Wasteland Warriors: Into the Zone

 So this AAR isn't Fistful of Lead's "Wasteland Warriors" proper, but more like "Fistful of Zona Alfa." I like the localized apocalypse of Osprey Games' Zona Alfa and its inspirational media (Roadside Picnic, etc), but mechanically, Fistful of Lead is much more my speed. So instead of going full Kamandi, this game is a little more subdued; as such, scavenge points and the Wasteland Warriors rule of "once you go out of ammo, that's it" aren't in play.

15 years ago, an extraterrestrial encounter - a "roadside picnic," the equivalent of a representative of an unimaginably advanced civilization stopping on earth long enough to change a flat and smoke a cigarette - resulted in the creation of the New Mexico Exclusion Zone in the American Southwest. The "Zone" is a place where the normal laws of physics are only loosely enforced, and entrance into the Zone is illegal; nonetheless, the Zone is home to no shortage of bandits, refugees and exiles. Long-term exposure to the Zone results in madness and mutation; many of the Zone's residents could be classified as prehuman, abhuman or posthuman - scientists disagree, but there's speculation that some of these things arrived in the Zone via time- or dimensional portals from somewhere entirely alien. 

From the ravings of an escapee from the Zone, President-for-Life Travolta has learned that an extant copy of Polybius, an arcade game designed as a CIA psyop in the 1980s, might still exist in the camp of a sociopathic bandit gang called the Junkyard Dawgs. Intrigued and eager to lay hands on such a game, President Travolta has authorized a fireteam of private military contractors to enter the Zone and retrieve Polybius' hard drive.

 

The PMCs are at the bottom of the photo; the Dawgs are deployed in cover.

THE PMCs (Gang Trait: Ranger)

Figures by Hasslefree Miniatures

• Captain Victoria Chelinski (Leader; Leader, Veteran, Encouraging, Sixth Sense) armed with a pistol with laser sights and a cigar (1/game, removes all Shock)
• Deano (Specialist; Coolheaded, Tough as Nails) armed with body armor, a medkit and an automatic rifle
• Harlequin (Regular; Sniper) armed with body armor and an automatic rifle
• Freak (Regular; Sprinter) armed with body armor and a shotgun
• Woody (Regular; Stealthy) armed with body armor and an automatic rifle

THE JUNKYARD DAWGS (Gang Trait: Fearless) 

Figures originally by Grenadier, I think I got mine through Forlorn Hope Games

• Big Nick (Leader; Leader, Coldblooded, Impervious, Tough as Nails) armed with an SMG and knife
• Grill (Specialist; Stealthy, Deadeye) armed with a flamethrower and knife
• Hogan (Regular; Loads of Ammo) armed with an automatic rifle and knife
• Legs (Regular; Quick) armed with a shotgun and knife
• Barbie (Regular; Killer) armed with an SMG and knife

The Dawgs started the game deployed in cover around the table, with the PMCs beginning play clustered at one table edge. To make things interesting, once models begin taking injuries, they run the risk of attracting wandering threats from the Zone. As long as at least one unhealed Wound is on the table, each turn ends with a roll of a D10, + the number of Wounds on the table (figures put Out of Action that turn count as 2 Wounds, but don't count towards subsequent turns). If the result is 10 or higher, I'd randomly determine a threat that entered the table, activating on the following turn. Obviously, things would start slow but once the wounds started piling up, more and more threats would show up. 

Captain Chelinski motioned her team forward, advancing into the cactus patch for cover; Barbie stepped forward and fired ineffectively with her SMG at the PMC leader. Freak darted forward and gave Barbie a blast from his shotgun - "1!" Out of Ammo! Meanwhile, Harlequin moved into the shadow of the nearest building, attracting the attention of Legs.

On Turn 2, Legs gave Harlequin a blast from her shotgun, putting her down with a Wound. Deano moved forward and returned fire, Wounding Legs. Captain Chelinski Wounded Barbie with a pistol shot while Freak reloaded. Woody advanced almost to the long main building of the bandit camp. No threats showed up on Turn 2.

