Killer B Games Civilians 02

As promised here is part 2 of my posts reviewing some of the 1970's style civilians from Killer B Games. This time I'm looking at three young males and three females, only one of whom has been named.

First in line is KB038 Geezer in Bobble Hat. You don't see many bobble hats these days, do you? If you wanted a more contemporary version of him, simply cut the bobble off and you have a beanie hat. Simple! He is a very average looking young male, useful for filling in a crowd. On a more sinister level he'd make a useful lookout for a criminal gang.
In the centre of this trio of males is KB035 Young Geezer, either a teenager or someone in his early twenties. I used this figure to convert into an alternative version of DC Chris Skelton from Life on Mars (see here ). Once again, I don't have much to say about this rather plain looking figure.

Moving down in age, I come to KB055 Schoolboy with Catapult. Do school kids today still use catapults? I thought they were more into knives. Anyway, this lad is from the 1970's, so a very different world to today. You can tell he's a troublemaker with his long hair and shirt not tucked in and tie undone. Plus, of course, the catapult. He is certainly the most characterful figure of the three.

Far more interesting, however, are these three adult females. At the far left is KB064 Sporty Bird. Note that women are called "birds" and men are called "geezers." On the Killer B Games website she was painted with dark brown hair but I changed her to a blonde. She is dressed in her football strip, hence the "sporty" connection. She has beautiful eyes and a very pretty face. She is definitely one of my better paint jobs.
Next up is KB056 Lively Bird, possibly a resident of Carnaby Street, London or at least a fashion shopper there. I think it's a safe bet to say she'll be a keen dancer at her local discotheque. I'd like her a lot more if she ditched that ridiculous hat, although it is very 1970's.

I bring to an end my review with the only named character from this batch, KB059 Brenda Bristols. No, that is not the name I gave her. It is the name given to her by Killer B Games. To me, she sounds like a character from a Carry On film. She is very striking with her good looks, spectacular cleavage, long legs, micro-skirt and turquoise jewellery. Once again, I do like her eyes. I'd guess her most likely profession to be a barmaid.
All of these figures fit the bill as Neutral Bystander Extras if used in 7TV2e or as ordinary civilians in other games. In my opinion, they are amongst the better sculpted civilians on the market. Each one costs a lowly £2.00 from the Killer B Games webstore. As I always say, civilians are like zombies - you can never have too many of them!

Killer B Games Civilians 01

This is the first of two posts looking at most of the civilian figures produced by Killer B Games, which I plan on using in my games of 7TV2e. In this post I'm reviewing four adult male civilians. In my next post I'll be taking a look at three young males and three adult females. Once again, I have not got round to naming any of these 28mm scale figures.

The gentleman at the far left is rather cheekily referred to as KB034 Bearded Git on the Killer B Games website. He does look like a shifty-looking, untrustworthy character. He will be making an appearance in my first 7TV2e batrep as a Neutral Bystander Extra.
The Elvis Presley fan smoking a cigarette is KB057 Pub Landlord. Killer B Games had him painted with blond hair on their website but I decided to give him black hair as he reminded me of Elvis. Although described as a pub landlord you could use him in a number of roles. I see him as some sort of Derek Trotter "wide-boy".

The guy who is second from the right is KB054 Slob Scratching his 'Arris. He could well be Rab C. Nesbitt's twin brother with his string vest, surly expression and rolled up newspaper. The fact that he is scratching his backside adds loads of character to him, although probably not in a complimentary manner!
Finally, is KB039 Clever Geezer with Bag. He does look like a scholarly type, possible a university lecturer or a headmaster or perhaps a corporate manager. He will also be making an appearance in my upcoming 7TV2e batrep as the wealthy owner of a chain of fast food restaurants and hence, the target of a vicious gang of criminals. He'll be a Neutral Administrator Extra.
Each one of these civilian characters cost £2.00 from the Killer B Games webstore. I like them a lot!

Assorted Security Personnel

In my recent posts for my 7TV2e campaign I have looked at 1970's and 1980's style cops and criminals. There is one more group I wish to show you before my big finale - the much anticipated batrep, and they are the civilians. These are all classed as Neutral Extras in 7TV2e. Generally useless in a fight and frequently getting in the way at the most inopportune moment. I'll start with a trio of security personnel - a night watchman and two security guards. I have not named any of them yet.

At the far left is a lowly night watchman, who used to be sold by Hasslefree Miniatures, but sadly is now out of production. He was not sculpted by Kevin White and I can't remember who sculpted him. He has something of a cartoon quality to him and would not be out of place in a Scooby Doo mystery. From his surprised expression he has clearly seen something that has alarmed him. He carries a hefty torch in one hand and a truncheon in the other hand.

