Saturday, June 20, 2009

Simple Complex: Part 2, Basic Paintjob.


Well I did a basic drybrush of grey over the black foamcore on my underground complex. I think it turned out pretty good since I am basically trying to go as generic as possible with these rooms to get maximum flexibility. I plan on building some more specific rooms in the future.
Of course I plan to add doors next.

Friday, June 19, 2009

Simple Complex

Well I've got some modern and Sci-Fi games I'm working on and I really wanted to do some game in some underground complexes. What I decided to do was make the basic set as simple as I could make it and also make it modular. By keeping it simple I can dress it up however I like and by making it modular I can get maximum flexibility out of it.

Here's what I came up with. This seven room complex is constructed from one 20x30 inch sheet of black foamcore. The basic complex after construction. I will be painting everything grey inside and outside the rooms. The hallway is just one 2 inch wide strip of foamcore and the end of the hallway is just a simple 2x2 inch square with a 1x2 inch rectangle glued to the back of it to hold it up.
The doorways are all 1x1.5 inch which is large enough to fit the average 28mm figure on a Games Workshop round infantry base. Of course figures with larger bases or exaggerated poses won't fit but it's easy enough to just set them on the other side of the door if need be.

And this is basically all I needed to put the complex together. A ruler; pencil, ex-acto knives, tacky glue. That's also all the foamcore I had left over.


These next two pictures show two different combinations. Keep in mind making new hallways is as simple as cutting 2 inch strips of foamcore.

I think I'm going to try to add to this complex 1 sheet of foamcore at a time. The sheets only cost a little less than $4.00 and perhaps another couple dollars worth of materials. Heck even if you didn't have anything to do this project with you could probably get all the materials and tools for less than $20.00.
Next update will be basic painting.














Saturday, June 13, 2009

Resident Evil "Hunters" Episode 1 "The Farm"

July 21st 1998, in the Arklay Mountains just outside Raccoon City. Anya Fields and Meredith Hartwick of "Hartwick and Fields Investigations" are investigating the disappearance of Eddy Williams an employee of the Umbrella Corporation. They have been hired by Mary Ann Williams, Eddy's mother, who was unable to get help from the police due to the high number of missing persons incidents reported in the mountains over the last few days.

They have learned that Eddy worked as a lab assistant for Dr. Gordan Kruger who was a research scientist at one of the Umbrella labs in Raccoon City. Kruger had been fired over a month prior and was wanted by the Raccoon city police department for failing to appear in Cort to answer charges regarding alleged grave robberies. Eddy had disappeared the same day Kruger was fired.

Fields and Hartwick searched Eddy's apartment and found a strange address in one of his jacket pockets. It was for a property that lay just south of Arklay Mountains State Park. They went to investigate but were quickly ran off the property by an armed man. The next day they broke into Dr. Kruger home where they found Eddy's car in the garage. In the office they found a receipt for a chemical delivery at the same property they had investigated earlier. They decided to try and sneak onto the property again at dusk.

Note: This is a Savage Worlds game I'm running for my wife and daughter. Hopefully it will become an ongoing campaign.


July 22 1998, Dr. Kruger's Farm at dusk.


Hartwick and Fields hop a fence on the northwest side of the property and head towards the house and barn.


They spot an armed man patrolling the grounds.


And a group of strange shambling figures.


The armed man also notices the creatures. "Holy crap Zombies!" The man fires at the shambling creatures.


Drawn by the sound of gun fire the creatures move in on the man.


Hearing the commotion outside Dr. Kruger and another armed man come out to see what's going on. When they see the creatures they open fire.


With the villains distracted Meredith Hartwick sneaks into the barn and finds Eddy Williams handcuffed and locked in a cage.
Note: Eddy as actually in a cage but I didn't have a cage to put him in so I just used some plastic corral pieces to represent the cage.


Outside the situation is looking dire for Dr. Kruger gunman. More creatures close on his position and several creatures Kruger had caged up start trying to escape.


Hartwick begins to try and pick the padlock on Eddy's cage while Fields watches her back. Anya Fields ask Eddy "What are those creatures and why does Kruger have some of them caged up outside?". Eddy explains that they are people who have been infected by the T-virus which was a virus engineered by the Umbrella Corporation. Kruger has developed some kind of psychic powers and he's trying to use his powers to control the creatures.


Dr. Kruger and Rodrigo the gunman continue to shoot at the creatures killing a few of them but the creatures keep coming.


Kruger's gunman Joe decides to flee into the barn as the creatures over run his position. He's quite surprised to find two strange women trying to free Eddy Williams. "Who the Hell are you?" he ask.


Outside in the Yard the fenced in creatures break free.


Hartwick and Fields try and convince Joe to give them the keys to Eddy's cage but he refuses and the women are forced to resort to violence. With the creatures trying to get in the back doorway Hartwick decides to put up a quick barricade.


