JUGGERNAUT (OUTPOST 0.5)

No not the comic character, but a novel by Adam Baker. His second book in the Outpost trilogy. It's a prequel to Outpost, but all of them can be read as stand alones. Now I really liked Outpost and was curious how this was going to work, but it's all fine as the novels don't share any characters (except for the zombies), they are just set in the same world and timeline. It's been a while since my last book review, justing proving I can still read, so hopefully I can remember what to do.

Ok let's give you the blurb.

THEY SEARCHED FOR GOLD. THEY FOUND DEATH. IRAQ 2005.

Seven mercenaries journey deep into the desert in search of Saddam's gold. They form an unlikely crew of battle-scarred privateers, killers and thieves, veterans of a dozen war zones, each of them anxious to make one last score before their luck runs out.

They will soon find themselves marooned among ancient ruins, caught in a desperate battle for their lives, confronted by greed, betrayal and an army that won't stay dead......

Well where shall I start? Good pacing to start then when the action kicks off it just gathers momentum, forcing me to turn pages at breakneck speed. You can see that the author has written screenplays, this would translate to the screen very well.
Good strong female leads, quite a plausible plot, several examples of treachery and a really nice bad guy. All that and zombies.Plenty of "infected" action.

This novel takes you to the source of the outbreak first documented in Outpost, it's not your usual source, some people may disagree but I found this to be a fresh and likeable twist.

The third novel in this series is called Terminus, I cannot wait to get my hands on it, which should say something about how much I enjoyed this one.
If you want a good action packed zombie novel with a new and different slant on the usual, then look no further. I would not hesitate to recommend it to any of my viewers. Out of ten, this gets an 8.5 well worth your time and money. Can't comment on the price as I borrowed it off a mate.

Until the next time dudes and dudettes, listen to the DUDE and "take it easy".

ZOMBICIDE SEASON 1 BATCH 5 ANOTHER WELCOME

Before we continue with todays post I must give a warm BZA  welcome to Mathyoo, my latest follower. Hope you enjoy the journey as much as I do. This takes my follower count into double figures. WHOOP! WHOOP! Mathyoo runs the 28 millimeters later blog, check it out, it's well worth the visit.

My daughter and I played a bit of a Zombicide marathon yesterday, four back to back games. She said that she preferred it to Zombies!!! by Twilight Creations because of the teamwork element, the figures were better and it was more fun. Looks like this could become a regular thing.

OH SHIT! I FORGOT THE BLOOD ON THE RUNNER.

THE USUAL REAR VIEW.

BOLLOCKS! IT'S HAPPENED AGAIN, I CAN'T SEEM TO WRITE ANYTHING AFTER THE PICTURES EXCEPT IN CAPTION MODE. THIS IS DOING MY HEAD IN. MY APOLOGIES BUT I WILL HAVE TO MUDDLE THROUGH.

ON WITH THE INTRODUCTIONS. AS USUAL FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: FIRST ZOMBIE UP TODAY IS IOLO, BIT OF A FITNESS ENTHUSIAST WAS IOLO. THEY STILL GOT HIM THOUGH. AN EXAMPLE OF A RUNNER. NEXT ALONG IS BANK CLERK ARWEN, LOST HER DIGNITY AS WELL AS HER BONUS. SHE'S A WALKER. FOLLOWING HER IS BIG EMYR A FATTY AND EX-PLUMBER. LAST UP IS FASHION STORE MANAGER DEWI, ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A WALKER. THE ONLY THING I WANT TO ADD IS THE SKIN COLOUR THIS TIME IS OLD GW ELF FLESH, WASHED WITH LEVIATHAN PURPLE WASH (OLD GW) THEN OVERBRUSHED WITH ELF FLESH AGAIN. THEN THE WHOLE FIGURE IS GIVEN A FINAL WASH OF DEVLAN MUD AFTER THE CLOTHES ARE PAINTED.

THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT THIS TIME DUDES AND DUDETTES.
REMEMBER WHAT THE DUDE SAYS AND "TAKE IT EASY".