The other two figures are both made by Killer B Games and are KB030 Security Guard Standing and KB029 Security Guard Walking with Cash Box. I am not sure why I have a security guard carrying two cash boxes! Did I buy two of them by mistake? I must have. The cash box in the guy's left hand has been added but it is not a conversion I remember doing. But this begs the question, what happened to the rest of the figure? Hmm, very mysterious. Bear in mind I did buy these many years ago. They are obvious targets for a gang of robbers and although they will probably fare slightly better than an ordinary civilian in a fight, I still don't rate their chances very much. They are very nice sculpts and they cost £2.00 each if ordered from the Killer B Games webstore.

Killer B Games Low Life Criminals

After a short break I return to my reviews of 1970's style figures to use with the 7TV2e tabletop skirmish game. Sticking with my recent theme of criminals I present to you a small gang of low life villains, all made by Killer B Games.

In 7TV2e terms, the figure at the far left of this group would be the Villainous Extra, Criminal Boss. The description in the rulebook sums him up perfectly. "Specialising in low level robbery and violence, the Criminal Boss menaces their manor, looking for the next big score for their motley crew of career villains". I have not given him a name yet. On the Killer B Games webstore he is KB007 Geezer in Sheepskin with Trilby.
Standing next to him is his right hand man and leg-breaking enforcer, KB036 Hard-Faced Geezer. He is handy with his fists and likes to stick the boot in to anyone who disrespects him or his boss.

Yet another bruiser is the third figure in line, KB051 Bald Geezer. He is a thug and a bully and will never amount to much. He will never rise from the gutter.
Finally, is KB025 Geezer in Shades and Sports Jacket. Note the wide-lapelled shirt and flash tie. He is the archetypal 1970's male fashion victim. He is armed with a six shot Revolver but he is probably a lousy shot.
Not all of your villains need be armed to the teeth. At times you need some low level scum and these four fit the bill perfectly. Other than the Criminal Boss, you could use the others as Villainous Extra Criminals or Thugs. As usual, all four figures cost a mere £2.00 each on the Killer B Games webstore.

Killer B Games Criminals with Shotguns

I have more wonderful 1970's style 28mm scale villains made by Killer B Games to show you. This time, the one thing they all have in common is that all six are armed with Shotguns. I have given them all names to help identify them better.

So, starting at the far left is Marc Jessup, a gang leader, who could be either a Villainous Star or Co-Star in 7TV2e. He is carrying a 12 Gauge Pump-Action Shotgun and is aiming a .38 Revolver. With his sunglasses, porn-star moustache and huge sideburns he could only be a 1970's character. You'll find him on Killer B Games webstore in the "Geezers! Shut It!" range as KB023 Blagger with Shotgun and Pistol.

In the centre of this group is balding Roger Longhurst, who is armed with a Double-Barrelled Sawn-Off Shotgun. He is KB015 Bald Geezer with Sawn-Off Shotgun. Finally, is hippie criminal, Jeremy Campbell. He is definitely not all about "peace and love!" He is armed with a Sawn-Off Pump-Action Shotgun and he is KB019 Funky Geezer on the Killer B Games webstore.

At the far left of my second trio of ne'er-do-wells is "Mad Mike" Turrell, a psychopathic thug, very much in the same mould as Gang Boss, Charlie Slater. On the Killer B Games webstore he has been painted as having white hair and beard. I almost went with that paint scheme myself but in the end I decided to make him a much younger version. Not surprisingly he is known as KB017 Bearded Geezer with Pump-Action Shotgun.
In the centre of this trio is Davey Lowe, who is armed with a Double-Barrelled Sawn-Off Shotgun. He is unshaven and unkempt and a low level criminal. You'll find him on Killer B Games' webstore as KB004 Geezer with Sawn-Off Shotgun.

Last of all, is a figure that some of you may recognise - he is a dead ringer for Jack Carter (played by Michael Caine), the eponymous villain of the 1971 film, Get Carter. Forget the awful remake with Sylvester Stallone! I could have named him Jack Carter but seeing as how the film ended I decided to slightly change his name to Michael Carter, mixing up the character and actor's names. He is, rather unusually, armed with a Pump-Action Shotgun (in the film, Carter used a Double-Barrelled Shotgun. See photo below) and he wears his trademark black trench coat. He is a terrific figure and such an iconic villain. Killer B Games sell him as KB009 Hitman with Shotgun. I'd most likely use him as a Hitman Criminal Extra in 7TV2e.
As always, each of these figures costs a mere £2.00 each. Let's get tooled up!

