Prep for Cangames 2024 the Shakespeare Code - Doctor Who

This years Cangames game (May 19, 2024) will be another Doctor Who game, based on the TV episode the Shakespeare Code.   The game will be set in London England in 1599 with the Tenth Doctor, Martha and a variety of Elizabethan characters attempting to foil or expedite the scheme of six witch-like Carrionites to rewrite the ending Shakespeare’s play Love's Labour's Won rewording it to cast a spell to free the rest of the Carrionite race from imprisonment bring destruction to the world. The scenario is based on  a two player scenario created for the Doctor Who the Miniature Games Rules (DWMG).

Unlike previous years when I used the DWMG rules, this time I plan to use Pulp Alley rules as I think these rules are better suited to represent this multi-player scenario.  Those of you who have read some of my earlier blogs will know I have used these rules for other genres in the past. A short introductory video on the rules by the author Dave, can be found here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBraL7mwXgM

Those of you who just watched the video will have heard Dave say that the rules are designed for up to four players and I will likely have 5 to 7 players, so some adjustments will have to be made. This includes drawing coloured tiles to determine who moves to speed up the game. Additionally I have kept the leagues small, 3 figures per player.  

This will be an "evergreen" post as it will get updated as I progress preparing.

Promo picture from TV episode the Shakespeare Code.

Some of the potential figures I may use in the game from my existing collection as of  March 1, 2024.

Dollarama Find - Egyptian Monolith

 I found this a plaster Egyptian monolith for $4 at a local Dollarama store. It looks similar to the statues that would be found in the Valley of the Kings.  It should work well as Egyptian themed background in a Pulp game set in Egypt.  

Egyptian monolith with two 28mm Dark Fable Egyptian figures

It will  need some painting, possibly with the Woodland Scenics Yellow Ocher stain that will create a naturalistic sand stone look.

Woodland Scenics Yellow Ocher stain

Invasion of the Dinosaurs

One of the Doctor Who scenarios I wish to run is Invastion of the Dinosaurs featuring the Third Doctor.  I have started acquiring and painting various Dinosaurs, and of course I have the third Doctor.

The novel

Preparations - Cangames was 2020 now 2021 - Let's Get Hitler

 Preparations: "Let's Kill Hitler" Scenario for Doctor Who the Miniatures Game

Update: April 3, 2020

Sadly due to the Covid-19 Virus (Coronavirus) Cangames 2020 has been cancelled and will not be held again until next year in May 2021.  I have been informed the theme of "Portals / Lets Get Hitler" will remain the same for Cangames 2010 so my scenario will also remain the same with a new target date for mid-May 2021.  On the bright side it gives me more time to work on the buildings.

Covid-19 Virus

 

Cangames 2020 - Let's Kill Hitler Game plans: March 16, 2020

My original plan for Cangames 2020 (May 15-17, 2020)  Doctor Who game,was to run a continuation of my game from the 2019 Convention where the Sea Devils captured the Naval base, this year the Human forces would attempt to retake  base from the  Sea Devils.  However my plans have changed, and I will join in with other members of the Ottawa Miniature Gamers Club to run a series of connected games with the themes "Get Hitler" and "Portal". 

The game will be very loosely based / inspired by the Doctor Who episode "Let's Kill Hitler" featuring the 11th Doctor, Amie, Rory, River Song  and Hitler.

Publicity shot for Doctor Who: Let's Kill Hitler

A list of games to play in 2020

New Years is a time for lists so here is my wish list of 16 games to play in 2020 plus a long term plans for a siege game (#17). Some of the games are hold-overs from last year.  As usual I suspect I will be lucky to get half of them done, but at least I have something to strive for.  There is also  the possibility of a new game being added to the list (like SAGA Age of Magic) got added to my 2019 list) or an older game making a comeback like Sharpe Practice, War of 1812 or a Superhero game (#18).

1. SAGA Age of Magic and SAGA Historical 28mm

Part of an Undead Legion Warband

SAGA Trojan versus Greek game

Doctor Who: Day of the Daleks: Cangames 2016

Day of the Daleks: Cangames 2016 DWMG

This game was based on the TV episode Day of the Daleks, using the DWMG rules and a scenario based on one designed by Martin Porter on his Prydonian Chapter Blog, http://theprydonianchapter.blogspot.com/2011/12/day-of-daleks.html. 

I ran it at Cangames 2016 in May of that year and expanded Matt's scenario to make it a six player game.

Introduction

There have been strange goings on at Auderly House. Ghostly intruders appear and then vanish. Several U.N.I.T. soldiers guarding the building have disappeared, however crusty old diplomat Sir Reginald Styles refuses to consider holding the upcoming peace talks anywhere else.  The Brigadier decides it’s time he called in his Scientific Advisor.

