This blog focuses on my miniature gaming. It is mostly 28mm, lots of zombies and other post apocalypse, some odd 40k and maybe even something else when it suits my fancy.
I normally try and post scenery after I have finished it. I am going to try and publish more WIP posts this year, as an attempt to make me actually finish things...
This building is based on a toy parking garage I found at a second hand store. It is originally from Toys R Us (based on marking on the bottom). Rather than trying for a parking garage (it is made for Hot Wheels/Matchbox scale cars) I figure on it being a decent ruined office building or some such structure.
Toy as I found it
Some base coating, and a base
I mounted the building on a piece of hardboard I had that was a good size for this project. As I look at the building, the main beams have a worked steel look about them. I am planning on painting this as iff most of the floors have collapsed in some areas, leaving a skeleton for the ruin.
Some rubble added
Some texture on the base
These are still early in the building process. I want to add some stairs, as if the emergency staircase that was now exposed.
A bit like this
I gave everything a heavy black wash, and will need to go back over and add details and ddrybrush to pull out some textures.
Ruined Front
I want to add stairs back here
So it still needs a bunch of detail work, and as I said I want to add some stairs. I may add some shanties to the top level, and debris to all the floors. Overall I am just looking to have a ruined building to help fill the table. This won't be a great terrain piece, but should look okay for a ruined cityscape.
"Just up the block, past the Anderson place. We have a small picket fence out front, unless something has destroyed it." Allen was pointing up the road, towards his home. "I am sure Olivia will be happy to see everyone. It's not a big house, but we should be able to stay for a while." "It will be fine Allen." Mark replied. "Let's just get there first, then we can work out sleeping arrangements." The group jogged past several wrecked cars, and a burned out house. "Looks like there was some action here." Dawn said, absently checking her SMG. "Let's keep an eye out for more gang members." "Hopefully we can avoid the zombies." Larry added. "They don't seem too active, if we keep moving I bet we can sneak by them." "We're gettn' close!" Allen said, clearly happy to be almost home. "There aren't enough zombies to stop me now!"
The group is approaching Allen's family home. This is a special scenario, and has a few special rules. First, the situation at Allens house is unknown. Once he can draw line of sight, within 12", of the special PEF marker at his house, the situation will be revealed. Until that time, the 3 PEFs and the initial zombies will stay in place. If the team moves within 6" of a zombie, or attacks it in any way, it activates and stays active until killed. A group of 5 zombies will move 4" onto the board behind the survivors (basically blocking their immediate escape) but otherwise will act as the other zombies.
When Allen triggers the special PEF, I will roll a d6, with a chance of 'exploding' meaning if I roll a 6, I will roll again and add the results. This can continue indefinitely. From the previous missions, I have an 8 point bonus, which in this case is subtracted from the roll. The group has 2 luxury items that can be 'expended' for a 1 point bonus each (if I am close I'll use them for a better result).
The group enters the neighborhood, and proceeds to move towards Allens house. There is a small group of zombies I have to fight through to get to Allen's home. Hopefully they won't be a problem.
Allen takes off to start, and the whole group spreads out behind him. Allen stops short of charging the zeds, and shoots at them instead. He misses both shots (summoning 2 zombies). This does give the group a chance to catch up. The next turn, the group gets initiative, and they charge into melee, keeping Allen on his mission.
Allen misses
Allen Takes one down
Mark and Dawn move in and finish off the rest
Allen struggled with the zombie, grappling with the undead. A silver flash caught the sunlight, and Dawn's machete sliced the zombies head in half. "Thanks!" Allen said "The side gate is just ahead!" "We're almost there, just hold on Allen!" Mark yelled as everyone gathered in front of the ruined house. "We have to stick together."
Everyone back together
Allen takes off at the start of the next turn. The zombies will go after Team Mark. Allen gets to the side gate for his yard, and we find out what happened to his family.
Allen gets home.
Time to roll for what is going on. Allen has a -8 bonus to the roll, and I have 2 units of luxury items I can burn for another -2 if it will make a difference. The chart overall looks like this:
The roll comes through...
Allen ran to the side gate for his yard, just beyond the gate he could see Olivia. "Livia! I'm home baby, I'm home!" Tears ran down his cheeks, and he reached out to open the gate. "I was so afraid..." Allen's words choked in his throat. Olivia turned around, her lifeless eyes seeking out the noise. Beyond her, a small girl reached out, her pallid skin looking ugly in the sunlight. A low moan escaped from her ruined throat, answered by other zombies nearby.
