Watertower B2 - terrain rework

Hello Wanderer, welcome back. Grab a brew and enjoy the view of the Rubbleborg water towers.

Back at Smash n Grab’s Block house in Rubbleborg...

“Grab....”

“Yes Smash” replied Grab wearily. Smash’s constant dumb questions sometimes wore on Grab’s nerves. 

“Where does the ‘Borg get all it’s clean water from? There is no lake or river near here. That big river a couple of miles away is too tox to drink or even wash in. Melts ya skin right off it does”. It wasn’t quite that bad, Smash was prone to over exaggeration. 

“Come with me Smash” Grab stood up and walked out the Blockhouse. Smash looked blankly through his gas mask and followed his friend outside.

“Yer see Smash, they pump it out of a giant underground lake deep underground through big pipes. They then store it some big tanks from the old times above the ground” Grab looked at Smash. Smash stood there dumbly waiting for the next question to form. 

“Water tanks Smash” Grab exclaimed hurriedly before Smash went off on frustrating tangent.

“Big containers that store things - not the old army type tanks!” Grab explained. Grab often wondered if his friend was really that dumb or if he just did it to annoy him. It didn’t help that Smash only took his gas mask off to eat, drink or wipe the inside. He even slept in it. You couldn’t get a visual clue as to what was going through his mind. It was the ultimate in dead pan face. 

“That’s why they built the fort here after the end times. Some Warlord chick called Vali had it built. The fortress fell during the Mutant war, but the mutants of the mutant temple only wanted to kill anyone who wasn’t mutated or didn’t want to join them, see? So they left the fortress and most of the stuff after killing everyone.”

“Damn Muto culties- those guys where nuts, my old Dad tole me all about them” 

“Are nuts Smash, the mutant cultist are still living in the Blasted ruins”

“Crud? Really? Let’s not go there Grab”

“That dump is the last place I ever want to see. Besides I like my insides to stay inside me. Let Trashford and Brittianna deal with those mutant temple psychos.”

“Anyway. Now look over there Smash” said Grab pointing to a large tower.

“See that tower there? That’s where the keep it. Millions of gallons. As much as anyone could ever want”

“Wow - so that’s what that is and why there are guards!”

“If anyone is get in there...it’s not going to be you!”

This bit of terrain is a rework. In fact this is the third refresh it has had during it’s life time. 

Long long ago back in the midsts of time I had several left over pringles tubes after the Christmas holiday. 

The tower in its first life. 

Now as any recycling centre will tell you - Pringles tubes are notoriously difficult to recycle. Something to do with aluminium inner with cardboard outer fused to it. Like many wargamers on the planet I decided to upcycle them into something useful for the table. The Pringles towers are good for hunt the sniper games and the model saw games of EM4’s Combat Zone with corporate teams hunting a fleeing gang. A lone sniper covered their retreat. They got away but the sniper couldn’t keep the troops at bay. Snap fire from a high point took the sniper out. 

Inspired by the grain silos at Seaforth docks down the road from where I live I built the triple tower. The top level was some foam board/foam core. The mesh on top was from a piece of scrap net curtain. The edges was made from cereal packet card. Railings around the platform was built from a wire mesh panel. A 1:50 scale ladder was sourced. The control panel came from a cheap knockoff Lego toy with a steering wheel from a 1:35 truck kit. 1:35 scale kits donated the tool boxes. The base was a scrap of hardboard I had laying about. Kitty litter and sand gave it texture. The whole thing was sprayed with grey car primer. 

Roll on a few years and I decided to add it to my Sci Fi collection. A few pipes made from drinking straws was added. Printed off hazard stripes where added around the hatch. The base got repainted and the towers switched colours to white. Some blue bands and markings where added to match the terrain set I had at the time. To finish it off the towers got some Krom Corporation logos added. Krom Corporation was the fictional corporation I created for the Sci Fi setting. It owned the facility and the Red Lance force (Old Void Viridians) was their military security force (now reworked as Queen Miranda’s body guard and Guardians factions - see recent blog posts).

