Zombie Hunter Fred

The unofficial group leader, Fred:

Hasslefree Miniatures Barney (b)

Zombie Hunter Velma

The brains of the Scooby Doo Zombie Hunters, Velma:

Zombie Hunter Shaggy

First member of the Scooby Doo Zombie Hunters, Shaggy;

Figure is "Wolsey (b)" from Hasslefree Miniatures . I've obviously not based him yet. I'll do that when I've finished the entire gang for the sake of consistency (or because I'm lazy and hate basing!).

HVF vs PDS Sufferers

That's "Human Volunteer Force" vs "Partial Death Syndrome" sufferers (aka Zombies).

I watched the first episode (of 3) of the new BBC 3 "In The Flesh" last night. It takes place after the zombie apocalypse (or "The Rising") has been quelled. The undead have been "cured" through a daily drug dose to kick start their brains and are now being re-introduced back into society to their families. Not all societies are too keen on the idea though. The first episode was good enough to look forward to the second one next week.

But the main reason for posting about it here is the gaming potential of the HVF. This is basically a nationally actioned but locally organised militia group for fighting zombies. As ever local characters, local politics and local geography will mould the shape, effectiveness and ruthlessness of the force. It could be an interesting group to add to your Z world.

SoBH Campaign 3 - Battle 11

Battlefield: River Crossing
Weather: Heavy Rain
Scenario: Send For Help.
Defender: Dwarves

Forces:
New additions marked in purple italics

Dwarves (568 pts):

• Valgen Maest: DWARF COMMANDER 103 Pts, XP: 3 , Quality 3+ Combat 4
  [Brain Damaged: Worse Quality ],Short Move, Leader, Fearless, Free Disengage, Shieldwall, Snow Walk, Hatred (Barbarian)
• Falster Vonlyr: ELITE WARRIOR 65 Pts, XP: 3,  Quality 2+ Combat 4
  Short Move, Steadfast, Fearless, Free Disengage, Shieldwall
• Halgar Snowbeard: ELITE WARRIOR 50 Pts, XP: 3, Quality 3+ Combat 4
  Short Move, Opportunistic, Snow Walk, Shieldwall
• Ireheart: ELITE WARRIOR 40 Pts XP: 3, Quality 3+ Combat 4
  Quality 3+, Combat 4, Short Move, Lethal (vs Barbarians)
• Manon Hardfoot: WARRIOR 48 Pts, XP: 2, Quality 3+ Combat 4
  Short Move, Shieldwall, Snowwalk
• Rod Grimiron: WARRIOR 48 Pts, XP: 2,  Quality 3+ Combat 4
  Short Move, Shieldwall, Snowwalk
• Hono Pickbattler: WARRIOR 48 Pts, XP: 2,  Quality 3+ Combat 4
  Short Move, Shieldwall, Snowwalk
• Cerri Crakshot: CROSSBOWMAN 38 Pts, XP: 1, Quality 3+, Combat 3
  Short Move, Medium Shooter, Snowwalk
• Haggar Swiftbolt: ELITE CROSSBOWMAN 44 Pts, XP: 0 Quality 3+, Combat 3
  Short Move, Medium Shooter, Good Shot, Unerring Aim
• Boindel Beaststrider: BEAR CAVALRY 68 Pts, XP 1 Quality 3+ Combat 4
  Mounted, Running Blow

Barbarians (568 pts):

• Ardaric Blackmaul: BARBARIAN COMMANDER 90 Pts, XP: 1  Quality 2+, Combat 4
  Leader,  Fearless, Free Disengage, [Equipment: Charmstone, Healing Potion]
• Ooko: ELEMENTALIST 34 Pts (+ 75 Pts Summoning pool), XP: 1 Quality 2+, Combat 1
  Elementalist, Short Move, Acrobat [Equipment: Healing potion, spell scroll]
• Erwig Bonetooth: ELITE ARCHER 72 Pts, XP: 1 Quality 3+, Combat 4
   Fearless, Shooter (Long), Forester,  Free Disengage [Equipment: Charmstone]
• T-ord Keenbow: ARCHER 50 Pts, XP 0 Quality 3+, Combat 3
    Fearless, Shooter (Long), Free Disengage
• Remos Arcfur: WARRIOR 52 Pts, XP: 3 Quality 3+ , Combat 4
   Fearless, Steadfast
• Rodulf Wolfhowl: WARRIOR 52 Pts, XP: 2 Quality 3+, Combat 4
   Fearless, Steadfast
• Cohan Deathaxe: VETERAN WARRIOR 30 Pts XP: 0 Quality 4+, Combat 4
  Fearless, Short Move, Opportunistic
• Garos Bearclaw: WARRIOR 36 Pts, XP: 2 Quality 3+, Combat 3,
  Fearless
• Halka Skulldrinker: WARRIOR 36 Pts XP: 0 Quality 3+, Combat 3, 
  Fearless

Setup:

The Dwarves had to get Valgen, or if Valgen died and second, unknown messenger off the opposite side of the table. The table was set up with a river running across it. The river had 3 crossing points, a bridge in the centre and two fords, one each side of the bridge slightly up/down stream.

