The Post Apoc Frozen Wastelands.

[mattblackgod]

Inspired by the recent freezing weather here in the UK and the Metro2033 game/book I decided that Matt Black's world needed a frozen wasteland. I thought it would make a nice change to the usual arid wastelands that Post Apoc settings seem to come in. For background fluff on MBW see here http://mattblackgod.webs.com/historyofmbw.htm.

General Background fluff for the Frozen bit of the world reads:

"Following the rain of Nuclear warheads that spelled the end of the wars of the Mattblack God - and the end of the world that was Mattblack's world the world fell into a Nuclear winter.

Great cataclysmic changes followed the orbital cleansing. Tsunamis, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions caused further damage to the scarred world changing whole areas. Sea levels rose and fell changing the maps beyond comprehension. The Northern sections of the main continent became cut off from the rest of the continent as a impassible mountain range appeared from the seismic activity. The mountains are impassible on foot and cut off a large area covering what was three major cities, farmlands and industrial areas.

Here in the North the weather changed. Unlike the rest of the world the contamination from the war and nuking was not washed away but remained frozen as a new world of ice gripped this territory. In Winter the temperatures drop to -50C. In the height of short summers the temperature rarely gets above 0C. Much of the above ground is contaminated by toxins and radiation. But life did not die here. The bio toxins mutated and mutated the beasts into horrifying creatures who consider Humanity as food. Beasts adapted to the Radiation, Toxins and sub zero temperatures.

Here Humanity did not die out. They retreated like the rest of the planet into the SOS bunkers, bunkers and shelters but never re-emerged. The reason why is simple. To go above ground spells death. If the mutants dont get you then the ice or toxins will. Humanity hangs on living on poor quality livestock, mushrooms and rats. At times they even live on each other.

Still there are those that go above ground. Stalkers, criminals and others. Who knows what drives them to risk their lives in such a way?

This is the Frozen Wastelands of Mattblackgod's world."

Minis and terrain to follow!

[mattblackgod]

Right the first of my minis for this setting...

Across the impassible mountains of ice lies three cities, four small towns and several small villages, hamlets, industrial sites and farms. 95% of these lie in ruins. All of them lay frozen under a layer of ice and snow. Many places are contaminated and dangerous. If the toxins and sub zero temperatures dont get you then the many mutant beasties will. Generations of survivors live underground in what was the basements, sewers and transport tunnels of the towns and cities. Others live in special strong-points from before the end above ground that survive the cold temperatures. Due to the ice and snow each town and city is isolated from each other.

In the City of Stuvansant many stations have joined the ranks of the Neo Soviet Communists. Supported by a SOS Bunker they try to bring the whole of the under city under their control.

Here is a Commissar and Officer of the Red Army.

The minis are Westwind Soviet Survivors from the Secrets of the Third Reich line.

Under the city of Danniograd lies three stations of power and knowledge. This place is known as Civvie (taken from the word Civilisation) and is rumoured to sport real lighting. Civvie maintains its position by employing special Warrior-Scavengers known as Stalkers to keep back the mutant threats and bring supplies from the surface. The go up top in specially made insulated and armoured Hazmat suits. They are equipped with heavy SMGs as standard and one in this group sports a minigun to keep the starving hordes of mutant beasts at bay.

The minis are Clix Frogmen repainted. The guy in the middle was modified to carry a minigun from a EM4 trooper heavy weapons set.

The Frozen Wastes are a dangerous place. The creatures that rule the topside of the ruined cities are tough. Opening the Hermetic Doors to the Stations runs the risk of swarms of mutants gaining entry to the Station and the tunnels beyond. Often Stalkers will return to the above ground station entrances with hungry mutants hard on their tails. The rich Enclave that is Civvie counter this by use of a walking tank made from scraps of metal and old train parts. This follows the Stalkers out and waits inside the station entrance. This gives much needed firepower - the flame thrower is very effective at driving the mutant beasts off.



The "Tank" is deployed in the tunnels when Civvie is threatened. Its armour is thick enough to counter most of the armaments carries by bandits or rival factions.

The mini is a Metal GW Space Ork killer kan that has been sitting about on my desk for ages waiting for me to do something with it. It sports the rising sun of Civvie - the light of Civilisation and Reason in the new dark ages.

Up near the mountains a old mutant witch wanders. This Psyker is dangerous but is happy to help those communites who help her. Sadly many places turn her away in fear and her robot attacks whilst she melts some minds. She puts fear in all mutant beasts and seems impervious to the conditions of the Frozen Wastelands.


Trader Claus moves from place to place trading his goods. Her wears a special armoured environmental suit that is said to have come from a wrecked space craft. Old Claus doesnt notice the cold and a high tech energy weapon keeps the mutants and bandits at bay. Rumours say he is from a lost SOS Bunker far to the North which makes the supplies he trades - helping keep the survivors of the Frozen wastes alive.

