The term 'zombie' comes from Haitian folk culture and describes a dead body animated (or re-animated) through various methods. While a fascinating regional belief in itself, a true victory march of zombies began in 1968 with the George A. Romero's movie 'Night of the Living Dead'. The zombies' unwritten standard set there typically included dreadful appearance, slow movement, craving for flesh and brains of the living and being difficult to kill.

Several companies have delivered sets of such creatures in 1/72 scale. They vary both in historical periods and in quality. Most of them cannot offer anything sensible to modellers not interested in this particular fantasy topic. However this set is one of the exceptions - it can also be used to depict casualties. In this case this would mean civilian casualties in static poses.

There are 11 poses in the set. Each figure depicts a modern civilian that has suffered severe trauma:

1. Female, 30 - 40 y.o. Multiple lacerations of lower extremities, facial trauma (maxila, jaw, skin, eyes - may be painted to represent burns), no visible fractures, walking;
2. Female, 30 - 40 y.o. Deformed face (fracture of jaw?), deformation of cervical - thoracic spine (m.o.i. could be spine fracture between C3 and Th2, not visible due to clothing and hair); this figure looks convincing when lying on her back and could be a victim of stomping on a head (facial trauma);
3. Female, age difficult to establish. Extensive facial trauma including skin torn off the skull; upper right and lower left extremities' trauma (fracture and laceration); Abdominal penetrating trauma with minor evisceration - gunshot wound (no exit wound) or torture; damaged night dress around hip, abdomen and on chest; walking;
4. Female, app. 13 y.o. Abdominal trauma, lower left extremity trauma (foot), walking;
5. Male, app. 30 - 40 y.o. Facial trauma (burns?) and possibly both lower extremities as well as spine in Th6 - Th7; crawling;
6. Male, app. 40 - 50 y.o, height app. 190 cms. Skull trauma around left temple area, jaw trauma on the right side, broken collar bones, 20cm long penetrating trauma(cut) to the chest around left costa VII - VIII; penetrating trauma to upper right extremity with losses to deltoid muscle and deep trauma below elbow (torn skin and muscles, visible bones); lower right extremity trauma; missing parts of clothing and multiple injuries could suggest a victim of a blast; walking;
7. Male, age difficult to establish; injuries to face, upper left extremity, possible spine (or faulty posture);walking;
8. Male, app. 20-30 y.o. Head/face trauma, partially removed clothes may suggest he was close to the blast; walking;
9. Male, app. 50 y.o. Possible thoracic trauma (shrapnel wound), no visible injuries; he is supporting movement of his right leg with his right arm which may suggest nerve damage or fracture;
10. Male, app. 50 y.o. No visible injuries, damaged clothing possibly by shrapnel, possible penetrating trauma of thorax; walking;
11. Male, app. 14-16 y.o. Facial trauma on the right side, damaged clothing possibly by shrapnel or bullets, possible penetrating injuries of thorax and lower extremities; walking.

Note that shrapnel wounds in this case can also be painted into phosphorus burns - a not so uncommon injury to civilians nowadays due to use of "hot smoke" smoke grenades that are supposed to mask the IR signature of the firing vehicle.

All the figures are proportionally sculpted. Their faces may at first seem somewhat demonic but can be easily painted into the grimace of shock and pain. There is virtually no sign of decay present on these particular zombies so while perfectly fine for the original subject, they will work perfectly as modern casualties of any mass event like bombing or phosphorus grenade discharge. Clothes are a generic mix of modern style and the damage to it makes it even more universal. They can easily be used for WWII , Middle East wars or modern European or American dioramas/settings. Some of these casualties would have been caught in their homes in less formal clothes or even pyjamas. Many do not wear shoes. The "zombie walk" poses are ideal for setting together with first responders directing them to safety (or trying to communicate with them).

This set suitably portrays physical trauma that would occur after an explosion in the crowd or after bombing a city during a war. One may find the subject gruesome but it would not make it disappear from any modern conflict, especially involving use of explosives and chemicals in populated areas. Below is an example of just such a diorama using these figures.