Table Ready: Cyberpunk Red Combat Zone – Danger Gals

Finally Back(?)

It had been almost a year and a half since I had picked up a brush with paint on it. The latter half of 2023 and all of 2024 were spent in a state of stress, shutdown, and plain not giving a fuck anymore. Every time I tried to hobby was met with immediate failure. Even if I had that “itch” to get a project going. Which is why I approached this project very gingerly.

But why now? What brought me back? Well, the inspiration to unpack these models came during my January trip to see Tyson. While there, I bought the Cyberpunk 2077 board game for us to try out over the span of a couple of days. [More on that at a later date]. It ended up being a blast and it subsequently led me to a realization. Well, rather a recollection, that I had a big box of something sitting at home. 

I had Kickstarted the Cyberpunk Red: Combat Zone game back in 2021, and then received the game (and a whole lot more) in 2023. Which, as I stated above, was while I was “going through it”. Yeah, this box was closed right up and buried in my closet on the day it arrived. So, my interest now piqued, when I got home from my trip back in January I dug out the heavy box and inspected the contents. Including the core box, I had 5 gangs and a ton more individual stretch-goal minis from the Kickstarter campaign. Ideas began flowing.

One faction that I had bought as an add-on, following the successful backing of the game, was the Danger Gals. A group that piqued my interest immediately. What can I say, I love female gangs/armies. I mean, I had since high school wanted a Sisters of Battle army(done). When the time came to pick a gang, I was more interested in House Escher for Necromunda(done). Hell, I even chose Slaanesh for my Chaos Daemon detachment(done(?)). I honestly don’t have any bias towards female armies/gangs. I just find them more interesting than massive armies of the same exact bulky power armor.

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The Gals

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For the most part, I kept to the model’s design, in terms of what colors I chose. But I did take some liberties. For example: I used chromatic paints for Mouse and Serval’s hair. It was the first time I used Turbo Dork paints, so I was very concerned with how they would come out. Prior to using them, I made test spoons to see how which colors I would ultimately chose. They are fun paints to play around with, and they all react to light differently. Honestly the picture doesn’t do the colors justice. On the models nor the spoons. You really have to turn the model in your hand to see the effect. I originally wanted to paint Pantera using one of these colors, seeing as she is a Netrunner. But ultimately I chose not too.

Aside from the Turbo Dork paints, for everything else I used the Duncan Rhodes Two Thin Coats paint system. Which I am loving more and more. Particularly since I got the Wave 3 paints in the mail last year. As mentioned in the above caption, many of there paints have equivalents to Vallejo and Citadel ones. But there are also a lot of unique colors. Particularly in the “Bright” color range. I used a lot of these for the Danger Gals models. Really great for Cyberpunky stuff.

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Bengal

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It was refreshing to not only get back in to painting, but also to actually finish something. I honestly didn’t think I would be able to do it, as it felt like any other attempt in the past year + when I started. Painting skin and faces is still a major trouble point for me. One that gets me very frustrated. So I just use the ‘good enough’ school of painting these parts. That way that is not a causal factor in my walking away from the hobby again.

I have 8 more models for the Danger Gals to paint up. These came in later expansions, which include their leader, some gonks and specialists. While I am eager to get started on these, I am not going to jump right in. I still have the itch, yes. But I don’t want to burn myself out that fast, and sideline painting for another extremely extended period. Fingers crossed!

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