Roll on a few more years and I was feeling that the tower was looking a little too clean for my tastes. Firstly it helps for me to know what the tower will store. Someone suggested fuel. Sadly to my mind this amount of fuel would be a real hazard. One stray bullet and Booooom! The local warlord will be setting fire to the shooter on a hill top faster than you can say “Guzzoline” for destroying his precious fuel supply. I decided on clean water storage, after all it is probably one of the most important post apocalyptic survival commodities despite what the Mad Max franchise tells us. 

New additional pipe work (inlet from the underground aquifer) was added along with a water pipe, all made from plastic drinking straws. A couple of repair patches where added to the towers. Up top a resin door by Ramshackle Games was added to platform to act as a access panel. After painting the new bits I added some stencilling from a set I bought to use with Mantic’s Deadzone sets. A few washes and then some graffiti was added. My good lady enjoyed helping with his part. The jury is still out for me about using sharpie pens for graffiti. While it is easy and fast it something about it looks not right to me. Maybe I should stick to brushes? The graffiti was followed by a few more washes and runs. 

The base was a little warped. I tried to surgically remove it but it turns out the glue didn’t want to remove without destroying the model. That only left the option of fixing it. I tried a few coats of paint on the bottom which didn’t work. Even a couple of coats of PVA glue didn’t work. Eventually I dampened the base on both sides and clamped it to the work table then left it to dry out. It took the worst out of the warping. 

Smash and Grab beg for a drink.

The whole thing was finished off with some resin water coming out the pipe, some plant life - I put greener plants nearer the water pipe and finally a resin case from Ramshackle games up top as yet more tools.

I intend to use the towers as mainly as a terrain backdrop. It will be handy for snipers too. I can see a town spotter using the towers to keep a eye open for trouble. Hmmm maybe I should have added a siren? 

As a game objective - gangs can attempt to steal the water, hostile factions could try and poison it (namely the Mutant Temple, the Matt Black Cult or Brittianna), local gangs could try and dope it (as a laugh) or maybe destroy it (the kind of stunt Wasteland Loonies groups like the Anarchy All Stars would try to pull off). As well as Rubbleborg it could be water storage for Angel Springs (my Post apoc water sellers) or even used in any major settlement. 

Thanks for looking and stay safe out there.

Here come the Guardians

Welcome back Wanderer, typical isn’t it? No decent blog posts for a while and then loads arrive at once. Just like souped up V8s in the in the post apocalyptic wastelands. 

In this blog post......

Here come the Guardians!

The Guardians came from a military bunker that they weathered the nuclear firestorm in.  Long ago they decided long ago that humanity couldn’t be trusted with technology especially advanced weapons. Their aim is to collect high tech weaponry and equipment with the intention of keeping them from irresponsible hands. Although everyone else see them as hoarders who are grabbing all the good stuff for themselves. 

With their power armour and superior weapons they often bully wastelanders into giving up their weapons and kit. This makes them very unpopular. The Guardians are always questing for lost bunkers and military facilities to search for equipment.

There is several classes of Guardian. Patrols are often of mixed classes of Guardian. Guardians of each class need to be able to identify items of interest and operate the more common technologies of the ancients. 

Gamma class Guardians make up the majority of Guardians (red helmet stripes and shoulder pad), equipped with salvaged combat armour and a variety of weapons. The most powerful is the whirlwind harness. Equipped with a gauss machine gun, cutting claw and two batteries of rockets gives an edge over most wasteland opponents. The Gamma class Guardians are Epirians from Maelstroms Edge.

Epsilon class Guardians are often equipped with Void class power armour (although other varieties of power armour is used) and usually some form of heavy SMG. They are the veterans of the Clan. Orange shoulder flashes and helmet strips denote this class of Guardian with leaders wearing blue shoulder flashes. These are old plastic void viridians I have had for a while. In a previous life they where Red Lance troops. 

They are pictured here (above) with an old Battle Droid which can give heavy support although assets such as these are usually reserved for protecting bases.

Group shot with Kappa class Guardian Sheila D’Eath.

The Guardians main bunker is in a secret location and it deploys semi independent Chapters across the wastelands as they see the need. There is currently two deployed chapters. One is in the ruins of Matt Black City trying to discover the secrets of the Trogs and the other deployed in the Brittianna wastelands keeping an eye on the city’s technological development and growth. 

