Black Cat Bases Scientists 01

I recently showed you a WIP post of my two wrecked trucks that I received last month from Black Cat Bases after ordering them way back in February 2014. Well, in addition to the resin trucks, I also received three 28mm scale scientist figures as part of my order. They got painted very quickly and here they are.

The male scientist at the far left is carrying a clipboard in his right hand and has his left hand stuffed inside his lab coat. I do like that his glasses are perched on top of his head. That's not something you see very often. I have to wear glasses for reading and figure painting and it is something I've done myself many times.
The female scientist in the centre of the group is rather amusingly described as "Young Female Scientist with Cleavage" on the BCB website. She's consulting an electronic notebook. I have not named any of my scientists yet, but this figure very much reminds me of Winifred "Fred" Burkle (as played by Amy Acker) in series 5 of the TV series, Angel. This was the final series, where Team Angel took over the Wolfram & Hart's Los Angeles law firm and Fred was appointed head of their Science Division.

The female scientist at the far right holds a book in her right hand and is pointing with her left hand. It is a simple but effective sculpt.
These three figures join my growing collection of scientists. They are all very nicely sculpted and very reasonably priced at £2.00 each or all three for £5.00. You'll find them in the Medical/Asylum & Scientists section of BCB's webstore. I'm pleased to announce that normal service has been resumed at BCB and they are accepting new orders and have sent out all of their outstanding orders.

Amy Acker as Winifred "Fred" Burkle dissects a male cadaver in the TV series Angel. Fred was without doubt, the most intelligent member of Team Angel. Whilst not a skilled fighter, she was brave, smart, clever and loved by everyone, including me.

Fred with her glasses, which she sometimes wore, showing a remarkable similarity with the young female scientist figure reviewed here.

Assorted Works in Progress 01

It is very rare for me to post Work in Progress reports on my blog. However, I thought you'd like to see what I'm working on at the moment simply because these figures and models are far from the normal figures I usually review. Although they are all 28mm scale (yes, I know that technically speaking, 28mm is a size not a scale, but it has now become universally accepted as a scale) they are far larger than 28mm in height and length. I currently have seven items on my painting desk and here they are -

First up are two dinosaurs made by Antediluvian Miniatures. At the left is an Iguanodon and at the right is a Megalosaurus. Their bodies and heads are made of resin and their legs are made of metal. I pinned and glued the legs in place and used Milliput to smooth out the joints. I have already painted the three adventurers from this range and I plan on reviewing them very soon.

Next are two wrecked vehicles made by Black Cat Bases. At the left is a Large Wrecked Truck and at the right is a Small Wrecked Truck. I ordered these models in February of 2014. Despite numerous e-mails to BCB asking when they would be delivered I never received a reply. Then, right out of the blue, they arrived last month. I was gob-smacked. I'd given up all hope of ever getting them but better late than never, huh? I'm pleased because they are such nice scenery items.

Finally, are three large monsters from the Dungeons and Dragons board-game, Castle Ravenloft. From left to right are a Flesh Golem, Gravestorm the Dracolich and a Zombie Dragon. These figures are made of plastic and come pre-assembled but unpainted. They are the last three figures that I need to paint for this game, so you can expect to see lots of Castle Ravenloft figure reviews over the next month and beyond.
I expect to finish painting all seven within the next week. Then I'll move on to finishing painting my Berserker Zombies for Zombicide.

Black Cat Bases Female Civilians 01

I'm posting a short review today as I'm busy playing a new ATZ-FFO scenario this weekend. The batrep should follow very soon. My last order to Black Cat Bases mainly consisted of females. Here are three of their Civilians and Townsfolk range.

The first two figures in line are known as Night Clubbers with Handbags. I'm sure most of us recognise them as typical slappers getting ready for "a neet oot on the toon" as we Geordies would say. Take a trip down the Bigg Market in Newcastle on any Friday, Saturday or Sunday night and you'll see them, invariably smashed out of their skulls on cheap booze. Actually, they are not just native to my home city but can be found in any major town or city. The  fat lass with her bottle blonds hair has squeezed herself into a tight fitting miniskirt and sleeveless top. Note the  matching pink top, shoes and handbag. Her more glamourous looking friend wears a low-cut gold mini-dress with matching gold handbag and silver high heels. They cost £2.00 each or you can buy the pair for just £3.50. Not bad value for money.

The third figure in line is based upon the actress and glamour model, Bettie Page. She actually comes with a scenic diorama base but I rebased her on a standard 25mm diameter slottabase. I can well imagine that Bettie will be unfamiliar with many of you. She rose to fame during the 1950's when she became one of the very first Playmates of the Month for Playboy magazine in 1955. It is only in recent years that I have become familiar with her. I quite like Bettie.

This is a photo of the figure taken from the BCB website, showing all the component parts of the diorama - 28mm scale figure of Bettie, base featuring a tiled floor and rug, a chaise longue, side table and telephone, book and lamp and a "Bettie x" decal. This is a rather expensive figure, costing £10.00, but you do get a lot for that amount. I have no need for the base but the other items will find a home in my St. Trinian's School in the headmistress's office.

