Hope Everyone had a Merry Christmas

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and got some great stuff for Zombie gaming.

My Christmas was ok. I did get some Bacon flavored Popcorn (I love bacon, but the Bacon Popcorn is , ehhh, ok at best), along with the tried and true classics, Clothes, yay, LOL. I also received a Gift Certificate for the local Hobby Shop, so I will be getting me either some more miniatures, paints, or brushes and/or sculpting tools. I also received a gift card for Wal-Mart which I will probably use for some Cardstock or Printer Ink.

Then of course I also had the Ebbles Archive DVD that I bought as a present for myself, which I build one of the M11 4x4's, UN Variant, today just to have something to do. I did include the Weapons Mount (Heavy Machine Gun), though I did do one modification, I glued a Magnet under the Weapons Ring and to the bottom of the weapons cradle, so that I can remove the HMG if I want to, and replace it with the Missile Launcher or the Grenade Launcher, or have nothing in the weapons ring. I built the model with only glancing at the instructions once before starting the build (though I did make notes about where some of the parts, like what bumper was the front and what one was the rear, went on a scrap of paper), Over all it came out looking decent for a quick build without really looking at the instructions. I also unfortunately had to use some White Glue to build it since I am out of the low water content glue (I believe the glue I used before was Scotch Scrap Booking glue) that I normally use.

Well going to go print off a couple more of the M11s and maybe both the 2005 and 2010 UD-41's along with some of the Folding Buildings.

Ebble Miniatures 2003-2010 Archive DVD

I just received my latest acquisition earlier today, a Christmas Present from myself to myself, from Ebbles Miniatures.

I think I will do a review of the Ebbles Miniatures Archive DVD. I purchased it this last weekend (18DEC2010) for $49.99 and received it today (22DEC2010). The disc contains the Ebbles Cardstock Models from 2003-2010, with some exceptions which I will get to in a bit. First off you are getting 65 different sets, including variations on color schemes for some of the sets, that if bought separately would have cost you more then $400, the UD-41 (2010 version) iirc was roughly $30 with the forum exclusive re-skins running about $16. Most the sets are geared towards Sci Fi (including a game called Guncrawl which from a brief glance looks to be an Aliens/Space Hulk/Starship Troopers style game, though I may be wrong haven't looked at it yet). Some of the models such as the M11 4x4 looks liek it could easily pass as a modified Humvee, the M9 6x6 as a wheeled APC/Police Riot Tank, and the M8A3 as a Main Battle Tank for a military. Each of these three models come in a variety of color schemes ranging from Woodland Camo to Desert Tan to UN to Police paint jobs (yes there is a Police version of the M8A3 for those who may play a game where the Police are a Militant force). There's also the Convoy set that Ebbles released this year that can be used in a Modern Day setting, the convoy consists of a truck with a covered bed, one with an open bed, one with a tank labeled Water and one with a tank labeled Flammable (Fuel). The convoy comes in either 15mm or 28mm size and in Helo Drab (an greenish color), Tan, Gray, and white.

There are a few exceptions to the disc, these are models that have recently been released such as the Overland Motor Works Onager, a tracked vehicle and the just released Jeepvee (another Hummer styled vehicle), fortunately these are available on the Ebbles Miniatures site for about $2.50 per model, unfortunately that $2.50 will only get you one color scheme. I also believe that some of the forum exclusive re-skins of a couple of the models may not have been included in the archive.

Other then these few models not being included, I will find use for the M11, M9, M8A3 as military vehicles (and police for the M11 and M9, Civilian for the M11), the UD-41 (the newer 2010 released version, a high tech Castle Pharmaceuticals Transport plane) the Folding Unit Structures (structures for a Military outpost/base/refugee center), the Convoy (Military transport trucks, and maybe as a Survivors convoy), and maybe some of the props from the Derelict II set (an interior set one could use as a bunker/Space Station/Vault).

I may get around to building some of the Mecha models though the wont be used in my ATZ games. Over all the DVD Archive is well worth the price, and it is only available for a limited time, once Ebbles Miniatures transfers all the files for the Models over to the World Works Games storefront, the DVD will be no more (the copies of the DVD still on hand will be sold, once those are gone there will be no more print runs of the DVD).

For those not familiar with both Ebbles and World Works Games (WWG), while technically they are/were competitors they had a close friendship and if say Ebbles had the model someone was looking for on the WWG forums, WWG staff would point the forum user over to Ebbles and vice versa, Ebbles would send users over to WWG for models he didn't carry.

Christmas Wish Lists

Well Christmas is less then a week away and if you are like me you have a wish list of what you want/would like to receive from Friends and/or Family for Christmas. Surprisingly mine isn't that large, I tried to keep everything under $10 on my list and told everyone that if they want to get me stuff off the list that one or two of the items would be good.