The Guardians are inspired by Fallout’s Brotherhood of Steel. They are quite a force now and I can see them growing as I add other ranks and classes. Gamma class may see other types of combat armoured figures added to mix up the look of the force. It is possible some 4TK power armour suits and heavy power armour suits may be added in future.

Thanks for looking and avoid the dudes in power armour! 

Queen Miranda’s Bodyguard

Hello and welcome back, for a change I am going to post about some miniatures- just in case all the terrain is getting boring. 

Pictured above is Queen Miranda's personal bodyguard equipped with old Void power armour salvaged from an old bunker. When the Brittianna Queen is in danger they form a human shield around her using the ballistic shields to give yet more protection. 

Sometimes they are deployed in the field with the Queen’s Own defence company who are equipped with the 4TK Mk1 variant power armour. 

These figures are old plastic void viridians that I have had for a while. In a previous life they where the Red Lance troops. They got painted in Brittianna’s colours. 

Thanks for looking and take care out there. 

Fogou Models Block House and Hecksreach Barricades

Welcome back Wanderer, pull up a old tyre and take the weight off. In this post we will look at the Fogou Models Block house and Hecksreach barricades.

Late last year I decided to buy some Fogou Models bits, namely the Block house and Hecksreach barricades. One thing my post apoc city is missing is barricades or walls around various buildings. I know barricades are easy to make but the Fogou ones look so good. 

The Fogou bits looked very good. Nicely detailed heavy resin. The resin requires a good primer as the resin is paint hungry. After priming I got side tracked and several months later I got around to slapping some paint on them.

The models paint up well and I enjoyed giving them a quick paint job. Topped off with a dark brown wash just to tone it down and to give it that dirty post apocalyptic look. 

The barricades come in several pieces and a movable gate post. Lots of nice detail on them. 

The block house is nicely detailed. The door is a separate piece. I added a little graffiti and a poster.

Inside the blockhouse is detailed too. I added a few posters to make the residents feel at home. 

In all I am very pleased with the Fogou models. There is a good amount of detail and they are not fragile. It made me pull the trigger on the recent Fortress Kickstarter, which I look forward to getting painted. 

Thanks for looking and take care out there. 

The gun tower

Hello there Wanderer and welcome back to this little haven in the wastelands of the internet. I am serving up a little bit of terrain in this here blog. 

Back in Rubbleborg something catches Smash and Grab’s attention. 

“Look Grab, the gun thingy is now looking over the wall”

“How the hell? Ok Smash, look innocent unless you want to be filled with big holes”

“Stop whistling Smash, no one innocent ever whistles”

“Now stop twitching” 

Once through the gate Smash and Grab look up to see the new tower.

Inspired by the scaffolding of Ramshackle Games Curtis’ builds I thought I would give it a go. I have been wanting to put some heavy weapons on the fortress walls for a while. Now out in the wastelands grows a form of bamboo which grows incredibly quickly. The wastelanders have discovered this material is handy for all manner of building projects. 

The poles are bamboo skewers. An old CD was dug out as a base. Various glues was used to attach them. PVA or hot glue works best. I started putting the ropes to tie them together from brass wire used for hanging pictures. This proved difficult to wrap around the joints. Liberating some copper wire from a scrap electrical flex I found it made better rope. It wraps easier than brass. Spots of pva glue was added just to reinforce the joints. Half way up the tower I added some flooring made from old gift cards. 

The tower has been left separate from the gun bunker deliberately so I can use the tower for other things. Either as fortress wall access, sniper platform or access to some other high level point. 

In all a fun little project, a little time consuming but it involved some new model making ideas to me. The biggest problem I had building this was keeping my two cats Toffee and Dixie from stealing and playing with the skewers. They think they are brilliant toys. 

Thanks for looking. Take care out there.

Somewhere in the Industrial Ruins

Hello and welcome back Wanderer. 

Someplace out in the industrial ruins, Smash and Grab are looking for some worthwhile salvage.

“Grab! Grab! Wotisit?”

“Dunno Smash, some sort of industrial thingy I guess”

“Look at this big wheel thing. Wotsit do Grab?” 