Here is actress Gretchen Moi playing Bettie in the film, "The Notorious Bettie Page" and this is a very close likeness to the figure. I wonder if the sculptor (Martin Baker) was inspired by this photo? It certainly looks like he was, although he has omitted her riding crop. There is something of the dominatrix about her in this photo. Nice! Special thanks to Chris Sheets for pointing out that this was not actually Bettie. Even so, she still looks like Bettie.

So, here is the real Bettie in an iconic photo that originally appeared in Playboy magazine in 1955.

Assorted St. Trinian's Staff 02

Following on from my last post where I introduced the first of the staff members of St. Trinian's Girls School here are another four staff members - the school secretary and three teachers, although one of them is not what she appears to be. Curious? Then read on.

 First up is Beverly Whittaker, the school secretary, a ditzy blonde, played by Jodie Whittaker in St. Trinian's and St. Trinian's 2. Beverly is not the sharpest tool in the box. She spends most of her time listening to pop music on her iPod. She seems to have a large stash of dodgy drugs - uppers and downers, or red pills and blue pills, which she'll happily dole out to anyone she thinks deserves one, like for example, Stephen Fry in St. Trinian's. Beverly is a 28mm scale civilian figure from Turnkey Miniatures, where she is known as Teen Girl on Cell Phone (price $1.89). If you were wondering what she's holding in her left hand it is of course, a cell phone.
Next in line is Miss Dickinson, the English teacher as played by Lena Headey. It is Miss Dickinson who persuades the school to enter the TV quiz show School Challenge competition, thus gaining them entry to the National Gallery, providing they reach the final which, of course, they do. She is yet another woman talking on her mobile phone. She carries her briefcase in her other hand. This figure came from Black Cat Bases civilian and townsfolk range and is Female Civilian (price £2.00). I added Milliput to her hair to make it longer.

The third figure in line is not a real teacher but is actually an undercover police woman on assignment to gather evidence of wrongdoing at St. Trinian's. She is, of course, WPC Ruby Gates, as played by Joyce Grenfell to great effect in the first three St. Trinian's films. This is a more up to date version of Ruby and is my vision of her as a 21st century character as opposed to a 1950's woman. Perhaps this is the original Ruby's grand-daughter. This figure is another Turnkey Miniatures civilian and is their Business Woman on Cell Phone (price $1.89). I liked the figure but I had no idea what to do with her until I remembered a comment by Clint, who said I must include a figure of WPC Ruby Gates in my collection. Okay, so she doesn't look too much like Joyce Grenfell (see photo below) but instead she is a re-imagining of a popular old school character. Once again, the figure is posed talking on her mobile phone. She also carries a small handbag. My thanks go to Clint for his most excellent suggestion. Do you have any ideas for which subject Ruby should teach? I'm thinking computer studies.
Finally, we come to the sultry Miss Maupassant, the foreign languages teacher as played by Caterina Murino in St. Trinian's. Finding a suitable figure for her proved surprisingly easy. I remembered that Black Cat Bases made a figure of Miss Scarlet (price £3.00), one of the suspects from the popular board-game Cluedo, or if you live in America, Clue. She was just perfect. The figure comes with a choice of six right hands, all holding one of the six weapons featured in the board-game - dagger, iron pipe, revolver, rope, spanner and torch. I decided a dagger would best suit her and so she hides it behind her back. In her other hand she holds a cigarette in a cigarette holder, which just adds to her elegant poise.
I leave with photos of the four characters as they appeared on screen. There is more to come for this project, but not for a while yet. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten the St. Trinian's scenario I promised you all. It will appear soon.

Beverly Whittaker, the school secretary and archetypal blonde airhead. "Would you like an upper or a downer, love?" She speaks with a broad Yorkshire accent.

Miss Dickinson the English teacher arrives at St. Trinian's on her first day, full of enthusiasm and bright ideas. She's in for a rude awakening once she steps inside!

WPC Ruby Gates, or Gatesy as she is often referred to, in civilian clothing. A rare early photo of her in colour. I do have a suitable figure of her in her police uniform but you'll see her in a future post. (Sorry, Clint, you're just going to have to wait a bit longer.)

Miss Maupassant the sexy foreign languages teacher teaching French to her attentive class. If my French teacher looked like her I'm sure I'd have taken more attention in class. Yes, I flunked my French "O" level.

Assorted St. Trinian's Staff 01

Up until now I have been building up a large collection of St. Trinian's schoolgirls, which currently stands at 23 with more on the way. But as we all know, a school cannot run without any staff. So last month I rectified that problem as I actively sought out suitable figures to use as staff members. Once again, I am mainly concentrating on the two most recent St. Trinian's films, with one notable exception - the character of Flash Harry. In St. Trinian's Flash Harry was played by Russell Brand, a person whose face I could never tire of hitting with a baseball bat! He was easily the worst character in the film. No, for me, there can only ever be one Flash Harry and that is George Cole's version from the first four films. On this occasion, old school is better than new school.

