How many different types of zombies need different bases for painting

[Pouvla]

Hey there, first time poster here on the forums after lurking in the shadows for a while now.

I got into Zombicide recently, bought the Toxic City Mall expansion a week after starting on zombicide and have also pledged for the full Kickstarter for Season 3. Yeah, Its just a matter of time before I pick up Season 2.

Yesterday I started painting them, primed all the non-toxic ones and base coated all the male walkers so far

Somewhere I read that it was a good idea to make different bases for the runners so they are easier to differentiate from the walkers.

So the question is about how many different base styles do I have to account for?

Im guessing that the toxic runners just have the same bases as the normal runners as they should be easy to tell apart cause of all the green.

But what about the zombies in Season 2 and 3? Do you guys think theres more different bases needed for those?

BTW, Im considering using the GW texture paints for the bases as they seem like a fast and easy way to get it done.

 

[Wyrmypops]

I use the Gw textured paints too. Nifty shortcut. Saves applying glue, applying sand, applying paint, all done in one go.

If I could go back I would have changed my process. As it is, all of mine get 4 different textured paints glopped on, brown washed, black washed towards the edges, then the rims painted in solid black. Ideally I'd have chosen one textured paint colour for regular zombies, another for toxics and another for berserkers.

Haven't found that runners need any distinctive basing to make them stand out. The models really are different enough to walkers to do that job.

It's the toxic and berserk varieties that could do with their difference being reinforced on the bases.

My regular zombies got painted with various skin tones. With p3 brown ink slathered and stippled on for the dried blood, then after the gloss and matt varnish they were topped off with patches on Tamiya Clear Red for a fresh blood effect.
Those blood stylings were done to a lesser extent on the toxics. They got a variety of skin tones, but all a variant on "green". The boils were picked out in a bright green, but reinforced also with those boils being tipped in slick Tamiya Clear Green, like the blood. In hindsight their bases could have been done with a greater focus on the toxicity. Even with the boils and greenness they can be difficult to pick out in a crowd alongside regular zombies and/or berserkers.
Similarly with berserkers. I visited various skin tones on them, but around the purple part of the spectrum. They have a funky jaw thing going on which doesn't lend itself to them being distinct from other zombie types, and whatever the chtinous exoskeleton thing they appear to have developed confused me enough to just paint that with the skin tone. It could be picked out differently, but really I wouldn't imagine that helping them stand out much either.

I felt the need to rework the bases. But seeing as they were already painted, and, I'm lazy, I just painted the rims green and red for the toxix and berserkers respectively. If I could go back in time I'd have done all regular zombie bases with a grey textured paint (like concrete/paving), all toxic zombies with a yellow/brown textured paints base, and all berserkers with a red/brown textured paint. Would still have slathered on some brown and maybe even black ink but those bases might have been enough for even the members of my gaming crowd with the least familiarity with the minis to tell them apart.

With the season 3 we've more zombies types coming. The vips I can see doing with gold rims, can set aside blue as an identifying colour for another of the new types, or white rims. If it needs it, it might be worthwhile bunging something extra on the bases. Like a tiny skull between the feet of one kind, or something metallic like an industrial item on another type.

 

[oistene]

So far, I've painted walkers and fatties black with Vallejo Black Lava pumice. Runners got the same, but I added some yellow road stripes.

When I get to the toxies and berserks, I'll definitely pick up some GW textures or a different Vallejo pumice for each. Not only will it make things easier, it will also look cool. I'm unsure if the new zombies in season 3 will *need* different bases - but I'll plan to make them different. Makes for a faster game.

 

[eng621]

My standard zombies are shades of gray, with the runners getting blood to the bases. Toxic are shades of green. All bases are just a flat color, except the runners. I plan on keeping the same theme with the new types. I only plan on detailing the heroes.