“Not sure. These big cable things must attach to something. But what?” 

This industrial thingy was a trash build. It is constructed from two small pringles cans. A cork pan coaster makes up the base. The reel came from some LED light strips. There are various panels and door made from cereal packet card. A couple of bits and bobs from Ramshackle games have been added for detail. The top has a small plastic tub which once held basing sand. The hatch came on top from a 1/35 scale tank. Mantic Deadzone terrain donated the pipe and generator thingy. Finally some wire scrounged from some electrical flex makes up the cable. 

“Look, tanks. Do you think they are full?” 

“No idea. The canisters would be worth something though. We need to get a truck Smash”

“Wot do you think is in them? I can’t read Grab”

“It says Oxy - probably oxygen. It would be worth a fortune back in Rubbleborg if they are full”

“What is oxygen Grab?”

“It’s air Smash, like what you breath. They use it in canisters on hazmat suits and for helping stuff burn”

“What?? I am going to burn if I breath?” 

“No Smash, you wear that mask remember! You will be okay, just don’t take it off”

“Phew, good job you are here Grab”

This triple storage tank thingy is a rework. It was originally made for a Sci Fi City to act as street cover. As it was laying about I thought I would repurpose it. The original build was made from 3 plastic ticket roll reels. This was glued to some end pieces made from scraps of cork tile. Some silver car spray was used to paint it. 

As it was way too clean it needed to be reworked. Firstly some industrial markings followed by a couple of washes. The car paint doesn’t allow the washes to flow too well. As I was going for the long abandoned look I glued some dirt to the top surfaces. More washes have been added. 

Thanks for looking and stay safe out there.

Gun bunker and wreck.

Hello wasteland Wanderer, welcome back to my blog. I have been on a bit of a terrain kick of late, so expect a few more terrain posts in the next couple of weeks. 

Somewhere near the gates of Rubbleborg.....

“Ere Grab, what the hell’s that?”

“What the hell’s what Smash?”

“That big metal thing in the sand with the big scary guns”

“Well Smash, that would be a big metal thing in the sand with big scary guns”

“Should I shoot it?”

“No, those big scary guns will shoot you full of big scary holes. I am guessing that  old Bustrd has got himself a bunker to keep the scum from the gates”

“Do you think we could like, nick it and sell it back to him?”

“No, we need a truck to move it and Bustrd will notice it is his. Then he will get those big scary guns to shoot big holes in us”

This is Rubbleborg’s new gun bunker, set out by the main gate to drive marauders and insurance salesmen away. It is fitted with twin heavy machine guns. 

The gun bunker is a vehicle body miscast from Ramshackle games. I added some scrap metal plates from Ramshackle games. The gun was liberated from a GW 40K Landraider which is destined to become a wasteland wreck or whatever my twisted little mind decides. 

Some hours later in the wastelands....

“Wow, look Grab! A wreck! Loot! Let’s go check it out!”

“Whoa, hang on Smash. How do you know someone or something doesn’t live there? It seems pretty intact”

“Riggghhhtt”

*cocks shotgun*

“Let’s go Grab”

The wreck is a resin miscast by Ramshackle games. It makes a great bit of wreckage or a home to someone or something unpleasant. A quick paint job and it’s ready to decorate the table. 

Painting wise both models got hit with matt black rattlecan primer (I always seem to have some at hand, it’s almost some sort of god like power!). Then a quick chain mail dry brush. Using cheap acrylic paints I made black, brown and orange washes. The models got a wash of each and then another chain mail dry brush. The gun emplacement was left there. The wreck got orange and brown rust stippling added. Then several more brown and orange washes followed by more rust. 

It is worth contacting Curtis at Ramshackle games. For a small amount of bottle caps he will send you a box of resin miscasts. The box is usually pretty random depending on what he has been casting recently. The bits are great for making quick bits of terrain like the pieces above. Or as extra terrain embellishment or even a vehicle/conversion (I have at least one vehicle made from miscast bits). All you have to do is drop him a message on the Ramshackle Games site and he will inform you of how to get a box of miscasts. Worth checking it out in my opinion.