At the far left of my two photos is undoubtedly the most important staff member, Camilla Fritton the headmistress. In the first and second St. Trinian's films (The Belles of St. Trinian's and Blue Murder at St. Trinian's), headmistress, Millicent Fritton (a relative of Camilla) was played by Alistair Sim, a male actor. For the two more recent films, the producers kept this concept alive and chose Rupert Everett to play Camilla, and yes, she does look remarkably like her namesake, Camilla, wife of Prince Charles. After much Internet searching I found the perfect figure to represent Camilla Fritton. She is Black Cat Bases old fashioned sleuth, Agatha Rutherford. What I particularly liked about this figure is that she came with a choice of four items in her right hand. The one that best suited Camilla was the umbrella. The other three items were a knife, a pistol and a torch. What I love about this character is that she is totally loyal to her girls and supports them 100%. For example, in St. Trinian's, when the girls are discussing how best to blow up the sewer gates beneath the National Gallery, it is Camilla who suggests the best type of explosives to use. Every headmistress should be like Camilla!
I mentioned Flash Harry above in my introduction and this is my version of Harry Edwards, a spiv and one of the few adults trusted by the schoolgirls. This figure is one of the Turnkey Miniature's civilians - Teenage Thief. I had to lose his long hair and I added the trilby hat to him, which totally transformed him into the lovable rogue, Flash Harry. I wish he'd been a bit taller but even so, I think he's a good find. You're probably asking what's he got in his inside coat pocket? It could be a set of tools or it could be a silver cutlery set. Who knows?

At the far right of this group is Miss Cleaver the sports teacher, as played by Fenella Woolgar in St. Trinian's. Miss Cleaver is a gung-ho teacher with a very aggressive manner. She is based on one of the Wargames Factory plastic female survivors and this was the first time I had made one of these remarkably versatile figures. The head was the female head wearing a stetson but I cut off the sides and back of the hat and filled in the top with Milliput to make a baseball cap. I also lengthened and bulked out her hair with Milliput. The arms came from the plastic male survivors set as I wanted her armed with a baseball bat and an Uzi Sub-Machine Gun. Yes, she does use an Uzi. In the St. Trinian's film she is seen in one scene teaching a fourth form class anger management skills as she blasts away at full auto from her Uzi at a row of plastic ducks. Miss Cleaver would probably be more at home teaching army recruits. Somehow I don't think that a zombie apocalypse will faze her.
Agatha Rutherford can be found in the Cthulhu Investigators section of BCB's webstore and she costs £3.00. Be aware that BCB are being incredibly slow in dispatching orders. I placed an order with them over a month ago and I'm still waiting for it to arrive. TKM's Teenage Thief costs just $1.89, and even though TKM are an American-based company they were very quick to send out my order.
As part of my new improved service, I leave with photos of the three characters featured in this review. Next time I'll review more staff members.

 Headmistress Camilla Fritton, played to perfection by Rupert Everett.

The original and still the best, Flash Harry. The unforgettable and much missed George Cole.

Miss Cleaver, with baseball bat, shouts instructions to her hockey team from the sidelines.

Assorted St. Trinian's Schoolgirls 02

My work on my St. Trinian's project continues at a brisk pace and I have another four 28mm schoolgirls to show. The first two are named characters from the two most recent St. Trinian's films and the second pair are characters I have invented.

Regarding the figure at the far left, if you are thinking "hang on, I've seen her before," you'd be absolutely right. She is new girl, Annabelle Fritton from St. Trinian's and the head girl in St. Trinian's 2. Annabelle was played by the gorgeous Tallulah Riley. This particular figure was a sculpt from Copplestone Castings Future Wars set FW46 Corporate Babes 2 and I reviewed her not so long ago. She was originally armed with a katana and she wore white socks. The idea of Annabelle with a katana just didn't sit right with me. It looked uber-cool but it was not in keeping with her character. In St. Trinian's, it was revealed that Annabelle was an excellent hockey player. So, I cut off her katana, drilled a hole in her right hand and inserted one of my Hasslefree hockey sticks. I also wasn't happy with her white socks. They had to go. I filed them down, which wasn't very easy and I painted on a lovely pair of stockings held up by a suspender belt. Now she looked perfect. This is a much more accurate representation of Annabelle and I'm delighted at how well she's turned out. If you check out the two photos of Annabelle below you can see I've missed out her waistcoat but that's no big deal in my opinion.
Next to Annabelle is Roxy as played by singer Sarah Harding from Girls Aloud. The group appeared at  the close of St. Trinian's but in St. Trinian's 2: The Legend of Fritton's Gold, Sarah got an acting part as a young rock star who enrolls at St. T's. I'd have liked to have seen more of her character in the film as I felt she was underused. I'm afraid my mind has gone blank when it comes to identifying who made this figure. I bought her ages ago as a Goth Girl. When I was searching through my collection of Goth Girls for suitable Emos to use with my St. T's girls I was struck by just how similar this figure resembled Roxy, With a few additions like her tie and waistcoat and a new paintjob she is a very close match to Roxy. Check out my photo of Roxy below and see for yourself.

