tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91718339936858739442024-03-15T00:27:58.911+11:00Shelldrake's Zombie Wargame BlogThis is a blog dedicated to the Zombie Wargame Camapign i have just started putting together.
As i develope the campaign i hope to provide battle reports, background information and photos of the games and the campaign setting.
As i am only just begining to get the figures needed and build/buy the scenery needed to play the game this blog will develope along with the game.Shelldrakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10719790045474525633noreply@blogger.comBlogger259125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9171833993685873944.post-51312561559169853852017-08-14T11:42:00.002+10:002017-08-14T11:42:18.589+10:0015mm / 20mm MDF urban terrain kickstarter<br />
I have backed my first kickstarter, and one that is in Australia.<br />
<br />
It is a modular MDF urban terrain system that can be purchased in either 15mm or 20mm scale.<br />
<br />
Postage
is free to anyone in Australia, and there are good postage discounts
for backers overseas (scroll down to the bottom of the campaign section
to see these rates)<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/364110685/15mm-20mm-ww3-cold-war-urban-tabletop-wargame-terr/description" target="_blank">https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/364110685/15mm-20mm-ww3-cold-war-urban-tabletop-wargame-terr/description</a><br />
<br />
There is a video on the page showing the system, and images showing the terrain being set up.<br />
<br />
The owner of the kickstarter is very responsive to suggestions from backers.<br />
<br />
There
are only four days left to go for anyone wanting to back it, and as it
is fully funded, additional backers help unlock some add-ons for the
project.<br />
<br />
I will be getting 15mm, as I want some scenery for my Modern Aussies, as well as for a 15mm zombie or sci-fi game.<br />
<br />
And yes, I have an interest in this project, as I am a backer myself.Shelldrakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10719790045474525633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9171833993685873944.post-89719560776501036872016-06-14T19:08:00.001+10:002016-06-14T19:08:05.137+10:00WW1 zombies - part 5 gathering itemsIn preparation for the game I have gone through my lead pile and hobby supplies and come up with the following:<br />
<br />
Almost a complete infantry section of late war British infantry. I should have a full section, but some seemed to have been separated from the collection somewhere. Still, given casualty rates for the war, this is in keeping.<br />
<br />
The secton includes an NCO, Lewis gunner and loader and some riflemen. I also have an officer if I feel like including one.<br />
<br />
I have plenty enough of the Mantic Games zombies, so they are squared away.<br />
<br />
I have one WW1 pilot figure on foot, scenarios for the use o.<br />
<br />
I uncovered some resin sand bags that can bet used, as well as some barbed wire enplacements, which although were intended for 20mm, they will fit in perfectly.<br />
<br />
I also have enough coffee stirers and match sticks that I can try making some duck boards to see if I can make some worth using in a game.<br />
<br />
My stock of unsued kitty litter will be perfect for making some rubble, so I should be able to knock plenty of rubble up as scenery.<br />
<br />
The figures I already have should give me a chance to play a game whilst I make some scenery, so I can play test some ideas and develop this plan further. Shelldrakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10719790045474525633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9171833993685873944.post-24594533364073371652016-06-14T16:40:00.003+10:002016-06-14T16:40:38.139+10:00WW1 zombie game - part 4 the backgroundI really want to come up with a good background for this game idea.<br />
<br />
I don't really want to go down the occult ritural path for why there are zombies, rather choosing to go down the 'when science goes wrong' path. Having said that, the occult path allows for the need to search for more clues to progress the story/campaign.<br />
<br />
Maybe a starting point is a gas attack on some trenches that
turns the victims into zombies.<br />
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<a href="https://www.icrc.org/sites/default/files/styles/document_photo_gallery_detail_file/public/document/file_list/chemical-weapons-soldiers-running-hist-01120h.jpg?itok=1LR_gxCa" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://www.icrc.org/sites/default/files/styles/document_photo_gallery_detail_file/public/document/file_list/chemical-weapons-soldiers-running-hist-01120h.jpg?itok=1LR_gxCa" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Another idea is a flame thrower has been
altered to spew chemicals over victims and zombies are the bi-product of such a weapon.<br />
<br />
A variety of weapons were used to deploy gas: grenades, artillery and cylinders were all used to deliver gas to the battlefield.<br />
<br />
For me this seems like a more believable way for zombies to be created.<br />
<br />
If I want the Germans to make up the majority of the initial zombies, I can use changing wind direction as a reason their gas weapons back fired instead of Allied zombies being in the majority to start off with.<br />
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Shelldrakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10719790045474525633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9171833993685873944.post-62968093612707218742016-06-14T16:19:00.001+10:002016-06-14T16:19:59.259+10:00WW1 zombie game - part 3, the game Rather than play the game as simple trench warfare type of thing, I feel a WW1 Zombie setting would probably have to be scenario driven with clues as to what created the
zombies and how to defeat them being he ultimate goal.<br />
<br />
The type of scenarios that spring to mind right away are:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>a basic 'hold the line' until releaved. This is simply a watch and shoot kind of game for X number of turns.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>a patrol. Maybe to search for clues, or to kill off zombies in the area. In campaign games, this could have some benefit for the next game.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>a trench raid; used to scavenge supplies, find clues or learn more about what is happening.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>a seek and destroy: with enough clues to point the lads to a particular point a seek and destroy can be used to further the story plot and set up future games.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>rescue; go and rescue someone that can help in the future. I have a pilot figure to try this game out, but a tank and tank crew would be great fun, as I want a tank. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Raid; the enemy has a gun park firing shells of zombie gas, and the section must conduct a raid further in to enemy held land to put the guns out of action.Would need a bit more work on the idea, but could be used if I purchase some enemy trench mortars or artillery. This is but one idea for a Raid game.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Protect: the reverse of the raid, this has the section protecting some assests until they have either completed their job or can be withdrawn. Again an excuse to buy some artillery and or support weapons.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Escort: take person /team X from A - B and ensure they are not killed along the way.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Escape: like the escort mission, but with only the section needing to traverse the playing area to safety. </li>
</ul>
<br />
Scenarios based on furthering the story and the background should be included too.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The rules will be combination of rules from Chain Reaction, ATZ and NUTS! as needed. Judging by a post on TMP by Ed
from THW, there could even be a WW1 game in the making, so that would be
greatly welcomed.<br />
<br />
I would be interested to hear others thoughts, ideas and suggestions on the topic.Shelldrakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10719790045474525633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9171833993685873944.post-82934633533880593522016-06-07T14:53:00.002+10:002016-06-14T16:40:50.917+10:00WW1 zombie game - part 2, the figuresContinuing on with the WWW1 idea, I will now take a look as some figures for the game.<br />
<br />
The Mantic Games zombies are my obvious choice. They are generic enough to use for any game, meaning the ones I have can be used for any setting, and as no one that I know of actually makes 28mm WWW1 figures, let alone zombies, I have to use what is available to me.<br />
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<a href="https://manticblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Mantic-Games-Zombie-Preview-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://manticblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Mantic-Games-Zombie-Preview-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Then I could add some not quite zombies: zombies that move fast and can
