New project: Professor Quatermass style games. Help!

[Thunderchicken]

I've recently been putting buildings and terrain together for VSF games set in Victorian London. Looking at what I've got I could easliy use the stuff for games set in 1950's and even 1960's. I've always wanted to play sci-fi games set in 1950's London and Quatermass has been an inspiration at the back of my mind. As Svennn pointed out in a chat we had earlier I could even indulge in a few Peter Cushing Dr Who yarns.

Anyway, before I even start I need to know what figures I should be using and even more to the point, are available!  I'll need civilians, Professor types and British military figures that will work in a 1950's London setting. In addition I'll need the odd vehicle or two and lets not forget the beasties and adversaries.

I would appreciate your help and suggestions with this project.

Thanks in advance. 

[swiftnick]

I'm guessing 28s?
Any late war Brits would do I reckon. How about some of the Foundry civilians from the Home guard range.
In one film there were what looked like British paras with gas masks on.
Mike

[myincubliss]

I think Crooked Dice will be putting out some suitable minis for this sortof thing in the future, in support of their game 7TV? (www.crooked-dice.co.uk)

[Steve F]

Something like this?



Oddly enough, I used Black Tree's Peter Cushing Dr Who as an Andre Morrell type of Quatermass (TV version of Quatermass and the Pit, 1959).  The army officer is Crusader WW2, the policeman Irregular (in the uniform worn from late Victorian times until well into the 1950s).  The rocket is a Revell 1/35th scale V2 (true fact: 98% of all space rockets in 1950s sci-fi were obviously inspired by the V2).

Possible 28mm mini ranges for 1950s Britain: pick and choose from Black Tree Doctor Who, any WW2, 1st Corps Korean War, Musketeer Inter-War/VBCW, Brigade Games Atomic Cafe, Killer B Geezers.  Possibly add green stuff quiffs and crepe soles onto Victorian Gents to create Teddy Boys.

I took the photo above to illustrate an article in Ragnarok 49: "This Could Mean the End of Civilisation As We Know It! Guidelines for Atomic Horror Gaming in Chain Reaction 2.0", by John Wilson, which may also be useful to you.  See here: http://www.sfsfw.org/rag49.php.  Sorry about the ugly background: I matted that out for the magazine.

[Thunderchicken]

Thanks for the ideas and links guys, I missed the bit out about 28mm  .

Herby F, that pic is great! Exactly the sort of image I want to achieve.

[Blackwolf]

You probably know Thunderchicken?Alot of the Artizan 'Thrilling Tales' minis would be spot on,from the 'Not Foyles War' set to various other 'civilians'. And just think of the motorcars you could collect........aaaargh,now it has happened to me Thankyou Thunderchicken,thankyou Svenn

[Thunderchicken]

Hehehe, sorry about that. Funnily enought just been on the Artizan site looking at the WWII stuff and came across the Thrilling Tales stuff. Forgot about that range. 

[Blackwolf]

They are addictive............

[swiftnick]

An interesting project indeed. I went to see a season of 50s Brit horror films years ago during the Edinburgh festival. There was one which was a sort of midwich cuckoos type story. It had Ollie Reed in it as a leader of a biker gang. I am sure they had a little song that went " Black leather Black leather slash slash slash "
So Bikers are a must.

[Doomsdave]

Something like this?



Oddly enough, I used Black Tree's Peter Cushing Dr Who as an Andre Morrell type of Quatermass (TV version of Quatermass and the Pit, 1959).  The army officer is Crusader WW2, the policeman Irregular (in the uniform worn from late Victorian times until well into the 1950s).  The rocket is a Revell 1/35th scale V2 (true fact: 98% of all space rockets in 1950s sci-fi were obviously inspired by the V2).

Possible 28mm mini ranges for 1950s Britain: pick and choose from Black Tree Doctor Who, any WW2, 1st Corps Korean War, Musketeer Inter-War/VBCW, Brigade Games Atomic Cafe, Killer B Geezers.  Possibly add green stuff quiffs and crepe soles onto Victorian Gents to create Teddy Boys.

I took the photo above to illustrate an article in Ragnarok 49: "This Could Mean the End of Civilisation As We Know It! Guidelines for Atomic Horror Gaming in Chain Reaction 2.0", by John Wilson, which may also be useful to you.  See here: http://www.sfsfw.org/rag49.php.  Sorry about the ugly background: I matted that out for the magazine.

Who makes that rocket?

[Steve F]

Who makes that rocket?

... The rocket is a Revell 1/35th scale V2 (true fact: 98% of all space rockets in 1950s sci-fi were obviously inspired by the V2)...

- Herby the were-VW

[Steve F]

An interesting project indeed. I went to see a season of 50s Brit horror films years ago during the Edinburgh festival. There was one which was a sort of midwich cuckoos type story. It had Ollie Reed in it as a leader of a biker gang. I am sure they had a little song that went " Black leather Black leather slash slash slash "
So Bikers are a must.

That sounds like The Damned, released in the US as These are the Damned.  Directed by Joseph Losey.  Terrific film about radioactive children.

[swiftnick]

You are right.
I was just about to IMDB it but now I don't have to.
The kids were kept in a cool clifftop secret base if I remember right.
Does anybody do RMP in 28s? I was thinking they would be ideal for guarding trhe gates of the British Rocket Group.
What about 50s British cars? I don't think I have ever seen any on Ebay.

[Sterling Moose]

Mr T,  make sure you buy all you need before you come over.  The figures you're after are available but aren't cheap and if you mail order you'll get stung for shipping and perhaps customs fees too.

[Steve F]

What about 50s British cars? I don't think I have ever seen any on Ebay.

Depend on what scale you feel comfortable using with 28mm.  If you don't find 1/43 too big, the Vanguard range of diecasts is the mother lode:
http://www.anticsonline.co.uk/716_1.html