Michael Caine as Jack Carter in an opening scene of the film, Get Carter.

7TV2e Criminals in Balaclavas

Here is Charlie Slater's gang that I'll be using in my first game of 7TV2e (see my last post about Criminal Masterminds to see who Charlie Slater is). These figures are predominantly by Killer B Games with one addition from Ral Partha, who is a real "blast from the past." All six figures have been named by me.

At the far left of the two photos above and below is Slater's right hand man, Micky Neville. He is armed with a 12 Gauge Sawn-Off Pump-Action Shotgun and is carrying a bag of money. Like Slater, he is dressed in a British Army camouflage jacket. Both men grew up in South London and have been close friends all their lives. He'll be a Faithful Lackey Co-Star in my 7TV2e scenario. On the Killer B Games webstore he is KB042 Masked Raider with Shotgun and Sack.

Next up are two Bruiser Thugs armed with a 12 Gauge Sawn-Off Pump-Action Shotgun and a 12 Gauge Double-Barrelled Sawn-Off Shotgun. In the centre is Dougie Wetherall and at far right is Tom Kilgour. You can find these on the Killer B Games webstore as KB046 Masked Raider with Pump Action Shotgun and KB044 Masked Raider with Sawn Off Shotgun respectively.

Moving on, I have two more Bruiser Thugs made by Killer B Games. At the far left is Colin Briggs, armed with a pick-axe handle and in the centre is George Houseman, armed with a 9mm Pistol and carrying a money bag. These are KB045 Masked Raider with Pick Axe Handle and KB043 Masked Raider with Pistol and Sack.

Bringing up the rear, is Paddy MacDee who is armed with a 5.56mm Colt M16A2 Assault Rifle. He was made by Ral Partha and is a very old 25mm scale figure of mine. In those days all 1" tall figures were 25mm scale. Then scale-creep raised the average height to 28mm and we now regard that as the norm for 1" figures. Paddy is a teenager and so his lack of height is not an issue for me.
All of the Killer B Games figures cost £2.00 each. Good luck finding the Ral Partha Masked Raider with Assault Rifle as he is long out of production and I can't even remember what range he came from, although I am certain he was made by Ral Partha.

7TV2e Criminal Masterminds 01

Having concentrated on the Police figures I plan on using in my 7TV2e games these past few weeks, it is now time to look at their opposition, starting with this post concentrating on the criminal masterminds - the Villainous Stars and Co-Stars.

At the far left is Tony "King Tut" Tuttle, who bears a close resemblance to the inimitable Arthur Daley (played by George Cole) in the TV series of Minder. I might have named him Arthur Daley, but Crooked Dice Games gave him a much cooler name, in my opinion, and so I have stuck with that. In 7TV2e I see "King Tut" as either an Underworld Boss Star or as a Faithful Lackey Co-Star. He appears to be unarmed but there is a good chance he's carrying a concealed pistol. He costs £3.50 on the CDG webstore.
In the centre of the group is another CDG figure who bears a close resemblance to yet another well known villain from TV - "Genial" Harry Grout (as played by Peter Vaughan) in Porridge. "Grouty" as he was also known as, was feared by prisoners and prison guards alike. Upon his release from prison he returned to his life of crime and eventually died of a heart attack. This time, I have decided to keep the name as CDG have not named him, simply referring to him as Underworld Boss to tie in with his Villainous Star status. On the CDG webstore he has been painted with a white shirt and black tie. I decided to swap the colours round and it works very well, in my opinion. He is quite expensive, costing £4.00.

At the far right is Charlie Slater, a crime boss made by Killer B Games. He'll be making an appearance in my first 7TV2e scenario, either as an Underworld Boss Star or as a Jackbooted Sadist Co-Star. He's a vicious bastard who specialises in violent crime, notably armed robbery. On Killer B Games' webstore you'll find him listed as KB006 In Scarf with Pistol, where he costs a mere £2.00.
All three are full of character and great sculpts and each one makes for a great Mister Big. "King Tut" and Grouty (doesn't he just ooze menace?) are more sophisticated villains; both share a love of expensive cigars. Slater, on the other hand is one of the new breed of criminals, violent, hot-headed and unpredictable. I'm going to have lots of fun running these guys.