Here's my list

From Reaper Chronoscope List
*50183        Nova Corp. Rifleman                                $3.99
50179         Ebony Foxx, Modern Heroine                   $3.99
50173         Garvin Markus, Nova Corp. Hero               $3.99
50161         Nine Suns Henchman                              $3.99
50159         Sister Maria, Nun                                    $4.99
50157         Townsfolk: Ladies of the Night (3)             $6.99
50153         Berkly, Zombie Hunter                             $3.99
50149         Natalia, Female Secret Agent                  $3.99
50146         Female Nova Corp. Officer                       $3.99
50133         Mira, Post Apocalyptic Heroine                $5.99
50132         Jessica Blaze, Smuggler                         $3.99
50114         Chupacabra                                            $3.99
50111         Diamond Sue Dawson, Cowgirl                 $3.99
*50103        Nova Corp Soldier                                   $3.99
50082         Cobra, Modern Ninja                               $3.99
50065         Rex, Dark Future Hero                            $3.99
50053         Sly Withers, Street Boss                        $6.99
50047         Mike Noe, Biker Boss                             $4.99
50044         Frank Russo, Mercenary Hero                 $4.99
50043         Ernesto, Revolutionary                            $4.99
50033         Horace "Action" Jackson                        $4.99
50032         Jake Ryan, Hero Explorer                       $4.99
*50005         Nova Corp. Security Sergeant                 $4.99
*50004        Nova Corp. Security Guard                     $4.99
50002         Boris Barayev, Five Suns Smuggler         $4.99
Figures with a * by the number are ones that I can definitely use multiples of 

Ebbles Miniatures List
2003-2010 Archive DVD                            $49.99 (This will be a gift from me to myself, ordered it already)

Misc. Companies List
Any modern looking Zombies-
      Sets from Studio Miniatures (if you want to go this route you only need to purchase one set)
      Sets from Cold War miniatures (only one set needs to be purchased)
Figures from eM4 miniatures (anything other then the Robots and Cyborgs from the Future Skirmish line of unpainted Metal Minis)
Copplestone Castings (Various sets from the future Wars Line, only one set is needed to be purchased, all sets product code starts with FW followed by the number, here are the numbers, 1, 4, 5,  7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 16, 17, 21, 23, 24, 26, 33, 34, 35. All sets are about $13.20USD with the current exchange rate at the time of this posting)

In all actuality I don't expect any of the items on this list (other then what I may/will purchase), even though I gave this list to family and friends its more of a check list for me to use when getting additional miniatures for my ATZ games.

Some items on my list that I didn't give to family and friends are items such as 1/42 scale die cast cars to use as props in my games. I currently have 4 die casts 2 Hummer H2s- one Red and one Yellow (now repainted Black), 1 Police Interceptor/Cruiser and one US Mail Truck. I am planning on getting an additional Hummer or two or 20 (one will definitely be a yellow one that I will paint the #3 onto the doors), I also want to get an additional Mail Truck and repaint it as a Dept. of Public Works truck (perfect for the Police or FBI to use as an undercover stake out vehicle, yeah I know so Cliche, LOL). I also want to get a VW Mini Bus or two (one for use as a News Van and the other repainted to look like the ones the DHARMA Initiative used in LOST).

In addition to the items on my list I also told people that gift cards/certificates for one of the local Hobby Shops would also be appreciated.


Now that's not to say I am greedy, I have donated to the local Old Newsboys (they provide a service similar to USMC's  Toys for Tots, in that they give toys to unfortunate children who otherwise wouldn't be having a Christmas with any gifts) and Toys for Tots, the two organizations I try to donate to every year.

I don't know if I will post anything again before Christmas, so if I don't Have a Merry Christmas. For those of you who are of other religions, Happy Hanukkah, Ashura, Yule/Litha, Kwanzaa or any other religious holiday you may observe during the month of December, also I am sorry if the well wishes for your holiday are late. No matter what your Religion and/or religious Holidays you observe have fun and most importantly Stay Safe.




Edit: Had to use some (as in a good $80US chunk) of the money I would have been using to get me more figures on a new Wireless Router today, the one I had decided to kick the bucket and would no longer communicate with anything connected to it via Cat 5 cable (though it still would connect to anything via WiFi). Granted I could have probably have gotten a cheaper router, but unfortunately I needed a new one ASAP and instead of driving 15 minutes to Wal-Mart (which last time I was there didnt have really and routers) or 20 minutes to Staples, I drove up to the local Radio Shack that's only a minute or two away and got the new router.

Some of my Miniatures

I already posted some pics of my miniatures previously http://dougslandofthedead.blogspot.com/2010/11/small-sampling-of-my-painted-figures.html

Here's some more of the figures along with a crude height scale behind them.

All lines are 5mm apart except for the 25-30mm lines, I have included a line at 28mm. The scale starts 4mm from the base of the cardstock (the height of a slotted base).

From left to Right: THW Carolee 35mm, THW Carolee 15mm, Horroclix Zombie Trooper, Zombiesmith Zombiesmith, Last Night on Earth Hero, Last Night on Earth Hero, Heroclix Kingpin, Zombiesmith Jacket Zombie (Straight Jacketed Mental Patient), Horrorclix Corporate Trooper, Wargames Factory Plastic Zombie (with Metal head from Reaper Chronoscope's Frank Russo Blister pack).

