Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Other Adventures => Topic started by: Bowman on May 07, 2022, 11:14:04 PM
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So, when I was 7 years old I would go to school on Saturday mornings. My parents had emigrated to Canada, just before my birth, from Germany and I was probably still working on my English. They had an assortment of Look and Learn magazines that I devoured.
Among the more practical, science based articles, what stuck out for me was this most beautiful, crazy, anachronistic comic series I have every seen. I quickly gobbled up every comic. I read them out of sequence, with large chunks missing and I had no clue what the plot was about. I knew there seemed to be plenty of typical Roman style intrigue. (That insight came much later when thinking about the comic).
This comic always stuck with me. Decades later (at age 64) I randomly came across a Don Lawrence illustration on the internet. I instantly knew what I rediscovered from my childhood. It was the Rise and Fall of the Trigan Empire. I even learned that it was Look and Learn that I first discovered this.
So the point of all this is: Does anyone make semi appropriate space Romans that would make for suitable Trigans?
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I think that kitbashing will be the only way to meet this aesthetic.
Looking at the pages you've shown dark age civilians would make a good start.
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This looks cool - not a comic I know / knew
Maybe look at the Stargrave kits and even the Great Escape Games cowboys for weapons. Could give some very interesting results - while blending different eras to this the sludge and turnip conversions may give some inspiration of mixing out of period kits.
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I don't know the comics, but I wonder if Bronze Age Minis sword-and-planet range might be any interest?
https://bronzeagemin.com/sci-fi/dead-earth-citizens/
(The range contains some scantily-clad ladies, so the link may be NSFW.)
Who were their enemies??
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Would the Bolt Action Konflict 47 Italians fit the vibe?
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Many years ago I did a Trigan wargame fore based on Airfix Romans and other 1/72 Airfix plastics. These were the only figures I could afford at the time!
If I was to try it now then, as others have said, I would go for converted plastic figures though you will probably need to scratch built some weapons. In 20mm there is now a wide choice (have a look through Plastic Soldier Review). In 28mm I would again go for plastic kitbashes of Ancient Romans, Greeks, with scifi, fantasy and all sorts of historical sets. Some of the characters may be from suitable metal ranges (Ancient, pulp, post apoc etc).
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I can't help you, but this certainly brings back memories. I only had a handful of Look and Learn magazines, so like you: massive gaps, no idea about the big story. But boy were they mesmerising. Great artwork, gripping snippets of story.
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Thanks for the replies gents. It looks like kit bashing may be the way to go. It may come down to Victrix plastic Romans, with 3D printed weapons and head swaps of “Space Romans”.
https://cults3d.com/en/3d-model/game/um-roman-helmets
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Can’t really help with the enquiry on figures, but I too fondly remember the Trigan Empire in Look & Learn, and if you didn’t know, you can in fact buy the entire Trigan Empire series of, what I guess you would now call graphic novels, in three (I think) handsome and IIRC rather expensive hardback volumes. Noticed them a few years ago on Amazon and was sorely tempted…
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I agree that kitbashing is going to be your best option - I'm keen to see how you get on tho!
I took delivery of a lovely don lawrence art book the other day, msotly his work on STORM but i agree, his work is prime wargame fodder.
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Ditto - I bought one of the books, superb artwork, you get sci fi Romans, barbarians, assorted allies (some with green skin), dinosaurs, aliens and even a giant digger robot which goes berserk.
I agree that kit-bashing is the way forward.
Mind you, this would be right up Crooked Dice's alley... :D
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Can’t really help with the enquiry on figures, but I too fondly remember the Trigan Empire in Look & Learn, and if you didn’t know, you can in fact buy the entire Trigan Empire series of, what I guess you would now call graphic novels, in three (I think) handsome and IIRC rather expensive hardback volumes. Noticed them a few years ago on Amazon and was sorely tempted…
Yes I just bought the first three volumes. Vol #4 should be be coming out later this summer.
https://www.amazon.ca/Rise-Fall-Trigan-Empire-IV/dp/1786185644/ref=asc_df_1786185644/?tag=googlemobshop-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=459418134380&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15228403449198380736&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9000866&hvtargid=pla-1457448176343&psc=1
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I know this strip.
I loved the combination of Romans and space, but I must admit the storylines do not bear scrutiny.
I would advise Storm also of Don Lawrence, but with Martin Lodewijk. The universe is comparable, but the stories are better and somewhat weirder.