 

Turn 3 saw Deano rush forward and heal Harlequin with the medkit. Unfortunately, Legs struggled to her feet and fired again with her shotgun; Harlequin was put Out of Action and Deano took a Shock token, retreating towards cover. Chelinski finished off Barbie with a pistol shot and waved Woody towards the main building. Unfortunately, Woody got fried extra crispy by Grill and his flamethrower. Drawn by the sounds of combat and the smell of blood and burning flesh, a squad of Hunter-Killer Robots entered the table.

Turn 4, Chelinski shot Grill, Wounding him; he managed to regain his feet and tried to roast Chelinski, but rolled a "1" and going Out of Ammo. Hogan emerged from cover into the alleyway between the two side buildings, shooting ineffectively at Chelinski and getting sent Out of Action by Freak. Seeing this, Legs decided that it wasn't worthwhile to stick around, and routed off the table. Big Nick emerged from the long building, Wounding Chelinski and getting Wounded in turn when a Hunter-Killer robot opened fire with full-auto on him and Grill. Stumbling to his feet and retreating, Grill ran headlong into a slow-moving, blubbery mutant, drawn by the smell of blood.

Staggering to her feet, Chelinski put two Hunter-Killers out of action with two well-placed shots; Big Nick likewise managed to regain his feet, firing again at Chelinski and going Out of Ammo. The Sludge-Man killed Grill easily in close combat, and kept advancing towards the center of fighting. Advancing across the table, Deano shot Big Nick, sending him running with a Shock token - directly into the arms of the Sludge-Man. Big Nick, wounded and out of ammo, was no match for the slobbering mutant. A second Sludge-Man arrived, drawn by the smell of carnage.

Exchanging fire with the remaining Hunter-Killer and the first Sludge-Man kept Freak and Deano busy while Chelinski obtained the Polybius hard drive. Freak ended up in close combat with the second Sludge-Man, and a second squad of Hunter-Killers arrived on the table, while Deano and Chelinski made their way back across the table towards their starting edge with the Polybius hard drive. 

Freak managed to get the Sludge-Man between the Hunter-Killers and himself, letting the machines' simple programming save his bacon; programmed to eradicate the nearest living being, the three robots stood stock still, firing repeatedly into the regenerative bulk of the Sludge-Man without real effect while Freak slipped away, rejoining Chelinski and Deano. They'd fulfilled their objective; hopefully President-for-Life Travolta wouldn't simply order their liquidation once they turned the hard drive over to him.

***

All in all a really solid game; the addition of random monsters (I made a chart, but just rolled H-K Robots and Sludge-Men instead of any Rad-Zombies, Rad-Ghouls, or Big Mutants. Oh well) made a big difference in that the game wasn't simply over when the PMCs wiped out the Junkyard Dawgs; there was still a threat putting pressure on them, so there was no assumption of completing the original objective of collecting the hard drive. I still had to play out their escape from the table.

Wasteland Warriors: Where's The Map? (Solo Campaign Game 3)

 I've been trying to "shop my stash" and paint things from my leadpile, and especially terrain pieces, this month. I'd bought some 3D-printed "Post-Apocalyptic Shantytown" buildings a while back and finally got them primed and painted (and I realized that my priming area is south-facing - I primed these buildings black and the roofs warped a bit. Oops!). So I decided that called for another solo game of Wasteland Warriors, continuing my irregular solo campaign. 

MENTOK'S GANG (Gang trait: Advanced Comms)

• Mentok! The Mind-Taker (Gang Leader; Mutant; Psionics, Smart, Ranged Fighter, Cunning; Mutations: Dual Brains) armed with a Beamer Pistol
• Blaster (Specialist; Human; Strong, Observant) armed with a Heavy Machine Gun
• Andrea (Regular; Human; Medic) armed with an Auto-Rifle and Machete
• Two-Badd (Regular; Mutant; Two Fisted, Street Fighter, Drunkard; Mutation: Two Heads) armed with an Axe and Mace
• Jacko (Regular; Mutated Plant; Bloodthirsty; Mutation: Large) armed with a Scythe

 

MAXIMUS' GANG (Gang trait: Ferocious)

