Grin and Scowl... Pop Culture and Zombicide

One of the biggest appeals of Zombicide is their pop culture references to their survivors and villains.  This all started in the original Zombicide Kick-starter with many a nod to recognisable characters over a diverse amount of genres one of the more known examples is their Big Bang Theory themed survivors.  

I love the Batman universe and Batman has got to be one of my favorite Superheroes.  Naturally the Joker has to be one of my favorite villains.  Zombicide Black Plague released an exclusive box set in the "Knight" pack during the Black Plague kick-starter.  As a backer I received the two exclusive characters, Scowl who is a hero and a reference to the Dark Knight and a necromancer known as Grin and is a homage to the Joker... most likely the late Heath Ledger's Joker portrayal (haircut aside!).  

So years after I received the kickstarter I am going through a Black Plague resurgence and thought I would add to my ever expanding collection of painted miniatures.  Don't let the sometimes overpriced value of these miniatures stop me, I am in it for fun, not profit. I have even had Scowl slay many a zombie in a recent game.  He is a fantastic survivor.  Grin has yet to hit the table but he is ready and has been added to my box of painted Zombicide models.

The models are painted very differently.  Grin has received many layers of paint all from the Scale75 range of acrylics.  No washes were used om Grin.  I decided to do a very bright base using Games Workshop Contrast Paints and blended them together to show he is a magic user, evil doesn't need to dark.

Scowl was painted my usual go to method, block in, wash, highlight and pick out details.  I think the two are both instantly recognisable for whom they represent... Scowl more so.

There are so many more awesome pop culture references in Black Plague, too many to mention and yes I have them all! I can't wait to add to my Zombicide Second Edition survivors as there are many awesome models that are based on pop culture and real life heroes and villains.  

Back to the Future is my favorite Movie Trilogy EVER.  I have both Undead or Alive and Invader especially for their references to Marty and Doc.  Speaking of Invader, one of my favorite shows which I am rather obsessed with is Rick and Morty and Invader gives a very awesome nod to them.

I can't wait to eventually get around to painting these.

Zombicide Wulfsburg Zombie Wolfz and Wolfbomination

I have just finished painting up the Zombie Wolfz and Wolfbomination from the Zombicide Black Plague Expansion Wulfsburg.

This was a pretty quick and rushed paint job.  Basically I base coated, drybrushed, quick shaded then picked out a few details and finished.

I figured this paint job is worthy of models that most likely get taken off the table as quickly as they are placed on the table.

I need to paint the 4 survivors for this expansion and will do them soon and then the expansion is 100% painted.

Thanks for looking... stay tuned.

Zombie Wolfz and the Wolfbomination 

Wolfbomination

The Zombie Wolfz

Zombicide Black Plague Core Box Set Complete

I have finally finished painting the Zombicide Black Plague Core set from the CMON Kickstarter.  I'm rather pleased with how this turned out and I have used the painted figures now twice in group games and I have received a lot of praise from the people that I have played the game with.  I am rather chuffed about this positive feedback.

In total there is 71 painted figures.  I think everyone will agree that playing with painted figures is a much more pleasant and creates a more atmospheric experience!

Zombicide Black Plague Core Survivors Painted

Zombicide Black Plague Core Survivors Painted Rear View

The whole box set painted up!

Excuse the Poor lighting but there was a storm on and real life lightning helped
create the mood

I think you will agree that painted miniatures look far better than hordes of grey plastic

Now that this is complete... I must get started on all the Kickstarter bonuses!

Zombicide Season 1 Campaign - Boomtown 04

Mission 04 Doomsday Clock

This would be, hands down, without a doubt the hardest game of Zombicide I have ever played.  The scenario alone takes 240 minutes and is rated hard!

I did it in 3 hours and somehow, somehow, somehow, by the skin of my teeth survived!

I lost Phil to the horde and he became a Zombivore and kicked some butt.  You have to collect all the objectives on the board and each time the Zombies get an extra activation you have a countdown from 10 to 0.  You can spend food and water to gain back part of the timer.

3 of my Survivors were all in the red activation given how hard this scenario was and the red spawn was a killer, thankfully I had all the objectives and raced to the exit!

...stupidly hard

The table all set up, the board is huge!

