Tuesday 8 October 2013

To the Barricades!


As the school bell rings out across the grounds most pupils eagerly stuff their satchels with the paraphernalia required for the next lesson, but alas no more.  Now the pupils of St. Trinians are more used to sharpening stakes than the ubiquitous HB pencil and the tolling of the mid morning bell is a call to arms; an advance warning of an impending attack from a migrating hoard of undead.  


Of course defences were hurriedly erected, but what did those denizens of England’s most notorious school for girls use, I hear you say?  Well pretty much everything it would seem including packing crates, classroom furniture, barrels and pallets.  When these were exhausted the dungeons were raided for the girls’ trunks, tuck boxes and vanity cases – oh necessity calls when the undead drive!


Another one of those oh so distracting, but oh so fun projects has finally come to fruition.  Once again the proposed '7ombieTV' scenario, now loosely entitled, 'Battle of the Lower Hockey Pitch', calls for defences that have to be maintained by the pupils as the undead surge forward.  This could simply be represented with the appropriate tokens, but with the fortified cricket pavilion and armour plated school bus already completed, I thought it would be quite fun to have a couple of additional bespoke pieces on the board.


The first is made of all sorts of oddments, many from the wonderful 'Fenris Games', including the ruptured oil drum, pallets and park bench.  These combined with other bits and pieces to form part of the barricades.  It is funny how the smallest things seem to completely absorb me, how to represent the toxic substance oozing from the ruptured barrel being a case in point - in the end lashings of UHU glue and fluorescent green paint were the order of the day, but these sidesteps are often what hold the most charm for me.
 
  
The other stand was constructed entirely from the lovingly crafted resin goodness purchased from the wonderful ‘Slug Industries’.  This father and son ‘cottage’ industry conceived by 6MilPhil and the boy Slug has produced some wonderful terrain pieces to date* and these certainly rank as some of their best.  Catalogued as ‘luggage’ they were just perfect to represent the girls’ hastily constructed barricades and a wonderful excuse to paint leopard print and crack open the pink paint!  


Aware that I might still be preparing for this game come the next ice age, I resisted the temptation to make up any additional stands instead inveigling the assistance of ‘4Grounds’ barbed wire road blocks.  By comparison these proved a doddle to put together and will appear as they are without any additional paintwork – provided of course that I actually get round to rolling the dice in anger! 






61 comments:

  1. Great work Michael , and great pics .
    Cheers .

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  2. Great (sund useful) elements. Very nice!

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    1. Thank you Juan, they great fun to put together.

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  3. So nice, and so useful, barricades...great work, painting and equilibrium!

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  4. I don't know which side of the barricades would be scariest to be on - amongst the walking dead or amongst those terrifying girls....

    Nice little terrain pieces Michael :)

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    1. It's a close call as to which side I would won't to be on and thank you.

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  5. The leopard print trunk is my favorite and those in action shots are superb!

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    1. Thank you Brian, it's slowly coming together.

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  6. They look great - another superb job. I wonder how many people like me still identify the silver edged boxes as Tea chests ?

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    Replies
    1. I can. I remember them from moving house in the 60´s...the lovely smell of tea that got into everything :-D

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    2. Definitely tea chests for me and thank you.

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  7. Looking really good. The toxic waste is very nice (from the 4th Form's chemistry lessons?).

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    1. Thank you Edwin, those Fourth Formers have really stumbled onto something now.

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  8. Absolutely stunning! Very atmospheric. Hopefully these great terrain pieces will see action anytime soon.

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    1. Thank you so much, that is very kind of you.

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  9. Hola
    Buena esa pintura y buen uso para las barricadas anti zombie
    un saludo

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    1. Thank you J.D., let's hope that it keeps the zombies out for a while.

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  10. Ha ha fab models. Just need a 'Flash Harry' to set the odds as to who'll win the scenario.

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    1. Thank you, Flash Harry is certainly on the 'to do' list, especially if we can find a bubble car.

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  11. Brilliant...you can even make piles of luggage look attractive.

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    1. Thank you PAul, that's the nicest thing anyone has ever said. ;)

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  12. :) Nice Michael. Very satisfying to observe that the good guys have created a defensive barrier against those damn Zombies. Now, just wait until they hit the perimeter and hit them with everything you got. Oh it will be glorious. Blood and flesh everywhere...

    Who is the guy in the chicken suit? Is that Colonel Sanders?

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    1. Of all the things to be caught dead in, a chicken suit may not be my first choice! Great fun Zed from Studio Miniatures and thank you Jan.

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  13. These look great such a change from the make up.
    Cheers
    Stu

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  14. "I love recesses, don't you Joan?! I get dibs on the chicken!"

    Beautiful modeling and pictures!

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  15. Oh those look great Michael! I need to make some of those!

    Christopher

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    1. They were such fun to put together, looking forward to seeing what you come up with Christopher.

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  16. Fantastic - it all goes together so well.

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    1. Thank you Dannoc, might eventually get around to playing a game soon.

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  17. This kind of stuff is always useful. It makes the tabletop looked lived in.

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    1. Thank you Fred, my problem is that I am so easily distracted!

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  18. These are immense. Especially the park bench!

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    1. Thank you, great piece the bench a bit fiddly to put together though.

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  19. They look excellent. Only thing missing is the kitchen sink!

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  20. Brilliant stuff Michael, its these characterful bits of battlefield detritus that really add to the whole - and just what I need to add to my Empire of the Dead gaming, so thanks for offering up your sources!

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  21. Cool! Barricades from pink & faux leopardskin luggage. Just like at Rorke's Drift.

    Great scenery as always.

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  22. Doesnt get any better than this....outstanding work Michael

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  23. Spectacular work. If one of the girls gets into the green goo, I'm afraid they'll turn into a Toxic Avenger.

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  24. Those look great!

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  25. Greate barricades! Very nice work!!!

    Love the zombies are comming pictures, looking Greate!

    Best regards Michael

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  26. Some lovely detail painting (such as the leopard print baggage). You can't beat top quality terrain such as this.

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  27. Cracking stuff sir! These kind of things are oft overlooked but can really make a game, especially when they look this good...

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  28. Everyone needs a reason to crack open the pink paint! But my personal favorite barricade is the benches tied with wire Those are great action shots I love them.

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  29. Love it! Great work all round ;)

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  30. I've said it once, and I'll say it again, it is truly a joy to see the effort you put into your models. I think it makes the wait totally worth it. As for gaming, just let it happen when it does.

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  31. Hi Michael,

    absolutely awesome barricades. Excellent paintjob!
    But to be honest I don't like the chevaux-des-frise as they are. To my mind they would fit better into your outstandingly painted barricades when you spend a few paintstrokes on them.

    Cheers
    Stefan

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  32. Great looking barricades Michael and thank you for not including a clip of Spandau Ballet

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  33. Fantastic work on this scenery Michael! And great pictures!

    Greetings
    Peter

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