Killer B Games UK Policemen with Caps

I reach the end of my batch of reviews of Detectives and UK Policemen from the 1970's and 1980's to use in my games of 7TV2e. This time I'm showcasing six Killer B Games 28mm scale Policemen wearing caps. When I saw these figures my first thought was to use them as members of the Special Patrol Group (SPG). The SPG was active from 1961 to 12 January 1987, being replaced by the Territorial Support Group.

The SPG recruited experienced officers capable of working as disciplined teams, either in uniform or in plain clothes preventing public disorder, targeting areas of serious crime, carrying out stop and searches or providing a response to terrorist threats. It also conducted its own surveillance and was tasked with reducing the problem of burglaries. During the time it was active it had a dedicated radio channel and a fleet of vans to allow it to work independently of routine divisions.
The SPG originally consisted of four units based throughout London. This was increased to six and finally to eight. Each unit was made up of an inspector, three sergeants and thirty constables. Its position within the Metropolitan Police was unusual; whereas the Flying Squad became the symbol of the Criminal Investigation Department in London, the SPG became recognised as a unit that efficient uniformed officers could aspire to join. As such it had an exceptionally high level of esprit de corps. Other police forces outside London created their own versions of the Special Patrol Group. The Greater Manchester Police created the Tactical Aid Group (TAG) in 1977. The Merseyside Police formed the Task Force in 1974 which was later disbanded in 1978 and replaced with the Operational Support Division (OSD).

In the two photos above are KB012 Police Officer in Cap Standing, KB010 Police Office in Cap Tapping Truncheon and KB028 Police Officer in Cap Swinging Truncheon. The Officer at the far left of this group is Inspector Steven Dyson, leader of this group and the only one I have named so far. The other figures are all unnamed constables.

Next up are three more constables who appear of the Killer B Games webstore as KB011 Police Officer in Cap Advancing, KB026 Police Officer in Cap with Pistol and KB027 Police Officer in Cap Firing Pistol. All six figures can be bought for just £2.00 each.

In 7TV2e I would use Inspector Dyson as a Strongarm Co-star and the five constables as Riot Police Constable Extras, due to their superior training in dealing with violent crimes. I'm not sure when I'll get round to using them in a game but they are good to have, especially if I want a small group of cops that are better equipped to dealing with trouble than my ordinary Police Constable Extras.

BLOG NEWS
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7TV2e UK Policemen with Helmets and WPCs

I have more UK-based policemen in helmets to show you and a small selection of Women Police Constables (WPCs). Once again, these are a mix of 28mm scale figures from Crooked Dice Games and Killer B Games.

The three Police Constables shown directly above and below are from Crooked Dice Games' range of Heroes and Allies - Coppers sets 1 and 2. All are wielding their truncheons in an aggressive manner. The figure at the far left is from set 1 and is Copper with Truncheon.

The other two figures are from Coppers set 2. The one in the centre is Copper Running and the one at far right is Copper Kicking. All three figures cost £3.25 each. As with the other CDG police constables I showed last time these come with separate helmeted heads, which you can replace with other heads from the CDG webstore.

Next, are the Women Police Constables. At the far left is WPC Cathy Black, one of three figures found in CDG's Tough Detectives set. If you want to buy her individually, she costs £3.50. She is a one-piece casting.

The other two WPCs are made by Killer B Games. In the centre is KB040 WPC Standing. I have named her Annie Cartwright as she looks remarkably like this character from the Life on Mars TV series. Annie was played by Liz White and she became the girlfriend of DS Sam Tyler. Annie was far more intelligent than she was given credit for by her male colleagues. Only Sam saw her true potential and it was he who helped her gain eventual promotion to Detective Constable.
At the far right is KB041 WPC Walking, whom I have named Juliet "Bravo" Bartley. She gained her nickname from the 1980's TV series, Juliet Bravo, a cop drama that starred Stephanie Turner in series 1 to 3 and Anna Carteret in series 4 to 6. Note that Juliet Bravo was not a character but a radio call sign for the Police Inspector played by the two leading actresses.
I'm sure that CDG's Cathy Black was meant to represent Annie Cartwright but I think the Killer B Games version is a much better likeness. The two Killer B Games WPCs cost £2.00 each.

7TV2e UK Policemen with Helmets 01

Having previously looked at a few 1970's and 1980's style police detectives I'm now switching my focus to the beat patrolmen from the United Kingdom, or as DCI Gene Hunt so delicately calls them, "the plods!"

