Sunday 26 May 2013

Not much happing...so some thoughts!


I am finding myself a little lethargic at the moment when it comes to painting minis. I suspect  it is because I want to build a city scape. Its been a dream of mine for the last few years. The Utopia City project is getting me fired up to make one. I have quite a few bits of terrain but you can never have enough for a urban game. 

Speaking of Utopia City I would like to build some transports for the Mags. I am currently hunting about for suitable conversion items for a Mega City One Sky Bus too. 

One strange thing that crossed my mind this week was to get a copy of the latest WH 40K rules so that I have at least the chance of a game locally. You can get copies off evilbay far cheaper than GW. Don't worry I got over it. 

In my mini collection I still have my old 40K RT era Orks. The thought struck me that the 50 or so minis could see action in Gorkamorka. All I need is vehicles. I may add it to Mattblackgod’s world. Dump them on a island some place. Maybe call it Trogamorka or Apocotrog! lol. After hunting about I spotted the Mantic Orx vehicles. They have some nice vehicles that are useful for post apoc. I am thinking of getting some for this project and maybe use an alternative human gunner and hot swap them with the Orx. If I go this route I will buy a loose sprue or two of the Mantic Orx just to compare the sizes with the older 40K RT Orks. 

Me being me I am also thinking of creating my own Ork Tribe for the game. I need to think up a name possibly relating to myself. 

My weekly madness did not stop there. For a long time I have fancied building a Sci-Fi armored column. In my bitz pile there is a couple of 1/35 RC tanks that a friend got me. The look like the Russian WW2 KW2 and have a nice amount of detail on them. These may be a good start. The 40K IG/Cadians would supply the figures and lots of conversions would make up the column. I am considering using Mantic Corporation figures as they are cheap. But I suspect I would have to go for more of a serious Sci-Fi look with grav vehicle conversions. 

Then the insane thought process moved on to a similar column for my Trogs/Orks. 

Thursday 23 May 2013

Utopia City Non Coms


When you have a mega city....what do you need? Non Combatants! Those ordinary folks who report crimes, get in the way and usually end up dead or injured. 



The mini on the left is a converted EM4 Samurai Lady miniature with the sword & scabbard removed. A hand bag was crafted from putty. I am not too happy with it. The figure on the Right came from Heresy Miniatures and is unconverted. 

May be Mrs Natagi is on her way home from the office (the 10 hour working week is a bind in Utopia City) or perhaps she has dinner? The other lady could be out for a night out, a street punk...or a street worker (that is one job Robots haven't managed to fully take over!). 

There will be more non comms following. 

Sunday 19 May 2013

Another crumbling ruin for the wastelands.


Yet another crumbling ruin for the wastelands....


It was a bit of polystyrene packaging that was laying about. Instead of throwing it out, it was hot glued to a old CD. A tooth pick was pushed into to it. Textured paint was applied (Sand, PVA and cheap paint) and the usual dry brushes and graffiti. 



Quick, easy and effective. Oh yeah I forgot - cheap too!!!  :D 

The mini is a EM4 Scavenger. 

The new members for my Not Firefly crew...


And now for some good old plain Sci-Fi....

Remember the Not Firefly crew I was making was missing Inara and a Doctor? Well now the crew is complete...


Inara is a High Class Escort and can get the crew access to certain places due to her contacts. The Doctor is the brother of River. Both figures are from Heresy Miniatures. 

The Full Crew....


Street ganger of Utopia City


A typical street ganger of Utopia City ...very possibly of the Golden Petals gang from Tomoe Gozen Block. 


The mini is a Japanese female Samurai from EM4 miniatures. 

Bio Booster Armour Mk1 & Service Droid


While experimenting on various forms of Power Armour, the Hypero Corporation developed a form of organic armour they dubbed Bio Booster Armour. Unlike regular Power Armour the Booster links directly with its pilot, or host, bonding with him or her. During field tests it was found that after a matter of weeks the pilot was absorbed by the suit. Hypero undeterred, went forward and continued trials ultimately killing 25 pilots. Before pilot 26 could be installed, the suit some how escaped (or was stolen) into the undercity levels of Utopia City. All attempts to capture the suit have failed. Some speculate that the suit has fled into the wastelands. 