use weapons. Maybe they are soldiers that didn't fully turn.<br />
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The film "Sucker Punch" has a WW1 scene with zombie like Germans:<br />
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<a href="https://usercontent1.hubstatic.com/4850792_f520.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="264" src="https://usercontent1.hubstatic.com/4850792_f520.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I could use some WW1 Germans with gas masks to represent these, painting
the lenses on the masks red to give them that supernatural look. If I
had some talent (read as "any talent") I could try and make the tubes on
the masks to complete the effect. My thinking is that the masks are
needed to give quantities of the gas to the horrors so that they can
function, thus why they have the masks on.<br />
<br />
<br />
I probably wouldn't need more than an infantry section to use for my
heroes in the game, maybe some support weapons, and just because I
really really want one, a tank.<br />
<br />
I have some late war British figures... I have found some of them and need to dig the rest up so I can play test a game.<br />
<br />
Trenchworx make an excellent Mark V British tank that by using magnets can be a male or female type, so this would probably be my tank of choice:<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjetwmWucdMYuDbW4TMBx0osS4RylCfr9nupSRR1ZQtFnfwe0cnFUEY59b-EyEmOQ0veZMT1hqL1fLqMmi-xl6oAE2LZiCAMsh9plEHxXz4MAsGnrEIISWIakdTmMNZRWB77Xfy0GnPFAY/s1600/DSC_0020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjetwmWucdMYuDbW4TMBx0osS4RylCfr9nupSRR1ZQtFnfwe0cnFUEY59b-EyEmOQ0veZMT1hqL1fLqMmi-xl6oAE2LZiCAMsh9plEHxXz4MAsGnrEIISWIakdTmMNZRWB77Xfy0GnPFAY/s1600/DSC_0020.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Even if I can't use the tank for what it is intended for, I can always play a scenario where the tank has broken down and the crew needs rescuing.<br />
<br />
So figure wise I am looking at a section of British infantry with maybe some support figures and extras for scenarios, the zombies and some Germans in gas masks. As I have the British and zombies already I should be able to get a game going with minimal effort.<br />
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Shelldrakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10719790045474525633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9171833993685873944.post-72684414783119979222016-06-07T10:49:00.002+10:002016-06-14T16:48:50.233+10:00WW1 zombie game - part 1, the PlanningI have been in a bit of a zombie wargame doldrums of late. I have been struggling to find the time to actually play, and I want to do something a bit different.<br />
<br />
As such, I am thinking of testing some different zombie settings to see if a) the setting will work with zombies, and b) if it will spark some kind of interest.<br />
<br />
The first idea I am toying with is Weird WW1.<br />
<br />
This setting will see the zombies created due to some gas, as gas was
used a lot during WW1. I am thinking that 1917 or 1918 would be a good
starting point for the game.<br />
<br />
For figures I have some of the Great
War Miniatures late war British already, and with the zombies I have
all I really need to do is some more painting and creating scenery.<br />
<br />
Whilst
I would love to have a trench network to play on, I am thinking a
zombie setting for WW1 might also take place out side of the trenches,
as zombies are not that likely to need trenches for protection. Yes,
the outbreak would occur in the trenches, but I see it spreading to all
areas, such as in the image below:<br />
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<a href="http://assets.atlasobscura.com/article_images/20813/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://assets.atlasobscura.com/article_images/20813/image.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
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As such I am thinking some ruins, shell holes, muddy areas (zombies are
not the only enemy, but nature can be too), duck boards, dead trees and
plenty of rubble would be a good start. The use of toy stuffing as fog
can also make the game a bit more atmospheric, either as fog or gas.</div>
<br />
The mud and the tree idea is inspired by this iconic photo:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh65M-knr_k2QTlCEAoz0mX9hZgEAIpE0P_h98qUDqBPUL-ZdtBHe8NgcKvp32FbqweWpBA1wyOcaLGjjRCjBRbR_N899ad8H24E2k35ZbUimKNQsANkihvYaYoD8sBBD7NNESeOvBijIU4/s1600/chateau_wood_ypres_1917.jpg_1718483346.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh65M-knr_k2QTlCEAoz0mX9hZgEAIpE0P_h98qUDqBPUL-ZdtBHe8NgcKvp32FbqweWpBA1wyOcaLGjjRCjBRbR_N899ad8H24E2k35ZbUimKNQsANkihvYaYoD8sBBD7NNESeOvBijIU4/s400/chateau_wood_ypres_1917.jpg_1718483346.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://img-greenbooks.theonering.net/guest/images/040102_image13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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and this for ruins:</div>
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<a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5719/20513648883_420bdc6a63.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://farm6.static.flickr.com/5719/20513648883_420bdc6a63.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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A copmany called Dark Ops makes some scenery for (I think) Frostgrave,
but they are gothic enough to fit in with my concept nicely:</div>
<br />
Portals for a ruined church ground:<br />
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<a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xat1/v/t1.0-9/13001291_1684680415153993_5541230671923418835_n.jpg?oh=3b6c2e884d682c077c77be05048e977b&oe=57D62C7B&__gda__=1472850035_092664e5dddeabfb9627b016646f21f6" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xat1/v/t1.0-9/13001291_1684680415153993_5541230671923418835_n.jpg?oh=3b6c2e884d682c077c77be05048e977b&oe=57D62C7B&__gda__=1472850035_092664e5dddeabfb9627b016646f21f6" width="400" /></a></div>
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And ruins:</div>
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<a href="https://scontent-lax3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/12814763_1667167830238585_5756794350834602455_n.jpg?oh=38030bc24228f524d0561642b648bce8&oe=57D55A81" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://scontent-lax3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/12814763_1667167830238585_5756794350834602455_n.jpg?oh=38030bc24228f524d0561642b648bce8&oe=57D55A81" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.darkops.co.uk/store/products/item50.html" target="_blank">Dark Ops Portals</a> </div>
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<a href="http://www.darkops.co.uk/store/products/item46.html" target="_blank">Dark Ops Ruins</a> </div>
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For ruins bit cheaper, Blotz make some nice items too:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVm0YvniAqMN3tBgsF8nnv4fyVJJSLYtsw15IXj_sKHVSwfCBs-tXSsz8cxIWAoGB3r6F2GcTSXODgkydDP3MXKm0bnIsw47-7Jbbuh1uAIINxztKB4YfiM6PgaqQDeRH1OFn6z3X9dC4M/s1600/blotz1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVm0YvniAqMN3tBgsF8nnv4fyVJJSLYtsw15IXj_sKHVSwfCBs-tXSsz8cxIWAoGB3r6F2GcTSXODgkydDP3MXKm0bnIsw47-7Jbbuh1uAIINxztKB4YfiM6PgaqQDeRH1OFn6z3X9dC4M/s1600/blotz1.jpeg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip6Fg7uKuiNzOShqX284qPA1GeZ8hXE_CDnJ0EPQKgRNZl_AwnVTV5xHviV6r0p0CNyozXG_DUI54lkNZ_BzfVHTlxZc6TQoc8mg48i_PInugt1EAkNMo5mfjHX9a-fYqBH8lqNQMDXxRH/s1600/blotz3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip6Fg7uKuiNzOShqX284qPA1GeZ8hXE_CDnJ0EPQKgRNZl_AwnVTV5xHviV6r0p0CNyozXG_DUI54lkNZ_BzfVHTlxZc6TQoc8mg48i_PInugt1EAkNMo5mfjHX9a-fYqBH8lqNQMDXxRH/s1600/blotz3.jpeg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLm6kuewl4PX3hZ2X1jNr_YN65mWCH-wlgIq2vlfHXofQMGSEonZY15sjDQaUxG1Sb0_XMHRgdkek74N3a6_AMYLqi1eczjAwdCuoLaeMDM0-7BQSwqRoxxQNu6pieqPSt4p5SS_bMWb2M/s1600/blotz2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLm6kuewl4PX3hZ2X1jNr_YN65mWCH-wlgIq2vlfHXofQMGSEonZY15sjDQaUxG1Sb0_XMHRgdkek74N3a6_AMYLqi1eczjAwdCuoLaeMDM0-7BQSwqRoxxQNu6pieqPSt4p5SS_bMWb2M/s1600/blotz2.jpeg" /></a></div>
<br /><a href="http://blotz.co.uk/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=23_29_95" target="_blank">Blotz 28mm ruins</a><br />
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The Dark Ops portals are £<span data-rrp="10.00" id="Product-RRP">10.00 for 6, so I think they will be a great start to the scenery, and they I will supplement them with the Blotz ruins as they start from </span>£2.50 each.</div>
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And of course I will need plenty of rubble:</div>
