ZOMBTOBER 2015 WEEK #1. LATE AS USUAL!

What's occurrin' then?

These last few months I've really been struggling for motivation. To try and remedy this I've spent the last week watching all five series of The Walking Dead in preparation for the upcoming sixth season. It seems to have worked, I've actually picked up a paintbrush and started to flick paint onto mini's again. Look, I know they're late, but I got a really good excuse. Honest!

Even with all the excitement of Zombtober, we must not forget our usual cultural enrichment.  I hope your all enjoying the experience as much as I am. Another amazing piece of Bryan Baugh's work again this time. This fine work is called Blasted Zombie. Enjoy!

The Rugby World Cup is simmering nicely, we beat Fiji on Thursday, leaving us three wins from three games. Can't fault the boys at the moment. I must offer my commiserations to any England fans reading. I'll leave it at that!

Right then, about this good excuse. Well, my dog ate it! No honest! I've got a picture and everything. I'm sure your all thinking this is just a bad joke, where's the punchline. Sorry, but it's the truth. I'll direct your attention to the picture below, see evidence.

In the above photograph you'll notice that it wasn't the only casualty of my delinquent puppies mad rampage. Firstly we have my first week's entry, studiously and very carefully painted on Saturday. It was not in this condition when I went to bed Saturday night to dream of a Zombtober entry on time for once. Look back, you'll see what I mean! Even more disturbing is the pile of pieces next to it. This was formerly Mitch, a Zombicide survivor, came in a box of four figures, him, Uncle Honk and their zombivor's. My son bought me that!
Ffs! That's not including the bases and fences.

I remained surprisingly calm, given the situation that I awoke to Sunday morning. I swore for the rest of the morning, but only loudly for about two minutes, trust me, that's a result. She is only eight months old after all.

What was I to do? Luckily, I had been painting three figures, well I say painting, I'd basecoated three figures. You've already seen two of them.So instead of a nice relaxing Sunday just putting the final touches to the figure I'd painted the day before, posting it, then reading everybody's blog, who had entered this years event with a nice cup of coffee. It was spent madly painting the fellow below.

CLEETUS! I REALLY MUST START PAINTING EYES.

CLEETUS'S ASS!

He was painted yesterday but it was late and my official photographer was getting her beauty sleep. Nothing is worth rousing her mid-slumber, so I had to wait until  today.

I said he, how rude of me! His name is Cleetus, he's got that slack jawed mouth breather thing going on, he could be a survivor or a gang member. For now he's on his own, so he's a survivor!

Let's hope there's less drama next week.

Before I forget, it's time to drag the welcome wagon back out of storage to welcome my latest follower. So give a a big BZA welcome to da Grobbo Groto. WELCOME DA GROBBO GROTO. Strap yourself in this is becoming quite a long journey.

Well, I guess that's all I got for this time dudes and dudettes. So until next time, I urge you to be more like the DUDE and "take it easy".

A W.I.P. POST

What's occurrin' then?

What's this weather all about then? The humidity is killing me, I haven't left the fan's area of effect for several days at a time. Sleep? Your having a laugh! Way too hot and sticky at night to sleep.
Due to the sleep/weather situation my weeks productivity is way down, that's even comparing it to the last couple of months' pitiful output.

Enough moaning and on with the mission. You know, the culture thing. Once again another offering from the insanely talented Bryan Baugh. This one is called Ribcage Guts. Enjoy!

My enthusiasm as well as my productivity is at a real low point at the moment. I really can't be arsed to pick up a brush, or stick anything together, or even print out more buildings. So I haven't got much to show you all except these W.I.P. photo's. Better than nothing, eh!?!

STREET WALKING TOXIC WALKERS.

Proving to be a real slog are the Toxic zombies, I don't know why, I was really enjoying painting them at the start. I seem to get this feeling every year, just after my birthday. It must be a reaction to getting old.

The ladies below have been in this condition for months, the last of my Zombicide season 1 to finish off, yet I can't seem to get them completed. The DUDE will make an appearance shortly as well, although I seem to be hitting a wall with him too. Mitch is going to be painted by my son, allegedly. He's got undercoat at least.

MORE WIP ZOMBICIDE HEROES.

What about ATZ? I'm still slowly getting stuff together for that. Having a stab at making some P.E.F. (Potential Enemy Force) markers, using these old Heroquest skeletons. Grim reaper and all that!

From left to right is my painting progression. Using the Army Painter Zombicide paints. First one is painted Boney Spikes. Next one is overbrushed Zombie Skin. Third one is drybrushed Brainmatter Beige. Finally washed with Zombie Shade and typically I broke the blade off the scythe just as it was finished!

