Author Topic: The new GW zombies made 'Old Worldy' ! (Read 3276 times)

Padre · « **on:** June 07, 2021, 03:41:12 PM »

I am 'de-AoS-ifying' the brand new GW zombies by getting rid of the weird roots and branches growing through them. There is likely some story why they have such roots and branches growing through them, but I want them to fit my 8th Ed campaign world better.

These first 9 just had the roots and branches removed, including some very large growths out of one shoulder …

The middle one of the next three came with NO hands and only one foot. It had the weird roots instead. So, I cut them off, replaced a hand and a foot from the sprue and my bits box, leaving one hand missing as a suitably zombie-ish injury.

The box of 20 cost me £37 (!!!) so I intend to squeeze everything I can out of it. These three have legs from my bits box (two skeletons I forget the make of and some baggy breeches from a Frostgrave Ghost Archipeligo seaman). They'll do for back rankers, yes?

Still got most of the other sprue to do and should end up with a regiment of 26. I will combine (hopefully) with the Black Tree Designs’ marsh zombies to bulk up further. I have ordered the latter but until I see them I won’t really know if they will fit in (with a similar paint job).

Jmash · « **Reply #1 on:** June 07, 2021, 04:19:42 PM »

These are looking great!

I'm not a big lover of the roots and various adornments on the new zombies either so it's nice to see them without, it's a good chance to see some of the new kit in detail too. Unusually for GW the weapons and tools actually seem quite realistically proportioned, which is no bad thing indeed.

GamesPoet · « **Reply #2 on:** June 07, 2021, 07:05:58 PM »

Quote from: Padre on June 07, 2021, 03:41:12 PM

I am 'de-AoS-ifying' the brand new GW zombies by getting rid of the weird roots and branches growing through them. There is likely some story why they have such roots and branches growing through them, but I want them to fit my 8th Ed campaign world better.

There we go, "de-AoS-ifying, that's a new one!

However, I didn't know you were doing 8th edition? My impression was the campaign was being run in 3rd edition. Hmmm.

Padre · « **Reply #3 on:** June 07, 2021, 07:09:43 PM »

It was always 8th. The campaign before was 7th and turned into 8th, I think. The last 3rd ed campaign I ran was in 1991 (ish) in my later university days, back when everyone else was playing 4th, or maybe 5th.

GamesPoet · « **Reply #4 on:** June 07, 2021, 07:11:14 PM »

Well how I got that crossed up in my silly head, I'll probably never know.

Syphon · « **Reply #5 on:** June 08, 2021, 07:06:04 AM »

I saw these and I thought "are these even GW? They are so plain."
Then I saw your note about removing roots and branches. I went to check the site and sure enough, they are as full of doodads as ever.
You did a good job cleaning them up.

Von Zorn · « **Reply #6 on:** June 19, 2021, 08:08:03 PM »

Interesting! Are you keeping them on the round bases, too? You've done a good job of de-AoSifying them!

Padre · « **Reply #7 on:** June 19, 2021, 10:54:18 PM »

They are only on the bases for painting purposes. But one foot is glued, so a simple swish with a scalpel will remove them (hopefully just them and not bits of me) and I can base them on 20 by 20. I will be multibasing some as I so often do, and I can't decide which will go on the bigger (rear) bases until they are painted. I will keep the characterful ones on individual bases for story pics, but for 8th ed games, multi-basing is a must.

BTW, I don't believe in magnetising bases. Like Robert Boyle said in a paper in the 1670s, loadstone is "a mineral so differing in diverse affections, not only from all other stones but from all other bodies" ... a 'heteroclite' mineral, that it "scarce seems to be originary of this world of ours, but to have come into it, by a remove from some other world or system." I find his argument convincing, and, if taken as a premise one, and combined with the second premise (my fervent belief, held simply for the sake of this long-winded attempt at humour)) that other worlds do not exist, then it follows that magnets do not exist.

And so I never magnetise bases.

GamesPoet · « **Reply #8 on:** June 19, 2021, 11:02:19 PM »

Well, zombies don't exist, yet evidently those are being used.

Padre · « **Reply #9 on:** June 20, 2021, 12:10:55 AM »

In truth I got some little magnets but apart from magnetising DamoB's colossus to it's base, I have yet to find a use for them. I will. One day. I know it. There's always a use. Patience is all that is required.

GamesPoet · « **Reply #10 on:** June 20, 2021, 12:34:49 AM »

Ya did say it was a joke.