• Maximus Firepower (Gang Leader; Human; Veteran, Fearsome Presence, Encouraging, Impervious) armed with a Handgun, Knife, and Frag Grenade
• Barbeque (Specialist; Human; Killer, Predatory, Steady) armed with a Flamethrower
• Breaker (Regular; Human; Brawler) armed with a length of chain and a Knife
• Jackson (Regular; Human; Street Fighter) armed with an SMG
• Fat Boy (Regular; Human; Cunning) armed with a Crossbow and Knife

 

I pulled a King of Hearts when determining scenario, so Mentok and his followers have snuck into Maximus' hideout in search of a hidden treasure map; as they're searching, Maximus returned, and now has to shoot his way into his own home. If Mentok can find the map and make his way off the table carrying it, he'll score a win. 

The game opened with Mentok and Andrea in the central building, with Blaster, Jacko and Two-Badd on lookout. Blaster took a shot at Breaker, putting a Shock token on him and sending him scurrying for cover. Barbeque crept forward, getting into position behind the left-hand shack, while Maximus Firepower moved into cover. Fat Boy moved up and took a shot at Jacko, putting a Shock marker on the plant. Two-Badd entered the house to warn Mentok that they'd been spotted.

Turn 2 is where things got wild. Jacko moved 8" towards Fat Boy and Maximus Firepower, and Blaster moved towards where Breaker disappeared into cover. Mentok found the map, while Barbeque moved forward and unloaded with his flamethrower at Jacko; Jacko took a single Wound, but Fat Boy, caught in the blast of flame, was reduced to a pile of sizzling bacon.

On Turn 3, Jacko charged Maximus Firepower, hacking at him with his scythe over the low, crumbled wall. Maximus took a Wound and went down, but stood up on his activation, and struck back at Jacko - and sent Jacko Out of Action! The big mutant plant is reduced to guacamole! (I might be writing this while hungry.)

Jackson fired a burst at Blaster and Andrea, putting a Shock token on Andrea and a Wound on Blaster while going Out of Ammo. Two-Badd and Breaker came to blows - prone, Two-Badd still managed to nail Breaker in the ankle with an axe in self-defense, but when he tried to struggle to his feet it became too much, and the two-headed mutant expired on the table. 

 Maximus Firepower threw his frag grenade at Mentok, but missed, and in retaliation Mentok used his Psionics to move Firepower 10" into the air and then drop him, the falling damage sending the green-haired warlord Out of Action. 

Mentok fired his Beamer but immediately went Out of Ammo, getting charged by Jackson. Andrea moved to defend Mentok in Close Combat, but got put Out of Action for her troubles. Blaster rolled a "1" on a Recovery roll and bled out. 

Quickly being alone on the table, Mentok took off running, with Jackson in pursuit - through some miracle, Mentok managed to pistol-whip Jackson and send him Out of Action, securing his own escape. 

 

It was a messy and brutal game, and the last three paragraphs cover two or three turns of play.  Making it off the table with the map earned Mentok 3 Renown Points; rolling for survival, Blaster and Andrea will miss the next game but return on the following game, Jacko is ready to go for the next game, and Two-Badd has a date with the Soylent factory. 

On the other side, Barbeque, Breaker and Jackson will be ready for the next game. Maximus Firepower and Fat Boy, however, are Soylent-bound. Barbeque will graduate to Leader status going forward.

Wasteland Warriors: Ambush! (Solo Campaign Game 2)

It's been a hot minute since I've done a Wasteland Warriors game (since January in fact), so I decided to get the table set up and run a second game for my (sporadic, I guess) solo campaign. I pulled "Ambush" as the scenario from the book - one gang, spread throughout the ruins, is caught in an ambush and have to pull together a defense quickly. I decided Annette's Gang, the winners of last game, would be the defenders this game; it's a "Survival" game so there's no Renown to be won. Stalker, one of Annette's Regulars, has to sit out this game due to injuries sustained during the previous game. The Ambushers would be a gang of Warmongers - descendants of an attempt to genetically engineer super-soldiers that worked a little too well. They're definitely not Orks.