The mini is a GW/Citadel Limited Edition Space Santa from back in '88 (I think). I have had this since then and picked it up in a bargain bucket for 50p. 

[mattblackgod]

The Technocrats.

A short time after the orbital bombardment of Matt Black's world a platoon of elite troops stumbled upon a SOS Bunker in the City of Atromograd that was manned with a 10 man (largely female) skeleton staff. Quickly the tired and injured troops moved in and the Commanding Officer took control of the Bunker.

During the dark years that followed the deziens of the bunker became bitter about the technology that had destroyed the planet (99% of the population of MBW are unaware of the Orbital Bombardment and think it was a rival faction of the war that launched the attacks). The leaders of the bunker soon came to the decision that Humanity cannot be trusted with Technology.

The Technocrats set out to seize what technology they can. The technology is then checked for purpose. Weapons of mass destruction are destroyed and reused in positive ways by this strange pesduo cult.

The Technocrats grew in size thanks to the healthy females in the SOS Bunker. Soon they had set up bases in the Cities of Danniograd and Stuvansant as well as a few other bases across the frozen wastes.






The minis are VOR Neo Soviet Vanguard.

The guy with the crudely painted yellow shoulder pad is a officer and the one with the three blue/green bars on the shoulder pads is a Sargent.

The Technocrats use agents to infiltrate various settlements and seek out like minded people. If they pass certain small tests they are invited to join. Upon entry into a Technocrat base they have to perform a perilous mission to see if they are good enough. If they pass they then receive training and have to survive a second mission. After this they are awarded full membership armour and weapons.

The Technocrats are one of the few factions with bases above ground - usually old military strongpoints. Some chapters have access to old pre war APCs which saves on boot leather and mutant attacks.

The Technocrats are inspired and based upon the Brotherhood of Steel in the Fallout universe.

[mattblackgod]

With me rampaging off into the world of the Frozen Post Apocalypse I needed some terrain, so here is my first couple of bits...








The plinth on the statue is from Ainsty Castings (now Old Crow). As it lay sulking and forgotten at the bottom of a box I decided to reuse it. I stuck on a Haloclix mini and added some steps to the bottom from cork tile. I painted the clix grey and painted the snowy bits white.

Vallejo water effects was used to make the icicles. When dry it goes clear and makes great ice. As it is a paste is can be applied and left - however hanging ice will be more of a problem. The model then got three coats of GW snow flock to get that deep old snow look. The plinth was given a very light drybrush of white to give the frosty frozen look I had seen on many walls during our recent mini freeze.

[mattblackgod]

Oh look - its a um...thingy!

The Thingy was originally meant to be some sort of Sci-Fi vent for Neromunda. It languished in my half finished terrain pile for years so I thought to give it new life.

The Thingy is made from a sytrofoam cup you get salads in with take away meals and a piece of PVC pipe. I added lots of graffiti and posters. After gluing it to a CD base I added the ice the same way as the statue in the previous post. After basing the white paint was added next and then lots of Snow Flock - three coats to get the deep old snow look.













Nasty scar on that Vent!! Who knows what the Thingy is? Maybe its just a vent for the metro tunnels beneath? Or may be there is a lots SOS Bunker under there? Or a secret military facility?

[Deathwing]

Nice stuff as always.  You really don't see a lot of frozen wastelands with snow. I guess it's just easier that way.

Joey

[Michi]

Frozen post apoc is almost much more imaginable. At least at the start of that period...
Fantastic work and most inspiring!

[Sinewgrab]

Good stuff here. I approve.

Are you planning cityscapes as well, or merely wasteland?

[mattblackgod]

Thanks for the kind words. I plan a cityscape and wastelands. Ruins with ice - what a lethal combination!  I am thinking of making some tundra boards for it all to sit on.

[v_lazy_dragon]

Looking really good there Danny - it made me shiver it looks so cold!

Keep up the great work mate!

[inkwell]

Brrr,makes me cold just looking at the photos! Awesome job!!

[warrenss2]

Paint these desert rock formations differently and they would be superb for various ice forms.
http://www.esair.baueda.com/guides1.html

[Desertrat]

 Danny

Very nice stuff there, great idea for a setting. A++++++++

[Golan2072]

Looks great! How have you made the snow?

[mattblackgod]

Thanks for the kind words.

Froze Ice formations...what a great idea! I will be pinching that! Thanks. I guess I will have to watch the end of the day after tomorrow for more inspiration too! 

Golan the snow is GW snow scatter. Paint the base as dirt (or in the case of buildings as the building would look unsnowed). Paint the snowy bits white. PVA glue and scatter the stuff on. Leave to dry. If you want the old snow effect then put another layer of PVA on top and then more snow scatter. When I have used this up I have some Woodland scenics soft snow scatter - which is much cheaper and looks better. Or at least it does in the tub!