Allen finds horror at home.
I rolled a 17. Even with the -8 bonus, it is still a 9, and Allen finds his family dead, and another 9 zombies (3d6 from the chart + 1/2d6 from the basic PEF that was there) just to add insult to injury, Allen passes 0d on a zed or no zed check, and will count as unarmed when charged next.
Mark saw Allen freeze, he knew the worst had happened. "Everyone, we're going to need to head back. Let's try for that car lot, get some wheels and get out of here." Mark directed. "I'll get Allen." Dawn looked at Allen and saw the horror in his slumped shoulder. "Get him Mark, let's go!"
Mark tries to get Mark to move
I move Mark up and try to use his leader die to help Allen with his recovery. Still passing 0d, Allen is going to be suffering if the zombies get to him. The rest of team takes the time to blast the nearby zeds, I hope to clear a path off the table, at least get it so everyone can survive. If I can get off the table where the team entered, the group will be able to get the car from the last scenario without problem.
Not the best shooting
The zombies move next. They sweep the picket fence out of their way with no problems. Mark and Allen are quickly surrounded, Mark is right next to Allen, but can't keep the zombies from getting to him.
Zombies swarm Allen and Mark
Mark swung violently all around, smashing the heads of the zombies as they charged at him and Allen. "Allen, you gotta fight back man!" Mark yelled "Don't give up!" Allen grappled with the withered husk that had been his wife. "No! No! No! No!" He kept saying, acting in a daze. His machete hung from his belt, forgotten. "Please God, no!" Allen wept, but managed to twist and turn with the zombie. He didn't pay attention to small girl moving closer...
Mark clears out some zeds
Allen fought well, he tied the first zombie (his wife) but lost to the second zed (his daughter). He passed 0d for his knocked down test, and was killed. Kelly passes 0d for her man down check, and is running away. everyone else manages to carry on.
Allen Falls.
The next turn starts with a PEF moving into the open.
PEF moves out to contact
Great, more zombies.
Kelly sprints off, not quite making the board edge. I plan on moving the group more or less that way, if I can get the space, they will loop back towards the entrance area, so I can get the car. Mark can't help Allen any more, so I have him charge to try and get to the exit area. There are plenty of zombies on the board, so no lack of targets.
The group watches Kelly run off
Mark leads the way
Moving forward the rest of the group kills the zombies that could chase down Kelly. I have them group up, just in case the zombies get too close.
Not the preferred exit path
Circle the wagons
Mark smashed the bat into the zombies head. He glanced over the ruined pickup truck and saw the rest of the group following Kelly. "Come this way! If she wants to run away, let her go!" Mark backed up to the truck, seeing a wave of undead coming from all over the neighborhood. "We have to get out of here!"
Zombies everywhere!
Mark holds out against the first wave to hit him. Meanwhile, the rest of the team is ready to move.
Mark fights the zeds
More zeds appear
Zombies win the initiative the next turn, and swarm all over Mark and the rest of the group. Kelly makes her escape off the side of the table, and into the streets of Minneapolis.
Is it a monster mash? (sorry that was pretty bad...)
Zombies have the right of way...
Zombies groaned, seeming eager to get at the living. They poured out of the ruined homes and stumbled through the dead lawns. Larry leveled the shotgun at the approaching mass of zombies. Waiting as long as he could, Larry fired a barrage from the large gun. Zombies disappeared, crashing to the ground. One staggered through the hail of lead and Larry wrestled with it's deathless grasp.
"I'm having trouble here!" Larry yelled as he narrowly avoided being knocked over. "Maybe a little help?"
Dawn kicked the zombie down in front of her. "When I have a chance. We need to move!"
Larry killed 2 of 3 zombies charging him, and ended up locked in combat with the third. Nadine shot and killed the zombie charging her. Dawn killed one zombie, and knocked the other down.
Effective shooting, now melee
Mark smashed and slashed among the zombies. The undead skulls cracked open, and Mark fought the horde, clearing a space near the ruined pickup truck. "Come this way! We can get through the street and get out of here!"
Mark is carving a path
Zombies spawned from the gunfire along the street that Kelly fled down. I saw an opening for the group and decided it was time to go for it.