I am getting good at spawning Abominations early on

Luckily I had geared up and dispatched him quickly

... and naturally another one spawns

Phil falls and comes back as a Zombivore

I nearly lost the game here, Wanda took a beating

Wanda was down to 4 wounds and had dropped all her equipment but was rescued
by the other survivors

Josh couldnt hit anything but Doug was sniping like a boss.  These two are the only
in the Campaign not to turn to a Zombivore

Amy was max level and I took the Medic ability and restored some much needed wounds before
fleeing to the exit

Well what a game, it was so hard it was almost enjoyable! I see now why a lot of people have sold their Season 1 of Zombicide and the game gets not much play considering how good Black Plague is.

If I survive this campaign, I am going to take a nice long break from Season 1 and play the crap out of Black Plague and Green Horde... 3 missions to go, until next time!

Zombicide Season 1 Campaign - Boomtown 03

Mission 03 Cornered Beasts

This mission was significantly quicker and easier than Mission 02.  

The objective was simple, escape.  You need to collect the Green Objective to open the Green Door, and the Blue Objective to open the Blue Door.  Once the Blue Objective is found the Blue Spawn Zone triggers.  Luckily for me the Blue Zone triggered last and it was an easy rush to the exit.

Only one survivor turned to a Zombivore this round and that was Ned.

The Setup

Very very very first spawn of the game, an Abomination!

I got way over confident at the start, I had no equipment and terrible dice rolls.
Ned takes a hit for the team and dies instantly to a fatty and comes
back as a Zombivore

I could use the Police car as a bomb but through pure luck I managed to search
for the components needed for a Molotov Cocktail, I had the Police car
as back up

I lured the Abomination to Josh and lit him up!

From there on in it was pretty easy, I managed my threat level and ensured
Josh remained 1 XP off Orange Alert.

Green door Key

The final objective was the blue key and it could not of been in a more
better location.  It was an easy charge to the end.

Victory is mine! All survivors are full health and only Ned Turned.

Until next time... Mission 04 is a massive one and is estimated to take 4 hours! Might play over 2 sessions!

Zombicide Season 1 Campaign - Boomtown 02

Mission 02 Doug's Secret Cashes

...carrying on from Part 1 here 

So with my newly painted Zombivores it was time to get into Mission 2 of my Boomtown Campaign.  For a mission rated "medium" it was very tough indeed! Oh and Zombivores are awesome and much needed!

Objective - simple... collect all the X marked objectives and carry them to the exit zone.  They are bombs and take up 1 inventory slot.  The Abomination does not spawn, instead he is the blue objective which will be revealed each time I flip a red objective.

Table set up and ready to rock

Split the forces up, south force was to gear up whilst the top force was to level up

Top force draws the crowd

Amy gets surrounded

Wanda zooms in to help Amy

Meanwhile Josh loots some Gasoline.  In this scenario there is only one Abomination
who is hidden among one of the objectives. I needed to prepare for the eventual
revealing of the Abomination

Things looking grim for the girls

Josh collects the lighter to make a molotv :) I can now collect the objectives
knowing I can kill the abomination.

Amy and Wanda Fall! Phil can't save them!

First time I have ever played with a Zombivore, Amy gets back up, this time with
5 wounds as a Zombivore

Wanda and her chainsaw resurrect as a Zombivore

The zombi girls make swift work of anything that gets in their path

Getting ready to take an objective

Wanda gets a molotov, thats 2 now!

Amy kills so many zombies she races to red level! insane spawning begins!

This is not looking good! Zombies Everywhere!

The girls clear the path making my way to the final two objectives... Abomination
yet to be revealed!

Amy needed to step up with her chainsaw, this is the roll! I needed
5+ to kill! Boom!

Clearing the final building.  The first objective reveals nothing.

...and of course the final objective in the game is the blue token, revealing the
Abomination! Lucky Josh was there with his Molotov! Boom!

Every character is now in the red level, spawning is getting insane, I got to fight
the horde off then time my run to the finish

A very very tense moment.  Josh was armed with a sniper rifle and picked off
some Fatties that needed to die as I feared the "extra activation" mechanic
if I ran out of models for them.  Meanwhile look at those runners piling in.

Breathing space! Time to run!

The heroes run to the exit.  Wanda nearly dies just below them, silly move but through
sheer luck she survives!

We made it! Amy and Wanda fell but will join us in mission 3 as Zombivores!

Well what a game! It nearly took 4 hours! It was absolutely epic.  Zombivores are so powerful with their 5 wounds as opposed to 2 wounds that normal survivors have.  I really have the feeling all my characters are going to end up as Zombivores if I am to win this campaign.  For a "medium" game this was damn tough!

See you for mission 3!