Anyway, while i do have some old 28mm, i've also got rid of a bunch of stuff recently due to not wanting to partake in Tabletop at that scale.
One of my all time favourite PC games, and one i probably replay every year (more or less) is called S.T.A.L.K.E.R.
It's a semi-post-apocalypse game set in an alternate universe chernobyl.
The thing i like most about it is that it's by majority a sand-box game. What? In the game you can wander pretty much anywhere you want in any order as you see fit. The opposite is what i call 'maze' or 'tunnel runner' games, where the game directs you from place to place through a often very limiting tunnel path.
There are other great things about this game. The controls are (or were) great and full customisable (not always available in that era). There was a huge amount of stuff to do and explore. The atmosphere was creepy as pik. Just generally very entertaining and even if you played on a difficult simple level it was fantastically narrative. Like you were a character living though a book... without the reading.
Ok, gushing complete.
I was intrigued recently by Planet-28 ruleset which is a generic ruleset for whatever 'universe' you're interested in setting your game in. There was local talk of doing some Inquistor/Hive setting games then the corona scam arrived to that went out the windos.
Ok, so tie all this stuff together dude...
Then recently i saw models on fb that were pretty much Stalkers. 'Wow!' already. What are people doing with these? Cultists or rebel guards or something?
Turns out there's a rule set called Zona Alfa which is exactly a STALKER universe for 28mm. It's only recently published, so i haven't been missing out, and since finding this out it's been preoccupying my hobby mind-space.
I will probably build 'stuff' so that i can play solo [yep, that happened]. I genuinely don't know if there would be suitable interest in a stalker-verse in either the CoD or local scenes. I might ask but only once i have something to report or demonstrate.
fb groups...
Terrain
A while back i got rid of all my 28mm terrain. Which i'm still happy about, and tbh, have been reluctant for that to change. However i am kind of contemplating putting together some paper/cardboard structures for use with this system. Hopefully something that can fold away neatly (that reminds me that infinity had something like that (gave some of those away too). or stuff that can at least babushka into a smaller storage footprint. I really don't want to go all out and do the whole mdf thing [cheah! right!].
Models
I probably no definitely have enough stuff to make this happen already. However, most of the model resources are part of existing game sets that i'm reluctant to split and especially to customise just for this game, i.e. infinity would work, zombicide might work [later: i checked and they're a bit too small to use them as my permanent critters], z war one would work, necromunda would work... but i don't want to chop shop models from complete games for this project. I also don't want to invest a lot in this experimental game that i'm potentially only ever going to play solo.
What i've done for starters is print my first basic 'crew' for the game. Based coated in standard matt charcoal.
There's surprisingly few dirt cheap and appropriate minis on thingiverse. These did come from thingi however i had to replace all the heads and 'fix' all the weapons of all of them. A bit tiresome but like most of my 28mm endeavours it only requires a small number of models to play. I would probably want to kit them out with holsters and backpacks perhaps, stuff like that. and now that they're painted i'm more comfortable handing them (resin makes me nervous, probably unreasonably).
I can always sub in my infinity grunts as an opposing force and/or use the zombies from z war one when needed. I am probably looking to fill out my resources eventually but i'm mainly after enough stuff to start with and really learn the rules.
Crunch (Rules)...
The rules for this game seem super easy. i saw some play-throughs on youtube and it looks great. The author was coming from a narrative-game-first perspective and i think they pulled it off. It's even (at the most basic level) simpler than Planet-28 which, frankly, is saying something.
Although you have an 'opponent' - as in your other player - there's also the board hostiles to contend with and you can theoretically play entirely co-op. Also the rules have allied/neutral/enemy ratings for various factions. Anyway, it seems like the kind of game i've been looking for in 28mm.
Add to that that I'm fascinated by the Stalker/Chernobyl setting (watched the miniseries not long ago - that was fascinating and incredibly sad) and have booted around google maps on many occasions around Pripyat.
Anyway, so this is my fun project at the moment.
