Vampifan's Views 08 Dadi e Piombo

In my last editorial, posted just before Christmas of 2010, I mentioned a secret project that I was working on and I rather cryptically called it "the Italian Job." Now, I can reveal just what that project is. I have had an article published in the prestigious Italian wargaming magazine, Dadi e Piombo. Dadi e Piombo stands for Dice and Lead. The article, you won't be at all surprised to learn, is a primer into the world of 28mm scale zombie miniature collecting, gaming and a brief look at zombie literature and films. I've printed the front cover of the mag and the first page of my article to the left of here to give you a flavour of what to expect. The magazine is printed quarterly and is in full colour throughout, printed on very high quality paper.
I will admit, that until I was contacted by Lorenzo Sartori, the editor, I had never heard of the magazine. But, then again, that is hardly surprising as it is outside of my sphere of interests. Lorenzo contacted me late last year, having seen my size comparison photos of zombie miniatures on my blog, and asked me if I'd like to contribute an article to his magazine. I immediately said yes and so our collaboration begun. Lorenzo chose a number of photos from my blogsite that he wanted to use - stuff from some of my batreps and all of the size comparison photos. I typed in a new article for him, which was approved after a few minor changes.

I then eagerly awaited the publication of the magazine. A week or so ago I was contacted by Lorenzo to say that the mag was ready and that I could have up to seven free copies. This was very gratefully accepted by me. Yesterday, the parcel of magazines arrived. My immediate reaction upon seeing my article in print was one of immense pride. It is very rare to see your work in print and I feel very lucky that this is the second time it has happened to me (the first time being with me illustrating the vampire anthology Darkling, I Listen.)
In addition to my intro on collecting zombie figures, Lorenzo has included a very simple set of rules that he has devised for a zombie skirmish game, which is illustrated with more photos of mine from some of my zombie batreps. So that gives you another reason to be interested in this magazine.
I am the wrong person to give an unbiased opinion of the content of this issue because of my involvement but even so, the over-riding impression I have of the magazine is one of respect for its high quality. This is no cheap fly-by-night fanzine but a very serious and noteworthy wargaming magazine. The fact that it is printed in English and Italian can only help boost its sales, seeing as English is such a popular language spoken all across Europe. Also, the fact that this is issue 44, meaning it has been going for eleven years, surely indicates how popular it must be.
When Lorenzo offered me the opportunity of receiving seven copies of the magazine it really thrilled me as I knew what I wanted to do with the extra copies. I'd like to offer five of them up for grabs to anyone who'd like a copy. Obviously, to be fair, this has to be done on a first come, first served basis. If you genuinely want a free copy (yes, it will be free, and I'll pay the postage) just e-mail me at vampifan@talktalk.net with your name and address and I'll send you a copy. This offer is open to overseas followers, not just those residing in the UK.
For those of you who aren't among the lucky first five, here are the web addresses where the magazine can be bought -
In the UK contact www.caliverbooks.com
In the USA contact www.onmilitarymatters.com
In Germany and Austria contact woreanshop@aol.com or www.worean.eu
In Spain contact www.atlanticajuegos.com
In Italy contact www.dadiepiombo.com
I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Lorenzo for the chance to spread the word about why zombies are cool and for the copies of the magazine he sent me. Lorenzo, if you're reading this, you have my heartfelt thanks!
Normal service will be resumed with my next post, in which I will, hopefully, be reviewing a bunch of 28mm scale zombies by Recreational Conflict, a company whom I've never mentioned before.

Four A Miniatures Survivors

Last September I reviewed a few zombies from a new company that had sprung up - Four A Miniatures. At the same time as I bought the zombies I bought three survivor type figures and seeing as I have been reviewing a lot of survivor figures recently I thought I'd review these three 35mm scale figures now. Yes, you did read that correctly - they are 35mm scale, meaning they do tower over the likes of Hasslefree Miniatures. Don't let that put you off until you've read my review.