Zak · « **Reply #11 on:** June 21, 2021, 05:10:04 PM »

so they line up well with the old zombies on square bases? Also what about the new Skeletons have you seen them ?

S.O.F · « **Reply #12 on:** June 22, 2021, 02:24:54 AM »

These look nice but I've had similar results with the Fireforge Undead Peasants mixed with older GW bits at a significantly less cost.

Von Zorn · « **Reply #13 on:** July 16, 2021, 11:57:34 AM »

I've come into possession of the new Skeletons, and I can already tell that basing them on 20mm will work, but ranking them up will not. A shame!

They also seem like a pain in the arse to paint!

I might get rid!

Padre · « **Reply #14 on:** July 16, 2021, 03:41:22 PM »

I read somewhere on FB, but literally only yesterday or the day before, that they do not rank.

Annoying, neh?

Zak · « **Reply #15 on:** July 16, 2021, 07:50:09 PM »

Quote from: Von Zorn on July 16, 2021, 11:57:34 AM

I've come into possession of the new Skeletons, and I can already tell that basing them on 20mm will work, but ranking them up will not. A shame!

They also seem like a pain in the arse to paint!

I might get rid!

oh wow

GamesPoet · « **Reply #16 on:** July 18, 2021, 01:35:06 AM »

Are we talking about the skeletons with the Byzantine like look?

Brother Sutek · « **Reply #17 on:** July 23, 2021, 01:13:26 AM »

Love the removal of the AoS clutter. In general my dislike of the newer models is mostly due to lack of negative space or scale creep. These look great!

Padre · « **Reply #18 on:** August 16, 2021, 09:22:51 PM »

Just completed 12 more swamp zombies. Having de-rooted & de-branched the new GW ones, making 23 from the sprue with some other bits kitbashed in, I bought 12 of the Black Tree Designs (Zombies of the Sweltering Swamps) to mix it up a bit more. I was hoping they would scale well and ... I think ... they did.

I have now modeled them, lots of fiddly bits cut off the plastic GW ones and most of the polearm shafts replaced on the metal BTD ones as the originals were quite weak and bendy.

Here are two pairs, to show how (I think) they fit well together ...

Some of the metal polearms looked like they might survive handling ...

Whereas quite a few needed cutting off, the hands drilled and brass rods inserted. Just stick the original blades on the end and wa la!

I love the weird long polearms, some sort of swamp beast fighting gear?

I reckon that when painted (and rebased) they will mix and match quite convincingly ...

Just got 35 to spray, paint, dip, varnish and re-base properly. I think the acrylic paints and dip technique I have been trying recently (after 35+ years of enamel black lining) should work well on these.

GamesPoet · « **Reply #19 on:** August 17, 2021, 12:45:58 AM »

Quite the impressive project going there, congrats!

Padre · « **Reply #20 on:** October 05, 2021, 04:19:02 PM »

Finally got around to a 'paint test run' for my new swamp zombies regiment. Having ditched enamels after 35 years, I am going with acrylics and army painter dip (wash), then anti-shine. I have been experimenting for a year and I think I'm getting the technique about right now.

The first model is a Black Tree Designs metal figure, which I am glad to see fits in with the plastics well as I bought all of their swamp zombies. I replaced his thin, bendy, lead spear shaft with a brass rod.

The middle one is one of the very new GW plastic zombies, but with all the roots/branches weirdness chopped off.

The third has a new GW top half, and a Mantic skeleton's legs! This sort of kit-bash mish-mash is how I made 23 zombies from the sprues instead of the official 20!

I think I am convinced by this very simple technique. So ... 3 done, now for the other 33!

Captain Dob Van Dwi · « **Reply #21 on:** October 06, 2021, 02:31:17 PM »

Wait, hold on.

You have been using enamel paints this whole time...?!

I've known your paint style for over 10 years, how am I only learning abut this now?

GamesPoet · « **Reply #22 on:** October 06, 2021, 04:19:43 PM »

Ooooooh! Those do look good, congrats!

Perambulator · « **Reply #23 on:** October 06, 2021, 09:09:27 PM »

Wow! Those are really good!

Grutch · « **Reply #24 on:** October 07, 2021, 08:24:53 AM »

Amazing work Padre. Really inspiring stuff!

I always liked your heavy enamel style but this looks great as well! Have you experimented much with contrast paints and glazes? You can get a lot of detail to kick up with minimal effort that you could try on the centerpiece models. There's plenty of good videos all over the internet demonstrating the use of such.

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Author Topic: The new GW zombies made 'Old Worldy' ! (Read 3276 times)