G1: Steading of the Hill Giants

[SgtSlag]

This was the first of the Giant Series of modules published by Gary Gygax and TSR, makers of D&D games, back around 1978.  I ran this adventure back in High School, but I always wanted to run it with terrain and miniatures...  Fast forward 30+ years, and I figured out how to do it with 2.75D terrain, and properly scaled miniatures!

I made the Steading's wall sections using PDF files, meant to be 2.75D cardstock terrain.  I painted some foam floor mats mottled colors, cutting a 1/4-inch deep grid pattern into the foam using a table saw with fine-toothed blade:  deep enough to slot the chipboard wall sections into, but not so deep that the foam would fall apart.  I printed out the terrain PDF wall sections on my color laser printer, on full-sheet label paper, adhering it to chipboard, cut to size.  I printed doors, as needed, attaching them as needed to the wall sections.

I bought a bucket of 54mm tall Cave Men toy figures.  These were molded in skin-color plastic (figure on the left, with the club, is an old, lead, Grenadier figure), so I just painted the non-skin bits (clothes, weapons, hair, etc.), then I brushed on the Minwax Polyshades Urethane Stain (dark brown color), following that with a matte clear coat, Hot Gluing the plastic Cave Men figures to 54mm MDF square bases.

I had the opportunity to play out this adventure module, using terrain and miniatures, several times in playtesting, and at a small game convention.  Here are some photos of the terrain, closer up:  room view, with 2D fireplace on the wall; a view of the Great Hall, with a huge bonfire -- the majority of the Giants were in here, enjoying a drunken party.  It was a great time for all parties involved!

I've been amassing the figures, and making terrain, for G2:  Glacial Rift of the Frost Giant Jarl (another thread detailing this project), and G3:  Halls of the Fire Giant King, as well.

I need to schedule the G2 adventure with my mini's gaming friends, soon.  Both the G2 and the G3 modules will be full-blown 3D terrain, not 2.75D, like G1 was.  A friend has graciously offered me the use of his Dwarven Forge Dungeon Terrain for G3 -- I have all of the Fire Giant miniatures I will need for this...  Hoping to run G2 and G3, early next year.  Cheers!

[Pattus Magnus]

That’s a pretty cool way to do a scenario that needs a massive number of giants. It turned out looking good, too. If I were to do the scenario I probably would have tried building the palisades from popsicle sticks and twigs, then given up after building about 9 linear inches…. Your approach is better.

[fred]

These were a classic series of modules - remember running G1 several times with different groups, probably in the early to mid 80s. Several different approaches from the parties - but often ending in a major punch up in the main hall.

I think we only played G2 and G3 once - very different feel to them - far more a typical dungeon crawl.

Great work on treating the whole hall on the table - I’m sure it was a blast to play!

[darthfozzywig]

Was thinking about doing something similar for G1-3, so this is inspiring! Very cool!

[SgtSlag]

That’s a pretty cool way to do a scenario that needs a massive number of giants. It turned out looking good, too. If I were to do the scenario I probably would have tried building the palisades from popsicle sticks and twigs, then given up after building about 9 linear inches…. Your approach is better.

It was still a whole lot of work.  I had to print out the wooden wall sections on full-sheet label paper, hand feeding it into my printer.  Then, I had to apply it, carefully, to the chipboard, then cut it out.  The whole of the Steading was around 7 feet by 6.5 feet, in 25mm, or true 1/72 scale.  Plugging the wall sections into the proper slots took around two hours, and that was after I'd done it three times!  It was massive, tedious, and fun to see if all come together.

The players usually infiltrated the front entry, then they snuck into the Great Hall, from its front entrance, farthest from the bonfire light source, where all the Giants were, at their tables, arm wrestling, drinking, and telling drunken stories of their imagined prowess.  The PC's, meanwhile, snuck forward, in the long, dark hallway towards the bonfire (the Giants could not see them approaching, as they were in the midst of the bright bonfire, ruining their vision into the dark hallway leading to the main entrance doors).  They cut loose with spells and missiles, creating total chaos amongst the Giants and their guests!  I rolled a Morale Check for the Giants, and I rolled a "19" -- a catastrophic failure!  It was every Giant for themselves, running for the nearest exit...  It was NOT pretty, for the Giants, as there were PC's waiting outside the long hallway, near the kitchen, who had employed an Ice Storm spell turning the hallway floor into glare ice, with Lightning Bolt and Fireball spells, at the ready.  It was a Giant-Meat Grinder of a rollicking good time.  LOL!  Cheers!

[punkrabbitt]

This same idea has been a passion project for me over several years. I have gone as far as curating PDF textures I want to use, but the sheer size of the finished Steading has put me off of doing it. I think yours turned out fabulous!

[SgtSlag]

Thank you.  It is HUGE at 1/72 scale!  I only built the top level.  I never considered the dungeon for a moment.  The humorous thing is that Gygax never accounted for wall thickness, so my 2mm thick chipboard walls worked superbly, without any need to "adjust" the size of anything.  Cheers!

[Sunjester]

Spectacular! I played the Giants series many (many) years ago and it was great fun.

[syrinx0]

Great looking set up for your game.  Have not revisited that dungeon series in decades.