HALF A TRAY! HALF A TRAY! ONWARD INTO THE VALLEY OF UNDEAD!

Only half a tray down, and I thought the vixens were endless! I'm trying to diversify by giving each line a different skin colour and different coloured clothes, but it's getting a bit same-y anyway. Still just ploughing on with them.
Mind you, by the time I've finished them my horde will have almost doubled in size. Which is not a bad thing.

Let's crack on shall we? Time for the latest rogues to join the gallery.

I NEVER NOTICED ALL THIS BLOODY LITTER BEFORE.

MUCH BETTER SHOT OF THE THONG THIS TIME.

As usual from Left to Right. To start us off this time we have cigarette sales rep Dona showing her ass. Walker. Next in line is fitness enthusiast Delwyn, even though he followed Rule No. 1 they still got him. Runner. Following him is our second female on this occasion, doctor's receptionist Iona, in an even worse state of undress than Dona. Another Walker. Last but not least is semi-professional footballer Rhys. Another Runner.

Other zombie related goodness this week came in the form of a movie. VHS 2, it and it's predecessor are anthology horror movies. It features a series of found footage shorts. The zombie segment "A Ride in the Park" directed by Eduardo Sanchez and Gregg Hale, is real good. Let's just say, the attack on the kid's birthday party is priceless. The rest of the movie is good too, especially "Safe Haven", about a cult, directed by Gareth Evans (he directed The Raid) a fellow Welshman.

Right then, I gotta get back to painting. So until the next time dudes and dudettes heed the DUDE and "take it easy".

ZOMBICIDE SEASON 1 BATCH 3. BIG THANKS. ANOTHER WELCOME.

Before when stumble on, I would like to thank all of you. It has been brought to my attention that BZA has clocked up over three thousand page views. I think this zblog(remember I made that up) would have died off if it

weren't for you guys out there. Once again thank you one and all.

Those of you who comment deserve a special THANKS, as they really inspire me to do things that I'd normally be too lazy to get around to. But seriously, thanks for making me welcome.
On another point altogether, I've just joined Board of the Living Dead, a zombie wargaming forum. Still looking around it but what I've seen so far is really cool, and they too are a friendly bunch.

Doh! Nearly forgot. A big BZA WELCOME to Robert Audin my latest Google+ follower, he runs the Fiends in Waistcoats blog. Check it out, it's very nice.

Right, enough drivel from me, on with the identity parade. This is my first attempt at racial diversity ever, so be gentle with me.

FOUR MORE SHUFFLE IN TO JOIN THE HORDE.

USUAL BACK SHOT. DOH! NOW I SEE THE TOUCH UPS I MISSED.

From Left to Right: Tonight's first contestant is Aidan, walker zombie in a vest. Next all suited up is Dylan, with his nametag he could be a politician.(BOO! HISS!) Another walker. Moving along to the big fella in prison garb, names Hefin. A Fatty. Finally we have mobile phone salesman Arwel. Yet another walker
Like I said first go at non-caucasion flesh colour. I used old GW Dark Flesh as a basecoat, a light overbrush of old GW Terracotta mixed 50/50 with old GW Fortress Grey and final wash with old GW Devlan Mud.

In other news, caught a movie the other night called Frankenstein's Army, a found footage horror. It takes place toward the end of World War 2, Russian soldiers pushing into eastern Germany stumble across a secret Nazi lab. One that has unearthed and began experimenting with the journal of one Dr. Viktor Frankenstein. The scientists have used the legendary Frankenstein's work to assemble an army of super-soldiers, stitched together from the body parts of their fallen comrades. A desperate Hitler's last ghastly ploy to escape defeat?
This is an intersting twist on the old Nazi zombie mythos.
Well worth a look, I've seen a lot worse.

I gotta get back to it, these zombies won't paint themselves.
Until next time dudes and dudettes do what the DUDE does and "take it easy".

WEDNESDAY NIGHT IRREGULARS. YET ANOTHER WELCOME.