ANNETTE'S GANG (Crew Trait: Loyal)

 

• Annette (Gang Leader; Human; Veteran, Coolheaded, Killer) armed with a Shotgun
• "Nine-Yards" Nora (Specialist; Human; Ranged Fighter, Strong) armed with a Heavy Machine Gun
• Bandit (Regular; Human; Stealthy) armed with an Assault Rifle
• Croak (Regular; Mutated Animal; Brute; Mutations: Regenerate) armed with a Club

 WARMONGERS (Crew Trait: Bloodthirsty)

• Boss Guzbag (Gang Leader; Mutant (Warmonger); Veteran, Fearless, Cunning; Mutation: Armored Hide) armed with a Blaster Pistol and Chainsword
• Baldy (Specialist; Mutant (Warmonger); Deadeye, Strong; Mutation: Armored Hide) armed with a Heavy Machine Gun
•  Ace (Regular; Mutant (Warmonger); Quick; Mutation: Armored Hide) armed with an SMG with Bayonet
• Cap (Regular; Mutant (Warmonger); Brawler; Mutation: Armored Hide) armed with an SMG with Bayonet

The game began with just Nora and Croak on the table, with Bandit and Annette elsewhere in the ruins; Guzbag's crew began spaced out along one table edge. The table was densely packed with ruined buildings, rock outcroppings and mutated plant growth.

Note the extra Warmonger; I took this photo, reread the scenario and realized gang sizes needed to match. Sorry Davy, you're sidelined.

Bandit arrived on the opposite table edge from the Warmongers at the beginning of Turn 2, and that's when things went wild. I'd forgotten to take the Jokers out of the deck, and Nora activated on one on Turn 2; I decided to roll for a random event and the table got hit by a Radiation Storm; a couple of Warmongers took Shock tokens from the storm, as did Nora, while Bandit took a Wound!

Also on Turn 2, Guzbag shot at Croak using his Blaster Pistol, but missed due to long range, Croak being behind heavy cover, and the Blaster's own incredible kick. Croak responded by charging the big Warmonger, bashing him with his club and putting two Shock tokens on him. Then Baldy, the Warmonger Specialist, charged Croak, swinging his machine gun like a club - and Croak turned around and smashed him in the face, putting a Wound on Baldy! 

 

On Turn 3, Guzbag rallied, shrugged off his Shock tokens, and brutally cut Croak down with his chainsword, sending the mutant lizardman Out of Action. With some encouragement from Guzbag, Baldy also stood up; however, while this was happening, Bandit activated on a Queen of Hearts, which removed his Wound. Moving into range, Bandit used Burst Fire to put a Wound on Guzbag and a second Wound on Baldy. Using Burst Fire put Bandit Out of Ammo, and in Wasteland Warriors, due to scarcity of resources, unless you're specifically carrying extra ammo or activate on a "6" card, you're out for the game. 

 Meanwhile, Annette arrived on the table this turn, maneuvered into position, and shot Warmonger "Cap" in the back with her shotgun, putting a Wound on him. 

 

On Turn 4, Annette ran up and started hammering on "Cap" with the butt of her shotgun, sending him Out of Action. Guzbag and Baldy both staggered to their feet, and Bandit...ACTIVATED ON A "6"! Finding one last bullet in his pocket, he chambered the round and shot Baldy, putting a third Wound on him and thus sending him Out of Action. 

Per the scenario conditions, the game ended when 50% or more of the Ambushing Gang were rendered Out of Action or routed off the table, and Baldy and Cap made 50%. Wounded, Guzbag rounded up his remaining flunky Cap (who also had a Wound on him from getting shot by Nora earlier in the game) and went looking for easier pickings.

It was a quick and brutal game that proved perfect for a weekday night; for campaign purposes, Croak recovered fully and will be ready for the next game.

