Delving back into Deadzone

13th February 2023

As well as a little more progress on the Veer Myn over the weekend (but not as much as I had hoped) I decided to layout my terrain again, and assess where I was with it.

So,I cleared the table and laid things out.

Then I went ahead and put together a test layout. I stacked some 2×1’s on top of ‘L’ shaped buildings, with 1×1’s on top of some of these for more height. Added in some walkways and steps.

However, as I was doing this a friend arrived early for our Gloomhaven Jaws of the Lion game – so I didn’t have time to add all the scatter pieces and signs (maybe next time)

These parts were not used on the layout

I think I have enough for two reasonably well covered Deadzone tables. Plus I still have the large and small pipe runs, and a conveyor system to add….. somewhere…. ?

14th February 2023

Last night I took my demo gear to another club and ran through some demo games again.

Not a great uptake overall, but the players that did get involved seemed to have fun, picked up the rules really quickly and asked pertinent questions – so worthwhile in the end I’d say (don’t want to get disheartened)

I only took a few pictures again, due to running things and engaging with the players.

The very first shot of the first game saw the Veer Myn player getting four 8’s, and a total of 6 successes – taking out the GCPS Marine veteran straight away ?

At the other club (Camborne) the games seemed to revolve more around shooting, but at the club last night (Truro) there was an awful lot more close combat going on.

Its good to see that a small demo set up like this, with just three minis per side can still generate quite different feeling games in the short time that they play for.

Next up it is back to building up the strike teams to then hopefully run some larger demo games in the future.

18th February 2023

Keen to get some 150pt teams ready for upcoming larger demos I cracked on with the Veer Myn through the week.

I really like the result from the Ironjawz yellow contrast with some minor shading and occasional highlights. It gives a nice pop to the minis and is quite quick to achieve – the other bits are what take the time for me ?

Quite pleased with the grey fur on one of them.

For the nigthmares the yellow was a bit too dominant, so I picked out some panels in blue to contrast against the yellow.

I also did a bit of magnetising on the bases – another (pretty basic) thing I have not done before.

I haven’t finished the Pack Leader yet though….

Conscious of needing two strike teams for the demo games I then went back into the GCPS. With a bit brighter weather my eyes coped with the dark undercoat a little better, and I laid out the blue grey base for the camo on the minis I needed for the demo

Then it was laying in the rough stripes of the camo pattern, and giving them all a single red shoulder pad. They weren’t finished in time for the demo, but at least they were all ‘3 colours up’ ?

19th February 2023

Last night I ran some more demo games at a local club (Camborne, Cornwall).

Among others I ran a couple of new players through the basic starter demo layout a couple of times (swapping sides), which they seemed to enjoy.

One player made a very bold first move, rushing a Veer Myn directly onto the objective! It survived a shot, getting wounded, was assaulted by the follow up and survived that. However it did get killed later in the round by the Ranger assaulting it with support (bonus dice for charge, friendly model and target being wounded). Eights were rolled all around through the games, and all seemed to pick up the core rules really quickly.

Later on I set up a larger demo game, using the full sized mat and a lot more terrain. 150pts per side built equivalent to what can be made from the starter box.

Ran through the full game set up, laying out objectives, items, using the recon roll and the command dice

The players again picked up the majority of it really quickly, with judicious use of the command dice throughout.

Due to the later start, and slightly slower pace with me teaching things (and checking things as well ) along the way, they didn’t get to finish the game.

However, some of the highlights were things like the very first item token being a booby trap, but actually blowing a veer myn back into the safety of cover. A bold ranger rushing for an objective early, but getting picked off by an AP shot from a Chem spitter. Plus a goodly amount of grenades being launched around the battlefield.

Some take aways for me – I think I will use a bit less scenery for the next one. It looked nice overall, but for an intro level play I think it was a little too much. It also made physically moving models in the tight confines a little more awkward (I may dig out my old GW ‘whippy sticks’ to use as mini pushers). I would possibly use 100pts rather than 150 too, and start a touch earlier.

Good things – the players picked it up well and seemed to have fun. The stat cards I printed out (from the Deadzone FB page pinned posts) were very beneficial, and the keyword notes I made for myself pre session helped speed things up too.

26^th February 2023

The past week has seen less hobby time overall unfortunately, but has still seen the completion of the GCPS strike team.

I did try to paint in eyes on some of these, but failed in that, so flooded the sockets with Nuln oil to try to get around it.

Next up I rolled out the magnetizing to all of the minis. I used A4 ‘Really useful’ boxes and self-adhesive ferrous rubber sheets.

Because I am using ferrous rubber sheet the pull strength of the magnets is reduced a little so I had to add some 6mm magnets alongside the 3mm ones on a number of the minis, then used 6mm as default after that. For the larger minis I used two or three magnets, just to be extra safe with them.

Then it was back to the Veer Myn Pack Leader to finish them all off.

Initially I went with a contrast green on the trousers, but wasn’t happy with that – so instead I went with a darker green normal paint and layered it up in a few stages. Happier with how that came out. Followed by picking out the metal parts and details, applying some blue to armour panels, flesh tone etc. I was going to leave the claws yellow, but it didn’t feel right, so went ahead and painted the main part of the claws in metal – Captain Slicey Fingers was ready to go!

27th February 2023

I am approaching the end of the project now, but unlike with the Warcry project, I am not quite sure where the finishing line lies….

With Warcry it was just a case of completing everything that was in the box. But for this Deadzone project it doesn’t really work that way.

I have completed all of the major terrain pieces, and also completed two 150pt strike teams, so in essence that is the core of the project complete.

However, I still have a good chunk of the industrial terrain pack (the small pipes and the conveyors), a number of small terrain add ons (lights, computer panels etc) and a lot more minis to do.

But, I feel there does need to be a cut off point for this project log though.

I will set that as the completion of the small terrain add ons, with a view to return at a later time and build up the other strike teams (perhaps between other projects, if anyone would like to see any more projects from me).

Then I will play a full 150pt game with my wife, put up a small bat rep (for you Gerry) and sum up how I feel the project went overall.

28th February 2023

A couple of the players from the Truro club asked for a larger game of Deadzone, so I took my terrain and two strike teams along to the club last night.

Run them through the set up procedure, laying out the items and suchlike.

The first turn was quite tense, with angles being carefully checked and such, and ended with the GCPS taking a narrow lead 3vp to 2 vp.

It could have been more, but a grenade shot into a cube containing three Veer Myn just missed….

The second turn was somewhat more brutal, the Veer Myn being thrown into combats, killing GCPS, then being picked off themselves while left open in their cube. A grenade launcher landed this round, hitting two veer myn, killing one of them.

The exchanges went back and forth, then the Veer Myn took the upper hand – taking out the GCPS leader, grabbing an intel. The Claw Pack Leader rushed out of hiding, took out a Grenade Launcher, then swiping out and killing another trooper that tried to get away.

With the tide turning towards them, the Veer Myn were able to jump on all four objectives and hold them to the end (despite some being on fire at the time ? ), taking the game 16 vp to 8 vp.

The GCPS player did get a little down hearted by the turn of events, but both players expressed that they did enjoy the game, and they were picking up the rules really well.

The one who played GCPS this week is now thinking of getting some Forge Fathers…..

Just a quick one…..