A little change of pace, instead of four painted zombies, thought I'd post about our little band of hobbynauts. Flavour of the moment is still Zombicide, which is great because I love this game. I'm half a tray of zombies into painting Season 1. The only trouble is that it has diverted my ATZ journey somewhat. Oh well.

Sheldon, our resident analist, got a load of missions online, the first 20 off the guillotine website I think. Had them bound by an e-doc company, BAM instant mission book. Gotta love them analist tendencies.

So out of this mission book, tonight we played mission number 12.
C12 AXES & ALLEYS. A mission by Lucas McDaniel.

"We are getting ready to leave the city, but we are making one last sweep through the neighbourhood looking for any supplies we can bring with us. There are lots of infected here....... I worry about stumbling upon a nest. We have to be careful."

OBJECTIVES.
Take all objective tokens. 5
Food Stocking. Find at least 1 Canned Food, 1 Bag of Rice and 1 Water cards.
Leave Town. Reach the Exit Zone.

SPECIAL RULES.
You've found the nest. One of the five objective tokens is blue, face down, so no one knows which one it is. When the blue token is revealed it's replaced with the blue spawn zone and immediately spawns. THIS IS NOT GOOD!

All five of the irregulars were in attendance.
Before I forget a big BZA WELCOME to Dave VanDam my latest follower, who runs the Round Dave's blog spot. Check out his blog it's very good.

TIME FOR SOME PICTURES!

MID GAME SHOT. WE ARE TRYING TO LURE ABOMINATION INTO A BUILDING

LURING ABOMINATION AWAY FROM THE POLICE CAR

THE TOLLMAN (LEFT) AND MORPH INTENT ON ZOMBIE SLAYING

SHELDON OUR RESIDENT ANALIST CONTEMPLATES HIS NEXT MOVE

HODGINTON-SMYTHE ARSING ABOUT AS USUAL

THAT'S ME THAT IS

WE FOUND THE NEST (BLUE SPAWN ZONE) AND THE BOARD FILLS QUICKLY

ENDGAME.JUST GOT TO GET TO THE EXIT

FACING DOWN THE ABOMINATION

We managed to complete the mission, in 3 hours including smoke breaks, losing THE TOLLMAN'S character early on but we resurrected him as a Zombivor. Everybody took a wound during the game, but 3 of us hit red level (43 kills). We found all the food stores and only lost Sheldon's character right at the end when he sacrificed himself so we could all get out. HERO.

Well I hope you all enjoyed this brief distraction as much as we did playing it.
That's all I got for this time dudes and dudettes, so in the words of the DUDE "take it easy".

ZOMBICIDE SEASON 1 BATCH 2. 1ST LINE COMPLETE. ANOTHER WELCOME

A LITTLE MORE VARIETY IN THIS BUNCH.

USUAL BACK SHOT. CHECK OUT THE GIRL IN PINK. NICE THONG.

THIS IS MUCH MORE LIKE A ZOMBIE ME.

Alright then, what will be today's subject of waffle? The weather, it has been nice but no. I have to admit that I'm missing TWD already, so I'm watching the season 1 blu-ray to ease my angst. The real question I'd like to pose is what do you consider the proper zombie skin colour? The reason I'm asking? Well there's 65 zombies in Zombicide season 1, and I'm not going to paint them all the same so I thought I'd throw the question out there and see what the response was. You're answers would be appreciated, as they may affect my painting over the next couple of months, then again maybe not.

Before we get to the introductions has anyone seen the Zpocalypse horde in a box plastic zombies? What's the opinion, has anyone reviewed them yet?

Enough nonsense Bob, get to the intro's. OK. OK. From Left to Right: Opening the line-up today is Carys, she's a cheeky girl. The first of the two female sculpts to come with season 1. Next up is a much better likeness of a zombie me. Tidy! So obviously he's called Bob. This is an example of a "Fatty", a tougher version of a walker. Following me is another sexy zombie(Wait! Did I just say sexy zombie. I may need help.) This is the second of the female sculpts.  Her name is Elin, at least her knickers look clean-ish. Finally we come to the last of todays zombies, the second "Runner" sculpt from season 1, know as Gwyn.