At the far left of the two photos directly above and below here is an unnamed Police Constable from Crooked Dice Games. He is one of three figures from the Coppers set 1. He is holding a torch in his right hand. He comes with a separate helmeted head but you have the option of using alternative heads for him, the most obvious choice being the peaked cap version. I was quite happy to leave him with his helmeted head. On the CDG webstore he is available to buy with a police dog for £4.50 for them both. I've painted the dog but I'll show it later.

The other two Police Constables are made by Killer B Games. In the centre is KB-032 British Bobby Advancing and at far right is KB-031 British Bobby Tapping Truncheon. Unlike the CDG coppers, these are all one-piece castings. They cost £2.00 each.

Moving on, at the far left is another Police Constable made by Killer B Games. He is KB-033 British Bobby Standing. He also costs £2.00. I haven't named any of my Police Constables yet, but I'm sure I will once I get round to using them in a batrep.
The two remaining policemen are from Crooked Dice Games. In the centre is Police Sergeant Tony Sykes (I figured he deserved a name because of his rank). He is easily identifiable by his bushy beard and, of course, by his sergeant's stripes. He is part of the Coppers set 2 and he costs £3.25. He comes with the separate bearded, helmeted head.

Finally, is a Police Constable from CDG's Coppers set 1 and he is known as Copper with Whistle. The whistle is held in his right hand. He also costs £3.25.
All of these will be used as Extras in upcoming games of 7TV2e. All are very nicely sculpted and are worth having if you want to use UK bobbies on the beat in any of your games. Next time I'll be reviewing yet more bobbies on the beat from Crooked Dice Games and Killer B Games.

Killer B Games Detectives

Killer B Games produces a 1970's inspired and themed game called Geezers! "Shut it!" which I own but have never played. It is a niche genre of gaming that fascinates me as I grew up watching and enjoying these types of cop shows when they first aired. Now that Crooked Dice Games have brought out 7TV2e, a similar kind of game, and in my opinion, better produced, I can recreate on the table top scenarios starring some of my favourite TV characters of old.

My favourite TV cop show of all time was The Sweeney, which ran from 1975 to 1978. It spawned three feature-length films, one of which was an updated version made in 2012. The programme's title derives from Sweeney Todd, which is Cockney rhyming slang for the Flying Squad, a branch of the Metropolitan Police specialising in tackling armed robbery and violent crime in London. It was a fast-paced edge-of-your-seat action series, depicting the Squad's relentless battle against armed robbery; but it nevertheless included a substantial degree of humour. For the time, it had a high degree of graphic on-screen violence and the episodes had many character deaths.
At the far left of the two photos directly above and below is Detective Inspector Jack Regan (played by John Thaw. John "Jack" Regan is the Flying Squad's chief "thief-taker". He is a tough police officer, often frustrated by Scotland Yard's red tape. Originally from Manchester (like Thaw himself), he has been in London for several years, so his accent has modified somewhat, but traces of his northern origins are still evident. He also refers to his northern roots every now and again (his poor upbringing, his father's work on the Manchester Ship Canal), which brings mild ridicule from George Carter, a Londoner, such as humming "The Red Flag". A heavy drinker and smoker (comically, he is sometimes seen stealing other people's cigarettes), Regan has some success with the ladies – although not as much as Carter. He can be seen as quick with his fists. He has an ex-wife, Kate, and a daughter, Susie. On the Killer B Games webstore, Regan is shown as KB-001 Flying Squad Guvnor, where he costs £2.00.

Next in line is Detective Sergeant George Carter (played by Dennis Waterman) who comes from South London. Regan seeks him out in the pilot episode, Regan, because of his knowledge of the South London area. We learn that George had previously been in the Squad, but had quit for family reasons. George was married to Alison Carter, a schoolteacher, but is widowed in the series 2 episode Hit and Run when Alison is murdered by mistake by a gang of diamond smugglers. He's a former amateur boxer, as we see from the pilot episode, and is described as having professional boxing potential. Like his superior, he's fond of drinking, football, and after the death of his wife - womanising. Carter isn't as violent or aggressive as Regan and usually plays the good cop.
Moving on is Detective Sergeant Tom Daniels (played by John Alkin) who is the most prominent member of the supporting Squad. He is a solid and reliable copper.
Last in line is Detective Constable Jerry Burtonshaw (played by Nick Brimble) who is softly spoken but a good scrapper. Note that all four detectives are armed with .38 Revolvers, a snub-nosed version for Regan and longer-barrelled versions for the others.
These characters can be found on the Killer B Games webstore as KB-002 Flying Squad Skipper for Carter, KB-008 US Lone Wolf Detective, who was actually meant to represent Inspector "Dirty Harry" Callahan but I already had a better figure for him so I used him as Tom Daniels, and KB-024 Geezer in Shoulder Holster for Burtonshaw. All three figures cost £2.00 each.