Wasteland Warriors: Escape Down River (Solo Campaign Game 1)

 New Year, new After-Action Report! I had two gangs ready to go, and received both my hard copy of Wiley Games' "Wasteland Warriors" and a Gale Force 9 "Battlefield in a Box" Toxic River yesterday, so it was a great time to clear off the dining room table and set up a 3' x 3' battlefield. I used a slightly modified version of the scenario "The Escape" from the Wasteland Warriors book:

 

Annette's Gang, laden down with loot scavenged from a buried tech-vault, take a short-cut through territory held by the Soviet Occupying Army (though since the Fall, there's no longer any Soviet Union; despite claiming to continue to follow the last orders given before the Big One, they're just another scavenging gang), following a toxic river to where a boat has been cached. The sound of shots fired and whooping war cries signal the arrival of Olga, Tigress of the Cossacks and her ragtag commie followers. 

THE CREWS

ANNETTE'S GANG (Crew Trait: Loyal)

• Annette (Gang Leader; Human; Veteran, Coolheaded, Killer) armed with a Shotgun
• "Nine-Yards" Nora (Specialist; Human; Ranged Fighter, Strong) armed with a Heavy Machine Gun
• Stalker (Regular; Human; Ranger) armed with an Assault Rifle
• Bandit (Regular; Human; Stealthy) armed with an Assault Rifle
• Croak (Regular; Mutated Animal; Brute; Mutations: Regenerate) armed with a Club

SOVIET OCCUPYING ARMY (Crew Trait: Ranger)

• Olga, Tigress of the Cossacks (Gang Leader; Human; Sixth Sense, Bodyguard, Encouraging) armed with a Pistol and a Rad Boomer
• Luchenko (Specialist; Human; Ranged Fighter, Stealthy) armed with a Sniper Rifle
• Commissar Ivanov (Regular; Human; Thundering Charge) armed with a Sword and Pistol
• Mysha (Regular; Mutant; Pugilist; Mutations: Flier, Dark Dependency, Sonic Scream)
• Heroes of the Soviet Union (Grunt Group; Human; Loyal) armed with sub-machine guns

  The first few turns of this game were fairly quiet; Olga's gang moved into position, with Luchenko climbing into the ruined building to find a sniper's nest while Ivanov moved towards the bridge to cut off access; Annette's gang are starting on the opposite side of the river from where their boat has been cached. Meanwhile, Annette's gang moved down the board, mostly keeping to the river and moving from cover point to cover point. Stalker and Croak crossed the river to the opposite bank near the starting point instead of waiting to reach the bridge 3/4ths of the way down the board. 

Olga tried to position herself to shoot at Annette, but got shot by Nine-Yards Nora for her trouble instead; Luchenko fired at Nora in response, initiating something of a sniper's duel; both figures being equipped with long-range weapons and the Ranged Fighter Trait, they continued to fire back and forth as Nora tried to move downriver. Croak and Stalker got shot at by Grunts; Croak went down, Wounded, but then stood back up as his mutated lizard-flesh reknit itself. 

 

Around Turn 6 is when things went absolutely wild. Croak started bashing the grunts with his club while Stalker moved to finish off Olga - but the Tigress of the Cossacks managed to bring him down despite being wounded and prone herself, resulting in the two wrestling on the ground in their own mingling blood. One of the grunts ran over and tried to save Olga from Stalker, putting a second Wound on him; Croak managed to rescue Stalker, bashing the grunt's head in as Olga died from her wounds. 

Meanwhile, a Joker was played, triggering a storm - reducing LOS to 12" and giving everyone a -1 to Shooting rolls. Mysha blasted Nora with a Sonic Scream, putting a Shock token on her; but Nora rallied and squeezed the trigger, sending the bat-winged mutant Out of Action. Bandit was Wounded and crawled along the riverbank for two turns before recovering enough to stand up and stagger towards the bridge and waiting boat. Ivanov, waiting on the bridge, got shot by Nora but struggled back to his feet.

 

Ivanov shot at Annette, putting a Shock token on her, which she shrugged off; trying to return fire, however, resulted in a "1" - Out of Ammo! And in Wasteland Warriors, since she's not carrying extra ammo, she's Out of Ammo for the remainder of the game. Undeterred, she proceeded to beat Ivanov's ass with the butt of her shotgun. 