I needed someone to represent the Emo tribe of girls. By the way, don't mistake them for Goths. They may look alike but they are Emos. I'm still looking for an Andrea from St. Trinian's and a Zoe from St. Trinian's 2. This figure is Emily De'ath, available from Turnkey Miniatures. She was originally from the Mega Miniatures range of civilians but when they folded, TKM acquired a lot of their moulds. I'm glad these figures are still being produced. Emily is dressed all in black with leather jacket, T-shirt, combat pants and boots. Her hair is in a Mohican cut, coloured red and black.
Finally is a first former called Rosie Langston and she is produced by Black Cat Bases, where you'll find her amongst their civilian and townsfolk figures. She is using her school tie as a belt and is nicely posed running with arms in the air. In her right hand she holds a silver ball. It could be a stink bomb, or a metal ball or heaven forbid, an actual hand grenade!
Emily is called Girl Punk on the TKM webstore and she costs $1.89. Rosie is known as Floating Girl on the BCB webstore and she costs £1.50. 
I leave with four more of my St. Trinian's photos so that you may compare my figure conversions with the actual actresses in their roles.

Annabelle Fritton with her hockey stick - sexy and dangerous! What a combination.

Annabelle in black stockings and suspender belt - drool! Be still my beating heart. My all time favourite St. Trinian's girl. She is stunningly beautiful.

Sarah Harding from Girls Aloud as Roxy. Since when did schoolgirls wear black leather hot pants? Not that I'm complaining! You don't see many women wearing hot pants these days.

Hubba, hubba, hubba, a spanking I will go! Note the packet of cigarettes in her back pocket if you can tear your eyes away from that peachy arse. Oh, and that's Annabelle she's standing next to.

Assorted 28mm Scale Vampirellas

This is a bit of a self-indulgent post, seeing as I seem to be the only fan of Vampirella. Mind you, I do know of one follower, who resides in Slovenia, who has been badgering me to post this and you'll see why later. Anyway, I thought I'd start 2014 off with a look at my collection of 28mm scale Vampirella figures.

At the far left of this photo above is my oldest Vampirella figure (or should that be non-Vampirella figure, seeing as none of them use her name for copyright reasons). She is also the smallest, given that she's actually a 25mm scale figure. I bought her in the 1980's from a German firm (now long defunct) called Metal Magic. She isn't as well sculpted as more recent figures but she still has a certain charm about her and I do like the bat she's holding. Her boots are too long but I can forgive that. For many years she was my only Vampirella figure and so I'll always view her with fondness.
Next in line is another non-Vampirella figure with thigh length boots. She comes from Black Orc Games and is called Paloma (no, I don't know why). She was sculpted by someone with the initials PF (Paloma Faith, perhaps, LoL!). She is nicely sculpted and rather slim but her costume isn't quite right. Apart from her boots being too long, her costume doesn't show enough stomach. Unforgivably, you can't see her tummy button. However, what I do like about her is her hair. She is ridiculously cheap, costing a mere $1.00.

Far and away, the sexiest of this figure collection is the third in line, produced by Blood Moon Miniatures (who appear to be no longer trading). She is the tallest of my Vampirella figures and unquestionably, the bustiest. Whoever sculpted her has overcompensated her in the boobs department. Contrary to many people's opinion, Vampirella is not a busty female. Her vital statistics are a nicely packaged 36C-24-36. She stands 5' 11" tall and weighs 115lbs. Hey, only someone called Vampifan would know that! Her hair isn't quite right but my God, she has curves in all the right places! She is one incredibly sexy figure. I'm not sure why there is a piece of red cloth between her feet. It seems to serve no purpose.
The fourth figure in line is by Ground Zero Games and can be found in their adult-rated Gentleman's Club range of figures as GC25 - Vampyrelle. Hmm, who are they trying to kid? Of course, she's Vampirella. She is in an almost identical pose to the figure by Blood Moon Miniatures but seems to be more in proportion to what Vampirella should look like. You can still buy her and she costs £2.40 from the GZG webstore. It is interesting to see that she is baring her fangs.

Moving on to the second batch of figures, I start with another Out Of Production figure. The female vampire in the red mini-dress was made for the Horrorclix game by Wizkids. She was one of the six unique figures who came with the original starter figure boxed set. You may well ask yourself, did Vampirella ever wear a dress like this? Well, yes, she did. I can remember her wearing this very dress in one of her adventures in New York in her short lived Vampirella magazine series produced by Harris Comics. Sometimes, Vampirella did go incognito by wearing normal clothing, although I think she'd attract just as much attention if walking down a street in that red mini-dress as in her skimpy costume.
Second in line is a figure produced by Armorcast - LL21610 Sexy Female Vampire. Well that certainly gets round any copyright problems! The main problem I have with this figure is that I think her head is too big for her body. From the neck down, she is perfect. It is such a shame. She is available for sale from the Armorcast webstore for $3.00.

The penultimate non-Vampirella figure is produced by Black Cat Bases. You can find her in their webstore under the heading of "Vampires" and she is listed as Vampire Girl, priced at £2.00. Her hair is good, her costume is good, her pose is different but her boots are wrong. They're too long and not tight-fitting. I should make mention of Vampirella's skin tone. Vampirella is not a traditional vampire. Garlic, religious icons and sunlight do not affect her. Apart from when she grows her fangs, long talons or wings, she can easily pass for a human. She does not have the anaemic pallor found in most vampires. So I tend to paint her as a healthy looking human female. This is consistent with how she appears in the colour comics.
The final figure in line is unique and holds a special place in my heart. She is a conversion based on HFL503 Hasslefree Female Armature (price £2.50) and was a present for me from Mathyoo (aka Matevz). He wanted to get me something special as a thank you for letting him stay with me last year. Those of you who have seen Mathyoo's blog will know that he's not a bad sculptor. So he added the hair, costume and boots to the Hasslefree armature figure to create something unique. He covered the base in static grass but I added a few pieces of rubble so that she fits in with my other figures. Mathyoo painted her for me, which explains why she is so pale looking. I don't mind that at all.
So, out of these eight figures which one do you think is my favourite? It's that oh so sexy Blood Moon Miniature. Pure sex on legs! Mathyoo's version comes a very close second.

