Introduction
Well, we're into the third week of Zomtober 2018. I've presented a zombie/survivor duel on each such occasion since 2013 and I'm not going to let you down this time. Hope you enjoy this week's offering!
Sarah vs Parking Meter Zombie (PMZ)
This week, I have painted a couple of oddments from my lead pile. The survivor is a young woman made by Hasslefree Miniatures; I've called her "Sarah". She is reasonably well dressed and has a (camouflaged) hunting crossbow slung on her back. Oddly, she doesn't seem to have any bolts for the bow.
Instead, Sarah is clutching what looks like a wooden stake or tent peg (are wooden tent pegs even a thing these days?). It's not the improvised weapon I would chose to deal with post-apocalyptic monsters! Something with a long handle and sharp bits at the far end - perhaps a type of gardening tool - might work better...
Sarah is about to attack Parking Meter Zombie (PMZ). This zombie appears to be heavily damaged - he's missing half a leg and his belly has been ripped open. However, he hasn't quite given up yet; he's using a parking meter that has been ripped out of the ground as a support.
PMZ is from one of Studio Miniatures's "zombie mobs". I've mounted both figures on resin bases from Escenorama.
There seems little doubt in my mind that a fit young woman with a weapon - even a poor one - should be more than a match for a single, crippled zombie. The real question must be why is she about to attack PMZ, though?
Here are some possibilities:
- She's shot her last crossbow bolt deep into PMZ without killing the creature and intends to retrieve the arrow, come what may?
- It's an act of revenge for something PMZ has done, either in his previous life or in his continuing zombie existence?
- Sarah is using the weak zombie as an opportunity to practice her hand-to-hand combat skills?
- The woman has a desperate need for any coins that are in the meter, perhaps to operate a vending machine that cannot be prised open?
- The zombie and his parking meter are blocking her path?
- She's cleaning up the street, making it safer for some companions who aren't as capable as her (possibly children or elderly)?
- Maybe Sarah isn't about to attack, but instead was caught off guard by a low moan from behind and has spun around to see what might be threatening her?
None of these possible reasons seem especially convincing to me. Can you come up with anything better?
For Week 4's duel, follow me ==>
For Week 4's duel, follow me ==>
Looks great mate. I like the little floral additions to her trousers. Perhaps the crossbow is slung and all she has in an improvised stake as a weapon. Thats a characterful looking zombie as well. Great pair this week.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Simon. Yes, the little embroidery patches were fun to do :-) . I'm of the opinion that a lot of casual clothing has some form of pattern or decoration on it; very few people that I see in the streets are in completely mono-coloured clothing.
DeleteAnother fine pairing. I think she wants the I-phone the zombie may have in its pocket. Who cares if theres no cell coverage - its an I-Phone! I think she will prevail. Getting the change from the meter may also help her at the launder mat to wash what will be bloody & filth stained clothes afterwards. Well done Colgar!
ReplyDeleteWell, I agree with you that Sarah may well need to clean her clothing after this encounter. I'm not sure where this zombie might keep an iPhone, though - or whether such a device would be in a state that someone would be prepared to fight for!
DeleteAwesome work, paintjob and bases turned out great. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Skully. The zombie is a bit ordinary, perhaps - but I'm pleased with the way that Sarah turned out :-) .
DeleteYou've painted this pair very well, Hugh. It's surely a no-brainer that Sarah will win this fight. Perhaps she is the Chosen One and it is her duty to slay the undead and the forces of darkness and evil.
ReplyDeleteYou could be right: Sarah may believe that she is chosen and that it's her duty to destroy all the undead. If she tries to clean up the entire world on her own then I fear the task may prove too difficult, though ...
DeleteI'm sure the household cavalry have a carefully guarded stock of wooden tent pegs. Strictly for training purposes.
ReplyDeletePart of my Scouting involved whittling a wooden tent peg.
Very nice mine was too, solid bit of hardwood, took a nice point which I further hardened over the campfire.
Your zombies are very nicely presented.
PMZ looks a little lacking in mobility - I'd be inclined to go around him, but perhaps Sarah is worried that he will groan loudly enough to summon a horde of faster moving brethren. Therefore needs to be silenced.
Alternatively, she may be thinking that the meter would make a first class bludgeon, or breaching ram. Once she pries it from PMZ's cold double-dead hands.
You're probably right about the Household Cavalry, or at least that part of it which lances tent pegs from horseback at military tattoos :-) . However, I really doubt that Sarah belongs to such a body :-) .
DeleteI agree also that I would just avoid this zombie by preference - and I really doubt that a torn-up parking meter could be wielded effectively as a weapon :-) !
2 outside possibilities.
Delete1. The Household Cavalry's stables have been looted - where else would you find a 17 hand riding horse in central London. I'll admit this implies a fairly severe breakdown of law and order.
2. Parking meter as a tool or breaching ram. It's rather heavy, so suitable only to resolve a local need. Is the orphanage beset with zombies, and a sturdy lever required to open the blocked basement fire-escape..
3. A weapon. There are certainly examples of small numbers of medieval troops with excessively heavy club type weapons deployed among spear formations. I doubt whether survivors could manage the discipline required to use such tactics - which seemed to be a response to heavily armoured horsemen.
Absolutely brilliant Hugh! The detailing on the pants is amazing! And those bases, wow 🙂
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ivor. There's a certain amount of trickery to the decoration; it isn't as complicated as you might expect :-) . Also note that I may have painted the bases, but they are commercial mouldings (I didn't sculpt them or add any extra items).
DeleteAnother great face off. Perhaps Sarah thought this was a vampire apocalypse, not a zombie?
ReplyDeleteAs Bryan wondered above, perhaps Sarah believes that she is the "Chosen One" whose duty is to destroy all undead. If so then she'll win this encounter easily enough, though I fear that she'll get into a lot of trouble later on ...
DeleteAwesome brush work!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I did spend a little more time than average on these models, though no as much as you might think...
Delete2more excellent figures. Another splendid duel.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Clint. Glad you like them :-) .
DeleteAnothe rexcellent duo but fairly one-sided imho. Sarah must have some reason to take out the Zed, but as she's a woman, no-one will ever know.
ReplyDeleteAh, that's the question, isn't it? What are her motives? [And I don't accept that we'll never know because of her gender, not for one moment :-) ].
DeleteI love the Sarah model and I have it myself. I must echo all the praise for the embroidery...that's impressive detail and it looks great!
ReplyDeleteI was unaware of Escenorama. I love scenic bases, especially for modern games like zombies. I'll have to check this company out!
As I said in an earlier reply, the embroidery isn't quite as detailed or difficult as you might imagine :-) .
DeleteThe Escenorama bases that I have are cast a bit thick - and they're a total pain to cut down to a size I like with just hand tools! Also, the detail is good rather than great. They paint up nicely, though :-) !
Maybe she's trying to pitch a tent and PMZ is in the way?
ReplyDeleteFantastic stuff.
I think that's a bit far-fetched, Kieron. It would be quite difficult to pitch a tent on a concrete pavement.
DeleteAlways good to hear from you :-) ...
Another great duel; I give it to Sarah just despite the rubbish weapon, simply because of how damaged the zombie is. :)
ReplyDeleteOh, I don't think there's any doubt that Sarah will win this fight. The real question is "why bother, rather than just walking away?"
Delete