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<a href="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/37/31/e9/3731e97f911baeaeefcc21c455805faf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/37/31/e9/3731e97f911baeaeefcc21c455805faf.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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This article on making trees is useful - I will just make the trunks like they have and I should be good to go:<br />
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<a href="http://www.beastsofwar.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Figure_011b-295x394.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.beastsofwar.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Figure_011b-295x394.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.beastsofwar.com/terrain/terrainscaping-awesome-tabletop-trees/" target="_blank">Making trees</a><br />
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I like the idea of the mist / fog on the table... in my head it works, but I would need to try it out to see if it looks cheesy or not.<br />
I won't be going to the expense of using a fog machine like in the following photo, but it does look cool:<br />
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<a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/camo/66862aef7c6655ff2fdf0ac2a7693cdf9c9d514d/687474703a2f2f332e62702e626c6f6773706f742e636f6d2f2d666d3977724a69642d4d6b2f564550534d50514c7059492f41414141414141414556772f493657434134625f4c74592f73313630302f312e6a7067" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://boardgamegeek.com/camo/66862aef7c6655ff2fdf0ac2a7693cdf9c9d514d/687474703a2f2f332e62702e626c6f6773706f742e636f6d2f2d666d3977724a69642d4d6b2f564550534d50514c7059492f41414141414141414556772f493657434134625f4c74592f73313630302f312e6a7067" width="400" /></a></div>
Shelldrakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10719790045474525633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9171833993685873944.post-84186693630290246342016-01-10T18:48:00.002+11:002016-01-10T18:48:47.719+11:00Skirmish Outbreak - review during game playI am in the middle of a game of Skirmish Outbreak and an AAR will follow.<br />
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But I thought I would pass on some thoughts about the game having played about four very intense turns.<br />
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Creating a Survivor band is very straight forward. If you are like me and want your survivors to actually use what the figure is carrying, then you may need to create a few items that aren't in the book.<br />
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If you post your ideas on the Skirmish Outbreak forum you are sure to get a reply to let you know if you are on the right track or not.<br />
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At first game play was slow due to looking up a few items in the rule book, but the game started to speed up quickly enough and I only had to check my Survivor's stats or the QRS at the back of the book after a turn or so.<br />
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Combat: as I mentioned in my big review, combat is fairly easy. What isn't easy is keeping noise levels down and being able to get rid of zombies.<br />
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Relying on good dice rolls to kill a zombie in Hand to Hand combat isn't a great idea as more often than not I didn't kill a zombie.<br />
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Using the rule that allows you to make a head shot for the cost of two Action Points is really a good idea if you have the action points to spare.<br />
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By the end of four turns I knew that relying on high dice rolls during melee to kill a zombie isn't the best option, thus if you can afford the APs I would go for a head shot every time.<br />
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At the end of the fourth turn I had one player out of the game, and only two zombies dead. The game is still in progress and the tension is building.<br />
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There are a few rules that need clarifying, and I am waiting on a reply for one rather important question about noise levels in a building and spawning zombies.<br />
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So far I am really enjoying the rules - they are simple enough to learn quickly, but mastering them and being able to survive the game are different things.<br />
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The best bit of advice is to create your Survivor band very carefully and never go out alone.Shelldrakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10719790045474525633noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9171833993685873944.post-5083832590509398832016-01-05T17:05:00.000+11:002016-01-06T08:01:49.117+11:00Lets kick off 2016......with a long over due review.<br />
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This is a very long and dry post, so hopefully the handful of people that still follow or read my blog will take the time to read the detail, as the rules are worth taking a bit of time to learn about. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://outbreak.cloud.base2.co.nz/sites/default/files/preview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://outbreak.cloud.base2.co.nz/sites/default/files/preview.jpg" height="377" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image borrowed from the internet without permission - sorry. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>Initial review of 'Skirmish Outbreak" by Colin Phillips & Chris Pooch</b></span><br />
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Ok, this review is based on reading the rules over a few times, but not actually playing them. A review of how the game plays will follow.<br />
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The rules can be broken into a logical sequence making it easy to follow and find a section to re-read as needed.<br />
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After a one page introduction as to why the authors created the rules, a small section on game mythos follows, explaining the whys and wherefores to the background of the game setting, explains zombies and how they act in the game, with a note on dice rolls at the end of the section.<br />
Although this section is only three pages long, I wouldn't skip over it, as lets you know some useful information for the game.<br />
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<span style="color: yellow;">Edit - dice used in the game are d20, d10 and d6. The d6 will also need to double as a d3 if you can't buy and actual d3.</span><br />
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>The Game Turn</b></span><br />
The Turn Sequence is explained next, with a description on the order players take make their figure/character activations and how and when a game turn ends.<br />
A good amount of detail has gone in to explaining the Turn Sequence: a quick summary with an explanation and an example, followed by a detailed explanation with activation point cost and a detailed example.<br />
Each player, be they controlling survivors or zombies, has a number of activation points to spend in total for each turn, and depending on what type of action as to how many activation points it costs to perform.<br />
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>Survivors</b></span> <br />
The next section is the all important part of the game; creating survivors.<br />
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Survivors have a character sheet with all the information needed for a game recorded on it. The information is not overwhelming and easy to pick up as you read the rules. Once play starts the important details are found on the character sheet, and only the quick reference sheets should be needed after a game or two has been played to learn the rules.<br />
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Each survivor has skills and equipments, and is based on an experience level that reflects the skills of such a survivor type and the point cost of that survivor.<br />
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Following this basic survivor creation is an advanced experience packages section to help flesh out your survivors and add a bit more colour to the character.<br />
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At the end of the survivor creation section is an optional creation method that give random weapons and armour to your survivors.<br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">Combat</span></b><br />
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After survivor creation comes the most important part of actual game play - combat.<br />
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A lot of thought has gone in to the combat section and it covers virtually all bases for game play. The system is simple - make a die roll vs a target number with modifiers applied. Roll equal to or less than to hit.<br />
