Wednesday, 26 June 2019

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

Saturday, 1 June 2019

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

Thursday, 30 May 2019

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?
?

Saturday, 25 May 2019

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

Wednesday, 22 May 2019

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


Monday, 20 May 2019

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.

Wednesday, 15 May 2019

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.


Recent finds: King Kong

A couple of items I found on a recent trip to the Merrickville Street Sale: King Kong and a suitable evil temple for 28mm scale.

 The ape was a plastic toy, the temple a Terrarium decoration.
The temple & Kong, houses in background are 15mm

Wednesday, 24 April 2019

Giant Frogs - Updated

I found this giant painted plastic frog in my favorite Dollar store.

Side view of frog versus 28mm hunter by Antediluvian Miniatures

Friday, 19 April 2019

Casablanca Lockheed Electra

LOCKHEED 10 ELECTRA

One of the latest miniatures / models added to my collection is the aircraft from the 1943 film Casablanca - the  Lockheed 10 Electra.  This is an old 1:53 scale Williams Brothers kit that works perfectly for heroic 28mm scale and will feature in one of my upcoming Pulp Alley games.


My new Lockheed 10 Electra kit, picture by John Clearwater



Read on to see are some more images of the aircraft including some with the characters from Casablanca and the story of the building of the kit.

Friday, 22 March 2019

Leprechaun

I have been working on this Reaper Leprechaun figure on and off for some time.

March 2018 Reaper Leprechaun