Right, that’s all for now. Thanks for looking and stay safe out there. 

Smash n Grab & Dustwalker

Hello and welcome back to my blog. 

Recently I was sorting through my figures and found that this pair didn’t fit any faction. So I plan to use them as guide characters to mattblackgod’s world.

Introducing Smash and Grab:

Smash and Grab are a pair of wandering scavengers who are looking for that big score that will help them retire in a township in the lap of luxury.

Smash is hot headed, foul mouthed and impulsive. He lets his shotgun do the talking when things get tough. 

Grab is the brains of the crew. He calmly approaches problems and figures out how to deal with it. “It” is usually something Smash has done. Grab is a knife man and doesn’t use guns if he can help it. 

Being underpowered in the gun & numbers department Smash and Grab, do a runner when outnumbered or facing something with too many tentacles or teeth. Better to return another day than end up dead. 

Smash is a EM4/Grenadier Scavenger and Grab is a Saxon Lord from a historical line I added a bag, hat and some modern bits. I have had them for a while and gave them a touch up. 

Introducing Dustwalker:

Often seen in the lands around Rubbleborg, Dustwalker is the leader of the nearby Pielrata Tribe. He won’t set foot in the town but sends Gilnort to discuss terms, to share news or information and arrange trade. 

Dustwalker is a old Necromunda Ratskin. I found him on EBay ready painted and decided to add him to my collection.

Thanks for looking. Take care out there.

New Loot

Some new loot landed on the doormat (kind of - I had to collect it from my next door neighbour who was surprised at the weight of the parcel)...14 pounds of Fogou resin goodness from their recent Fortress kickstarter.

The casts look good with lots of detail. I am happy with the quality of the castings too. Fogou casts in a heavy resin which holds detail well and is fairly robust. I currently have some of their stuff on the paint table and it paints up well. It needs a good primer though as the resin absorbs paint. 

It looks like their will be a lot of painting in my future. I better go visit the various blogs of painting this set up. The chances are it will be a quick and dirty paint job.

Thanks for looking, stay safe out there.

Interesting Times

Hello and welcome back to my blog.

Long time no post, many apologies. Life has been interesting...like the old Chinese curse. Don’t worry some hobby time has been found. 

I was unable to go to BOYL Oldhammer event at Foundry Miniatures for various personal reasons. It’s a shame as I had blast last year. It was nice to meet other like minded individuals and put some names to faces. 

It was just as well I didn’t go. We wouldn’t have got there. My car has been giving me expensive headaches recently. Last Friday (the first day of BYOL) whilst bimbling through Liverpool, it decided to rip its oil pump to bits. It was going to be an expensive fix which would require a new oil pump, a full engine strip and clean to ensure there was no swarf lurking anywhere else. Better to be around the corner from my house than on a motorway looking forward to a great weekend I suppose. So all the headaches of vehicle disposal, car hire and new car hunting followed. Thankfully that all seems to be sorted for now. 

Still I have enjoyed all the pictures of the BYOL games I have seen on Facebook and on various blogs. Some inspirational stuff there. It also makes me realise that I need to get some games in. 

Hobby wise I have been working on some terrain builds. They are still work in progress. There is a bunker, a wreck, an industrial pump thing and a watch tower. 

I have been reworking an old bit of terrain. A industrial silo thing that was far too clean for its own good. New detail and some weathering has been added. It needs some added bits to finish. 

For the wastelands I am working on a Guardians faction (inspired by Fallouts Brotherhood of Steel) using Maelstroms Edge Epirans and some new bandits made from the bits box. I am also working on court of Baron Schmitt - the leader of Schmittville using Blind Beggar Figure. 

Bitza bandits with parts from all over. 

Another job that has been annoying me was the painted figures pile. I have finally organised them and labelled the various factions/gangs. This is so I can locate them when I want them rather than spend hours trying to find a particular gang. So far my wastelands has over 80 gangs and factions. I now have a nice list of them all to just to ensure I don’t miss any. It also made me think a new faction map may be in order. 

Sorting the lead and looking at the unpainted pile I have been getting lots of new warband ideas. I hope to get some of them sorted in the next couple of years. 

Thanks for looking. Take care out here.