Sunday 2 October 2016

Zomtober 2016, Week 1

Introduction

It's the first Sunday of the 10th month in the year, which means that it's Zomtober!  I've not seen much evidence that anyone else plans to mark this, but I've been presenting articles for the past 3 years (2013, 2014 and 2015); I don't intend to break the pattern now.  So, here is another duel; a pairing of a zombie and a survivor, both recently finished models.  Who will win this one?

Zomtober 2016, Week 1


For the humans, today's contender is "Postie".  He's a teenager or young adult, wearing a leather jacket and crash helmet.  I'd give him points for the level of protection provided by such clothing, though the helmet might reduce his hearing and peripheral vision a bit.  However, his choice of weapon (an unused fence post) is probably sub-optimal and his posture suggests that he's a bit hesitant and afraid.



Facing him is "Mantic Plague Zombie".  I had wanted some zombies in army uniform for a while.  Earlier this year, I saw a box of Mantic's sci-fi infected troopers on sale (for a rock-bottom, bargain price) and I just couldn't resist.

MPZ has full battledress, including helmet and body armour - apart from any boots.  He is (was?) also a large man and therefore looks capable of overpowering Postie quite easily.  However, the zombie seems to be putting most of his effort into thrashing about and roaring, though whether this is an attempt to intimidate his victim or is a reaction to his own pain and anguish isn't entirely clear.



The human figure is from Offensive Miniatures; he's one of their "street kids".  I've mounted the figure on a resin base from Escenorama (I still have many of their bases remaining, even though it's 2 years since I first obtained them: here).

Annoyingly, the paint on the base has "silvered".  In my haste to prepare the figure for today, I haven't let the wash dry completely before varnishing it.  I'll have to re-paint the base.

As mentioned before, the zombie is a model from Mantic Games.  These are hard plastic figures in a variety of contorted, agonised poses.  Most wear uniforms and have body armour, but quite a few are bursting out of their clothing ("hulk-ing") and have spiny bits growing from their flesh.  That's all very well for a science fiction plague, but doesn't really fit in with my world of zombies, so I've removed the spikey bits wherever possible.

Conclusion

If this was a typical, urban zombie then it's possible that Postie might be able to impale the creature and keep it at a distance with his stake while he works out what to do next.  However, I cannot see this working against a large, raging monster that is wearing body armour.

Keep the stakes for vampires, Postie!  Run away, as fast as you can.  If your motorbike is handy then use it instead; that would be even better...

Week 2 is here ==>

24 comments:

  1. Great start for Zomtober 2016, Hugh. Awesome work and, as usual, plenty of story behind the duo's confrontation.

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    1. Well, I don't think that either of them are the best models I've ever finished, but thanks anyway :-) .

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  2. I remember your zombtober duels from last year. And like this survivor I would rather have a pointy stick than nothing at all.

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    1. Oh, I agree: a lump of timber is probably better than nothing. However, I think that it's *only just* better than nothing. Prodding a zombie with a blunt fence post isn't going to do much...

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  3. A cracking start to your Zomtober 2016. Great stuff. :)

    So far we have at least 13 of us signed up for Zomtober: http://eclecticgentlemantabletopgamer.blogspot.co.uk/2016/09/zomtober-2016-is-coming.html

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    1. Thanks very much! How did I manage to miss this ... ?

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  4. Brilliant start! Postie is such an original miniature.

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    1. "Postie" seemed like an appropriate nickname because, well, he's holding a fence post. Or maybe he worked for the Post Office before the apocalypse? Who knows?

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  5. Excellent job. I'll add you to the blog roll. I must checkout Offensive miniatures as I am trying to find some figures to base a conversion on.

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    1. Offensive miniatures do quite a large range of very nice rioters (if such a thing is possible!). They also do a lot of riot police, but I have less use for those, even though they're also excellent miniatures.

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  6. Nice use of the Offensive Miniatures model. I really like their rioters as early outbreak survivors.

    Interesting use of the Plague Zombie too. I'd kind of ignored them, but the 'army zombie' concept is cool.

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    1. I agree, Kieron: the Offensive rioters are a very good source of ordinary guys with improvised weapons. I don't like all my survivors to be laden down with firearms!

      The plague zombies are something of an experiment for me. They're not the greatest sculpts, but workable enough and they were cheap enough for me to buy without worrying about the cost.

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  7. Replies
    1. Thanks, HW. This year, there are *5* Sundays in October - so look for plenty more articles like this one!

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  8. I have to give it to Postie I think Hugh as weak or not the fence post is still gonna do SOME damage. Great minis too

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    1. Perhaps if Postie swung the timber as a club (with 2 hands) then it might achieve something. However, i just don't think that prodding with it is going to do anything. If he's *very* lucky then it might keep the zombie at a distance for a while, but then what?

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  9. That is a really cool diorama. I think the outcome could either way.

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    1. I've noticed in a number of zombie stories that they fall apart very easily. Skulls seem easily crushed, as if the bone has been thinned out or weakened by the disease. If that were so then maybe MPZ's body armour wouldn't provide the creature with as much protection as I imagine?

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  10. Always an enjoyable read. I think Postie is about to get stamped!

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    1. I think I'm with you on this, Terry. If/when MPZ stops howling at the moon and concentrates on the meat in front of him then Postie is in trouble.

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  11. Awesome, I love your Zomtober!

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    1. 2016 is a bumper year; there are *5* Sundays this October. Consequently, there will be more duels this month than there were in 2013, 2014 or 2014 :-) .

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  12. Nice work. Love the cobble stone base idea.

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    1. Thanks, David. The "cobble stone" base is from Escenorama; it's one of their 25mm urban bases.

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