Luchenko, exhausted and wounded, tried to retreat deeper into cover, but another Joker played caused him to stumble into a booby trap; discovering a hidden explosive the hard way. As the bits of Luchenko rained down, Annette's gang collected the badly wounded Stalker, boarded their boat and sailed down the river to relative safety...

END RESULTS

Annette's Gang made it off the table without losing anyone and with five bags of loot, gaining 3 Renown. Bandit was "just winged" and will be able to play in the next game, should this become a solo campaign; Stalker needs more attention and will have to miss the next game, and will begin play with one Wound already on him the following game. 

Sorting through their finds from the tech-vault they raided, Annette determines that they've obtained a Bayonet, some Extra Ammo, a powered exoskeleton, a futuristic helmet, and a Beamer (Laser) Pistol (needs a power pack). Because the Beamer is a Tech Level III weapon, someone's going to have to figure out how it works before anybody can use it. The exoskeleton, likewise, will need some study before it's useful. 

On Olga's side, everyone was ultimately taken Out of Action which...this won't be good.

• Olga: makes a full recovery and is ready for the next game.
• Luchenko: must miss the next game, but is eligible for the following game.
• Ivanov: must miss the next game, is eligible for the following game, but gains the negative trait "Drunkard" and starts every subsequent game with one Wound.
• Mysha: the carcass is taken to the composter for reprocessing into Soylent bars. Start looking for a replacement.
• Heroes of the Soviet Union: Their memories will be honored, comrade. 

AN UNEXPECTED VISITOR

 Atticus normally ignores my hobby space and solo games but decided to get very interested in the table today, jumping up on it and circling around sniffing and/or knocking over anything he could. You never know what will emerge from the Wasteland...

Galactic Heroes: Caught in a Tight Spot

 One last AAR for the year; following up on the previous game, after escaping from Lursa's rebels, the Baron contracted with an E-Corp Security Team to launch a retaliation strike. Mission objectives: Kill the rebels and retrieve a series of data crystals containing plans for future raids and the locations/identities of other rebel cells. 

THE CREWS

LURSA'S RAIDERS (Crew Trait: Ranger) 

•  Lursa (Leader; Encouraging, Impervious, Deadeye; Mutations: Life Leech), armed with a Blaster Pistol 
• B'etor (Specialist; Killer, Deft; Mutations: Extra Arms), armed with Pistols 
•  The Maw (Regular; Bloodthirsty; Mutations: Gaping Maw), armed with an Autorifle and Chainsword 
• Torso Jones (Regular; Thundering Charge; Mutations: Iron Hide), armed with a Blaster Rifle and Buzzsaw-Axe 
• Manta Claws (Regular; Steady; Mutations: Fangs and Claws), armed with a Blaster Rifle

E-CORPS SECURITY TEAM (Crew Trait: Advanced Comms) 

• Captain Hudson (Leader; Two Guns, Veteran, Encouraging), armed with Pistols
• Sgt Hicks (Specialist; Ranged Fighter, Deadeye), armed with a Sniper Rifle
• Barry Hercules (Regular; Killer), armed with a Shotgun
• Shiro Hagen (Regular; Observant), armed with an Autorifle
• Wally the Warbot (not pictured; Regular; Soulless), armed with Titanium Fists 

Scenario was "Caught in a Tight Spot" from the Wasteland Warriors rulebook, with the E-Corps team cornering Lursa's Raiders in their camp; Betor and Manta Claws began the game deployed at the center of the table with the four data crystals (Loot tokens by any other name), and the remainder of the gang entering the table as they activated.Night had fallen, reducing visibility to 12" and giving everyone a -1 to Shooting rolls.

Things got off to a quick and bloody start, with Captain Hudson swiftly moving into position and unleashing Burst fire with his two pistols on Betor and Manta Claws, wounding both. Betor struggled to her feet, returning fire before getting a shotgun blast in the back from Barry Hercules that put her out of action and put another wound on Manta. Torso Jones and the Maw entered the table, taking up positions and returning fire once they were within range, and Sgt. Hicks getting into a covered position and taking aim with his sniper rifle. 