I just thought it was a cool pic
Mark clubbed another pair of zombies, their putrid corpse crunching apart as he smashed them with his bat. "Move! We have an opening!" He yelled, waving the rest of the group forward. Dawn slashed at the downed zombie as she turned and ran. Bringing up her SMG, she sprayed bullets into two zeds near the pickup truck, bullets shattering their skulls. Nadine sprinted past, spotting more zombies lurking behind the house. "We have more company!" Nadine shouted. "They're everywhere!" "Don't panic! If we stick together we'll be fine!" Mark yelled, turning to face more zeds moving up. Larry ran next to Nadine, shotgun at the ready. "We're faster than those dead-heads, we just need to keep moving!" He said, breathless.
The group gets closer to escaping
Next a zombie wave crashed into the team, determined to keep them from escaping...
The horde closes in
Dawn saw the zombie stumbling across the street towards her. Firing quickly she shattered its head, tumbling it to the pavement. Nadine screamed behind her "They're getting closer!" Larry was calm. "We'll be able to run away, just hang on Nadine!" He watched Mark smashing zombies to the ground. "Just be ready to move." A swarm of zombies crashed into Mark, but he could see the way clearing ahead. "Just a few more and we run for it!" Mark's bat was slick with gore, and bodies littered the ground around him like fallen leaves. "We'll be fine..."
The street clears a bit
One last zombie
Kicking and swinging, Mark killed the zombies as they charged him. He could see Dawn shoot one that tried to get her as it crossed the street. Nadine looked almost panicked, frantically looking around. Larry met Mark's gaze, holding his shotgun as if it could ward off the undead. Mark saw shock cross Larry's face, and turned to face the last zombie in the street. Mark swung his bat in fast arc, but glanced off of the zombie's raised arm. Suddenly the zombie had grabbed Mark, it's foetid breath escaping its jaws as it snapped just in front of his face. Mark twisted, wrestling with the inhumanly strong creature. Mark heard a crunch and saw a spray of bright red hit the street in front of him. His strength went out of his arms, and he dropped his bat to the pavement as he slumped to the ground on his knees. Looking up, he saw the zombie's jaws working on a chunk of flesh and his shirt. Dawn screamed "NO!" Not believing what she was seeing "Mark, No!" Larry paled, looking on in shock. "I can't believe it..." "It's over! We're all gonna die!" Nadine shouted.
Mark's Luck runs out.
Mark lost his final round of melee against the zombie. The dice were bad that day, and Mark paid the price. Zero successes versus four. The zombie only needed two, he got an obvious dead result right off. Star powers don't work against zombies, and Mark slumps down, dead.
It was bound to happen, but it still made this a tough bat rep to write up, and still finish. Mark was a hero, so I gave him at least one small action - he throws his pack to Larry (he's going to need the supplies.)
Dawn passes 2d for the man down check, Larry passes 1d and both carry on (there is still barely more survivors up than down) but Nadine has had enough - she passes 0d and runs away.
The next turn the survivors win initiative, for what its worth.
Nadine runs away
Dawn takes matters in hand
Choking back tears, Dawn aimed and fired. The zombie's head blossomed in a spray of red and gray matter, and it dropped next to Mark. "Tell me you're okay!" She cried.
His vision was fading, Mark felt like he was on fire. He could see the blood pool in front of him, and agony on his left side. He shook his head slowly, loosing the straps of his pack. With what was left of his strength, he hurled the bag towards Larry. "Take it...you'll need it."
He looked at Dawn, vision blurring as his life ebbed out. "Stay alive. I know you can..."
Dawn's gun barked once, and Mark was gone.
Grabbing the pack, Larry ran alongside of Dawn. "I'm sorry. He seemed like a good man."
"He saved me. He saved a lot of us." Dawn wiped tears away. "Let's find that car and get the hell out of here."
Some survive
Dawn and Larry escape the neighborhood. I rolled and neither Nadine nor Kelly rejoin the group. For the moment, I use Dawn as the leader, she rolls 3 successes versus Larry's 1, and they stay together. If they continue...
Dawn glanced back up the street at the horde falling behind her. Mark was back there, slowing down the zombies for her one last time. "Goodbye." She whispered and wiped tears away, and concentrated on the road ahead. "We're going to need supplies, that hatchback should get us out of the city, I may know of a place to go..."
Mark's final location
When I started this, I said I would play this straight, and I did. Mark lost his melee, and was killed. This was a tough scenario to play - the dice were cold (Allen's roll was crazy bad) but even beyond that, it was just a bad day.
I am considering continuing the campaign with Dawn as my star. She certainly has earned it.