Black Cat Bases Fly Tipping Pile

A few months ago my friend Roger, who runs the Rogzombie blog-site, posted a review of the Black Cat Bases 28mm scale Fly Tipping Pile. You can read it here - http://rogzombie.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/black-cat-bases-fly-tipping-pile-scenery.html 
It impressed me so much that I knew I had to get one for my ATZ-FFO campaign. And so here is mine, admittedly heavily influenced by Roger's excellent colour scheme. Notice how well it blends in with my new Stoelzel's urban ground tiles. It's a very good colour match.

This piece of resin scenery measures 5.5" across (14cm) by 3" wide (7.5cm). At the front are a toppled over wheelie bin, spilling its contents out, and two tied up black bin liners, both full of rubbish.

Behind them are three dirty matresses, three more bin liners, all full, a battered sofa and a rusty old fridge. As resin scenery pieces go, this is very detailed and was a lot of fun to paint. It will fit in well in Mayhem City during the zombie apocalypse and for me, symbolises the decay that has suddenly blighted the city. Or am I reading too much into it?  :)
This piece costs £3.50 from the Black Cat Bases website, which I considered to be quite a bargain.

Black Cat Bases Hispanic Gangers 02

As promised last time, here is my review of the Black Cat Bases 28mm scale Los Nortenos Hispanic gang, which comprises five male gang members and their canine mascot, Carlos. As with the female gang, Las Chicas, I have named all of the gang members myself, apart from the dog, who was named by the staff of Black Cat Bases.

Starting at the far left is Eduardo Jimenez, one of two bald-headed members of the gang. He is holding his 12 Gauge pump-action shotgun in a casual pose. All of the gang members are dressed very casually and they all wear designer-label training shoes. Eduardo is dressed in a baggy shirt over a white T-shirt and cropped baggy trousers. He also has a rolled up grey bandana tied around his head.
Standing next to him is the figure I have nominated as the gang's leader. This is Guillermo Aquino and he is armed with an Ingram MAC-10 Machine Pistol. Note the sunglasses sitting on top of his head. He is dressed in an identical manner to Eduardo, apart from the bandana. His beard and moustache make him look slightly older than the others, which was one of the reasons that I chose him as the gang leader. Plus, he is wearing a gold wristwatch, gold bracelet and gold-rimmed sunglasses, so he is clearly richer than the others.
Third in line is Oribe de Jesus Torrado, the second bald-headed gang member. At first glance he appears to be armed with nothing more than a metal baseball bat. But if you look at him from the rear you can see he is about to draw a pistol that was tucked into the back of his trousers. Sneaky devil!

Moving on, we come to Ramone de Nigris, the least well armed member of the Los Nortenos. He is armed with nothing more than a knife. Presumably, he must be very good at melee combat for him to shun a firearm. He has a crazed look in his eyes and I'm guessing he is a psycopathic killer.
Javier Lugo is the fifth member of the gang and he is armed with a Big Ass Pistol. He wears a baseball cap, back to front, naturally. The reason that he is bending down is that he is supposed to be holding a leash that is attached to the collar of the dog. I took one look at the leash and decided that I didn't want to use it. I'd rather have the dog and his handler as two separate figures. You may feel differently and the option is there to combine the two figures into one unit.
Speaking of the dog, Carlos is the name given to the gang's mascot. Carlos is a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, or as they are often known as, a Staffie. He has been sculpted in an aggressive pose, leaping at someone with his teeth bared menacingly.
One of the reasons that I particularly like this set (and indeed all of the BCB gangs) is that they are not excessively armed, like for example, many of Foundry's Street Violence gangs. Just look at this gang's weapons. They have a shotgun, a machine pistol, two pistols, a baseball bat and a knife. That, I think, reflects the real life of many of the gangs found in the inner cities of America.
You can purchase this set of six figures for £12.00 from the BCB webstore. Alternatively, the figures are all available separately, retailing at £3.00 each, apart from the dog, who only costs £2.00. Finally, a word about the scale of these figures. All of the BCB gang figures are described as being 28mm scale and for once, they are. No sign of "scale creep" here. I highly recommend every one of them.

Black Cat Bases Hispanic Gangers 01

At first glance you'd be forgiven for thinking I'm reviewing more prostitutes with this set, but then you notice that these ladies are all armed and dangerous. This set is the Black Cat Bases 28mm scale Las Chicas gang from their Gangsters range. It comprises five female Hispanic gangers and their mascot dog. The dog's name was taken from the BCB website, but I have come up with the names for the five humans.