The combat section covers spotting (no need to groan - if a target is in the open they are automatically spotted, so no need for dice rolls or anything to slow the game down... unless the target is in some form of cover), cover, shooting, wounds, grenades and melee.<br />
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All of the rules are written clearly, so no need to tax your brain to learn the system.<br />
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>Morale</b></span><br />
Yes, there is a section on morale, but you only need to worry about morale for three reasons, and it does prevent players from adopting an god like control of their survivors. Just don't let too many zombies get close to your survivors if you want to make a stand. Being behind cover is highly recommended.<br />
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>The Living Dead</b></span><br />
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As this is a zombie game, this section is rather important, as it explains how to create a zombie hoard, how they react to the world around them (be quiet, be very very quiet...) as well as zombie combat.<br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">Campaign play & Experience</span></b><br />
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This is the part I love in games the most - campaign play. Why spend lots of time and money collecting survivors, zombies and scenery if you are only going to use them once or twice?<br />
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This section covers how the survivors in your group met, which is random and adds some great background story to your group, putting together a survivor band and how they gather survival and resource points, which are the objectives needed in order to successfully complete a scenario or mission.<br />
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The Experience section explains how to improve the lot of band of survivors, should they live long enough.<br />
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>Starting The Campaign</b></span><br />
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A fairly detailed section, the Starting the Campaign has details of scenarios and what is needed to set up the game and the victory conditions.<br />
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>Game Controlled Zombies</b></span><br />
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This is simply the rules needed to play solo or co-operative games of Skirmish Outbreak. Very straight forward and there is no need to slow the game down making endless dice rolls to see what happens. Just follow the guide lines and play the game.<br />
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>Appendix A</b></span><br />
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Gives a set of rules to play your stereotypical slow zombie if you don't agree with the mythos outlined at the start of the rule book. <br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">QRS - Quick Reference Sheets</span></b><br />
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Everything you need to refer to when you are playing the game - either book mark this section or download the free PDF files from the Skirmish Outbreak site to print out copies for everyone playing.<br />
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This covers the basic review of the rules.<br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">My Thoughts</span></b><br />
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Initially I was against the idea of fast zombies, which is part of the mythos, but as they are not very common I have changed my mind. It kind of makes you more careful of your survivors during a game.<br />
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I have never been a fan of action points as some of the rules I have require you to micro manage a figure using action points to the level it becomes tedious.<br />
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Skirmish Outbreak is an exception to this - you don't have to worry about an overwhelming list of what you can spend your action points on, leaving you to worry how to spend them wisely.<br />
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My initial response to activation points was mixed, but the system is
simple enough that it won't bog down play and it is easy to use.<br />
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Creating a survivor is easy and very straight forward. I don't really have any complaints, but it would have been nice to see a bit more background/occupation list for making different survivors. For example I would love to play the game using a section/brick of military types, but the rules have the advanced experience packages that would allow my to do this, or add my own or renaming some of the packs to reflect a military setting.<br />
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This is not a big problem, as it will be easy enough to come up with something myself.<br />
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I would love to reverse engineer the point system used to create survivors, as I feel the rules would be great for fantasy dungeon bashing games as well as a few different settings - with our without zombies.<br />
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Combat is very straight forward, and it is possible to kill a zombie if you roll high enough on your damage dice without the need to target the head.. although you can do this if you spend the action points. This means you don't need to stress out on needing to roll a special target number to cull the beasts during a game, unlike many other zombie games I have played.<br />
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Morale only comes in to the game under three circumstances and keeps the players honest. It is a simple enough system and isn't a game killer if you fail a morale test, but can be a game changer by limiting your options a little.<br />
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The campaign section is about the only section that leaves me asking some questions, but I will join and visit the Skirmish Outbreak section of the author's forum to ask those questions. Basically there is a chart to determine your next scenario if you fail to reach the victory conditions, but no guidance as to what the next game should you win the game.<br />
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I feel confident that I can come up with something for winning a game with very little effort - be it a 'choose your next scenario' option or some advanced scenarios.<br />
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Overall I like the rules very much - they don't hurt your brain to learn them, and unlike many other rules, didn't leave me asking questions about things that were left out or contradicting rules with in the game.<br />
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The rules are suitable for beginners in zombie wargaming and offer a lot for the more experience player.<br />
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As mentioned I think the rules would be great with a bit of tinkering for fantasy skirmish games, as well as other historical settings, such as horse and musket (the French and Indian war or Napoleonic for example), Dark Ages/Medieval (Robin Hood comes to mind), Steam Punk (I could resurrect my Steam punk collection), maybe Vietnam wargaming and even science fiction games (post apocalyptic).<br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">Finally... an apology</span></b><br />
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I had meant to do this review much sooner than I have. The last half of 2015 wasn't the kindest to me. I had a minor operation in August, caught a bad dose of the man flu three times, went away with my "part time" job and was sent to hospital instead whilst away, came home and had to catch up on a lot of work, and then two weeks before Christmas I caught a bug/virus that sent me for 'six' leaving me wondering if I had caught a zombie virus and I almost missed out on Christmas because of it.<br />
Once Xmas was over I was helping the Mrs prepare for the Japanese New Year celebrations which are bigger than Ben-Hur.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: orange;"><b>A big Thank You</b></span></span><br />
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Last of all, thank you to Colin Phillips & Chris Pooch for sending me a copy of the rules to review. Without their kindness I doubt I would have been able to play the game due to having a tight budget due to various reasons.<br />
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If Skirmish Outbreak sounds interesting please order a copy - they even have the rules in PDF form that will save on postage.<br />
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You can buy the rules and view other items for sale, as well as access the forum <a href="http://www.skirmishsangin.com/?book=Skirmish_Outbreak" target="_blank">here</a> <br />