Agent Carr swung his sword in a deadly arc about him. The zombies trying to reach him suddenly found hands and arms cut off, or legs sliced out from under them. A single cough from the agent with him told of a shot to one of the charging creatures. Quickly, the tide turned in the agents favor.
Not surprisingly, the single agent fired and killed a charging zombie. Agent Carr killed one and knocked over two others in the ensuing melee. Maybe I made the agents a bit overpowered.
All in a days work
Mike swung his bag out, knocking the first zombie down. "Take that!" Mike cheered. The second zombie grabbed his bag, getting tangled up in the process. As Mike struggled with that zombie, he felt the last zombie grab him from behind. "No...NO!" he screamed as the zombies teeth sank into his neck and the world went dark.
I doubt anyone wanted to see Mike survive, but he did actually give a good account of himself. He beat one zombie, but didn't kill it, managed to get to a tie with another before ultimately loosing (and being killed) by the last zed. Treacherous git deserved it, but at least he could have taken one with him...
Mike has a chance!
No, no he doesn't.
A loud crash from flying cookware sounded in the restaurant, and Dawn pulled her machete from the head of the zombie she had just killed. "I'm okay! I see more coming though!" She yelled. Nadine struggled with the zombie attacking her, finally kicking its legs out, slamming it to the floor. "This one is still fighting!" She yelled.
Dawn won and killed the zombie she was fighting. Nadine only managed to knock hers down. Better than losing though.
One more down
Marcel and Leon fired wildly at the zombies as they charged. Leon felt one crash into him, then felt nothing at all. "No! Leon!" Marcel gutted a corpse with his knife, smacking another with butt of his pistol. Seeing his friend die had driven him to madness. Unfortunately he didn't see the zombie that clubbed him from behind, knocking him unconscious. As darkness slipped over him, Marcel could see the dead reaching out for him...
Facing long odds, the gangers couldn't quite pull it off. They managed to kill one zed during the charge, and even a couple more in melee. One ganger was killed outright from a zombie, while the other fell OOF, which surrounded by zombies is as good as dead.
And the gang is eliminated
The agents easily clean up the zombies near the Hummer, and all of them jump in, ready to take off next turn. I would have more pictures of this action, but there wasn't much to see...
The agents are ready to roll
"Kelly is down! Those bastards are just leaving her on the street!" Mark shouted. "Everyone out there, we'll grab Kelly and get out of here!" Mark burst through the doors and charged the zombies standing over Mike and Kelly.
Mark charges out
Everyone protects the downed members
Zombies are closing in from both sides, plus right on the other side of the building. The team faces a choice here: they could bug out, take the loss and move on, stay behind the building and kill the zeds as they came through and around, or pick a side and try and fight through (they still need to search 3 cars to succeed at this scenario).
No guts, No glory
Mark took quick stock of the situation. "If we wait here, they'll be all over us. Let's go for the right side. Dawn, you and I will hold them in the alleyway. Nadine and Larry, carry those two and no shooting unless you have to." Everyone looked nervous, but ready.
"I'm ready." Dawn said "Let's go!"
Can't move too far
It may be cheating, but I know if I hang back, I can face the zombies in limited numbers. I figure Dawn and Mark can hold off quite a few of the zombies in hand to hand. If they get into trouble, or the numbers look too overwhelming, Larry is close with his shotgun and Nadine can grab Kelly's shotgun if needed. I want as little shooting as possible - there's enough zombies already!
Here they come!
Dawn's machete cut a gory swath through the zombie in front of her, it's lifeless corpse pitching backwards into the street. Looking just past the crumpled body, Dawn could see more zombies shambling towards her. "They're still coming!" She yelled.
Mark kicked the legs out from one zombie while smashing his bat into the head of another. "Keep chopping them down, once we find a gap, we'll make a break for it!"
Just like chopping wood
So I have Mark and Dawn bottling up the zombies pretty well, meanwhile the gangers are helping out on the right flank. It's kind of a final sort of help...
Zombies feast
The gangers being eaten are helping hold off the zombies on the right side. They will be tied up for 5 turns, hopefully long enough for the group to slip away. The next wave of zombies crash into Dawn and Mark. I may have miscalculated a touch - the zombies get around Mark, and one crawls onto the dumpster in front of Larry.
Maybe not a great plan
Time to move
The horde is still closing in, I reverse my plan, and have the two OOF members moved back to the front of the store. The zombies are getting close, and are going to be able to get past Mark and Dawn I fear. I reposition Mark and Dawn, with Mark managing to kill another 2 zombies.