At the far left of my two photos is a Yorkshire Terrier dog, whom the ladies have called "Wookie." He has a pink bow tied to his head to show he is a "girlie's dog." He is probably the smallest 28mm scale figure I have ever painted. He is tiny! But if he was any taller, he wouldn't be a Yorkshire Terrier.
The first of the humans, in the red pants and blue top, is Rosita Hernandez. She is armed with a 9mm Micro-Uzi Machine Pistol. Her hair, which she has parted in two, is incredibly long, flowing all the way down to her backside. I painted the lower half of her hair in a reddish brown, which from a distance looks like a fox-skin wrap. Note her high heel shoes with the leopard print colours.
To her left is Salma Alvarez, who is wearing a pair of leather-skin pants over a white bikini. She can't have tied the belt on her pants very tightly, as they are sliding down over her backside, as can be seen from the rear view of her. She is holding her Big Ass Pistol in a two-handed grip.

Carmen Talavera stands in the centre of the group and she certainly stands out from the crowd with her flaming red hair and white mini-dress. Carmen is well-endowed in the breast department and, as can be seen by her backless dress, she is not wearing a bra. Naughty! Is she just a slut or something more sinister? I suspect the latter. She is clearly making full use of her good looks, as she strikes a seductive pose and runs a hand through her long hair. But why has she got her other hand behind her back? From the front she oozes sex appeal but from behind we see she is concealing a revolver. She is quite a honey trap!
Next in line is Azteca Orozca. She is armed with a pair of Big Ass Pistols. I love the way her crop top has slid off one shoulder to reveal her pink bra. That's a nice touch! Her microskirt just barely covers her backside, so she needs to be very careful if she bends over. Then again, she probably doesn't give a damn!
The final figure in the group, Marisol dos Santos, is the person I have nominated to be gang leader. Her pose, as she points an accusing finger, suggests she is a leader figure. She carries a 12 Gauge pump-action shotgun in her right hand. She wears a red basque, denim hot pants and thigh-length leather boots. She has a few red streaks in her hair, which are most likely extensions. She also wears more jewellery than any of the other gang members.
These are a very sexy looking gang and all of them have been beautifully sculpted. Even the dog shows an incredible degree of craftsmanship. A long time passed between me buying them and painting them. I don't know why because they were an absolute joy to paint. But they are done now, and I have another gang to add to the hellhole known as Mayhem City.
You can buy all six figures for £12.00 from the BCB webstore. Alternatively, the figures can be bought separately - £2.00 for Wookie the dog and £3.00 for each of the females. Next time, I'll review the male Hispanic gangers aka Los Nortenos.

Brides and Grooms

I thought I'd review a few survivor-type figures that you'd definitely class as "out of the ordinary" - brides and grooms. The first pair (to the left of the two photos below) are made by Black Cat Bases and the second pair by Zombiesmith.

I got the Black Cat Bases couple for free last year, when BCB ran a special promotion over the weekend  of the royal wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton. They had a 20% discount on all orders, plus you got a free armed bride and armed groom figure. I placed quite a big order with them and was delighted with the discount and freebies. It was a while before I got round to painting this set but they will always stick in my mind for one special reason. These two were the first two figures I painted using my new Foundry paints and the Foundry painting method as advocated by Kevin Dallimore. My method of painting is very similar to that recommended by Kevin, although I can't get away with his suggestion of painting the eyes first. I have to paint the rest of the face before I tackle the eyes. I immediately found the Foundry paints far better to use than the Games Workshop paints that I'd previously been using. Foundry works on a triad system whereby each colour is made up of a base colour, a highlight and a shade. I can highly recommend them.
Anyway, this isn't a review of Foundry's paints, so let's take a closer look at the BCB figures to the left of the photos. The groom measures 29mm from the sole of his feet to his eye level. Of course, his top hat makes him appear a lot taller. Even so, this pair are slightly oversized. He is reaching under his coat to draw a pistol from his shoulder holster. I think he looks very smart and my colour scheme works well for him.
The bride is in a much more animated pose, moving at a jog or a run. She has a most impressive rack and not much support. I fear a "wardrobe malfunction" may be on the cards if she runs too fast! She holds her bouquet of white carnations above her head, which again, adds to the height of the figure. She has hiked up her wedding dress in her other hand to reveal a shapely leg and a holstered pistol stuck behind her garter belt. I like her a lot. Both figures were a joy to paint and made me an instant fan of Foundry paints.

The second couple are from U.S. based Zombiesmith and are based on a real life bride and groom.

To the left of here is a photo of Zombiesmith head honcho, Josh Qualtieri and his wife taken on their wedding day in June 2010. Josh had the clever idea of having himself and his bride immortalised in metal. Aaron Brown sculpted the 28mm scale figures and at the wedding reception all of the guests were given a set as a wedding favour. Afterwards, the set was made available to the general public on the ZS webstore. I think they are exquisitely sculpted. Anyone looking for "true" 28mm scale figures should consider purchasing them. The groom holds a large axe in his right hand and a bottle of champagne in his left hand. The bride is armed with a pump-action shotgun. As Josh said, "no bride is complete without a shotgun to go with her bouquet!" Having the photo of the real life couple made painting the miniatures a lot easier, as I had a colour scheme for them, which I stuck to as closely as possible. These two got painted a couple of months ago. I could have reviewed the two sets separately but given the rarity of the subject matter, it made more sense to combine them for one review.
The BCB bride and groom are very well sculpted, whilst the Zombiesmith Wedding Hunters, as they're called on their webstore, are superbly sculpted. I like all four figures. They are something unusual but in all honesty how much use would you have for them in a zombie apocalypse game? For sure, a wedding could take place even if the world has gone to hell. But I can't imagine the happy couple remaining in their wedding outfits for long. And that rather limits their use. On the other hand, if you are playing their wedding on Day One of the outbreak, they may be forced to keep their wedding clothing for far longer than they envisaged. You are going to have to make your own judgement call on whether to add one or both of these sets to your collection.
The Black Cat Bases Bride and Groom costs £5.00 for the pair or you can buy them separately for £3.00 each. The Zombiesmith Wedding hunters costs $8.00 for the pair. You can choose to have them supplied with 25mm diameter slottabases or 30mm diameter slottabases. They are not available separately.

