Enter the Zone: Post apocalyptic figures and zombie

Well time for something completely different. Welcome one and all to the Zone. This is a project I had been contemplating for quite some time but now I am making the jump and starting to paint up some miniatures for it. It is something that I am finding really engaging, so many possibilities, so many opportunities for conversions, so many crazy characters to think up. I am having lots of fun, I hope you find this project fun too.

So first up, a HUGE thank you to my flatmate, Logan, for letting me use their phone with such an excellent camera. I will naturally apologise for some of the aspect ratio's, most of the images are portrait which is a little odd. So please bare with.

Additional thanks to Logan for the backdrop for these shots. Parts from a 1965 computer no less.

So today we are looking a three miniatures; two S.T.A.L.K.E.R.s, from the Dark Alliance sets; and one zombie, from the Caesar modern zombies set. (My goodness figures that are not from Elhiem what is this?) Don't know what I was so hesitant to work with plastics again. While the past few days have seen little painting, they have seen a large amount of conversions. I have had a lot of fun thinking of themes for different factions and sub-factions within the zone, not to mention a few wacky characters. So let's look at the first of those to enter the zone.

In the zone the wise stalkers steer clear of the mutant hordes... But there are those who hunt, not just the most powerful monsters, but seek to take down the most numerous groups. Mutants best steer clear of these stalkers.

The first miniature is this grizzled veteran. Painted up in honour of my mate Jasper, he's into power-lifting so this figure was the obvious choice. I asked Jasper what he wanted for the design. He said he'd like the figure to be wearing the white urban DPM and/or the colours of his home region Otago (blue and gold). I managed to get them both in there. Hope you like the results bro.

Searching the old labs is dangerous

But for those with the right equipment even the most dangerous parts of the zone become accessible.

But even those most experienced Stalkers know to be cautious. Some places are best left avoided.

Couple notes on the figure: as you can see I have gone for an urban DPM camouflage all over. I found some good images online that I copied.

Additionally I also took some time to add scars to the figure. Very fine work, would like to know what you think of those.

Next up is a member of a group known throughout the Zone as the Witch Hunters, Zone Inquisition, Fanatics, Zealots and all sorts of less savoury things. What they call themselves is less clear. They are a religious group, though whether they follow one mainstream religion, or many, or even none but their own is unclear. What we do know of their beliefs is this: They consider the Zone, its creatures and anomalies, to be an affront to the natural order of things. They are hostile both to the Zone mutants but also to those who seek to smuggle artefacts out of the Zone. In their eyes these tainted objects must be destroyed and their taint contained. So overall a cheery bunch as you can see.

For some the treasures of the Zone are not to be sought for sale but for destruction.

Those who stop their holy mission are just as vile as the mutant abominations. All of the corruption must be purged. 

So this figure and the others I will do for this faction are inspired by the Warhammer Fantasy Witch Hunters.

I will keep the uniformity of the red coats with each, most will also get the broad rimmed hat.

As you can see I also went for a facial scar here. Perhaps the bionic eye on the other side is also the result of an old battle wound, or perhaps enhancement. Which evangelical this group is not necessarily against technology.

A rather dashing figure overall I would say.

Finally there are those who one way or another have succumb to the powers of the zone. However, these unfortunate souls did not receive the mercy of death but instead found themselves neither living nor dead. Zombies are the most common of the human mutants in the zone. Lumbering, shambling, crawling or dragging themselves around, the lone zombie is more an object of pity than fear. Sure even a lone one is a threat, but a wise Stalker knows how to avoid them. Hordes of zombies, well that's another matter entirely. Some though are more dangerous than others and this big zombie is one of the ones that poses a very real threat to a lone Stalker, or even an inexperienced party.

Whether it is succumbing to a zombie's bite, the original victims of the zone's creation, exposure to certain anomalies or having their enthralled to some of the more powerful mutants, there are many ways for people to turn zombie.

Fortunately these zombies are not invincible, while the classic shot to the head is a certain kill, filling them with enough lead or causing enough damage with a blade will take them down. Although some a very resilient.

