A sortie in to the Deadzone: Plague, Enforcers and lots of Terrain...

[firestorm]

Hi, after several months of uncertainty about where we'd be living and having to put most of our belongings in storage, we are now settled again and I can start a new project log!

I decided to give Deadzone a go as I had become disillusioned with 40k, and also realised I no longer have the time and space to build and paint armies consisting of dozens (or even hundreds) of miniatures. Deadzone appealed as it can be played effectively with a dozen models (which means less of those to paint), over a smaller area (no need to find room to set up and store a 6'x4' board) - and it has a pretty impressive range of terrain to support it.

If I'm honest, the terrain is the biggest draw, as before my last 40k army ([URL=http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/125136-the-legion-of-taurus-a-chaos-marine-army-log/]Chaos Marines[/URL]) I went through [URL=http://s171.photobucket.com/user/wargamingholidays/library/]a massive terrain building project[/URL] (alas, I no longer have any of it for various reasons). In this plog I will show my progress in painting up the two teams from the Deadzone core set, as well as build and paint a range of terrain to play it on.

I received Deadzone as a Christmas Present, here are the two teams (Enforcer & Plague) built - pretty standard stuff really:


[url]http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c274/firestorm40k/Deadzone/IMG_20150102_1822182_zpsa91ju7mx.jpg[/url]
[url]http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c274/firestorm40k/Deadzone/IMG_20150102_1822062_zpsei48gk3e.jpg[/url]

I also built some of the terrain; firstly I made the required pieces to play the Quick Start mission:


At the same time I also got the Scenery expansion set so decided to make the set-up pictured on the Deadzone game box:

[url]http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c274/firestorm40k/Deadzone/IMG_20150207_1857432_zps96p0w7co.jpg[/url]

Here's the two sets together:



[url]http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c274/firestorm40k/Deadzone/IMG_20150207_1905342_zpserukqctq.jpg[/url]

I ordered one of Mantic's Crazy Boxes after Christmas and got a set of the Ruins with it, I used these and some of the parts from the other sets to build a ruined piece:



So I've got a decent set up to cover the Mat you get in the game:


But I'm not stopping there, oh no! As it was my birthday recently I treated myself to one of the [URL=http://www.manticgames.com/mantic-shop/battlezones/product/battlefield-adepticon-super-mega-deal-1000-pcs.html]Adepticon Super Mega Deals[/URL] (one of the biggest [URL=http://www.manticgames.com/mantic-shop/battlezones.html]Battlezones[/URL] sets, with added Ruins), so I have planned to build several pieces that will enable me to make several 'themed' set ups:

- A mercantile sector, with stores/market buildings
- A habitation sector, with a futuristic 'shanty town' feel
- A reinforced/militarised outpost
- An industrial sector
- Ruined variants of these

As I've just got the big box of Battlezones sprues I'll probably make a start on the buildings first - I do plan to get started painting the two teams, but I have to dig my paints out from the midst of boxes that just got shoved in the shed when we moved!

So lots of pics and posts coming (if of varying frequency), in the meantime thanks for reading

[firestorm]

I've been chipping away at some buildings (after receiving that big box of Battlezones sprues it'd be rude to leave them untouched! :P ), and I've been making some that are going to be part of the 'Mercantile Sector' theme.

First up, this one will be called 'Hutt's Java - Finest Syn-Caff for 3 Light Years!' Where the window is there will be a 'shelf' which is where the (hypothetical) customers would be served from.


Next is an outlet for Rehydrated food goods (I've yet to think of a witty name for this one!), the concept is customers will order at one window and collect it at the next. I thought I'd make it an L-shape for a change - the concept is that the 'cooking' goes on at the back section:



Next here's one that's not quite finished, but the concept with this little one is it's a place that carries out repairs on electronic goods - on the cheap. I'm going to see if I can find some bits to add to the bit on the top - I'm trying to go for a slightly ramshackle, used feel with crates and tools over the top, which will be a kind of storage area. The open area at the back is where welding and that sort of thing takes place (safety first!).


Finally I have a concept that each of my planned 'Sectors' are linked by walkways, so residents of this (now abandoned) settlement use them to get from the Habitation Zone to the other areas. There'll be a couple of ruined ones to go with the ruined pieces I intend to make.

This is still WIP, I need to put something on the top of the pieces I've cut in half - I'm actually thinking of the corner strut parts you get on the Accessory Sprue, as that'll give the two panels a smoother transition. For the time being I can't make another one of these, as I need to get another Landing Pad set for the Stairs!


That's all the pics for now - I have one more idea for a 'Mercantile Building', a larger structure which will be the Colony equivalent of a Bank. Then the next Mercantile buildings I make will be ruined ones.

Finally, as it's Easter soon and I've some time off, I'm going to sort out the shed and see if I can retrieve my paints - then I might actually have a crack at painting the Enforcers and Plague..

More pics soon, thanks for looking!

[firestorm]

Last weekend I had quite a bit of spare time so cracked on with my biggest build to date. This will fit in with the Mercantile Sector theme - this is the DZ equivalent of a Bank (Intergalactic Credit?), it's a bit larger to allow 'admin space', and has an upper floor to consult the owner/manager of the operation (handy to discuss any deals you'd rather keep out of the attention of the authorities... ). There are a few plasticard strips as I'm starting to cover the gaps on the stuff I've already built.





I initially thought about making it a 'solid' building, but decided to make the back detatchable - that way I can put models inside it during games:


When I've the chance I'll post pics of the other buildings that I've started to apply plasticard rod/strips to; I've also started on my next building which is quite ambitious - a reinforced/military building that has an angled first floor.