Still, I love the idea. For 'troops' the WA 'cannon fodder' bodies may help you, perhaps with some headswaps.
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I would use Greek bodies, with Celtic/german-Legs and Viking/Saxon-heads. Plastic is fantastic for it. Some greenstone and you should have a good result. Remember the old WSS-Article by Captain Blood called „A song of Plastic & cement“? Good advice, right?
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I loved the combination of Romans and space, but I must admit the storylines do not bear scrutiny.
I don’t doubt it. I was probably between 7 or 10 years old at the time I found and was impressed with this work. This may be more nostalgia than anything else.
I would advise Storm also of Don Lawrence, but with Martin Lodewijk. The universe is comparable, but the stories are better and somewhat weirder.
Thanks for the recommendation ;)
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Great memories of this comic. Published in weekly comic magazine Sjors in the 70ies. Villain Darak's red jet fighter must have been one of the first paper toys I ever scratchbuilt.
I have long entertained the idea to wargame the Trigan Empire. A mix of barbarian types, fantasy, Romans and WW2 types equipped with rayguns would seem about right.
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Great memories of this comic.
Same here. Read this post and dug up Prisoner of Zerss from my pile of old comic books.
Only dignitaries and military in full dress uniform seem to wear the Roman style outfit. Regular soldiers look more contemporary and could be represented by any (plastic) soldier figures as long as they have non-distinctive webbing and helmets and carry sleek raygun type weapons.
Would the Bolt Action Konflict 47 Italians fit the vibe?
I think so (with some weapon modifications)
Void I-kore Junkers would also work (with modified weapons):
https://www.seb-games.com/store/product-category/void/junkers/ (https://www.seb-games.com/store/product-category/void/junkers/)
For 'troops' the WA 'cannon fodder' bodies may help you, perhaps with some headswaps.
Indeed, but with rayguns
Of course if you are thinking about encounters with local tribes outside the urban areas of Elekton, then really almost anything goes. You may want to look at Gripping Beast plastics for these.
Transport seems to take place with either (fantastic) beasts of burden or anti-grav vehicles. Much like Star Wars there are not many vehicles with wheels or rotor blades.
Please post pictures if/when you get this project going!
T.
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From what I remember of the series, it was only the characters (and maybe some "guards") that dressed like that. The soldiers looked like WW1-to-WW2 (and in-between), with some overlap into the 50's with some of the jets.
I was going to use German WW2 (in the high boots) for Trigans and maybe Japanese for Cato. (The paratroops seem to have the correct helmets IIRC.)
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I remember this very well.
The quality was phenomenal considering it was a childrens' comic. We got Look and Learn and it was always the first item to turn to.
Other old folks might also remember "Jason January, Space Cadet", and one about a schoolboy detective
These started life in "Ranger" which was taken over and absorbed into Look and Learn.
I think it was a conscious effort to go upmarket away from the usual comics printed on bog paper [Lion, Tiger, Hurricane]
I think I probably got my General Studies A Level on the back of reading the history and science articles.
The Trigan Empire was a bizarre mix of Roman dress and high tech. A very distinctive look. The Emperor Trigo and Peric the scientist were in armour and togas and the next generation in flight suits.
It started out as "The Rise and Fall of the Trigan Empire", and initially the premise was that all the stories came from the chronicles carried aboard a Trigan spaceship that crashed on Earth. That premise was eventually forgotten or at least not referenced.
Why is my head still full of this sort of stuff?
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Why is my head still full of this sort of stuff?
Because it interests you (& me by the way) :D
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Late to the party, but what a cool aesthetic from a comic I'd never heard of.
If you haven't already settled on minis, Wargames Atlantic might be a good place to start.
https://wargamesatlantic.com/collections/decline-and-fall
I've heard that their sci-fi ranges and historical ranges crossover nicely. They make Romans and Goths and they also have a number of sci-fi infantry sets (near future, work suited, grimdark, etc) and even a sci-fi infantry weapon sprue that can be purchased separately. There are also a number of companies that sell separate sprues if you don't want to buy whole boxes. I purchased a bunch of WGA sprues from McDougall a while back.
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Just to say I got a message saying Vol 4 is now published.. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1786185644?
Great stuff. Would love to see how folk tried to model the aesthetic.
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Work some of the Copplestone little soldiers work? Intentionally non-descript weapons and uniforms.
https://www.copplestonecastings.co.uk/list.php?cat=23&page=1