Black Cat Bases Gangstas 02

As promised last time, I'm going to review Black Cat Bases' 28mm scale female gangstas - the Sun Valley Bulldog Babes.These will perfectly complement BCB's Da Dowgs gang or Bobby Jackson's Thugz.

Each of the BCB gangs comes with thir own canine mascot and each dog is unique to that particular gang. As their name would indicate, the Sun Valley Bulldog Babes have a Bulldog as their mascot. Once again the colour scheme came courtesy of Google Images. The light brown patch on his back is obvious but you may not have noticed that he has a smaller patch surrounding his right eye. I have named the dog, Winnie, in honour of Winston Churchill. I couldn't call him Churchill, as that name is too associated with an insurance company of the same name. Winnie is fine, as it suggests, he just might be a she, which would be appropriate for a female gang.

As with the male gangstas, I have named each of these figures and I'll use my names to identify them. The lady in the pink jacket and shoes is called Ebonolu Omoregie. Her nickname is Ebony because it's easier to say then Ebonolu. Although she was born in America, her parents are Nigerian, hence her unusual name. She is armed with a six-shot revolver. To me, her attire just screams "streetwalker!" Why else would she be flashing her bra? I thought that giving her a lemon-coloured bra would make for a nice contrast and it moves away from the obvious choices of black or white.
Next to her is Sita Farah and you don't often see bald females. She has quite a butch look going on, with her black vest, urban camouflage combat pants and boots. She casually carries a sawn-off pump-action shotgun. I'm betting she's as hard as nails. She just looks like someone you don't want to mess with.
The same can be said about the gangsta bitch in the centre of the group. This is Missy Maffia. Missy is short for Melissa. This woman is full of bad attitude. Her hair has been cut short and styled into corn rows. She's into her gold jewellry with her bracelets, necklace and ear-rings all on display. She also carries a revolver but hers is a much larger one than Ebony's, possibly a .44 Magnum. I'd class it as a Big Ass Pistol. She is one big bad momma!
Moving on, we come to Melesha James, the babe of the group. She is nicely posed fitting a new ammo clip into her 9mm pistol. You very rarely see armed figures reloading. Melesha would appear to be a keep fit fanatic, going off her sporty appearance. It's a nice touch that the straps of her T-shirt are sliding down her arms, to give a flash of her bra. She appears to be the least intimidating member of the gang... but be aware, appearances can be deceptive!
Last in line is Beverley "Bang Bang" Osoteku, whom I have appointed as leader of this gang. She has been sculpted in a very dynamic pose that is full of movement. For that reason alone, she is my favourite figure in this set. "Bang Bang" is so named for her choice of using two pistols in combat. She is firing one of them gangsta style, which isn't a very clever move, as I explained last time. Even so, I like this figure a lot!
This set is just as good as the "Da Dowgs" gangstas that I reviewed last time and they fit together so well. The sculpting of them is just spot on and there's not one bad figure amongst them. Even the Bulldog is a cracking good sculpt. Thanks to these sets I'm building up a nice collection of dogs of different breeds. As with "Da Dowgs" you can buy the humans for £3.00 each and the dog for £2.00, but by far and away, your best bet is to buy all six as a set for just £12.00. It's another winner from Black Cat Bases.

Black Cat Bases Gangstas 01

I had a lot of fun painting this set of Black Cat Bases 28mm scale gangsta figures, known as "Da Dowgs." These are very reminiscent of Bobby Jackson's "Thugz" range and if you have them, the two sets combine together very well.

 

Each of the five Black Cat Bases' gangs comes with a canine mascot and five human gang members. Da Dowgs have a Doberman (shown at the far left of my photos) as their mascot. I have named him Tyson, after the boxer, Mike Tyson. His face is snarling aggressively. I think the term "beware of the dog" certainly applies to him.