Update 2020-06-20
While i didn't go 'the whole mdf thing' i did buy the only two flat packs in my local flgs. These are both very small items and probably as much as i really need at this stage. The third building is leftover mdf and hotglue - and it turned out much better than i thought it might have - so i will definitely not make more as i've used up my luck :)
The white on the bases is plaster as i'm low on astrogranite. Will use the texture paint on that after it dries.
So yeah, that's pretty much everything i would need to have a test game... possibly tomorrow. i can borrow zombicide and infinity models for now and possibly some necromunda scatter terrain.
Update ends.
Update 2020-06-22
Book Arrived!! yhay!!
As handy as pdfs on devices can be... i'll take a nice tangible hard copy any day.
And Hobbying (same day)...
Painted up the bases of the crew. Then did a clear coat over for protection (especially the base which was crumbly). Once they were finished i immediately figured it was time for mods (derp).
Each of them now has two grenades, pouches on their belts, and i modelled them some green-stuff backpacks. Except pistol-boy who got a satchel. The green stuff will take 24+ hours to fully set so i'm done with these guys (painting) for now.
I was toying with the idea of rank markings as there are pretty much two vets, two hard and two rookies... however those ranks could change if the character get ganked or promoted. So i think i'll just leave them with no markings for now.
More little scatter terrain that i made yesterday and painted today. several layers of kitchen scourer pads hot glued together to make shrubs. Only did three as it was an experiment. I'm thinking i might end up making a few more. This was about 3 of the 5 or 6 pads worth so i can still make some more from that pack. Less than $1 terrain. Brill.
The scratch build building it about done. 'built' some climbing rung on the side and glued on some 'interest' yesterday. Weather depending i might start giving the buildings an undercoat from the rattle cans tomorrow.
Update ends.
Update 2020-06-26
Cracking on with lots of little projects.
I made some extra bushes (still have one pad left). Here we see the finished vs 'just glued' stages...
The finished ones do have a tiny bit more style than an out-of-the-packet scourer. This should just add some extra padding/scatter to the board (no pun intended) which increases playability.
Once i hot glued the layers together i trimmed the edges a little with scissors, then tried to 'blend' the layers together by roughing them up with a course sandpaper.
Printed up some barrels and crates. These are more for placing mission objectives etc than for use as 'cover' per se.
The wooden pallets are actually mdf leftovers from the building sprues.
Finally, here is the first crew finished as much as they're going to be finished (didn't get around to a 'done' pic before). Turned out ok for lazily chopped together prints and bare minimum painting.
Update ends.
Update 2020-06-26
Some hostiles for the game AI. These are 3d prints. pretty much using up that left over resin i was talking about in the Eldar post.
First off, vermin swarms - Rats! In hindsight i shoulda/coulda done snakes.
And also some dogs.
During the initial planning stages it didn't occur to me until later that i might need multiple sets of these as the board can have multiple hot spots/objectives (hostiles will spawn from objective locations). Anyway, i did manage to print out enough stuff in the end - mostly.
So with the vermin you can roll up 1 or 2 swarms (1 single base or 2 bases worth) per hot spot, so the pic above could cover 2 hots pots. However, i only did one 'sets-worth' of dogs - they're finicky.
i had a look around $2 shops looking for farm animals and stuff but there really wasn't anything suitable and it wasn't worth the cost/wait of buying real ones for this project - and then having to paint/hobby them anyway.
There are still other hostiles under construction.
A few days ago sometime i parted with a 40k starter set that i was never going to put together. Anyway, the funds i got from that have just gone into some extra mdf buildings for this. Will fill out the board more and also help with a 4x4' (or 3x3') board which is actually the recommended (i have a 2x2' for starters).
Update ends.
Update 2020-06-30
First off, penultimate hostiles... zombies.
Enough for multiple hot spots' worth. Just really basic stuff. Only 3 different model 'types', all printed (hence lack of effort). The paint gives them a little bit more variety fortunately.
Just the bandits to finish off now (for this set of hostiles... not that i'm planning more).
Anomalies!