SOME P.E.F. MARKERS UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

Using some of my birthday money, I managed to recruit two more members for the Crow Valley Sheriff's Department. These are both by Reaper, from the Chronoscope line. On the right is Sheriff Joe Don Mitchel and to the left is Deputy Wayne Tisdale. Their names not mine.

These are my first ever Reaper miniatures, I must say I'm quite impressed. Although the bases they came with were not my bag. At £4.50 each they are not the cheapest mini's on the market, but they are very good quality and no where near as expensive GW single metal mini's.

They'll be painted up in the same colours as Shane and the gang, finishing off my small town's local police force. Now I just need to find them some budget transport.

CROW VALLEY SHERIFF'S DEPT LATEST RECRUITS.

Let's hope I can get another post in before the end of the month. Maybe even finish that bloody shed, don't hold your breath though.

Well I guess that's all I got for this time dudes and dudettes. So until next time, you should all try and follow the DUDE'S example and "take it easy".

I'M BACK. MORE NEW STUFF AT THE BUNKER.

What's occurrin' then?

Well, April turned into an unmitigated disaster hobbywise, no that should be painting production wise. I think my mojo's broken, I just can't seem to sit down and paint anything. Having my son home for an extra week of Easter seems to have disturbed something in the force. That and I've been feeling really down. Although gaming wise the new Zombicide has had a serious workout, I must say that I'm really impressed with the new tweaks. The skinner zombies and new spawning rules make things a little more entertaining and less certain. Making everything more replayable.

So, let's try and act like I've never been away, to continue with my relentless attempt to bring some culture into the world of zombies. Once again I present you with another amazing example by Bryan Baugh. This one is called We Caught One! Enjoy!

I'm pretty sure this one is called We Caught One!

Before charging off into the rest of the post, I must first go to the storage shed and wheel out the welcome wagon. It needs a little dusting off and a couple of squeaks oiled. So the welcome wagon is out for my latest couple of followers, first can we have a big BZA welcome for Ken Reilly. WELCOME KEN! Ken runs the Yarkshire Gamer blog, go check it out, everything from musketry to X-wing. No zombies though.
The second BZA welcome goes out to Carvin' Joe. WELCOME JOE! Can't find a blog for you Joe, if or when you have one let me know.

April turned into a painting wasteland. Motivation was at an all time low, the mojo tank was drained. Even amongst such desolation, there was a silver lining to some very dark clouds. My son, in an effort to cheer me up, did something that left me stunned. He bought me some Zombicide stuff. I say "some" stuff, he bought me loads.

Firstly, he woke me up on Friday morning, telling me that I had some mail. It was Toxic City Mall, the season 1 expansion for Zombicide. I thanked him profusely, much hugging ensued.

FRIDAY'S SUPRISE. TCM.

I thought, WOW, what a great kid. Trying to cheer up his miserable old man. Little did I know just how great a kid he was being. So Friday was spent oohhing and aarrhhing over TCM.

Saturday morning, same routine. This time it was Zombicide season 2:Prison Outbreak. I was speechless, I told him to stop spending his money on me. More hugging and a few tears shed this time.

SATURDAY'S SUPRISE!

As I was still going through the Prison Outbreak box, marvelling at all the plastic goodness, there was a knock at the door. My son ran to answer it, very unusual behaviour, returning with a beaming grin and another box.

In that box was Uncle Honk and Mitch. Again struck dumb by such generosity, I hugged him fiercely and more tears were shed. I asked him why he had done it, he said he just wanted to cheer me up. What could I say? Well thanks for one. See, I told you he was a great kid.

TWO MORE SURVIVORS TO TAKE BACK THE STREETS.

As I mentioned at the top of the post, I think my mojo's broken. I just can't seem to sit and paint, the following W.I.P. pictures have taken me weeks to get to this far.

And I now have a plastic mountain to climb. To that end, I'm going to challenge myself to paint all my Zombicide figures by years end, I just hope it's do-able. Does anyone know if you can buy bottled or canned mojo?

ZOMBICIDE SEASON 3 WIP.

I hate posting WIP pictures, but it was that or nothing. Still better than nothing eh?!? It's why I haven't posted, I've had nothing to post.

A FEW SURVIVORS AND A COUPLE MORE SEASON 3 ZOMBIES.

It's great to have all these new figures and games, now this may seem churlish, but it's kind of delaying my ATZ journey. I know that nearly all these mini's will be pulling double duty and appearing in my ATZ games, so maybe it's not going off on too much of a tangent, but it feels like I'm not making any progress on the original plan. Anyway, enough whining, I'll just have to "nut up or shut up".

Don't forget Star Wars day tomorrow. May the 4th and all that..................

I guess that's all I got for this time dudes and dudettes. So, until next time try and follow in the footsteps of the DUDE and "take it easy".