From Left to Right: THW Carolee 35mm, THW Carolee 15mm, Reaper Chronoscope Frank Russo, Reaper Chronoscope Sugar Anime Heroin, Reaper Chronoscope Candy Anime Heroine, eM4 Female Biker w/ Auto Shotgun, eM4 Fat Biker w/ Auto Shotgun, Reaper Chronoscope Terrell Zombie Survivor, Wargames Factory Plastic Zombie (Head from the Reaper Chronoscope Frank Russo Blister pack)

From Left to Right: eM4 NBC Trooper, eM4 NBC Trooper, THW Carolee 35mm, THW Carolee 15mm, PEF (Twilight Creations Human pawn form Humans!!!), eM4 Camera operator, eM4 Female Reporter, eM4 Biker Chick w/ Auto Shotgun, eM4 Fat biker w/ Auto Shotgun

Sugar has blue hair with purple dry brushing and the gun has been painted with Reaper Pro Paints Purple Steel (no longer manufactured), Sugar has Orange hair with neon pink dry brushing and her gun is painted neon pink over a black base coat. the 35mm Carolee has both the blade guard and the pommel of her sword painted in Purple Steel. As mentioned in the captions the Wargames Factory Zombie has one of the two heads from the Reaper Chronoscope Frank Russo Blister, which is a skull mask. Also all my Wargames Factory zombies are mounted on square 25mm bases, where as the rest of my figures (with the exception of Reapers Frank Russo which is on a 30mm lipped base, and my PEFs which are on 40mm round bases) are on 25mm round slotted bases.

I do have more figures but unfortunately I need to dig out all my lighting gear and find an area here that is large enough for me to start taking decent pics of the figures, these were quick shots with ambient light and one flash off camera.

I like the Carolee figures but unfortunately probably wont use them all that often, as you can see the 35mm one towers over all the other figures at 35mm without being mounted on a slotted base like most my other figures, her base is integrated, though I did glue her down to a 25mm circle of plastic from a blister pack. The 15mm, based on a US Penny (one Cent piece) one will be used with the 15mm Zombies and Survivors which were purchased from THW right before Ed sold the molds to Mike at Rebel minis. I probably wont post pics of my 15mm minis since I mostly use them for testing and quick little games that I can play on a smaller area.

In addition to the Carolee figures and the Chupacabra figure mentioned in my last post this week I picked up another set of each of the ATZ token sets (Action, Status and Bullet tokens), additional paints (like reaper Pro paints Purple Steel which was on sale at the Local Hobby shop since its been Discontinued), some Gale Force 9 Green Stuff (finally have some decent putty to work with after getting a bad batch of Milliput), and 32 ceramic tiles (4-1/4in x 4-1/4in, white) to use with teh interior building rules in I, Zombie. I have taken a black sharpie and divided each tile into 9 sections (for ease of figure placement) and will be using Dry Erase Markers on them to show doors, stairs, windows, open areas, etc...

Updates

as mentioned I received my order from eM4 last week and got to painting the figures during a break from Fallout New Vegas (great game, btw). Ended up getting them painted and decided to take a count of all my figures.

Heres the totals:

55 Zombies (56 if I can find where I placed my Zombiesmith not-Micheal Jackson zombie) of which they are mainly Zombiesmith zombies, one set of Wargames Factory plastic zombies, a set of the Reaper Chronoscope Urban Zombies (the Police officer, "Professional Escort," and the Businessman), and a couple of Horrorclix zombies. Not as many as I initially though I had, I didn't count the 400+ Twilight Creations Zombies (Males, Females, Clowns, and the zombies from the game Humans and Zombietown), the zombies from Flying Frog's Last Night on Earth, or Asmodee's Mall of Horror.

44 Survivors/Military/Gangers/Law Enforcement consisting of Reaper Chronoscope, Zombiesmith, eM4, Last Night on Earth and a couple Horror/Heroclix figures. This isnt including the Twilight Creations Shotgun/Pistol Pawns (Zombies!!! and Zombietown) or the Human pawns from the game Humans.

2 Ragers which are from the free Mantic Ghouls sample that Mantic and Wayland Games was giving earlier this year.

5 PEF's made using the Human pawns from Twilight Creations game Humans.

1 BA Wolf/Dog that's a Horrorclix Dire Wolf.

1 Chupacabra from Reaper Chronoscope line. This will be used as both a Chupacabra for the Giving up the Goat scenario and as a Stalker (my campaign worlds equivelent to the Resident Evil Hunters) created by Castle Pharmaceuticals White Rook Division.

I also have a THW Girl Carolee combo pack ordered (1x 15mm figure and 1x 35mm figure of Carolee the THW Girl) along with some additional ATZ Token sets (one of each: Bullet, Action and Status) to go with the set of each I already have. Depending on how everything goes for Christmas ( as in how much money I get) I will possibly be either ordering another Risk and Rewards Deck and more ATZ Tokens, or more Zombie and Survivor Minis.