 

This very quickly became a knock-down, vicious fight, with figures moving from cover to cover, getting wounded, knocked down, crawling to the next bit of cover, standing up, shaking off shock, firing again...at one point I think a total of five figures on the table were prone with wounds. Both Manta and Shiro Hagen got wounded, crawled a short distance, and then succumbed to their wounds while trying to stand up. E-Corp figures would move in, grab a data crystal, and promptly get shot, dropping it as they fell prone. The Maw was taken out of action by a second Burst of fire from Captain Hudson, with Lursa being wounded in the same burst. 

With Betor, Manta and the Maw all going Out of Action in the span of two rounds, it looked like it was going to be E-Corps' game; but Torso Jones charged out of cover and beheaded Sgt Hicks with a single wild swing of his buzzsaw axe. Lursa shot and wounded Captain Hudson in a phenomenal shot (she needed a 9+ on a D10 and got it) and then Torso jumped on the prone man, finishing him off before catapulting himself at Wally the Warbot and demolishing the 'bot as well.

At the end of the game, Barry Hercules escaped off table with a single data crystal, Lursa had a wound  on her and Torso Jones was standing victorious. Everyone else was Out of Action. But the rebels maintained possession of 3 data crystals, giving them the victory. 

So now the Baron possesses a data crystal full of plans and the locations of other cells...I smell a rematch!

Wasteland Warriors: Annette's Gang, and some Holiday Cheer

 Last figures for the year; I'm packing up my painting desk (i.e., the back half of our dining room table) tonight and leaving it be until after New Year's. 

Wiley Games' Post-Apocalyptic variant, "Wasteland Warriors," is one I'd like to do more with in the new year; it's very influenced by the likes of Gamma World, Thundarr the Barbarian and Kamandi: Last Boy on Earth, which is a lot more fun than some of the other post-apocalypses out there. 

 

Digging into my box of primed but unpainted figures, I pulled out some Mark Copplestone-sculpted Future Warriors, originally from Grenadier but now produced by Forlorn Hope Games. I supplemented these with a Female Mercenary from Mark Copplestone's own Future Wars line (effectively an extension of the older Grenadier line) and a Reaper Troglodyte from their Bones line. Just like that, I've got a gang of wasteland warriors!

These are very quick and dirty paint-jobs, mostly just basecoat and wash with a minimum of highlighting, but they're effective and get the job done. I went a little bit more in-depth with the Troglodyte - gave him the full Reaper Triad of Stormy/Cloudy/Misty Gray, then glazed his back with GW Guilliman Blue and his throat and gills with GW Bloodletter. I'd just like to add that he was a bit of a bitch to get the mold-lines off, and some remain in place because I was shaving off scales trying to remove the mold-lines. 

All in all, about two nights' work that I'm pretty happy with. And finally, since it is Christmas Eve...

This is a Scibor Miniatures' "Christmas Snowman Slayer" Dwarf, which was gifted to me as part of a painting group I'm in; it is the first resin figure I've ever assembled and painted, and it gave me some challenges - I realized just now I'd glued the ice-skate blade to his halberd on upside down, and the spike on the back shattered trying to remove it from its sprue. I decided to go for a grubbier, less-pleasant Santa vibe; more "Billy Bob Thornton in BAD SANTA" than anything else. Hence the alcohol-induced rosacea on his nose and cheeks, and I used GW Seraphim Sepia to stain his fingers and beard as if from heavy nicotine use. Not sure how much comes through in the photo, but I'm pleased enough with how he turned out.

So that's it for me for 2021. Happiest of holidays, whichever you may celebrate, and may 2022 bring you games and painting time aplenty.

Lursa's Raiders

Here we have a merry band of Chaos Cultists/Mutants from Diehard Miniatures, from their most recent Kickstarter. These will be a gang for games of Fistful of Lead using the scifi (Galactic Heroes) rules or the Post-Apocalyptic (Wasteland Warriors) variant.

Lursa and her sister B'etor, the brains behind this operation

The Maw, always hungry for violence

Manta Claws, ready in a pinch

Torso Jones, looking to get ahead