Also, over the Easter Break, I plan to have a sort out in our shed and dig out my paints and brushes - so I may well start on some painting soon... Watch this space!

[firestorm]

I've been making some fortified pieces; this first one has been a total git to make - I've found that the connectors need a fair bit of shaving/filing so they fit with the fortified sector pieces (walls and gantries especially). It didn't help that I wanted to build something different, and more angular, but realised it simply wouldn't have worked (it wouldn't have fit within the 3" cube size to go with the rules, for starters). Anyway, after all that I'm pleased with how it has come out - in a way it's not complete as I intend to make a rear section for it - I need to get a Landing Pad kit first as I need the floor tile with the access hole in it.


So if that piece took me several hours (due to the connector kerfuffles), this ruined fortified piece, by contrast, only took an hour one morning!



Anyway, that's it for the building, erm, buildings for now - on to other things in the meantime...



...and so it begins...!

[firestorm]

Right, Enforcers have had their bases done and have been primed. Almost had a total snafu when priming them white, I dunno if it's just cause my spray primer has been in storage for 6 months, but despite the fact I sprayed a test piece which came out fine, the first spray on the front of one batch of Enforcers came out a bit blotchy - so they'll have a slightly mottled appearance to their armour, unfortunately :/ Also, despite holding the spray a consistent distance for each model, one of them has had the primer go on a bit thick - it's okay now it's dried, but I thought I had lost the detailing on the model's chest piece altogether!

One of the frequent criticisms I've seen about Mantic's hybrid Plastic/Resin models are the mold-lines; to be honest, I didn't think these were any worse than most companies' models, however the placing of some of them makes it a bit awkward to remove them. Probably the worst example is this moldline across the middle of the Enforcer Peacekeeper's cloak - no matter how much scraping, I just couldn't get the angle to clear it:


I've tried smoothing over the bump with some liquid putty, and it is looking slightly better:


Now it's primed it's still visible but only at certain angles. What a shame, as it's the only thing that lets this model down.

In better news, I've continued hole/gap filling - the 'Java Hut' is now complete:


I added the service shelf/counter to this, and the rehydrated food stall, to complete the look of them being hot food/beverage outlets for busy working people on the move and in a hurry!



Well, I say that one's finished - I'm thinking about making some cups/condiment dispensers to really make them look the part - just not sure how I can do them in that scale without breaking my sanity!

Anyway, in the next few days I'll start painting the Enforcers, so watch this space...

[Morgrim]

Maybe you could take thickwalled straws or hollow tube coffee stirrers, cut them into sections and flame flare one end? Usually they're used for alien plants when you glue a heap together to make space-bamboo, but in individual bits you'd have small flared vessels that could work as large cups. The scale would make them more the huge soft drink cups than something reasonable, but hey! You're doing fast food. :P

Or do a few and fill them with thick brush bristles for a container of straws, and maybe a bunch of tiny seed beeds for scifi sauce packets or whatever condiments Infinity has.

[firestorm]

Thanks for stopping by Morgrim, and for your suggestions - I've been thinking along the same lines, and will post the pics to show what I've come up with in due course!

Painting has started on the Enforcers - here they are with a base coat (thinned paints, which will be followed by further washes and highlights):


Some detail pic to see more clearly the scheme I'm working towards:


This scheme will eventually be a bit darker after shading washes. I'll be continuing on these over the next few weeks, so more to follow!

[firestorm]

I've been slow to update this log recently as I'm busy doing an online IT course, I've an exam coming up, so I've been revising. That means I've not had a lot of time to spend working on my Deadzone stuff.

I had a spurt of progress last Monday (Bank Holiday), I finished giving the Enforcers their second wash (3 parts Shadow Grey to 1 part Chaos Black). Just need some highlighting to pick out the edges of armour:


I also completed the back part of that Fortress/Strongpoint I had started a few weeks back:


I've made the back modular so it can be used in a number of ways (Ground & First Floors), also for ease of access for placing miniatures:




I've also stared on ruined segments to add to this so I can make it look like the back has been blown off, or just the back of the first floor. I'll post pics when I get those done, hopefully sometime in the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, thanks for looking!

[firestorm]

I should really be continuing painting the Enforcers, but I've just not been in the frame of mind - probably the thought of all those edges I've got to touch up and highlight In the meantime I've been having a bit of 'hobby butterfly', and have built something that I've had in mind for a while. This is a ruined piece to go with the Mercantile Sector themed pieces. This is a more ambitious build, aiming to balance theme and gaming practicality (access for minis and sturdiness):





That's right, it's the local 'watering hole' - the hub of social life for the inhabitants of this settlement. Before the planet fell, it was rumoured it was secretly operating as an arms cache for the local Rebs. Though denied by the owner and staff, the military-grade reinforcing of the store at the rear didn't do anything to dissuade the rumours...

When building this I thought about how it would have looked intact, before it became battle-damaged, and make a layout to reflect that. I was influenced by the typical image of the 'old west' saloon, with an open ground floor and balcony running either side (connected by a walkway). As it is now it was clearly the scene of some major fighting and sunject to more than its share of bombardment, so now one whole corner is gone and only remnants of the balcony remain.

This is still WIP, there's a few details to add (some shelves, drinks dispensers, stairs) but I've given it a bar, and some tables.


The bar is simple - barriers cut to size with added plasticard:


The tables are the triangular crates from the accessory sprue with some plasticard:


These aren't finished - I'm going to add detritus (bottles etc) and rubble from the damage of the building.

Oh, and one more thing about this piece - again, it is modular for easier painting/storage:



I'll have to see where my 'hobby butterfly' takes me next - either continuing with the buildings I've already made, or painting the Enforcers. Whatever happens next I'll post pics here!