Salvage and Survival in the Exclusion Zone
More hobby related news this morning.
I received an advance copy of ZONA ALFA from Osprey Publishing yesterday. I understood in my head it was happening but taking the actual copy out of the envelope was pretty epic. An Osprey Wargames ‘Blue Book’, ZA is done in their standard format 64 pages with original art and color photographs. Sam Lamont did an outstanding job capturing that STALKER, decayed Soviet post-apoc feel, and Lead Adventure was gracious enough to supply some great shots of their eminently suitable miniatures. Chris C and the team at Osprey wrangled with my scribbles and lists, transmogrifying them into a presentable set of war game rules. Alchemy with words.
My fiction projects have been on the back burner for the last year or so as I’ve been involved in a series of large commissions and restoration projects in my full time work, as well as bringing Hardwired, and the Tsim Sha Tsui Expansion to market, plus getting Zona Alfa ready for release.
Writing for the war game industry has been a different sort of challenge, both oddly familiar and strangely difficult, making sure I translate what I’m assured of in my head into concise, understandable language. (Communication. Always useful) Not unlike writing a story but a bit more technical.
Speaking of fiction though, the first quarter of the new year is traditionally slow, so I plan on using Jan and Feb 2020 to bring the first portion of the Shattered Worlds storyline to completion. God willing, part 1, Beneath the Broken Moon, will be ready for release early next year. More on that as the story develops.
Work calls so that’s it for now. Art hard and have an excellent day.
Hot Space Station Justice 
Reblogged this on STALKER7 and commented:
From my author blog
Congrats, well deserved.
Thanks. Don’t know about ‘deserved’; I’ve enjoyed the hobby for decades, admired the STALKER-verse for years, and am glad for the opportunity.
Really looking forward to this one.
I’m planning to buck the (what I’m anticipating will be the) trend and play it in 20mm as I’ve most stuff in that scale. That and the new Stalker plastics are rather nice.
I’ll be sure to watch the film before I play too.
Cheers,
Pete.
Very cool. There are plenty of inexpensive Soviet vehicles in 1/72 and 15mm terrain is close enough.
Be warned. The movie is a different animal than the games or even the book. And it’s long. Ever try the computer games? They’re cheap on Steam.
I’ve 20mm Soviet stuff coming out of my ears (seriously if you ever want to test a scenario of a company sized unit trying to clear the zone I’m your man).
Will look at the PC games- not played any of them before.
Cheers,
Pete.
Try the games. Call of Pripyat is the third in the series but the best, IMO.
I’m going to try and get as many ‘complimentary author copies’ as I can so I can pass them out to early play-testers. No guarantees but I’ll add your name to the list. (Need to confirm the game works in 20mm, right?)
That would be great thank you.
Cheers,
Pete.
Congratulations on completing this thing! It’s been cool following its developments.
Thank you. It felt more like ‘just another job’ for the longest time; deadlines, word counts, hours invested, contracts, steady flow of emails… the usuals that are part of and extend from long-standing labor and interests. Only now on the eve of its release do I see it a bit more objectively and think “Hey, that’s pretty cool.”
Congrats!
Beautiful stained glass work!
Thanks, bro.