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<br />Shelldrakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10719790045474525633noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9171833993685873944.post-85826680825339998802015-10-15T10:20:00.001+11:002015-10-15T10:20:07.850+11:00lack of posting and slow review - an apologySorry for a lack of post lately and the delay in reviewing the Skirmish outbreak rules folks.<br />
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The last month or so has been nuts - I had to catch up for last time from July and August due to a cancer operation - all good on that front now - I was lucky, if you can call getting any type of cancer lucky.<br />
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My head as healed now, but I have another cold weather warning system to add to my body - when ever it is cold now it feels like pins are being stuck in to my head where the operation was.<br />
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With that out of the way I was catching up on my normal day time job, which being part of the plant nursery industry really goes nuts in Spring time.<br />
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On top of that I have also been busy with my second job, and I will be away for just over a week starting this coming weekend, and won't have access to a phone or the internet during that time.<br />
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The good news is I have been reading the Skirmish Outbreak rules, and they are fairly easy to pick up and make a lot of sense... but I will post proper reviews once I get back.<br />
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Until then, please enjoy this zombie image:<br />
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<a href="http://www.zombie-guide.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/dayz-zombies-road-forest-sign-patrick-brown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.zombie-guide.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/dayz-zombies-road-forest-sign-patrick-brown.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></div>
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The image was 'borrowed' from this web site, which is zombie related, and worth a look over: <a href="http://www.zombie-guide.com/how-dangerous-are-zombies/" target="_blank">zombie guide</a>Shelldrakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10719790045474525633noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9171833993685873944.post-66565743958647078482015-09-19T14:16:00.003+10:002015-09-19T14:16:54.961+10:00Skirmish Outbreak - video interview with Colin PhillipsI came across this youtube video where Colin Phillips gives an interview regarding the Skirmish Outbreak rules:<br />
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/qW0Nvt_9eKk/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qW0Nvt_9eKk?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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I know what Colin means about the Skirmish Wargames book by Donald Featherstone, as I was that person going to the library to borrow the book in may part of the world, and he has the same thoughts on wargaming that I do.Shelldrakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10719790045474525633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9171833993685873944.post-41577130059251136652015-09-18T16:26:00.000+10:002015-09-18T16:26:19.378+10:00Skirmish Outbreak has arrived!<br />
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<a href="http://www.skirmishoutbreak.com/sites/default/files/cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.skirmishoutbreak.com/sites/default/files/cover.jpg" height="320" width="250" /></a></div>
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After weeks of anticipation my copy of Skirmish Outbreak arrived in the mail today.<br />
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The Postie had mistreated it a bit to carry it in his basket/pannier, but nothing that a good pile of books on top of the rules will fix.<br />
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Unfortunately I have to attend a function tonight, so I will have to use what part of the coming weekend I have to read the rules, but I will give my initial impressions in this post.<br />
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The book itself is almost A4 in size (a few mil wider and a couple of cms shorter) and is a soft back book.<br />
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If you don't like the colour yellow you are right out of luck, as most of the pages are printed on yellow paper. I don't actually mind this at all, as the yellow seems to be easier on my dyslexic eyes, making it easier to read.<br />
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It also helps that the font is of a reasonable size too, meaning I don't need to squint through my very expensive multifocal lens glasses that I had to buy this year (getting old sucks folks).<br />
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The book is laid out in a logical pattern and easy to follow, unlike some other rules I have seen, and all examples of the rules in action are printed in a dark grey box, making it easier to see where the examples are so that they are not lost in the main text.<br />
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There are plenty of drawings and photos to give you a bit of eye candy relief whilst reading, but not so much that you feel you paid for a lot of eye candy and no rules. It is a good balance.<br />
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Given that I have only glanced over the rules, the rules themselves seem very straight forward - there is no need to go to Uni to understand what you need to do, and after playing a game or two I feel sure that most players would have picked up on what they need to do, so that referring to the book would be kept at a minimum.<br />
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There is a campaign section! A must for myself, as any long term readers of my blogs would know. The campaign rules include gathering resources needed to survive and gaining experience to improve your survivors.<br />
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And before anyone asks, yes there is a section of the rules that lets the zombies be controlled by the rules so that you can have solo or co-operative play for your games.<br />
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Lastly the back of the book has all the tables and charts you will need, so you wont have to keep flicking through the book during a game to find information. I also believe you can download these charts from the Skirmish Outbreak web site so that you can have the information easily at hand for each player.<br />
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At first glance Skirmish Outbreak is a well put together product.<br />
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I will make some follow up posts on the various sections of the rules as I read them, and hopefully I will also post an AAR once I play a game.<br />
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My thanks and gratitude go out to Colin and Chris for sending me a copy for reviewing, and please check back on my blog soon for further updates as I make more in depth reviews of the rules.<br />
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<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Links (click them):</b></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.skirmishoutbreak.com/" target="_blank">Skirmish Outbreak home page</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.skirmishoutbreak.com/store" target="_blank">Buy the rules</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.skirmishoutbreak.com/download" target="_blank">Downloads</a>. Shelldrakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10719790045474525633noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9171833993685873944.post-34605047994516530502015-08-11T20:45:00.002+10:002015-08-11T20:45:41.145+10:00Skirmish Outbreak - new wargame rulesI have been very tempted to order a copy of "Skirmish Outbreak" as it looks interesting and a review I read on a blog piqued my curiosity.<br />
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<a href="http://www.skirmishoutbreak.com/sites/default/files/preview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.skirmishoutbreak.com/sites/default/files/preview.jpg" height="236" width="400" /></a></div>
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I thought I would purchase the actual printed book rather than just the PDF, but after adding it to my cart I was amazed to find this book made in New Zealand is selling in $USD.<br />
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By the time I added postage and then worked out the exchange rate from $USD to $AUD I decided the $68AUD price tag was a bit steep at the moment, especially as I have medical costs to fork out for at the moment.<br />
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I would have thought a book made in EnZed would have been in kiwi dollars, but it is not the case.<br />
