Merry Christmas to All!

Merry Christmas to All! 

Have a good one folks! 

Ten - Update 22-12-17

Hi, just a quick update on the ten figure I am having sculpted for the post apocalyptic wargames forum. 

The sculptor Darklight Miniatures, got the figure sculpted at lightening speed. I now have the finished sculpt in my grubby mitt. 

I chose to have the weapon hand empty so that gamers can add weapons to suit their background. It will also help if I am left with a bucket of figures. 😂

I am pretty pleased with the figure, now to get it cast. I will chase the casters in the Xmas break. 

Thanks for looking. Stay safe out there.

Wasteland Wondering - more Necromunda

Hello and welcome back to my blog. 

Happy Yuletide wastelanders. This Wasteland Wondering post is going to be focusing on the recent GW release of (Nu) Necromunda. Much has been said about the game in various places online & social media. Some good and some bad. I will be concentrating on my experiences so far.

When my boxed set arrived and I was happy to see the rules, figures and terrain sprues. The tunnel boards look good and are inspiring me to create new tunnel sections for my existing tunnel terrain set with a more industrial vibe to them. I am sure some of the Necromunda terrain sprues may find their way into those builds (if they ever happen).

Sadly I never got around to assembling the figures I can't comment on the figure's height or quality. However I have heard good things about them. The sprues look nicely detailed. The arrival of the boxed set was timed with the arrival of the silly season (funny that). In our house hobby projects stop as we decorate and get into the whole seasonal groove.

That hasn't stopped me reading through the rule book. As predicted the rules are a little different to the original but they seem to mix in elements & mechanics that other (non GW) rule sets have been using for a couple decades now. You can still see the orginal rules in there, they have just been updated. So far I like the look of them. 

My only reservation is that the Eshers seem to have lower cool and will power scores than the Goliaths. To my mind Amazon warriors would be just as tough mentally as their male counterparts. 

Sadly in the typical GW milk the fans/customers for every penny fashion, the rest of the Necromunda houses and outlanders etc will be the feature of later figure & rule book releases. 

I did get the Gang War book which introduces the multilevel combat rules and campaign rules of the original Necromunda game. However there is only a few pages dedicated each to these. The rest of the book repeats rules from the core rule book, which made me feel a little cheated.

The background fluff in the rule books will allow games to be played in other Necromunda hives or hive world's should you have the inclination. There are brief descriptions of some of the other Necromunda hives on the world. I think it would be fun to create my own hive or hive world and in my usual fashion I have figured out a way to create one. That may be subject of a future post. 

I plan to use the gangs from the Necromunda box set in my post apocalyptic setting on Mattblackgod's World. 

For the Goliaths I hope to use them as body guards for the Bullet Farmer who is a ally of Immortan Ork. I will be looking at Mad Mad Fury Road for inspiration of how to paint them. My next problem will be to find a suitable figure for the Bullet Farmer. I am not sure if I should use a Ork or Human figure. 

Another idea for the Goliaths is to use them as bodyguards for the Warlord of Wastetopia. Rych of the Post Apocalyptic Wargames Forum gave me an idea of how such a mob should look. He favours blood red tartan which looks cool but I suspect would be a tricky to paint.

The Eshers will be getting a Fallout feel to them. I plan to take the house's background and mix it into a vault. They will be used as bandits who will from time to time visit Wastetopia to trade their ill gotten gains, drugs & generally causing mayhem. 

Thanks for reading, stay safe out here & Happy Yuletide.

Ten - update.

Hello and welcome back to my blog.

Just a quick catch up about the ten figure I am having sculpted. 

Wow, my sculptor is fast. His work so far....

He only started last night. I am envious of his skill. I can't wait to see the finished figure.

Thanks for looking.

"Ten" - post apoc figure.

Hello and welcome back to my blog,

Some of you out in blogger land probably know that I am creator of the Post Apocalyptic Wargames Forum (link in the side bar). It was a place I created because I felt that the post apocalyptic genre was largely overlooked by the wargames communities. It is a place that covers post apocalyptic small scale skirmish and rpg games too. 

How things have changed since I started the PA wargames forum. Every online wargames forum has a post apocalyptic board. There are now lots of choice for games, figures, scales and backgrounds. There has been a explosion in the genre. Not just in the hobby either. The media has created lots of books, comics, films, tv series and computer games in the post apocalyptic genre in the last decade. 

Next year is our 10th year in the wastelands. To commemorate this event I am having a 28mm figure sculpted and cast. I am thinking of something like this dude:

Here is the spec I have sent the sculptor. 

"I want a 28mm scale figure sculpted. It is to be similar to the figure in the above picture I sent you (gas masked, hooded survivor figure). It is okay for the figure ho be holding a pistol, however don't make it too modern. Something like a colt magnum revolver or M1911 pistol will be suitable. The figure is to have a small shoulder pad with the number 10 engraved in it. Elbow and knee pads are peferred but not compulsory. The figure must have a backpack. Is this okay? "

I hope to make this exclusive figure available to all active members of the forum for cost value and maybe use one as the prize in the 2018 Warlord's challenge. I will keep this blog updated with the progress of the figure.

Thanks for looking. 

Wasteland Wondering...Necromunda

Hello and Welcome back to my blog.

In this Wasteland Wondering I will be talking about the new GW release Necromunda, or Necromunda 2 as many of us greybeards are calling it. The rumours and drip fed eye candy has been about for a few months now. In my usual style I am late to the party.

When I first heard about Necromunda returning I was excited about the news. However giving the past history of GW I was a little reserved as they have had a habit of ruining things in pursuit of profit.