The Board

Auderly House is an old house set in parkland with a long curved driveway.  The estate is surrounded by a high wall that requires one move and an AGI test to climb over. Inside the grounds are trees, bushes, out houses, a tumbledown folly  - meaning lots and lots of cover.  Outside is parked a U.N.I.T. Land Rover with an HMG in the back and Styles’s diplomatic car. The playing area was approximately  4' x 4'.

Overview with Audelry House in the Centre

Family of Blood Halloween 2008

Family of Blood Game - Halloween 2008

This was one of my earl Doctor Who games from October 2008 using DWMG and before the Gripping Beast figures made to represent the Family of Blood characters were available, so most of the figures are Micro Universe (MU) plastic figures, converted Wiz Kids (WK) figures, West Wind (WW) miniatures.  The Scarecrows are RAFM metal miniatures and Wiz Kids (WK) plastic figures.  The students are assumed to be in their Cadet Army uniforms and I used Foundry First World War Figures to represent them including a Vickers MG.

It is interesting to compare this to the later 2011 Family of Blood game where the buildings and figures are more purpose designed to resemble the TV episode.

The game board.

Family of Blood - Doctor Who - Cangames 2011

Family of Blood Cangames 2011 Scenario

This 28mm scale game was a follow on game from the scenario entitled Family Values that can be found in the Doctor Who the Miniatures Game (DWMG) PDF rules supplement entitled "Last of the Time Lords" that was modeled after the TV episode The Family of Blood set in England in 1913.  I adapted this scenario to make it a 5 to 6 player game set after the events at the Village Hall in the Family Values scenario.  The students and school staff have retreated form the Village Hall back to the safety of the School in preparation for an attack by the Family of Blood and their Scarecrows.  I ran this game at Cangames 2011 on May 22nd of that year in Ottawa.  

NB. It is challenging to reconstruct the events from May 2011 in August 2019 as I was both the GM and photographer at the time which meant I did not have time to take as many pictures as I would have liked, and they are my main tool to reconstruct the events.  Plus my camera was much less advanced at the time, as were my photography skills.  I have added in some current day staged pictures to show the rosters, and a few from the test game I ran prior to the convention.

Overview of  the test game prior to convention, 
May 15th

Combat near the School, test game

Petradon or Pterodactyl with Silurian rider

Conversion project for Doctor Who and the Dinosaurs / Petradon

I was looking at the "Somewhere The Tea is Getting Cold" (STTIGC) blog
https://teasgettingcold.blogspot.com/2010/01/skys-limit.html?showComment=1565825053069#c5791748624388354281

The author is / was working on a conversion to take a Ral Partha flying reptile (Petradon or Pterodactyl) and place a Silurian rider on it.  This would be useful for any number of scenarios with the Silurians using DWMG or other rules.

Painted Pterosaur with Silurian Rider STTIGC

UNIT Mobile Communications Van

 A new vehicle for my UNIT troops.

This is my UNIT Mobile Communications Command van that can be used by the Brigadier as a mobile HQ or to call in air strikes.  It is a conversion from a Dinky Toy BBC mobile Television studio vehicle. Various Black Tree / Harlequin Troops are posed in the foreground.

UNIT Mobile Communications Command Van

Here is the original Dinky van before repair and conversion including repainting.

DINKY SUPERTOYS TV MOBILE CONTROL ROOM

Terror at Devil's Bay August 2019

I ran the Terror at Devils Bay scenario again with two players (Ted and myself) on August 5, 2019.

Introduction

 The Master is attempting to find his TARDIS component hidden on the base HMS Sea Spite, and has persuaded the Sea Devils to attack the base to divert the defenders.  The Master has disguised himself ad a Naval Captain so gets to use the DWMG infiltrator rules (he can't be attacked unless he makes a hostile action or is identified by Jo, the Doctor or Benton who must be within 6" to do this.  The Doctor is on the scene to help the base defenders but he and Jo are not aware the Master is on the base.

The Base is defended by Captain Hart's HQ squad, Lt. Bakers Duty Watch, Sgt. Benton's UNIT squad, plus the Doctor, Liz Shaw, Jo Grant, and the base scientist.  The Sea Devils have 3 squads of Armoured Sea Devils, two of which include Myrkas

40mm Bofors gun

Black Tree Order - All Good

I just received my latest Black Tree 28mm W.W.II and Doctor Who order from their Memorial day Sale. It made very good time, well packaged, was complete and even included three bonus figures, plus John added in the discount I neglected to apply.  This is typical of the good service I get from John Olson at Black Tree / EOE Orbis.  I know he gets a lot of flack for problems with some orders, but in view of the health and family issues he has had I think he is doing an excellent job and it is a shame buyers only want to post about bad news rather than good. Black Tree is one of the companies I order from on a regular basis.