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I am sure there is a perfectly good reason for this, such as aiming the product at American gamers, but it doesn't help us Aussie gamers on a tight budget, especially as the Chinese currency caused the Aussie dollar to drop even lower today ( <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-08-11/australian-dollar-falls-sharply-on-yuan-devaluation/6688454" target="_blank">australian-dollar-falls-sharply-on-yuan-devaluation</a> ).<br />
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I could buy the PDF which is much cheaper, but I really want a physical copy of the rules.<br />
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I might have to save my money for a bit and see if the Aussie dollar can go up a bit more before investing in a copy.<br />
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For those with a larger budget, you can check out the rules and order a copy here: <a href="http://www.skirmishoutbreak.com/" target="_blank">http://www.skirmishoutbreak.com/</a><br />
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Of course I am open to doing a review on my blog and on forums if a copy was sent to me as part of a publicity drive..... (yep, I am shameless it seems) <br />
Shelldrakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10719790045474525633noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9171833993685873944.post-77246310482492802732015-08-11T20:35:00.003+10:002015-08-11T20:35:52.881+10:00Life imitating art.. well kind ofI am currently reading "Zombie Apocalypse" created by Stephen Jones, which was released in 2010.<br />
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It is a bit different to your normal zombie novel, in that the story unfolds through the use of diary entries, emails, police reports, letters and blogs to make the big picture.<br />
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It takes a bit of getting used to, but I am really getting drawn in to how the zombie apocalypse takes off in this novel.<br />
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Without giving too much away, I was surprised to see this news article today from the U.K.:<br />
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<a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-08-11/archaeologists-dig-up-skeletons-under-liverpool-street-station/6689514" target="_blank">http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-08-11/archaeologists-dig-up-skeletons-under-liverpool-street-station/6689514</a><br />
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It is very similar to what is happening in the book, even right down to the time period the bodies were buried in this area.<br />
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This all makes me wonder if knowledge of the burial site was commonly known before they started digging it up, or if Mr Jones and Co. stumbled upon the idea of the book and it is just a coincidence.<br />
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Either way, I find it interesting.<br />
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Oh, and I started reading 'zombie apocalypse' as I first saw the cover for the third (?) book in the series and as I wanted to read it, I figured I would start at the beginning:<br />
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<br />Shelldrakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10719790045474525633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9171833993685873944.post-17299913047637349442015-07-05T12:54:00.001+10:002015-07-05T12:54:47.725+10:00Been busy, but active in the backgroundIt has been a while since I last posted a blog. Since March this year it seems that time has moved faster than normal at the same time that real life has increased.<br />
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I have been doing hobby/zombie things though.<br />
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On the wargames front, I have purchased around 40 15mm zombies from Khurasan miniatures. They are glued on to bases ready to have the bases and the minis prepped before painting.<br />
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I have recently placed an order for some extra bits from Khurasan, such as the scientist figures.<br />
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I also have some jersey barriers from Rebel miniatures in 15mm scale which virtually don't need painting at all, as they arrived having been cast in cement colour resin.<br />
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I am waiting on another order from Rebel Miniatures - a pack of 20 (?) zombies, which includes the zombie clown... which I will use as an evil clown, not a zombie clown.<br />
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I have two MDF 15mm scale ruins from Warbases to use in any and all games I will play with my 15mm minis. They area a good price and I intend to get a few more to add to the collection: http://war-bases.co.uk/BUILDINGS/WW2-15MM<br />
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On the to be painted bench are some 15mm scale body bags and oil drums, courtesy of The Scene: http://thesceneuk.com/ There are a lot of interesting things for sale on their web site, and I will probably order from them again soon.<br />
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I did play a zombie game last weekend - I tried out the Pulp Alley rules with my 28mm WWW2 figures. The rules are great, but I will need to adjust them to match the type of game that I want to play. Basically keep the mechanics, but make the game last longer than the six turns suggested in the rule book for scenarios. <br />
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I have recently started using face book, so one or two of you may have seen some images I posted on a zombie wargaming face book page that Brummie invited me to. Cheers Brummie!<br />
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The other zombie things I mentioned at the start include doing a lot of reading of zombie books, so I will have to do some book reviews.<br />
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I have watched a few zombie movies, and one of them, called "Zombie Night" was so bad I didn't finish watching it, and that is saying something, as I almost never stop watching something once I start. The acting was bad, the plot sad, and characters so pathetically stupid that I hope they were all eating by the end of the movie.<br />
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On a personal front, I had a cancer tumour removed from my head at the start of June. The hole on the side of my head is only just starting to heal, and I have to have an operation at the start of August to make sure they cleaned it all out. So when I attend my Brother in Law's wedding at the end of August I will have a bit of a Frankenstein's monster look about me.<br />
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Apparently the cancer is "the type of cancer you want to have if you have to have cancer". Not many people die from what I have, so unless it was worse than they thought I will recover.<br />
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So as soon as I decide to pull my finger out I have a lot to blog about.Shelldrakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10719790045474525633noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9171833993685873944.post-35267840171029922732015-04-22T16:15:00.000+10:002015-04-22T16:15:13.090+10:00Zafehouse Diaries PC game<br />
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I recently picked up a text driven game called "Zafehouse Diaries" going for a couple of dollars on steam.<br /><br />Being a text driven game I wasn't too sure on if I would like the game, but a video I watched on the game piqued my interest enough to give it a try, especially for a few dollars.<br />
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I was surprised and happy at how addictive the game actually is.<br />
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Basically the game revolves around (up to) five survivors, and you give them orders based on their current location and a map.<br />
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Once each survivor has been given orders you click a digital watch to progress to the next turn, and the results of your orders are provided to you in diary form for you to read. <br />
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You need to make decisions that will ensure their survival and meet any objectives, this last being based on which scenario type out of three you choose to play.<br />
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The game is not easy by any standards. It is simple to learn and play, but winning and surviving is another matter.<br />
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So far the best I have done is to last five and a half days. Each game turn is an hour, so the best I have done is play out 132 turns.<br />