Fields searches Joe's body and finds a set of keys as well as an extra magazine for his Colt 1911 and a 50 round box of .45 APC. Fields uses the keys to free Eddy then she gives him Joe's gun and the spare ammo.


At the house Dr. Kruger and Rodrigo are forced to fall back as the creatures advance.


Unfortunately for them the sound of gun fire has drawn the attention of another group of creatures who emerge from the woods on the edge of the property.


With a surprising burst of speed the newly arrived pack of creatures attack Rodrigo.


Rodrigo is beaten down and devoured on the spot by the ravenous creatures. Dr. Kruger is horrified and flees in the direction of his truck.


Meredith Hartwick continues to shoot at the creatures who are trying to get through the windows and over her barricade. The she has an idea. She sees a barrel of gasoline near the door. She kicks it over and knocks the cap off letting the gas spill out of on barn's stone floor as she makes her way out the front of the barn.


Anya Fields and Eddy William run for the truck only to find Dr. Kruger is also trying to use it to escape. Enraged Eddy shoots at Kruger but only manages to graze him and shake him up a bit.


Hartwick shoots the barrel of gas as she flees the barn causing it to explode engulfing the creatures trying to make their way into the back of the structure. The blast knocks her down and shakes her up a bit but she is otherwise unharmed.

Note: Of course it's highly unlikely that a person could ignite gas with a gun shot but this game is based on a video game/movie so I allowed to it to work although it cost the player a benny.


Several creatures round the corner of the house near the truck. Kruger tries to flee again and used a psyonic attack against Eddy which stuns him. Fields bocks Kruger's path and holds him at bay with her gun.


Unfortunately this gives the zombies a opportunity to charge. Eddy and Kruger fight against the creatures in a vicious hand to hand. Fields looks for a shot but can't take one without putting Eddy's life in danger.


Kruger unleashes another psyonic blast this time at the creatures stunning several but he is himself stunned by an attack as he tries to pull free of the combat.


The fight heats up! Eddy and Fields back up and begin shooting at the hoard of creatures. Hartwick also stands up and starts shooting. They kill a few but not enough. The creatures surge forward and again overtake Kruger who is wounded by a savage bite.


Kruger finally manages to break free. With a combination of gun fire and psyonic attacks the hoard of creatures is slowly whittled down.


Behind the farm house another creature rises. Rodrigo howls in in a hungry rage as he shambles off towards the sounds of combat.


Seeing the survivors Rodrigo charges but is gunned down. Unlife is so unfair.

Eddy and Hartwick gun down the last creature near the truck expending the last rounds in the magazines.

Kruger, exhausted by the combat surrenders to the others but explains that he needs to recover a case of T-Virus antidote from his house. Hartwick escorts Kruger inside and recovers the antidote while Eddy and Fields start the old truck.
Kruger administers one dose of T-virus antidote to himself. With no more creatures in site the survivors drive back into town.
The End.
Next Episode: Outbreak

Friday, June 12, 2009

Miniature a Day 2009 day 3


Finished up this CSO Marshal from the Rezolution line. I'm probably use him in my Firefly games and perhaps in my Spaceport 69 setting.
Day: 3
Number of Minis: 4
Score: +1

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Junk shop treasure.

I found these three Lledo di cast models at a local junk shop yesterday. From left to right 1936 Packard, 1934 Chevy Van, and some kind of Model T I think. Picked up the whole lot for $14.00 which is probably much better than I could have done on ebay.

I'm planning on stripping these guys and re-painting. The main problem is that unlike the ERTL trucks I have done in the past these trucks don't have screws holding them together. Instead they have peined over post. I'm pretty sure I can drill those out and them glue the models back together when I'm done.

I've found some great stuff at local junk shops over the years. Mid Missouri is full of them. They are often called Antique Malls or Flee Markets but they are just junk shops. If you have such establishments in your area check them out. You never know what you might be able to dig up. Just make sure you give yourself pleanty of browsing time.

Miniature a Day 2009 day 2

Painted up a couple of Sligg Soldiers from Reaper's Chronoscope line. These guys were a blast to paint. This pair will be working with Kirby McDowell as crew of the Skip Tracker in my Spaceport 69 project.

Just a couple more details about my mini a day goal. I'll track the progress like this:

Day: 2
Number of minis:3
Score: +1

Also unlike last time I'm going to be posting the mini I finished on the prior day and not the one I finished up that day. This way I'll have time to varnish and photograph the mini.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Miniature a Day 2009


Well I'm going to try my miniature a day project again. I'll see how far I get this time. I'm going to give myself a chance to get ahead and miss a day if I've got enough miniatures painted to cover it.

Anyway here is my first mini. Kirby Mcdowell from Reaper's Chronoscope line.


Not my bet work but it's a start.