Running out of Patients Pt 1

Posted on 14/12/2010 by sho3box

Out Patients

I had two zombie miniature related problems.  One issue was that the Mantic zombies and ghouls that I owned were going to be hard to make look like modern figures.  The second problem was that I didnt have any figures that I had specifically designated for use as fast/rage zombies in games.

I decided to kill two birds with one stone by theming my fast zombies as hospital patients.  That way the slightly odd toga like clothing could be painted to feasibly look like hospital gowns.  Thematically, the idea that some sort of “cure” administered in a hospital could have backfired and had a negative effect that created a more hyperactive version of the infected works for me.  You could call it the “running” out of patients maybe, but Id rather you didnt.

Having recently picked up the Studio Miniatures Big Zombie Deal I also decided to add the patients from Zombie Mob 5 who also fit nicely with my Patient Zero figure from last year.  Hopefully the “proper” dead patients lend some authenticity to the Mantic stuff.

In keeping with how I am basing my zombies for gaming, fast zombies have a hex-base, while regular zombies have standard round bases and so on.  Just in case anyone is wondering about why the bases vary.

As ever the figures are painted to a decent enough tabletop standard and definitely not as display pieces.  This is the first batch.  I have a few more batches coming up with similar skin tones but wearing different gowns and the like.  There will be twenty eight or so when the sub-project is finished.

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12 Responses

  1. apeekaboo, on 14/12/2010 at 17:48 said:

    Smart use of the Mantic zombies, to make them fit in a modern environment.

    One could start an argument on whether the zombie with only a lower body is actually a threat or even still animated, but it adds to the variation nonetheless. Who am I to say how a super zombie would function anyway… =)

    Actually on a second look, I see you based that chopped up zombie on regular round bases. So does that mean it’s not a rage zombie?

    They look good anyway, excellent job!

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    • sho3box, on 14/12/2010 at 19:14 said:

      Thanks for the feedback apeekaboo! I am glad that you like them.

      You could try to start an argument re the torso-less zed, but there wouldnt be any point: you are of course right. I am sure that any clear thinking zombie afficionado reading this agrees that in the realms of pseudoscience induced zombies a pair of legs with only a spine on top does not function. Spinal cord trauma incapacitates zombies.

      Of course, as Mantic supplied spinal cords I am going to use them just for variety in assembly and painting. Imagine the figure as representing a zombie in mid-explosion, rather than an independent threat, a bit like Hannah.

      The torso figure and the legs figure (who may be two halves of the same zombie actually) are indeed based on circular bases so they are not “fast”, as you pointed out. Fast or slow, the topless guy wouldnt be any better at moving anyway. The legs just dont know that they are dead (again) yet 🙂

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      • apeekaboo, on 15/12/2010 at 08:43 said:

        A funny use would be to have the upper/lower body behave as a single figure. The head must have LOS before the lower body can run up and attack… 🙂

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        • sho3box, on 15/12/2010 at 16:14 said:

          Definitely getting into Brain Dead/Dead Alive territory there I think.

          A re animated cannibalistic, farting alimentary canal cant be far behind…

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  2. The Angry Lurker, on 15/12/2010 at 15:49 said:

    Finally helped with my decision of what to do with my mantic ghouls,excellent stuff you have done there.

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    • sho3box, on 15/12/2010 at 16:18 said:

      Thanks TAL, glad to be of service. I wasnt sure what to do with the figures myself for a while either but I think that the hospital gown thing works well. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive so far too.

      If you do take a similar route with your Mantic Ghouls then be sure to let me know. I would love to see more example of the figures painted with modern zompocalypse in mind.

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  3. Mattias, on 15/12/2010 at 20:34 said:

    Very, very nice zombies mate! The added patient zombies do indeed add credibility to the gang. =) Love the paint jobs too, much better than “decent enough gaming standard” =D

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    • sho3box, on 16/12/2010 at 01:00 said:

      Thanks for the feedback Mattias. I am glad that you like this batch as there are another twenty or so to go over the next few months.

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  4. Mikko Meriläinen, on 16/12/2010 at 12:09 said:

    Mr. Shorten, you are nothing short(en, tee-hee) of a genius when it comes to zombie minis. That hospital gown idea was excellent. Never thought about that. Another choice might be some sort of clerical vestments (think Catholic church), but I think the hospital gown thing is more instantly recognisable. White or pastel colours might work as well.

    Great job!

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    • sho3box, on 16/12/2010 at 12:50 said:

      Thanks for the feedback Mikko.

      Vestments would be a laugh actually, particularly if the time was taken to add collars to the figures. It would also tie in with the REC and REC2 setting in a fun way. I recently bought a militarised priest figure from Foundry. Having a game with him pointing his M60 at some zombie priests could be a giggle. In fact, consider the idea stolen 🙂

      These other colours that I plan to use for the remaining hospital zombies:



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