Black Tree 28mm W.W.II Soviets and Sea Devils

Gaming theory: Doctor Who Terror at Devil's Bay Location

Creating game landscape for 

the Sea Devils: Terror at Devils Bay

HMS Seaspite as set up for Cangames 2019 in May.

One of the challenges I faced creating my Doctor Who game based on the Sea Devils episode: Terror at Devils Bay was how to create the key feature the Naval base HMS Seaspite (as it is called in the TV episode the Sea Devils) which was filmed at HMS St George, Fraser Gunnery Range.  Unlike a historical scenario a Sci-Fi scenario offers more options.  Why does it matter?  I think for two reasons firstly it help to create the most accurate or atmospheric recreation of what the game is based on, and secondly it can impact play balance.  Plus it is an opportunity to compare images of the game set up versus what the actual base that was used for the film shoot looked like then and now.

Roofing material

Walthers Roofing material

I tried out some of the Walthers Cornerstone Roof Texture material on two of the flat topped buildings I used for my Doctor Who Terror at Devils Bay game and was very pleased with the results.

Post game picture showing Walthers roofing ballast

Unidentified 28mm Computer type machinery?

I got the resin item in the picture below about 5 years ago in an eBay lot of computer related items (main frames, consoles etc.)  that were made by Scotia Grendel and Armorcast.  However I can't find this one in the Scotia Grendel, Armorcast or Ainsty catalogue.  It is about 1 inch long and Kkind of looks like it could be a  hard drive or a memory bank, any ideas what it is or who made it?

?

Doctor Who: Terror at Devils Bay, Cangames 2019

Terror at Devils Bay: 2019

This year's game at Cangames 2019  (originally scheduled for 2018)  was entitled Terror at Devils Bay using the Doctor Who the Miniatures Game II (DWMG II) rules and based on the Doctor Who TV episode "The Sea Devils."

The  Scenario:

It is 1980 shortly after the Doctor has foiled another of the Master’s nefarious schemes and returned him to his prison cell at Scarock Castle.  To ensure the Master does not escape Earth the Doctor has taken a vital component from his TARDIS and decided to deposit it for safekeeping at a nearby military base.  Accordingly the doctor along with Jo Grant, and a UNIT squad under Captain Yates visit HMS SEASPITE at Kearvaig Bay, a research facility and former gunnery grange to hide the component.  While visiting the base the Doctor learns from Helene Salinger, the chief scientific advisor, that her latest deep sea probe was lost at sea, and that ships have been mysteriously disappearing. The Doctor decides to assist her with the new probe investigate the rash of ship disappearances in the area.  Meanwhile the Master has escaped, contacted the Sea Devils and persuaded them to attack the base. This will provide him with an opportunity to enter the base disguised as a Naval Captain to look for his hidden TARDIS component.

 Turn 1, Sea Devils advance towards the beach

Doctor Who- Terror at Devils Bay Test Game for Cangames 2018 (Updated)



Test Game: Terror at Devils Bay:  May 6, 2018 (Updated)

This was a test game for the Cangames Convention late May 2018, using the DWMG rules.  We wanted to see if the forces were balanced.

Some of the buildings still need painting but I wanted to test out the scenario to see what further work needed to be done, or not. I had 4 players for the game, the scenario is designed for up to 8 players. I will not provide a detailed AAR, but just let the pictures tell the story.

View from the Sea Devils Side, many buildings
still need more painting



Things I purchased at Cangames 2019

This year at Cangames 2019, I bought some 28mm scale diecast vehicles at reasonable prices:

Centurion tank by Dinky

Set of three 1939 British Army transport vehicles by Ledo.

Terror at Devils Bay Prep Cangames 2019

Preparation work for Cangames 2019: Doctor Who: Terror at Devils Bay.

Where things were in late May 2018

A lot of work needs to be done on the buildings, boat, land rover and a few figures.

Retrospective: Resurrection of Evil - the Daleks Cangames 2008

Battle Report

I am gradually posting battle reports / AAR on all my past Doctor Who Miniature games.  This was one of my very early games and the first time I had used the: 5th Doctor, the TARDIS, tanks and the Dalek troopers and the Daleks. 

 Some unusual creatures posing with the 5th Doctor and Tegan

Resurrection of Evil - the Daleks (Cangames May 2008)

Preamble:

This was the first convention game I ran using the Doctor Who Miniature Rules, and only about the fourth game I had played using the rules. Being very ambitious (or foolish) I decided to try different aliens (Daleks) for the convention as opposed to the Cyberman and Autons I had used in my earlier games.  The pressure of a deadline would of course result in my getting everything painted!   Unfortunately there was just not enough time to get all of the figures fully painted (Dalek troopers, some UNIT figures) but the "Show must go on".

Game prep, painting the TARDIS and Daleks