The next four figures represent the main characters from two more 1970's drama series - The Professionals, which ran from 1977 to 1981 and Starsky and Hutch, which ran from 1975 to 1979.
The Professionals feature a team working for CI5 (Criminal Intelligence 5), a fictional British law enforcement department, instructed by the home secretary to use any means to deal with crimes of a serious nature that go beyond the capacity of the police, but are not tasks for the security service or military. The choice of name CI5 is possibly inspired by Criminal Investigation Department and MI5. The premise allowed the programme-makers to involve a wide variety of villains including terrorists, hit-men, racist groups and espionage suspects, with plots sometimes relating to the "Cold War." Led by the formidable George Cowley (played by Gordon Jackson), CI5 is known for using unconventional and sometimes illegal methods to beat criminals, or as Cowley put it "Fight fire with fire!"
Cowley's two best agents are William Bodie (played by Lewis Collins) and Ray Doyle (played by Martin Shaw). Bodie (shown at far left in my photos directly above and below) is an ex-paratrooper, mercenary and SAS (Special Air Service) sergeant while Doyle (the figure shown armed with a 5.56mm Steyr-Aug Assault Rifle) is an ex-detective constable who has worked the seedier parts of London. Of the two, Doyle is the softer, compassionate and more thoughtful character, while Bodie is ruthless and more willing to take on criminals on their own terms. That said, Doyle is more hot-headed and tended to rush in, while Bodie waits for the shooting to start. While polar opposites, Bodie and Doyle have a deep and enduring friendship, and are almost inseparable. Although their loyalty to Cowley is beyond question, they have no qualms about disobeying orders if it means getting the right result, either for the case or themselves.
Bodie and Doyle can be found on the Killer B Games webstore as KB-021 Police Agent with Pistol and KB-020 Police Agent with Steyr-Aug. They cost £2.00 each.

Finally, are the eponymous heroes of U.S. cop drama series, Starsky and Hutch. The series' protagonists were two Southern California police detectives; David Michael Starsky (played by Paul Michael Glaser), the dark-haired, Brooklyn transplant and U.S. Army veteran, with a street-wise manner and intense, sometimes childlike moodiness; and Kenneth "Hutch" Hutchinson (played by David Soul), the blond, Duluth, Minnesota native with a more reserved and intellectual approach. Under the radio call sign "Zebra Three", they were known for usually tearing around the streets of fictional "Bay City, California". The vehicle of choice was Starsky's two-door Ford Gran Torino, which was bright red, with a large white vector stripe on both sides.
Starsky is shown second from right wearing his trademark chunky patterned cardigan. He is armed with a 9mm Colt M1911A1 Pistol. Hutch, at far right, wears a baseball jacket and is armed with a .357 Colt Python Magnum Revolver.
On the Killer B Games webstore this pair are identified as KB-013 U.S. Detective in Fleece Cardigan and KB-014 U.S. Detective in Baseball Jacket. Once again, they cost £2.00 each.
I liked all three shows but I'd place them in order of preference as The Sweeney, The Professionals and Starsky and Hutch. The importance of The Sweeney cannot be overstated. At its time it was ground-breaking TV and without it series such as Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes would never have been made.

BLOG NEWS 
I have just launched my new blog, All Things Dungeon Crawl, which can be found here - http://allthingsdungeoncrawl.blogspot.co.uk/
The plan is to post Vampifan's World of the Undead every Monday and Friday and All Things Dungeon Crawl every Wednesday. Note that while ATDC will initially be concentrating on the Chibi games of Chibi World and Super Dungeon Explore it will expand to cover other types of dungeon crawl games that have nothing to do with Chibis.

7TV2e Detectives 01

I wasn't sure whether to call this post "7TV2e Detectives" or "Crooked Dice Games and Killer B Games Detectives." The latter might be accurate but it is long winded and besides which, all of these figures will feature predominantly in my 7TV2e games. What I have for you are two sets of figures based on the BBC TV series of Life On Mars (2006 to 2007) and Ashes to Ashes (2008 to 2010).