Must make sure to give Fred Jackson a BZA welcome isn't it. He runs the Lead Reckoning blog, check it out it's cool stuff. So Fred a big WELCOME to you. Hope you enjoy the ride, buckle up it's going to take a while.

Also a shout out to Adam Pulman, Fred Jackson, Paul Smith, Nicolas Boulain and Jose Daniel M.L. new Google+ followers.

That's it dudes and dudettes, until the next time listen to the DUDE and "take it easy".

ZOMBICIDE SEASON 1. BATCH 1.AND A WARM WELCOME.

THE FIRST OF MY ZOMBICIDE FIGURES.

YES I'M STILL PAINTING THE BACKS OF THEM.

Oh bugger. Something's happened and I can't post after my last picture again, except by using the caption function so I will try and muddle through. Right a few things to sort out before the usual nonsense. Namely a very warm welcome to 2 new followers. First to be welcomed is Michael Awdry, if you haven't checked out his blog 28mm victorian warfare then you really should, he's even dabbled in zombies. Second on to the welcome wagon is Paul Smith who runs the End Transmission's gaming stuff blog, another blog that is well worth checking out. Thank's guys and welcome, strap in and enjoy the journey. It might not be very bumpy but I'm sure it's going to take awhile.                                                

OK then, let's crack on shall we? These are the first of my season 1 Zombicide zombies. Now considering these are not gaming miniatures but board game pieces, then they are bloody good gaming miniatures. Nice sculpts, Ok not the fingers, and only 8 poses(did I say these were board game pieces). I really didn't notice how nice these were until I started painting them. The little details pop out on you as the basecoats are applied. I'm proud to have them in my horde, that's even before you play the game which is with out a doubt one of the best board games I have ever played. Stop getting sidetracked.

From Left to Right we have first an example of a runner (a fast zombie) this is one of two sculpts that come with Season 1, and my favourite of the two. He's called Alun. Next in line is a casually dressed zombie, the first of three male walker sculpts in this first season, he goes by the name of Berwyn. Following along is a shirt and tie clad zombie,  the second of the three male walker types, his name is Carwyn. Finally in today's line up we have Deiniol, the smartest dressed in a suit and tie, the last of the three male walker types. I'm not really sure how to finish the bases yet, I think I'd like to try some of the various newspapers and police tape detail downloads I've seen, but for now I just painted them.    

Well thats all I got for now, except a big pile of unpainted Zombicide figures to get back to, so until next time heed the words of the DUDE and "take it easy".

                                                                                                 
                                                                     

MY APOLOGIES

Sorry for missing my weekend post. Events conspired against me to cut my time for hobby to nil. Ferrying the young prince and his beloved to and from a wedding twice. Unexpected visits from barely remembered ex-WNI members, and current members trying to rope me into International Board Game Day, I need a little bit more than 5 minutes notice.
Oh almost forgot, the monthly relative visit, add a splash of enforced D.I.Y. and the entire weekend's fucked.
Normal service will be resumed Wednesday.

Until next time listen to the DUDE and take it easy.

WOT NO ZOMBIES?

DR. CARADOG POSES WITH A SLIGHTLY USED VW BEETLE.

WOULD YOU BUY A USED CAR FROM THIS MAN?

A quick post to show my first two pieces of scenery/vehicles. Picked these up from a friend's youngling, best bit is they were free. WHOOP.WHOOP.
 They are in their "raw" state and I'm sure they will have something done to them before you see them again.

Well what did everyone make of TWD Season 4 Finale? Now we gotta wait 6 months on a cliffhanger!

As it's Wednesday it'll soon be time for the WNI(Wednesday Night Irregulars) to roll in and team up to slaughter zombies.

I've got to get back to my Zombicide figures, still got loads left to do!

Until next time listen to the DUDE, and "take it easy".