Wasteland Wondering

Welcome back to another Wasteland Wondering. In today's blog post I will give you a hobby update, make a book recommendation, explore some ideas whilst giving you a insight into my warped mind.

Not a lot of hobby stuff has happened since my last blog update. I did pick up a few LAM figures (the post apocalyptic heroes) and some old Rogue Trader era Space Orks for the Orktober competition on the Oldhammer groups over on Facebook. I made a start on the base coats on all these figures and then stalled. Strangely I have had the bug to paint some 15mm miniatures but I have not found the time. Maybe I am going over to the 15mm dark side??

This week I have been reading “We had Flags” the third novel in the Toxic World series by Sean McLachlan. The novel explores the fear and paranoia people feel when confronted with the unknown. In this case the unknown arrives in Toxic Bay in the form of a rusty pre end freighter fitted with a cannon. Things get worse when it becomes apparent the ship is crewed by the feared Chinese. The novel like the others in the series genitally explores how the world got into the post apocalyptic state through the characters thoughts and conversations. I find this a refreshing change to the block history lessons that some novels of the genre give us.

Toxic world is a grim setting where the world that is left is the ruins of the past and a world filled with toxins. If you are expecting Hordes of Undead, Mad Max (fuel and vehicles are too precious to waste) or Fallout (no 50s Sci Fi elements or mutants) then you may not like the novels. In all the Toxic World series of novels are a good read filled with excellent characters and twists. If post apocalyptic gaming is your thing then the series gives plenty of ideas for characters, factions, places, scenarios, skirmishes and even a full scale battle. I love the Tweakers in the novels who are solvent/chemical addicts. They are disheveled and crazed by their addictions. The Tweakers are a constant danger out in the ruins. I wish I could find suitable miniatures for these bedraggled feral chemical addicts. I may have to convert some Mantic Ghouls. Check out the Toxic World novels over on Amazon.

One of my other hobbies is to go for long drives/rides exploring the countryside of UK. When checking out a couple of passes through the Peak District I discovered lots of caves on the passes and what was a Lead Mine. On seeing this my twisted little mind screamed “BULLET FARM!”. There is a couple of villages in the pass. In a Post Apoc setting the surviving villages could easily blockade the passes. The locals could trade lead and other minerals for supplies with other factions. If they are clever they could even trade for the components to make munitions.

Whilst looking about Google Earth (a great tool for research) I noticed that the Cheshire salt mines are near the banks of the River Mersey. My modern Post Apocalyptic setting is based in and around the ruins of Liverpool (write about what you know and all that). The city sits on the banks of the Mersey. The river would be a good place for a salt trade and would provide a easy method of transportation. I imagine that salt would have some valuable uses in the Post Apocalyptic world. 

Well that's all for now. I hope you have enjoyed my ramblings and idea sharing. In my next Wasteland Wondering I hope to be looking at ideas for post apocalyptic settings in various scales.

Until next time...have a Happy Halloween and Safe Bonfire Night.