These five 28mm scale figures are part of the Crooked Dice Games range of 7TV2e Heroes. They are very clearly based on the detectives from Life On Mars and Ashes to Ashes, although CDG have got round copyright problems by renaming them. Not so me! For me, these ARE the heroes of two of my all-time favourite TV cop series.
Life on Mars tells the fictional story of Sam Tyler (played by John Simm), a policeman in service with the Greater Manchester Police. After being hit by a car in 2006, Tyler awakens in 1973 to find himself working for the predecessor of the GMP, the Manchester and Salford Police, at the same station and location as in 2006. Early on in the series, it becomes apparent to Tyler that he awakes as a Detective Inspector, one rank lower than his 2006 rank of Detective Chief Inspector. As part of the Criminal Investigation Department, Tyler finds himself working under the command of DCI Gene Hunt (played by Philip Glenister). Throughout the two series, the plot centres on the ambiguity concerning Tyler's predicament and the lack of clarity, to both the audience and the character, whether he has died, gone mad, become comatose, or actually travelled back in time.
Ashes to Ashes tells the story of DI Alex Drake (played by Keeley Hawes), a police officer in service with the London Metropolitan Police, who is shot in 2008 by a man called Arthur Layton and inexplicably regains consciousness in 1981. The first episode of the series reveals that, in the present day, Drake has been studying records of the events seen in Life On Mars through reports made by Sam Tyler after he regained consciousness in the present. Upon waking in the past she is surprised to meet the returning characters of DCI Gene Hunt, DS Ray Carling (played by Dean Andrews) and DC Chris Skelton (played by Marshall Lancaster), all of whom she has learned about from her research, the trio having transferred from the Manchester setting of Life on Mars (Manchester and Salford Police) to London.
Tension between Drake and Hunt is built through the unsatisfactory explanation of Sam Tyler's absence and the perceived underhandedness and shoddy work of Hunt in contrast to the methodical, ethical and thoroughly modern Drake. Continuing the theme of Life on Mars, throughout the series, it is ambiguous to both Drake and the audience whether the character is dead or alive in the present day and to what extent her actions influence future events.

From left to right are Detective Inspector Sam Tyler, Detective Inspector Alex Drake, Detective Chief Inspector Gene Hunt, Detective Sergeant Ray Carling and Detective Constable Chris Skelton. The likenesses to the real life characters are spot on and even their poses capture the personalities of them quite brilliantly. Note that Sam and Alex never met but as a "what if?" scenario it would be intriguing to play where they do meet up. On the CDG webstore these figures are listed as Tough Detective Lenny Kennedy, The Duchess, Tough Detective Frank Skelton, DC Drew Falstaff and Beat Detective.

Moving on, we have the main cast from Life On Mars as imagined by Killer B Games. From left to right are alternative versions of Sam Tyler, Gene Hunt, Ray Carling and Chris Skelton. I prefer the CDG versions to these, although there is nothing wrong with either set. For the Killer B Games detectives I decided to name them after the characters from 7TV2e's own fictional cop series, The Beat. So from left to right are Detective Sergeant Lenny Kennedy, Detective Inspector Frank Skelton, Detective Constable Drew Falstaff and Detective Constable Matt Jordan (whom CDG did not name). On the Killer B Games webstore these four are listed as KB-050 Wimpish DI, KB-049 Tough Northern DI, KB-037 Mr. Polyester (I converted him by adding a revolver in a holster to his right hip), and KB-035 Young Geezer (I converted him by giving him a revolver in his right hand).
The Killer B Games detectives cost just £2.00 each. The Crooked Dice Games detectives are more expensive at £3.50 each.

I plan on using the CDG cast for Ashes to Ashes (i.e. Alex, Gene, Ray and Chris) in my first game of 7TV2e. They will be accompanied by four uniformed coppers in an ambush against a gang of violent robbers. I hope to showcase this batrep next month as I still have a lot more cops (and villains) to show you.

Life On Mars and Ashes to Ashes were two of the best cop dramas to appear on TV. Having modern day detectives like Sam and Alex go back in time to the 1970's and 1980's respectively was a work of genius. Their modern policing methods were very much at odds with those used by Gene, Ray and Chris. Different times, different attitudes. DCI Gene Hunt is a legend and unquestionably the star of both shows even if he is a monster. He is tough, uncompromising, hard as nails, misogynistic, frequently brutal and always politically incorrect. The contrast between Gene and both Sam and Alex is marked but over time they develop mutual respect. The shows contain some cracking dialogue, which at times are laugh out loud funny, including this classic gem from Gene, "No one move! You are surrounded by armed bastards!"

The main cast of Life On Mars. From left to right are DC Chris Skelton, DCI Gene Hunt, DI Sam Tyler, DS Ray Carling and WPC Annie Cartwright. I'll be showcasing my 28mm scale figure of Annie very soon in a separate post. Once again, both Crooked Dice Games and Killer B Games make a version of her.