Mini is a repainted EM4 Alien. 

I feel a mention of The Mighty Flip from the Post Apoc Wargames Froum and flipsminiatures is worthy here, as I have nicked his idea and background fluff for the Bio Booster suit. I just changed some names ...Thanks Man. The Rad Beers are on me!   

In Utopia City most of the menial work is done by robots & service droids. In many blocks old droids such as this one can be found carrying out repairs and cleaning. 



The mini is by Heresy Miniatures. 

Utopia City Enforcer and Crazy


The main body of low end Law Enforcement in the City is provided by the Enforcers (known as Grunts by the Mags).  Every Enforcer House has that one Enforcer who can give a Mag a run for his money. 


Figure by EM4. Future Cop Hero. 

This Mag Hero is toting a LMG which is often handy for suppressing the gangs when Block Wars occur.  

Some times life in Utopia City is too much and people just snap. They get what is known as Utopia Shock Syndrome  (USS) and are known as Crazies. Crazies are demented and go on homicidal killing sprees imagining all manner of deluded fantasies. 

This poor lady snapped doing the house work one day....



Figure is a Mongoose Judge Dredd Futsie. 

I like this mini - she has lots of character. Measuring spoons, toilet brush and a feather duster. Good fun to paint. This is my first attempt at using florescent paints on a miniature. 

Meet the Mags of Utopia City.


My older setting was set 40 to 50 years after the nukes rained down on MBW. As I have added a 2000AD style High Tech Mega City. I have wound on the world to +100 PA. 

First up - Utopia City Magistrates. 

The Magistrates or Mags as they are known are the feared elite of the cities Law enforcement. They wear improved body armour and carry better weapons to the Enforcers. With 15 years of training the Mags are authorised to carry out on the spot justice . They are judge, jury and executioner. They will often arrive at riots and block wars and wade in. 

The Mags act as the cities primary defence force and provide defence from Wasteland gangs and some upitty newly formed wasteland states. Occasionally the Mags will go out into the Wastelands to deal with raiders or criminals. Becoming a Mag is a massive responsibility. Once a Mag always a Mag. If they survive they can rise up the ranks and end up a judge or counsellor. However all Mags face retirement one day – those that do have to wander into the wastelands or undercity to bring the law to the lawless. They never return. 

Mags are drawn from the cities Orphan population and trained from a early age. It takes 15 Years to train a Meg. Very rarely an exceptional Enforcer will be asked to join the Mags, assuming he or she can pass the training. 



Mags have high tech pistols that provide a variety of fire modes and ammunition. They are also coded to the users DNA so they cannot be used by unauthorised persons. This gives the Mags a fearsome amount of firepower.  Mags are also equipped with Day Sticks, Stun & Gas Grenades and a Respirator mask. 

There are also specialist Mags to deal with Riots which are a regular occurrence in the city.


The Mag on the left is equipped with Riot Foam. The Riot Foam sprayer coats rioters in a foam which sets solid until they can be removed, arrested and Judged. It is a quick way to get control of dangerous situation. 

The Justice Dept has other specialist Mags too. 


Left to Right - PSI, Tech and Med

PSI Mags provide much needed PSI support and have saved many Mags lives. The mutation is not clearly understood. Each PSI Mag has their own special gifts. 

Tech Mags deal with the robots and computers and Med Mags rush about trying to keep folks alive (at least long enough for sentence to be passed). 

Minis are from Mongoose Minis. 

As rioting can get bad the Mags have adapted an old Warbot for Riot Policing. Meet the Riotbot. 


The Riot Bot is equipped with a shield, Day stick and heavy Riot Foam sprayer. The mere presence of this machine usually calms a situation. 



This was a old Androids toy - repainted. I am thinking it will need a base on it.