Just to give a general size of what's going on. These are 'table decoration' 'crystals'. just clear acrylic shapes. Unfortunately the shapes are all the same (obviously cast). A guy on a fb forum had some nifty ones with aquarium crystals but i couldn't find anything similar or appropriate in the 20 minute drive-around i did - but i found these.
I made 3 different types and had 3 different crystal colours.
The red one (middle) is an 'burner', the clear (only) one (right) is probably a 'whirligig', and the clear and yellow (left) is probably a 'springboard'.
The game doesn't officially differentiate between different anomalies, this is a just for fun. On fb someone made a short list of alternate anomalies and different reactions/attacks for them.
May replace them with something else in the future.
Update 2020-07-02
Wanted to do a before and after on the bandits. Yes these are SW legion rebels. And yes i did give a bunch of these away some months ago. They possible a tiny bit oversize for the scale but not so much that you'd notice on the board.
BEFOREIt's certainly possible that even null oil will won't save them - these guys went from one of the worst paint jobs i've ever seen to one of the most lackadaisical paint jobs i've ever seen (or done - for shame).
The colours are blocked in and look pretty cruddy. The job of washes (i.e. Null Oil) is to darken patches, crevasses and depressions organically which gives the impression of shadows, wear, grime etc. Once that's done it's common to dry brush a lighter colour over those areas to bring out the high points or ridges on the model. We'll see if they actually need that. From arms length they might be ok with just a wash.
Today is Null oil day. Have been working on the Epic Death Guard fairly consistently and it's possible that i might get them done by the weekend for show and tell.
The Bandits are really a slap it on paint job. The (really vague) idea was to give them non-uniform clothes. As the models were actually uniform to start with that required a little bit of work. I carved off backpacks, chopped up the guns a bit, gave a couple of them greenstuff 'hoodies'. i'm hoping that the wide colour palette will add to the feel. Sometimes they have multiple stuff, they'll take what they can find/steal... they're bandits after all, not a equipped military group.
AFTERAfter: the lighting and photo don't really capture all the gradient of the effect. but in real life they actually turned out as well as i'd have hoped for given the lack of effort.
Didn't bother with dry brushing as the light areas had enough contrast with the washed areas.
Texture paint on the base and a splash of clear coat over everything and they'll be done.
Update ends.
Update 2020-07-06
I'd ordered some more flat pack terrain [of course you did] and that arrived. Put it together over the weekend. Results...
So that's a 2'x2' board and it's packed. A bit more terrain than i'd necessarily put on there. and doesn't include the 2 barns. Anyway, all good, and can furnish a bit bigger board too, recommended board size is 3x3 up to 4x4.
All my critters, models, dice and markers etc. There were also some crates in the flatpack stuff which is good for scatter terrain.
And very happy that it all packs up neatly like this. All the bushes and fences and even the smaller buildings are inside the larger ones.
Obviously the buildings etc need paint, but this post was mainly an 'assemble all the bits and pieces to run it'.
Update ends.
Update 2020-07-24
Things are more or less finalised for 'stage 1'. i had some trial games back on the 11th July. Just Thought i'd throw up some pics of the current state of the art...
This is the 'board' with pretty much all the terrain on it. it's acceptable. could probably use some trees and/or more shrubbery just to break up the fire lanes and fill things out.
A hot spot is triggered and some zombies emerge from the house.
The crew cleaning up one side of the board. an anomaly appears at one of the objectives.
And since i'm here - i also order, assembled and have almost finished painting one of the apcs from 'miniature scenery'. Saw their stall and this particular model at Cancon and thought it might make a nice terrain piece, not planning on running it as an actual transport.
Perfect size for the setting (no great surprise there but it's hard to judge from an a4 sheet of mdf).
Receiving a good enough paint job. Pretty much done with it. might add some metal scuff marks or grit along the bottom and tyres. Am still to work out a logo etc - once that's done can probably badge the tank and give the models a patch on the sleeve etc.
... and... close enough for government work...
Update ends.
Until next time...