So the new rules are going to be based on the new edition of 40k. Having not played the new version of 40K I cannot not comment. That said I have only played Necromunda 3 or 4 times and I liked the rules (although I prefer Neutronyork 3000 to Necromunda). Sure it had its failures but then rulesets are like people. Each one is different and none of them are perfect. With this in mind I will approach the new rules with a open mind. If I don't like them I still have the old rules and a host of other rulesets to fall back on.

Then there was the news that the bases will be 32mm in diameter and slightly thicker than the old 25mm slotta base. This caused much wailing on the internet. This is not really an issue for me as I would be rebasing them on 25mm or smaller anyway. It makes using them in confined spaces such as gantries a lot easier. So for me it is not a issue. I may end up using coins or washers as bases.

The new figures would be 32mm rather than 28mm heroic scale. Looking at the shared pictures online the new figures look a head higher than the older ones. This has caused some grumbling from the Oldhammer collectors who have old Necromunda gangs they want to get out.

Now I don't know if you have noticed but people come in a whole range of sizes. I have friends that range from 4 foot 8 to 6 foot 3. I also know a few people who are over 6 foot 6 inches. In 28mm terms that translates as roughly 26mm to 35mm from the top of the head to the foot. A seven footer would be 38mm. All within the human size range. Who knows what another 38,000 years will do to human evolution?

Over the years in my haphazard way I have collected figures from many lines from 25mm through to 32mm. I have never let the height or bulk bother me. As I mentioned earlier, folks come in all manner of sizes. One trick to cut down height is instead of using a slotta base is to use a coin or washer. That lowers the figures height and makes things look at bit more even on the table top. Another trick is to shave a mm or two off the soles of the shoes/boots off the figures.

When the news landed that the game was to take place using tiles it caused even more wailing and gnashing of teeth on the internet. After all Necromunda was always a 3d multilevel game. It was one of it's selling points.

To my mind the multistory looking levels whilst looking good rarely fitted the massive underside of a city. These areas are usually tunnels, rooms, ancient sewers and forgotten basements. Yes giving the Necromunda fluff lost domes and multilevels can still be part of the game but tunnel warfare makes much more sense to my twisted mind.

I am lucky to have my own tunnel system built. Tunnel Terrain Page.   Now old Necromunda fans may like the challenges of multi levels but tunnel fights are far different. One automatic weapon can control a whole corridor. But better pray you don't get a jam. Grenades become your new best friends, if they don't bring the roof down (I wonder if the new rules covers this?). Watching corners becomes important. When close combat breaks out it renders your fancy guns useless as it can block a tunnel and you can't get a clear shot or LOS.

In short I am looking forward to seeing the new game but I still remain reserved. At least I will have a couple of new gangs for my wastelands.

Just my thoughts. Thanks for reading.

Take care out there! 

Matt Black Report #16 - Mad Mek

Mad Mek.

The Mad Mek is held in awe by the rest of the Trogs as he clearly belongs to two castes. Not only is he a Mek Boy but he is a Mad Boy too. The boys think he is strange because of his need to look out for others (in a violent way of course) and his interest in Humans. The Mad Mek also belonged to the cult of speed for a short while. He got kicked out because he didn't think "Red Unz go Fasta" and painted his buggy matt black. Surely another sign he is mad?

The Mad Mek is under the protection of the Matt Black Trog who feels this odd Trog is important to the new world order.

The Mad Mek wanders the ruins and wastelands looking for parts to build his Intorkceptor, righting wrongs, fixing stuff and being nice to Humans as he goes along.

The Mad Mek is made up from bits. Boyz legs, Ork Biker body and arm. The Shotgun is a Ork resin item by Kromlech. The arms had putty sleeves added and Mad Max style shoulder armor added. Next up for this guy is for me to make a Squig, build a Intorkceptor and possible a Grot side kick. 

Matt Black Report #15 - Da Duke of Nu Ork!

Da Duke of Nu Ork!

On the northern edge of the Matt Black City ruins lies a few blocks held by a bunch of Trogs who do have not sworn allegiance to the Matt Black Trog. This territory is known as Nu Ork and is ruled over by a Trog simply known as Da Duke.

Da Duke dreams of the day when his forces can rival the Matt Black Trog in strength and numbers. When he can lead his Trogs to Matt Black City and smash Trog City. Until then he will make do waging war on the Humans and Trog gangs roaming the ruins. 

Da Duke is made from the 40K Ork Nobz kit and is inspired by the classic "Duke in the Escape From New York" movie. I added the gold braid epauletes from greenstuff which mark his rank. 

Matt Black Data Report #14 Utopia Magistrates Heavy Assault team.

Utopia Magistrates Heavy Assault team.

In Utopia city a special team of power armored Magistrates are being assembled. Their task is to head to the Matt Black City Ruins and support the team of Magistrates based there.

The figures are old 40K RT era metal Space Marines, just as they started adding older power armor to the range. The color scheme is based on the Utopia Magistrate uniform. 

Matt Black Data Report #13 - Headshot Armaments Heavy Hitter

Headshot Armaments Heavy Hitter

Over the years the boys at Headshot Armaments have come across several bits of old military technology. With a bit of work this old Dreadnought suit was repaired and brought back to life. This walking tank is fitted with two power fists and four bolt guns. Headshot realized that this piece of tech would be bad news in the wrong hands. So they keep it to defend the stock at the factory or Wastetopia when called upon.

The model is a old 40K Rogue Trader era Imperial Dreadnought.