Fun fact - the zombie cheerleader is seemingly invincible, as neither Dawn nor mark can kill it while it is lying on the ground. Damn you dice!
Move back!
Dawn stomped her left foot down on the zombie's ribcage, hearing a crackling sound as she shattered bones. Jammed on her foot, the squirming zombie clawed at her legs, its undead energy desperate to grab her and bite. "Enough!" She yelled and sliced through the head of former cheerleader.
Mark gave a laughing cheer. "Finally! I couldn't kill that one!" Gesturing at the remaining zombies stumbling towards them he continued "Just a few more. Go ahead shoot a couple if you can!" Dawn nodded, pulling out a large caliber pistol. "About damn time!" She shifted he machete to her left hand, readying for the inevitable charge of the zombies.
Dawn accomplishes the impossible!
The survivors win initiative, and Dawn finally kills the annoying cheerleader zombie. Rather than moving forward, I just reposition slightly, I figure this should keep the zeds from getting past. Dawn is going to take a couple of shots when charged this turn. There aren't too many zombies left, and I figure a couple more at this point will be no big deal.
Zombies surge forward
Zombies crashed into Mark and Dawn. Dawn fired as they approached, watching two of them tumble to the ground and stop moving. A third zombie slammed into her as she swung wildly with her machete. Loosing her balance, Dawn fell to the ground, seeing stars as she hit her head on the pavement. "Dawn, watch out!" Mark yelled, laying about him with his bat. Zombies fell all around as Mark fought to get to Dawn.
Dawn caps two zeds
Dawn is down!
Dawn got amazingly lucky. First she managed to kill two zombies in reaction to their charge. Then she looses melee, but is only knocked down, and being protected, manages to carry on. Good thing she eliminated two of the zombies before the disastrous melee.
The next turn, only one zombie appeared from Dawn's two gunshots. It appeared out near the entrance to car lot. The survivors win initiative, and get a free turn (the zombies don't activate) Mark finishes off the two prone zombies. Dawn gets up, and just knocks down her zombie. The team has managed to chew its way through the horde. Now just a run through the car lot and they can still manage a successful scenario.
Free turn!
Dawn gets ready for round 2
Team Mark wins initiative and Mark charges the newest zombie. Dawn finishes off her opponent, and everyone moves up. The group of zombies continues to feast the next block over, and I decide to leave them alone.
Time to go through the car lot.
The rest of the scenario is pretty boring. The team moves through the parked cars, searching them, but finding nothing. Thanks to a random event, the yellow hatchback turns out to have it's keys in the ignition. The team will have to remember that for the future...
Moving into the car lot
Searching the last car
Regrouping in the park
Allen sputtered back to consciousness. "What...what happened?" "You got shot man. Luckily this vest you have stopped the worst of it." Mark said. "We got them, and I think we're close to your house now." Mark offered a bottle of water to Allen. "Thanks." Allen took a deep drink of water. "Is everyone okay?" Allen was looking a Dawn, who was rubbing her right arm. "I'd hate to get someone killed so close to home." "I'm fine." Said Dawn as she cleaned up her arm and checked her right ankle. "Just a bruise." "I can't believe Mike tried to go back to the company." Kelly added as she massaged her side where she had been tasered. "I should have known he was up to something, he was always complaining, and then he was so quiet as we approached that Arby's." "Forget it." Nadine scoffed. "He was a weasel, and we're here and he's not." "Well, where to next? Larry asked.
Both Allen and Kelly recover after the battle. Dawn passes a Harry are you okay? check (which I didn't need to do, but in the end it didn't matter), Nadine still doesn't get a rep advance, but both her and Larry move to survivor status (having killed gangers as well as zombies) leaving just Kelly a civilian.
Next I roll the keep it together check. The mission was a failure for Allen and Kelly (they went OOF) but it was a successful mission for everyone else. Larry doesn't have to check from the previous mission.
Mark rolls 5 dice and gets 4 successes. Dawn and Kelly get 2 successes on 4 dice, and Nadine gets 1 success on 3 dice. At least those 3 won't have to check after the next mission. Allen rolls 6 dice (modified per my house rules) and gets 5 successes. The next mission is heading for his house, or he leaves...
"Enough screwing around. My home is just a few blocks away. I'm not stopping anywhere else until I go home." Allen said firmly, standing up and checking his weapons. "You're all welcome to come along." "We're all with you." Mark replied. "Let's get you home."
