.  

Skeleton Regiment #1

Skeleton Regiment #2

On to the Zombies.  I tried to hit the flesh with a light green color (dead flesh).  Some white highlight were bone shows.  Next in with differing colors for clothes/rags.  A wash and done.

Brains!

Zombie Regiment #1 command stand

Zombie Regiment #2 Command Stand

Madness continued and on to the ghouls.  Decided a very lighter flesh was what I wanted and already used green for the zombies.  Once they were white primed, I hit them with speed paint light flesh. Decided they needed something else and went for some blood on hands and faces.  Not really into gore, yet they needed something and being wee figures doesn't really show unless you zoom into them.  Scraps of clothes hit and done.  The ghouls are not undead in Warmaster so can initiative charge, unlike the other undead forces.  Plus, they have 4 attacks per stand.

Ghouls

Next up was the ethereal host.  Terror causing phantasms.  These also ignore benefits when attacking defensive positions.  These might be cheating to claim points for painting.  Primed them white and hit them with speed paint (plasmatic bolt-army  painter).  Based them and done.

Ethereal Host

 

I next started the Grave Guard.  Armored skeletons, as medium infantry.  These I primed black and started by giving them a light brown dry brush to bring out detail.  Next highlighting the bone areas.  Red cloaks and armor.  I left the shields black with the light brown highlight and hit the skulls embossed on the shields.  

The "Mortis" Grave Guard

To control these walking dead the army came with a number of character figures.  I choose a vampiress and a necromancer.  

The vampire is mounted and really is a cool looking figure.  Some red, some black, some white skin and tried for a red lip.  Very fun.

To assist the general is the necromancer.  I still am in awe of 3d sculpts.  This guy is raising skeletons and you barely see the magic smoke leading to a hand coming out of the dirt.

These shambling dead took the field this weekend past.  A friend, who played undead in WHFB years ago, used them and almost wiped them out to a man/undead.  They have been blooded or unblooded.  Not sure.

The undead horde.

Before the game Sunday I did need another hero for the forces of good and hit this Witch Hunter before the game.

Deiter Von Helmutstein

Whew, that's it for me this week.  Very productive and the game was great with 5 of us playing with around 3000 points of baddies attacking a village defended by about 2300 points of humans.  Humans won as the undead and orcs were unable to destroy most of the village and the citadel.  Fun stuff.

21 stands of 12x 10mm undead @ 1pt      = 252 pts

 2 characters on foot @ 1pt                        =    2 pts

 1 character mounted @ 3 pts                    =    3 pts 

Total                                                             257 pts

Skull dual entry (108 skeletons + 24 skull emblems and assorted skulls) Total 132.

I have been honored with skull of the week earlier so feel obligated to join.  

I hope you enjoy.  Thanks to everybody once again.  I do believe this group helps support the hobby and at times us personally.  I would be fooling myself if I didn't think hitting my hobby desk helped me to pull away from the news and the absolute S#&t show we have been subjected to in the past week.  

So, Thanks.  Be well and safe.

Bruce

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Sylvain: There is so much details in your tiny figurines that it blows my mind. Your variations in color, nicely done, bring a level of realism to your fantasy miniatures. I'm sure your army must be quite the attraction among your gaming group and most certainly a "trigger" for collecting armies. I adjusted the points because one of your heroes is mounted. Bravo!

From JohnS: Nine To Cross The Line (45 points) + 9 Skullz

 

For this year's Challenge I set out to do my whole stated points goal by painting Slaughterloo figures only, and with no Bonus points. These nine Preserovitch's Dismounted Zombie Cavalry push me past my 500 point goal. Huzzah!

These are the first Alternative Armies resin figures I have painted and I must say it was quite challenging. The surfaces are quite chalky and even with a heavy undercoat they didn't like the SpeedPaint type colours too much. And the mold lines are just about impossible to remove. I may stick to the metals in the future.

The colour scheme was heavily inspired by the examples on the Alternative Armies website and even had me mixing my own custom colours of the high flow pigments.

All in all, I was happy to get them done and achieve my self imposed target. I think I will finish off the 15th AHPC by a bit of "bonus round" painting of historicals. I have a motley crew of Normans and Early Crusaders prepped that will let me finish a couple of units for To The Strongest.

There is some truth to the rumour that I will keep painting until the whistle blows in case AlanD drops a closing hours Points Bomb. Must defeat Alan, it will be the first challenge that I have achieved this completely personal side duel!

 9 x 28mm Infantry @ 5pts ea = 45 points

9 Skullz too! (There's a little gold one on the front of each helmet)

From Millsy:

Congrats on reaching your points total John, and in fine style as well!

Despite your trials with the resin and speed paint I think you've done them proud. The subtle difference in the tones of the green for their skin vs. the coats is well done indeed and the helmets are something else altogether!

45 glorious points!

Cheers
Millsy

From BrianC: Zombicide Survivors,Zombies, Doctor Jones? (115 points)

 Hello! Hello! This will be very short. I didn't get much done this past week. Let's begin with another old plastic Reaper Miniature, Frank Buck, aka Indiana Jones.

I made a big mistake when I applied the matte spray, I used the gloss clear on these minis! Oof!

Next, we have some more Zombicide Survivors. Cowgirl Jane and Old Man Terry.

Again, I used nothing but Army Painter Speedpaints. 

 

Lastly, I finally painted the Warhammer Age of Sigmar Zombies! I've had these lying around in the closet for a good 5 years or so! 

If you look close enough, you may see Superman!

That's all I have this go around. They are good enough for the tabletop. Keep up the great work you all!

3 x 28mm = 15pts

20 x 28mm = 100pts

Total = 115pts.

Sylvain: I would gladly offer my brain to a bunch of such colorful zombies. Your 3 heroes, with their trusty weapons at the ready, are obviously ready to tackle their next adventures. A very good production for you this week. Nicely done!