I have named all of my gangstas in this set, so I'll use my names to identify them. The dude at the left of the gang, wearing the light blue vest, is Enoch Sinclair. He is pointing down with his right hand, which makes me wonder if he's telling Tyson to "sit!" In his left hand he holds a Big Ass Pistol like the .50 calibre IMI Desert Eagle. Note his gold medallion and gold bracelets. He likes to show off his "bling."
Next up is Dougie Da Dowg, whom I have appointed leader of this gang. He's not fat but he is overweight, so he probably gets his posse to do all the hard work for him, whilst he enjoys too many fast food meals. He is armed with a pump-action Shotgun, possibly a 12 gauge Remington. When I first saw him I thought he was wearing knee-length shorts, like the dude to his left. But upon closer inspection, I saw that he'd tucked his baggy trousers into the tops of his combat boots. It quite took me by surprise but it does show off his individuality. I'll let you decide whether he looks cool or not. Speaking of looking cool, I actually think he's wearing the glasses to help with his vision and not because they make him look cool... which they certainly don't! The least said about his tiny quiff of hair the better!
Selasie Richards is the name of the gangsta wearing the green T-shirt and pale blue knee-length shorts. Like Dougie, he is also armed with a pump-action shotgun but his is a sawed-off version with a much shorter barrel and no butt. His hair is just turning grey, making him the oldest member of my gang.
The gangsta second from the right is the uber-cool (in his eyes, anyway!) Adonis Mensah. GURPS Tactical Shooting has a section called "Things Not To Do" and second on the list is "Gangsta Shooting" as demonstrated by Adonis here. GURPS disparagingly remarks, "gangsta shooting has become popular with people who don't know what they're doing but worry about how they look while doing it." Ouch! The problem is gunmen who adopt this stance cannot aim properly. Adonis is clearly a fool. Just look how he's clutching his crotch. Who's he trying to impress? Note that he is wearing a black bandana on his head.
Finally, is Samuel Amoah, who, even though he's wearing a belt, has his trousers at half mast - all the better to show off his Calvin Klein boxer shorts. Yes, he's another poseur! In his right hand is a Coca-Cola bottle and in his left, a 9mm Micro-Uzi Machine Pistol. He's wearing a black beanie hat. Check out his gold ear-rings and bracelets, as he also shows off his "bling."
I love these figures, as they are so typical of African-American gangstas, for whom attitude is everything. These figures are so full of character and beautifully sculpted. They are crying out to be teamed up with Bobby Jackson's Thugz. Scale purists will be pleased to know that these figures are true 28mm scale. You can buy each figure separately for £3.00 each or £2.00 for the Doberman, but a better deal is to buy all six as a group for £12.00, saving you £5.00. Next time, I'll take a look at their female counterparts, the Sun Valley Bulldog Babes.

Black Cat Bases Biker Gang

Black Cat Bases, a U.K.-based company, sell a nice range of 28mm scale Gangers, made by Obelisk Miniatures but sold by BCB under licence. I purchased all of the Ganger sets earlier this year and as they get painted I'll review them on my blog. First up are the Screaming Nighthawks biker gang.

One of the things that I particularly like about these gang sets is that each gang comes with its own canine mascot. It's a nice touch that I didn't expect to see. The Screaming Nighthawks have chosen an Alsatian or German Shepherd as their mascot and they have named him "Jaws Rowlf." Oddly enough, the dog is the only figure to be given a name on the BCB website. As befits a dog with such a fearsome reputation (unjustified, some would say) it is snarling aggressively.
Moving on to the humans, I have nicknamed the guy with the chain and huge revoler, "Nighthawk." I have also made him the leader of this biker gang. He wears leather cowboy "chaps" over his denim trousers, a denim waistcoat and a bandana. His grey hair, beard and moustache suggests that he's been around awhile. The handgun is most probably some kind of Magnum revolver but I'd class it as a BA Pistol in ATZ.
Next to him is "Belcher," a biker who's celebrating with a can of beer, which he holds aloft in his left hand. In his right hand he holds a BA Pistol, most likely a Desert Eagle. Note the beergut and bald patch on his head. He's another aging biker. He wears a leather waistcoat over his denim jacket. He has tied his scraggly hair back in a ponytail, never a good look for men, in my opinion.
Another biker with a ponytail is "Two Gun Tony," so named because he's armed with two guns - a Colt .45 pistol and a 9mm Mini Uzi machine pistol. He wears a pair of mirrorshade sunglasses, a T-shirt with the name and picture of some obscure rock band emblazoned on his chest, a denim waistcoat and jeans. Although he has very muscular arms, he does have the beginnings of a beergut as well.
The dude with the sawn-off pump-action shotgun is nicknamed "Slick." His hair and moustache is a silvery-grey colour, indicating another biker getting on in his years. Of course, this suggests that these guys have been around for a very long time, so it would be unwise to dismiss them as "old timers." "Slick" wears an AC/DC T-shirt, so he really is an old rocker.
Finally, we come to "Scuzz," who is also armed with a pump-action shotgun, although not sawn-off like "Slick's." I love the way he has been sculpted having an appreciative draw on his cigarette. Ah, get that nicotine down ya, man! He is dressed in leather trousers, a white vest, a denim waistcoat and a black bandana. He also totes a pair of mirrorshade sunglasses.
What I particularly like about this set is the way each figure has been sculpted. They are so full of character. I also like the fact that these are not teenage bikers but far older. I suppose you could paint them up as looking much younger than I have but with so many young biker types already available I say, why not give these guys an older appearance?
I should make a comment about their size. They are described as being 28mm scale, and this is certainly true... if you measure them from the sole of the feet to the top of the head. They will look rather small if placed alongside certain "heroically" scaled 28mm scale figures.
You can buy each figure separately at a cost of £3.00 each for the humans and £2.00 for the dog. Alternatively, you can buy all six figures for just £12.00, giving you a saving of £5.00.