First up is Alexis, and what more can I say than hubba, hubba, hubba! She has the most spectacular rack I've seen on many a figure. Her nipples stand proud and firm. I don't mind nips that I can hang my hat on but when I can hang my umbrella on them, well...! Okay, okay, smutty comments over but feel free to add your own. Alexis has the look of a savage about her and would not be out of place in a barbarian fantasy setting, although I think she works perfectly well in a post-apocalyptic world. I think she'd be quite at home amongst the Glaswegian headbangers from the film Doomsday. I know the critics slagged this film off but I loved it. Her hair is wild and unkempt. That white bit is a streak in her hair, not a feather, whilst the blue bit is a headband. Have you noticed that her trousers are not buttoned/zipped up all the way? That's just asking for trouble! Her choice of footwear are heavy biker's boots. Her only weapon is a two-handed axe, but just look at the muscles on her arms, particularly in the second photo. I reckon she could crush a man's skull easily. Heck, I bet she could crush a man's skull in her cleavage! Alexis stands 35mm tall from sole of feet to top of head.
In the centre of the group is a dude known only as Rasta Bodyguard. It is with figures like this guy that I really don't mind them being oversized. If he was true 28mm scale he wouldn't look quite so menacing or intimidating. This brute, however, looks as hard as nails and as intimidating as you can get. Check out that scowl. The size of his holsters suggests he is carrying two of the most powerful handguns in the world - real Big Ass Pistols. As if they weren't bad enough he has a couple of human skulls dangling from his belt. You can just see the intimidation factor going up and up. God knows what is in the pouches on the back of his belt. You'd think it would be ammo clips for his pistols but to be honest it could be almost anything. If you're looking for a figure that screams, "don't fuck with me!" then look no further! He stands 39mm tall from sole of feet to top of head.
The third and last figure of this group is Top Hat, a rather apt name given his choice of headwear. He wouldn't look too out of place in a Wild West setting. His rifle is fitted with a ginormous telescopic sight. The only time I've seen sights as long as this was in the film The Outlaw Josey Wales when Josey teaches Jamie what a "Missouri boat ride" is! As an aside, I rate The Outlaw Josey Wales as my all time favourite Clint Eastwood movie. So, back to Top Hat. I have no idea what make the rifle is but it has a very wide barrel! This is a figure that is full of character. Note how the wind is blowing his hair and has caught the flap of his long coat. I think he's a great figure. He measures 39mm from the sole of his feet to the top of his hat. Bear in mind, the top hat adds quite a bit to his overall height.
Once the world has collapsed and civilisation has disintegrated in a zombie apocalypse, these are the kind of folks I'd expect to see. Every one of them looks more than capable of surviving in a post-apoc world and they are extremely well sculpted by Jim Bowen, even if they are on the tall side. Their height does not bother me as I like to see a mixture of heights amongst my figures. Each figure costs a very reasonable £2.50. I've included the website address for Four A Minis in the sidebar listing of my favourite websites. In my next post I'll be getting back to reviewing zombies - yay!

Dying to Live by Kim Paffenroth

I like reading novels that have been recommended to me by friends or followers. This particular novel, Dying to Live by Kim Paffenroth was recommended to me by my good friend, Roger (aka Rogzombie), whose knowledge of zombie literature far exceeds my own and whose opinion I respect. Suffice to say, I was not disappointed by his recommendation. He said that this book would be right up my street and he was absolutely right!
So what's it about? To quote the blurb on the back cover, "Jonah Caine, a lone survivor in a zombie-infested world, struggles to understand the apocalypse in which he lives. Unable to find a moral or sane reason for the horror that surrounds him, he is overwhelmed by violence and insignificance."
"After wandering for months, Jonah's lonely existence dramatically changes when he discovers a group of survivors. Living in a museum-turned-compound, they are led by Jack, an ever-practical and efficient military man, and Milton, a mysterious, quizzical prophet who holds a strange power over the dead. Both leaders share Jonah's anguish over the brutality of their world as well as hope for its beauty. Together, with others, they build a community that re-establishes an island of order and humanity surrounded by relentless ghouls."
"But this newfound peace is short-lived, as Jonah and his band of refugees clash with another group of survivors who remind them that the undead are not the only - nor the most grotesque - horrors they must face."
The story is set in an unnamed American city, which the author mentions in his acknowledgements is based on Grand Rapids, Michigan. Seeing as he spent some time there, it makes sense to base your story in a place you know well. There are numerous biblical references throughout the novel. Just look at the name of the hero, Jonah Caine, which is based on two characters from the Old Testament. Some critics have been put off by the author's religious overtones (believe in God and He will look after you) but for me, they washed right over my head. I read a novel for its entertainment value and never go into a deep analysis of the author's motives or message. As for entertaining me, this novel sure did that.
First up, the zombies are the old-style Romeroesque slow moving shamblers. This is always a big plus for me. I'm not a big fan of these new style zombies who can outrun an olympic sprinter. Secondly, the scenes of violence, when they do occur, are brutal and violent. Again, this is a big plus for a gorehound like me. Thirdly, I now look at zombie books and films for ideas to use in my ATZ campaign. Dying to Live has a number of intriguing ideas. The setting of the survivor camp - a museum has been well thought out. It is, however, far too large a structure to recreate in 28mm scale, so I won't be making one for my own campaign! The other group of survivors mentioned above, the bad guys, are a group of prisoners who have taken over their prison, having killed the guards and many weaker prisoners. The prison has shades of Mad Max 3; Beyond Thunderdome about it, with its nightly games of death between zombies and inmates. I know that the idea of using a prison as a holdout for survivors was covered in The Walking Dead series of comics/graphic novels, but this prison is nothing like the one Rick and co. come across. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, this is a novel that makes you think. I read one critic describe it as "a thinking man's zombie novel" which is fair comment. It certainly does not insult the reader's intelligence and how refreshing is that?
The small cast of characters are well written and fleshed out, and as a reader, I cared about their wellbeing. Surely, the most enigmatic character in the book was Milton, of whom the blurb on the back says "holds a strange power over the dead." To say much more would be a huge spoiler so I'll say no more, but I found him a fascinating person and he certainly gave me much food for thought.
This is a large format paperback measuring 6" by 9" and running to 190 pages. It costs £9.99 and is published by Permuted Press. I bought my copy from Amazon.co.uk for considerably less and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I hope you will too.