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One thing I love about the game is that you can add your own photos to represent survivors, as well as create your own characters, giving each stats that determine how well the compete the orders you give them.<br />
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You can also add images for houses, so you could, if the desire came over you, add your own house and those of your friends or neighbours in to the game to make it more interesting.<br />
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There is the ability to create your own items for use in the game and I am still tinkering with these to learn what I can do.<br />
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The game was made in Australia, so another reason I was happy to give it a go - I like to support Aussie companies when I can. <br />
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/TuPEu13L0IU/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TuPEu13L0IU?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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The game is normally $9.95USD, I purchased it on special for something like $2, and it is now back at the normal price.<br />
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If you are after an addictive game that is different to your average computer game I recommend taking a closer look at it, and if you are unsure, wait until it is on special again to pick it up cheaply.Shelldrakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10719790045474525633noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9171833993685873944.post-68767846983241684332015-03-27T12:01:00.003+11:002015-03-27T12:01:48.866+11:00To buy or not to buy, that is the questionI am in the process of placing an order for some 15mm figures from Khurasan, and I came across an interesting pack of figures that really beg the question: to by or not to buy.<br />
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It has even caused me to pause in my shopping to make this post.<br />
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Khurasan has some 15mm scale Zombie wolves. I like them, but the dilemma I have is <span style="color: orange;"><i>do non-human zombies have a part in our games</i></span>?<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://khurasanminiatures.tripod.com/myst202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://khurasanminiatures.tripod.com/myst202.jpg" height="231" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Khurasan's Zombie wolves (direct link from their web site)</td></tr>
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I can see them fitting in with the right background. For instance, rather than have what ever has caused the zombie plague to be able to cross infect species, a mad scientist created two viral strains - one that affects humans, and the other canines. <br />
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"Ambush Z" has rules for zombie dogs, but they don't really go in to much detail, so I would have to flesh out the idea to make it work (yes, pun intended).<br />
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Anyway, back to the original question - to buy or not to buy?<br />
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One pack is $4.99USD for six miniatures, so I would only really need one pack, and I could use them for fantasy games should the need arise.<br />
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I might get them and hold them in reserve in case my Aussies need messing with at a later date.<br />
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What do you think? Yay or nay?Shelldrakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10719790045474525633noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9171833993685873944.post-61164271172866394832015-02-09T16:05:00.000+11:002015-02-09T16:05:30.163+11:00John Ringo's Black Tide Rising zombie seriesHopefully my readers wont faint seeing another post so close to my last one.<br />
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I just finished listening to the first audio book called "Under A Graveyard Sky" by American author John Ringo, which is part one of four books in a series entitled "Black Tide Rising".<br />
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The book was different from most zombie books I have read/listened to, mainly due to the fact that what ever it is that turns humans in to zombies doesn't spread as fast as portrayed in virtually every film or book so far.<br />
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At least that is how it appears.<br />
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It does infect people quickly, but maybe people were a bit better prepared for an outbreak and able to take certain steps before things really escalated out of hand.<br />
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One reason I liked the book is that the main characters are Australian, which I found very interesting in a book by an American author. Normally we barely get a mention in any zombie apocalypse that goes down, let alone get to be characters in a book, even if those characters are living in the United States.<br />
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I don't want to give too much away to any prospective readers, but based on the first book I highly recommend the book/series to anyone interested in zombies... and lets face it, if you are reading this blog, the chances are that you do have an interest in zombies.<br />
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Those interested in learning more about the series can visit the author's web site here: <a href="http://www.johnringo.net/TheLibrary/BlackTideRising.aspx" target="_blank">click me</a><br />
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<br />Shelldrakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10719790045474525633noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9171833993685873944.post-40914382653345833772015-02-02T19:05:00.000+11:002015-02-02T19:05:12.161+11:0015mm in '15... probablyWhilst planning other modern day conflicts on my non-zombie blog I have been looking at the 15mm zombies sold by Rebel Minis and Khurasan Miniatures.<br />
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The more I look, the more I am tempted to get some.<br />
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Rebel Minis sell 22 zombies (with 11 poses) for $11.99US and would be a good way to get lots of zombies to kick it all off, and Khurasan sells 20 zombies (with 20 poses) for $15.99.<br />
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The Khurasan zombies are a bit more expensive for two less zombies, but they are very nice minis. <br />
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Khurasan also makes police and scientists, as well as survivors with improvised weapons, something that is a must if I am to set the game in Australia. Having tight gun laws Downunder means it is unlikely to have people running around with AK74s or M14s when the zombies apocalypse finally arrives.<br />
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Rebel Minis do make a lot of civilian types that would be useful for any game, as are the police figures.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/yhst-51356505839231_2272_134861967" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/yhst-51356505839231_2272_134861967" height="148" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rebel Minis zombies</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://khurasanminiatures.tripod.com/zomb1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://khurasanminiatures.tripod.com/zomb1.jpg" height="400" width="377" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Khurasan's 20 zombies, 20 poses</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://khurasanminiatures.tripod.com/mod-police-usa1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://khurasanminiatures.tripod.com/mod-police-usa1.jpg" height="224" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Khurasan police - I can almost get away with these as VicPol thanks to the new uniform</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://khurasanminiatures.tripod.com/zomb-thugs1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://khurasanminiatures.tripod.com/zomb-thugs1.jpg" height="160" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Khurasan survivors with improvised weapons</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/yhst-51356505839231_2272_111926253" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/yhst-51356505839231_2272_111926253" height="191" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rebel Minis civilians</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/yhst-51356505839231_2272_108012474" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/yhst-51356505839231_2272_108012474" height="207" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rebel Minis police - I quite like these too</td></tr>