The main cast of Ashes to Ashes. From left to right are DS Ray Carling, DCI Gene Hunt, DI Alex Drake and DC Chris Skelton.

Assorted African/American Civilians 01

I was going to post this review last month to go with my reviews of African/American Gangstas, Pimps and Prostitutes, but I got sidetracked by Laurel and Hardy. Here are four civilian figures of African/American origin. The one at the far left is an old out of production figure by RAFM. The other three figures were all made by Killer B Games from their 1970's "Geezers! Shut It!" range of 28mm scale figures.

The dude at the far left carries a ghetto-blaster and has the look of a stoned junkie. I named him Pookie Appleton.. His T-shirt bears the slogan, "Rave on." It might just as well have said, "Victim!" as that is exactly what he looks like to me.
Next up is Montell Cole, who looks like he can take care of himself. He stands in an aggressive pose with his fists clenched and he looks like he is threatening someone. His denim waistcoat is festooned with badges. He is one of the three figures shown here from Killer B Games. He is known as Curly Haired Thug on their website and costs £1.80.

Third in line is the martial artist, Bobby Rowland. He studies kung fu at his local gym. His hero is Jim Kelly, who appeared as Williams alongside Bruce Lee in the film Enter the Dragon. He is an above average fighter, fit and healthy and doing his best to earn an honest living. He is known as Kung Fu Brother on the Killer B Games website, and he too, costs £1.80.
Finally, is Foxy Statton, a prostitute who works for the pimp, Dwayne Dubois. Foxy is a high class hooker and she earns good money, which she spends on luxury items like clothes and jewelery. She does not do drugs, other than tobacco. Note her gold-plated cigarette holder. She is described as a Street Walker on the Killer B Games webstore and she also costs £1.80.
The three Killer B Games figures definitely have a 1970's vibe about them, with their huge Afro hairstyles and clothes. They also look like they could possibly survive in a zombie apocalypse. Pookie, however, is fated to die on Day One or soon after.

Assorted Pimps 01

Staying with my recent theme of reviewing some of my African/American figures here are a set of four assorted pimps. Two were sculpted by me, one is from Black Orc Games and one from Killer B Games.

First in line is Raphael "The Man" Robinson. Most citizens of Mayhem City think that he is a flashy, flamboyant businessman and nightclub owner (he owns six!). Few realise he is a notorious crimelord and leader of the Crips gangstas. He is a skilled martial artist in Savate and La Canne de Combat (cane fighting). He is also armed with a gold-plated .40 Glock 27 Pistol. He is one of the criminal elite and is involved in drugs, extortion, gambling and prostitution.
Next up is James Earl Barton, a pimp from Black Orc Games. He was such a tall figure that I stuck him on a plastic disc instead of a slottabase. "Jeb" as he is known as (after the initials of his name) is just a minor figure in the criminal fraternity. He is not armed and is not a fighter. This is why he employs street thugs to protect his interests. He cost just $1.00.

Third in line is Lionel Thompson and he was sculpted by me. He is based on a figure made by Graven Images from their 40mm scale range of Dystopia figures - set Pros001 Pimp and Hoes. Lionel is also unarmed but he is a vicious brawler and is very handy with his fists having trained as a boxer. He keeps fit and regularly works out at his gym. He is more successful than "Jeb" but nowhere near as powerful as Raphael.
Finally is Dwayne DuBois, a newcomer to the scene. He has clearly been influenced by Raphael and wishes to emulate his style and success. However, he has allied himself to the Bloods gangstas, which naturally makes him an enemy of Raphael. At the moment, Raphael ignores him because he is just a small fish in a big pond. But that could all change if Dwayne gets too big for his boots, or should that be Gucci shoes? Dwayne is armed with a cane but that is more for show than as a weapon. This figure comes from the Killer B Games range of 28mm scale Geezers, Shut It! set of 1970's cops, crooks and civilians. He is described as Pimp on their website and he costs £1.80.

This is an illustration I drew of Raphael "The Man" Robinson for a GURPS Character Record Sheet. Compared to the illustration I fear my sculpt is a bit too chunky. He should be a lot slimmer. I'm sure I could do a much better job if I re-sculpted him now.
As a GURPS NPC, Raphael was a major villain with a points cost of 600 and savings of $20 million.This put him in the superhero category, even though he has no super powers.
Next time I shall review a few of the prostitutes who work for these pimps.