Foundry Figures The B Team

I've been looking at a lot of figures to use as Survivors in a zombie apocalypse setting recently. Staying with that theme, here are a group of figures who certainly qualify as Survivors - The B Team from Foundry Figures' range of 28mm scale Street Violence figures.

Okay, so Foundry may call them the B Team for copyright reasons, but we all know these are the A Team from the old TV series or more recent movie. At the far left of my two photos is the leader of the group, Hasdrubel Jones, aka John "Hannibal" Smith. As ever, he is depicted chewing a cigar and is dressed in a safari jacket. The rifle he is holding looks to be a 5.56mm Ruger AC-556F, and indeed, is the weapon of choice for all of the team.
Next up is the iconic Mr. Z (presumably pronounced mister Zee and not mister Zed) or as fans of the A Team would call him, Bosco Albert "B.A." Baracus. He is festooned with loads of gold jewellery, his trademark bling, and wears dungarees and a cut-off T-shirt. The mohican haircut is another trademark of the character. Also, note just how muscular he is. You don't want to mess with this dude!
Third in line is "Mad Dog" Malone aka "Howling Mad" Murdoch. Is he really mad or is it just an act he puts on to fool others? He is the most casually dressed member of the team with his rumbled pants, T-shirt, leather jacket and baseball cap.
The final member of the team is Starbuck as named by the folks at Foundry or Templeton "Faceman" Peck as he is known in the A Team. He is the most smartly dressed member of the team in his three-piece suit, shirt and tie.
Last in line is a woman called Sissy. She is not a member of the team but presumably, she is the person who called the A/B Team for help. "Mah house is surrounded by zombies! Ah need heyulp as soon as possible!" She is the archetypal damsel in distress. Actually, she is perfect for an ordinary, generic female civilian. You can never have too many of them!
These are well sculpted figures and are ideal if you want to run a cheesy, tongue in cheek game of ATZ. How well would they cope with a horde of flesh-eating zombies? That's up to you to decide. In the TV series they never seemed to shoot anyone. Either they were lousy shots or terrific marksmen if they were aiming to miss.
I must admit I was never a fan of the show, even though I watched quite a few episodes when it was first aired. I have not seen the recent movie, so I can't comment on that but the trailer moved me to apathy. I'll probably watch it when it is shown on terrestrial telly as I have no intention of paying money to view it.
I recently bought a Corgi 1/48th scale version of the A Team van at a local toystore. I understand that WWG make a kitbash of the same van but it is not a model that I've bought yet. If you're desperate for an A team van, it might be worth checking out if you can't get a die-cast version of it. This is set SV037 from the Street Violence range and the pack of five figures cost £10.

Hasslefree UK Police 01

As a follow up to my review of Hasslefree's American police figures from their 28mm scale Adventurers range here's a look at their English cops from the same range.

At the far left is HFA032 Officer Nick, or to give him his full name, Nicholas Angel, star of the wonderful Hot Fuzz film, as played by Simon Pegg. It really is a cracking good likeness. In the promo shots of him on the HF website he is pictured holding his shotgun pointed at the ground. I wanted to show him in a more aggressive pose so I repositioned the right arm so that he could be firing the shotgun from the hip. Note that both arms are separate castings so it's an easy job to reposition them. I also decided to spruce up his base by adding a traffic cone, after all, what could be more British? The cone was made by Foundry Figures, although other firms also sell them.
Next up is Nick's partner from Hot Fuzz, HFA033 PC Sam Ford, although in the film, Nick Frost's character was called Danny Butterworth. Once again, the likeness is remarkable. I especially like the fact that he has been sculpted with his helmet on. It wouldn't have looked right on Officer Nick but here it looks perfect. This is a two-piece casting, with the arms and shotgun separate from the body.
The final two figures are HFA034 Riot Cop Neil. Neil comes with a choice of two arm options - a riot gun (which could fire rubber bullets or tear gas) or a truncheon and shield. When presented with multiple arm options, I usually end up buying two figures so that I can make one of each. As I said before, it's a clever marketing ploy of Hasslefree. Looking at them side by side in my two photos you can hardly tell that they are the same figure.
My one and only criticism of this range is that I wish there were more figures in it. US cops are a lot easier to get hold off than UK cops. I'd especially like to see a figure of WPC Doris from Hot Fuzz, as female UK cops are especially rare, plus she was a great character in the film. Even though my own ATZ campaign is set in America, I'd still like to see more UK cops.
Officer Nick and Riot Cop Neil cost £4.00 apiece, whilst PC Sam Ford is just £3.50.