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The reason behind using 15mm is to get maximum use of my Eureka 15mm modern Aussies - I should be able to use them for at least three different settings, if not four or five that I can think of without putting too much thought in to it.<br />
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As I would have the game set in Australia I would need the civilians to not have firearms, thus the comments made in this post.<br />
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But this is all in the planning stage, and I still intend to play some 28mm games a mentioned in my previous post.<br />
<br />Shelldrakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10719790045474525633noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9171833993685873944.post-50776549923267059752015-01-04T18:45:00.002+11:002015-01-04T18:45:23.389+11:00Will 2015 see more zombie post?...... I hope so.<br />
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I was rather slack on the Zombie war game front in 2014, but I hope to get my act together a bit better for 2015.<br />
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I still have a ton of zombies to paint up - I just need to make the time to do it, but with other projects on the go that might be a long process.<br />
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I have the 28mm Weird World War 2 setting to get off the ground, and as I have been playing 'No End In Sight' I wrote up some zombie rules for that game, and will most likely use 'NEiS' for the WWW2 games.<br />
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I am also very tempted to do 15mm zombie games too. I can get a shed load of zombies rather cheaply in 15mm, and I already have an Australian Army platoon painted up for use in the game, so I can 'double dip' as it were with the figures. <br />
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I am still not 100% sold on doing 15mm zombies as I am thinking of maybe doing an alien invasion for the Aussies instead.<br />
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Much thought and planning will be involved before I do though.Shelldrakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10719790045474525633noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9171833993685873944.post-44817157613594980012014-11-02T10:59:00.000+11:002014-11-02T10:59:11.287+11:00Zomtober 2014 Bonus weekYep, Zomtober 2014 has ended but, as I mentioned in my previous post, I wanted to go the extra week as the majority of last week was part of October.<br />
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Painting the 15mm zombies has been a lot easier than I thought it would be, and I am very tempted to play a zombie game set in Australia using my recent purchase of 15mm Modern Aussie soldiers.<br />
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Here is a sample of the Aussies:<br />
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I finished painting these this morning, and the photo was taken before the varnish went on. Once I have varnished them I will take another photo of them to post.<br />
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<br />Shelldrakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10719790045474525633noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9171833993685873944.post-60493950520162986182014-10-26T20:37:00.003+11:002014-10-26T20:37:42.828+11:00Zomtober 2014 Week 4Last night, at 11:18 pm, when I was settling down for the night, I thought to myself "Fbother! It is Saturday night, and I didn't finish my zombie!" And with that thought I went to sleep.<br />
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Although I was busy today I made the time to finish off another 15mm zombie for zomtober.<br />
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It is only one 15mm zombie, but at least I made the deadline in time! Yay for me!<br />
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No promises, but as there is a bit of October left, I might try for one more week of Zomtober for 2014 and post another one for the start of November.Shelldrakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10719790045474525633noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9171833993685873944.post-20716832577266528202014-10-19T09:01:00.000+11:002014-10-19T09:01:02.279+11:00Zomtober 2014 Week 3Yay! no excuses for why I didn't post on the right day this week.<br />
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This week I painted two, yes that is right, two 15mm zombies!<br />
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Again I haven't based these figures yet - the bases I have I am saving for my modern 15mm game until I know I have enough spare bases for the zombies.<br />
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Now to start on the zombies for the coming week. In between catching up on season 4 of "The Walking Dead" that is...Shelldrakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10719790045474525633noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9171833993685873944.post-85630436708499413732014-10-13T07:56:00.001+11:002014-10-13T07:56:33.479+11:00Zomtober 2014 - week 2Ok, technically I am a day late in posting this one, but I did finish it and take the photo on Sunday, so I did it by the deadline. That and others posted on Saturday, so I am using one of the extra days not used by one of those blogs :-P<br />
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The reason I was a bit late is that I had to take the Mrs to the airport, as she is taking a trip to Japan to visit her family. By the time I returned home Dr Who was just starting, and I clean forgot to post the image.<br />
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So... this week I painted a 15mm zombie from Khurasan. I have had this, and a few others in the lead pile for a while now and wanted to see how easy it was to paint.<br />
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The figure isn't glued to the foam card; it is only there to assist with photography, as my camera couldn't focus the figure without something a bit brighter in the area.<br />
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The flash as drowned out a bit of the colour on the figure, but you can make out the greenish tinge over the grey. <br />
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And, no, I am not abandoning my 28mm games - just experimenting and thinking of doing any new projects I have in 15mm.<br />
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Those who follow my non zombie blog will know that I am tinkering with a 15mm Modern game, and I wrote a set of rules for that game to cover zombies and sent it to the author. With any luck the these rules might appear as a Halloween release.Shelldrakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10719790045474525633noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9171833993685873944.post-14879250326493289862014-10-05T13:46:00.001+11:002014-10-05T13:46:43.989+11:00Zomtober 2014 - week 1It has been a very long time since I made a post in my Zombie war game blog, and it took Zomtober 2014 to actually do something zombie wise.<br />
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I just finished my first zombie for the month. I did a simple rush job on this one, as I only started it today (being the first Sunday in October 2014), but I was able to finish it easily enough. I am glad I keep records of what colours I paint things, as it meant I could just open the relevant page and paint away.<br />
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My camera is being a total dick, so the image is a bit blurry. But I made it for the first deadline!<br />
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It is, of course, a 28mm WW2 German zombie for the WWW2 game I have planned.<br />
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I just need to add some flock to the base and it is ready to use in a game.<br />
Shelldrakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10719790045474525633noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9171833993685873944.post-66134532632067571872014-03-15T07:35:00.000+11:002014-03-15T07:35:03.892+11:00WW2 Zombie game - not forgottenI was amazed to see it was November since I made my last post on this blog.<br />
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I haven't forgotten the WW2 project, and I am still working on a few things for it.<br />
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This post isn't much of an update, but more about a wish list.<br />
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I have noticed that Sarissa Precision have created a radar station kit, and this would be perfect for a bit of scenery, and as the objective for the commandos in the initial game played.<br />
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Come for the radar, stay for the zombies. <br />
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<br />Shelldrakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10719790045474525633noreply@blogger.com6