The Barbarians could deploy anywhere on the table, at least 2 long away from the Dwarves. They chose to form round the central road and bridge, with archers in the woods to ambush anyone coming across the fords.

The Dwarves started at then table edge, protecting Valgen.

The Dwarves started out at a pace, with a couple of inconsequential slips. Valgen, Falster and Boindel made for the most northerly crossing point. Snowbeard started a lonely plod to the south and the rest of the warband headed towards the bridge.

The Barbarians held position and waited. Ooko decided to summon a Water Elemental in the river, and it would not be slowed.

With the barbarians holding, the dwarves rushed across the the ford, again with a couple of slips due to the Heavy Rain. Rod, Manon and Cerri managed to the bridge edge to form a barrier for any barbarians looking to flank in behind and attack Valgen.

Ooko Summoned a Fire Elemental at the other side of the bridge to try and hamper any further progress across by the foe, with Rodulf moving in to support. The other barbarians took cover in the woods to ambush the force crossing to the North.

Looking to create a diversion, the bear cavalry and troops start to flank round, staying out of archer range.

Whilst the main body gather for a possible push over the bridge. Tries to start some covering fire, but not only does he slip whilst firing he also breaks his crossbow in the process.

Ooko summons a second fire elemental to block the numbers across the bridge, but his water elemental slips in the river (yeah I know!!) and hands an early turnover.

New Recruit Hagar fires a shot at the prone Water Elemental, but only succeeds in pushing the artificial creature down river slightly. Halgar moves to join his Elite Warrior Snowbeard, but Snowbeard slips on his move so little progress is made and then Cerri slips and ends the turn.

The water tries to get back up but slips again whilst the archers move over to the bridge behind the fire elementals in case of any rush, confident they can cover the southerly ford if need be.

The Dwarf push starts. Hagar fire off a bolt at Remos but misses. The two axe brothers and Cerri move onto the bridge, with Manon and Rod forming a Sheildwall on Valgen's command. In the North the cavalry and 2 infantry continue to move round and in.

Ooko manges to transfix the last remaining dwarven threat, Hagar. The water elemental surges up the river and attacks, but fails to connect it's attack. Erwig then takes careful aim and kills his opposite number. The Fire elemental moves but slips, and the other fire elemental and Remos move to cover the bridge to stop the dwarves gaining a foothold on that side. T-ord moves in on the other side of the bridge, but slips. Garos moves in next to him to protest the archer from the flanking dwarves.

Both sides then try to re-organise, but with Valgen still on the starting side of the river time is too short for him to make the opposite edge, and the Barbarians are not moving for Snowbeard's decoy run, so the message does not get through.

Battle Result: Barbarian Win.

Urban War - Viridian Mortar Teams

Viridian Mortar Team 1

Viridian Mortar Team 2

Quite nicely (and by chance) I've ended up with two different "aimers". One with some camoflage netting on his back and the other with a backpack. The identical loaders will be handy if I want to have only one mortar with a bit a "survivability" by recruiting one form the other unused team.

The end id in sight for my Viridian, but I was starting to feel a little "here we go again" for these guys so i'm going to take a brief break and pull out something completely different. For my Birthday last year I was given the post-apocalyptic Not Scooby Doo gang by Hasslefree. It would be rude to just leave them in the unpainted pile...

A New Case in Town

With Arabiansquires Space Marine force growing transporting it (and all the associated gubbins) has become more and more of a pain. I'd cobbled together a figure case a few years back with an Ikea case an a couple of foam trays from Kaiser Rushforth, but the lad's vehicles were left to worryingly be stuffed into a shoe box and the books etc piled on top of that on the way to the gaming club. So eventually I realised that a proper case was no longer a luxury but a necessity.

After a bit of shopping around for a god price I eventually plumped for one from "Gifts for Geeks" (who trade on Ebay under their bricks and mortar name of Tabletop Tyrant.)

I plumped for their own brand Tyrant Figure case with "standard load-out", meaning 5 infantry trays and a 3 depth vehicle tray (with pinch out foam) for £41 + £5 postage.

The case material is a light polyester feel so should be water resistent (quite important in Scotland!) and the case opens round the two sides for ease of access.

The foam trays are a a bit less soft and floppy than my KR multicase ones but no way near as stiff as the ones that I've seen from the Figures in Comfort range. The tray components are stuck together tight enough although there is the odd bit of dried glue on the side of the odd tray and the  sometimes the base isn't exactly aligned to the body. Whilst this isn't a problem it does detract from the aesthetics of the package.

The pinch out foam worked well, although care had to be taken when removing columns at the side as the glue from construction had leached onto the inside, threatening to tear the outside wall/floor of the tray if care wasn't taken. The system is pretty flexible though and removed columns can be re-positioned to give an extra bit of shoring up when the vehicles are in place.

So happy? Yes. With one of the unused trays removed there is room for all the 40k rulesbooks/codexs, all the figures and vehicles are together protected in one (slightly awkward for an 11 year old) carry case. The wee lad has mentioned a few times after we'd filled it that "It's a pretty good case", so that's also good. Recommended.