Many such as this zombie exhibit old battle scars. Most are also quite stupid, although some exhibit a degree of intelligence. Those who fall victim to a controlling mutant and become puppets can even use firearms and other weapons.

This figure was quite simple to pains but also rather fun as well. I especially likes trying to get those blood effects just right.

So that's all for today, hope to get more out again next week. Might be the Soviets I promised. Might not. I do have a lot of conversions on the go so I may not have any completed figures for a bit. Although I think you will quite like some of these conversions I am doing, so stick around for more.

But until then I wish you all a good day/night. Hope that you are all safe and sound and I will see you all next time. :-)

Soviet Officers and female warrant officer

Well for once this post was not delayed by lack of painting progress but rather by photography issues. You see I just wasn't satisfied with any of the photos I had so you are going to get them all, the imperfect bunch they are. So today I present these three figures that I should have shown off last week. Indeed since then I have finished three other figures since completing these three. So keep an eye out for more to come. First up the group photos.

So these figures are the rest of the set that contained the Soviet MP Officer. Took me a while to sort out their uniform and I am not totally sure that their shoulder-boards are correct. As you will see I have two full sets of photos, one was taken inside and suffers from the usual problems of my camera not being able to focus properly. The other set was taken outside and the shadows are too much. So lot of photos unfortunately no nice ones. Might be time I get an upgrade, as you will soon see my flatmate's phone trumps my camera's super macro setting. However, that's something for another post.

So now I will move onto the individual photos. First up, the female warrant officer. A rather simple pose but a nice one. First time I have tried to do light blonde hair for a change, quite happy with the result. Same cannot be said for her face, after many attempts I left it as is. Is it acceptable? I will let you be the judge.

Next up is the male officer pulling that classic pose with one arms outstretched firing his pistol with the other behind. This pose may be the one I like the least, however, I think this may be my favourite figure in terms of results. One thing I have done on the other Soviet figures from Elhiem (yes expect those to come in the near future too) is to add black lines around detail items, to highlight the separation. Works very well and I wish I had tried it on these too.

Finally we have a pose with an officer demonstrating a more appropriate shooting stance. I quite like this post, it is probably a favourite of mine. It must have been difficult to produce and it was also quite difficult to paint. Getting behind the arms was very tricky. Of all the figures I feel that this figure got the best photos so I hope that you like them.

Well that's all for today. Much procrastination has delayed this post and I am sorry I could not do a nicer write up about how I produced these figures. Some exciting things coming up so keep an eye out for them.

But until next time I wish you all a very good day/night. Stay safe, stay socially distanced and I will see you all next time. :-)

Soviet Military Police Officer

So we're still in the 80s with this one, which can be considered something of a preview. Another Elhiem figure, a Soviet Military Police Officer, in their gloriously camp uniform. In relation to the Oronegro project this figure will serve the Pan Andean People's Republic. However, as I am trying to do the uniforms as accurately as I can, he can be roped into serve the Soviet Union just as well.

Watch out, he has the high ground!

So I went with a very simple and boring base in this case, which will probably be the norm for these figures. Also, I just realised I do not have a photo looking down, which means that there's not a good shot of the hand-painted star. A detail that was quite difficult to add. Anyway on with the rest of the pictures.

So the main uniform is vallejo military green with a black wash to darken it. 

The red details are in vallejo bloody red.

The gun was done in vajello gunmetal grey with citadel mithril silver highlights.

All the other colours are my general artist acrylic with the exception of the face which is done with a vallejo face painting set.  

Sorry for the rather too many photos I just couldn't decide which to keep. 

Anyway as I said before consider this figure something of a preview.

There are more Soviets/Pan Andean People's Republic regulars to come.

And then? well maybe I shall keep that a surprise.

At this time I am not sure how many models I will get through before the lockdown ends. That being said I have prepared many for painting so keep your eyes out for more.

And final photo. This may be the most photographed single figure yet.

Well that's all for today, slowly making progress towards the other items on my workbench and starting to attach the mountain of plastic built up after my recent splurge. Not sure when you can expect the next post, really depends on how side tracked I get with the many projects on the desk.

However until then, I wish you all a good day/night.