Empire of the Dead - American style?

[axabrax]

I've been eying this game but am somewhat daunted by the prospect of terrain boards for Victorian London. Just read Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, and it occurs to me that it would be fairly easy to play this game against the backdrop of the ACW instead of Victorian London, which would allow me to reuse my Old West and ACW terrain.

Anyone have any suggestions for ACW/Old West/Victorian era vampires? I guess you could just use any old figure and paint it with pallid skin, but it would be cool to find something sculpted to be a bit more vampiric. It seems like most vampires are sculpted to look more European or Fantasyish--at least that was my impression of the Empire of the Dead vampire gang. I was thinking I might be able to do some conversion work with some ACW soldier figures...

[ink the troll]

Maybe try mixing Perry plastics + Mantic ghouls & zombies, looks quite convincing (was recently posted on Frothers: http://www.frothersunite.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=39124) and if you use mainly the ghoul heads and paint the flesh a bit more vampire-ish that should work as well.
Maybe add some vampire heads bought via ebay, there's various shops on there selling bits.

[goon3423]

If you look on Old Glory's site they carry most of the Westwind Gothic Horror line. It has a lot of Vamps that would fit in just fine, I use many for Old/Weird West. Also look at Pontoonier Miniatures on Newline Designs page they have an Old west Vampire Cabal. And don't forget to back Weird West on Indie Go-Go, they're looking to get a mini of Abe w/ axe in hand made!

[axabrax]

If you look on Old Glory's site they carry most of the Westwind Gothic Horror line. It has a lot of Vamps that would fit in just fine, I use many for Old/Weird West. Also look at Pontoonier Miniatures on Newline Designs page they have an Old west Vampire Cabal. And don't forget to back Weird West on Indie Go-Go, they're looking to get a mini of Abe w/ axe in hand made!

Actually the Indie Go-Go range was the catalyst of the idea to some extent. I did throw some money in their hat! Hope they reach their goal.

Some of the Pontoonier stuff is exactly what I'm looking for, and the concepts are brilliant, but the true 25mm scale and the sculpting just don't quite make it for me.

Great idea about the Perry/Mantic hybrids! I hadn't thought of that...

[Malamute]

ACW civilians such as those by Old Glory, Redoubt, with some suitable head swaps. I was thinking about the flashback scenes in True Blood when Bill Compton met his Vampire maker.

[ianh]

Do any malifaux guild models do it for you?

[commissarmoody]

I am also wanting to do an "American" Style game. But fighting Voodoo priests in and Vampires in New Orleans, KKK cultist that are trying to over threw the republic using arcane powers, and all sorts of crazy critters like indian skin walkers and windagos.

I have 2 back ground ideas at the moment
1. Being a group of Pinkerten agents.
2. Being a group of specialist hired by the Smithsonian to take care of "problems"

[axabrax]

Great minds think alike--I was also thinking of Pinkertons as a stand-in for the Gentleman's Club. Or I was also thinking about a group of dashing confederate monster hunters using some of the Foundry Bloody Border range--imagine a a group of Cavalry Raiders hunting down werewolves and vampires in the west! Would be cool to have some appropriate Gentlemen and Jackanapes too. I am thinking the TVAG Gangs of New York range will also have lots of useful stuff. Wish I could get my hands on the rules over here in the USA already!

[nikharwood]

Like it - some great ideas here...might just have to dust off those poor neglected cowboys 

[commissarmoody]

Oh there is all kinds of crazy we can get up to in north America, Pinkcertons working for the government and barons of industry, Smithsonian exploration and containment teams. Gentleman clubs from one of the universities or veterans origination from the civil and indian wars. Ranchers, rangers, out-law gangs.

Native americans on the war path, skin walkers, windigoes, chupacpbras, banditos, lost cities of god and other dark things.

Were wolfs in the wilds, vampires on the hunt in the streets, of atlanta, New York and San Francisco?

And why not go all interview with a Vampire in the big easy with southern aristocrat vampires and voodoo priests practicing there arts in the bayou. Thinking a set of were-gators might go down pretty good down there.


Or how about other crazy groups like religious zealot Mormons riding out of utah, Crazed occultist trying to form dark pacts to bring about the down fall of the union or the world or what have you.


Triad and tong gangs battle over the under world and darker things in the streets and back alleys of the cites of the west coast.


And what is Montezuma's revenge was more then just bacteria in the water south of the boarder? Lost Aztec cities that still warship there dark hungry gods? What if the night of the dead was real? There are tons of ways you can take this .

Might need a whole book to it self .

[commissarmoody]

ordered the book. Couldn't wait, but I also ordered these to books also.

Both are by the man who wrote "The gangs of New York"

The French Quarter talks about all the craziness, From the famous red light district, river pirates, dock gangs, murders, white league anti abolitionists. There riots got so bad they had to send in Federal troops to restore order.

A big french speaking population just perfect for some old world vamps and wear beasts.
http://www.amazon.com/The-French-Quarter-Informal-Underworld/dp/1560254947/ref=pd_sim_b_7

And "the Barbary Coast" About san francisco meteoric rise from just a sleepy port town to the gold capital of the US, with guns, gambling, booze and a population of 1 women for ever 10 men, you know your bound for some trouble.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Barbary-Coast-Francisco-Underworld/dp/1560254084/ref=pd_sim_b_6

Just figured they will give more of the feel of the areas and era.

[Comsquare]

Some of the Pontoonier stuff is exactly what I'm looking for, and the concepts are brilliant, but the true 25mm scale and the sculpting just don't quite make it for me.

Just to let you know, I asked David from Bronze Age minis, who sculpted these, about their scale and they are not 25mm.

They are between 28mm and 32mm

[Lowtardog]

ordered the book. Couldn't wait, but I also ordered these to books also.

Both are by the man who wrote "The gangs of New York"

The French Quarter talks about all the craziness, From the famous red light district, river pirates, dock gangs, murders, white league anti abolitionists. There riots got so bad they had to send in Federal troops to restore order.

A big french speaking population just perfect for some old world vamps and wear beasts.
http://www.amazon.com/The-French-Quarter-Informal-Underworld/dp/1560254947/ref=pd_sim_b_7


Just figured they will give more of the feel of the areas and era.

Interview with a vampire is ideal to take inspiration form for this

[axabrax]

Take a look at these figures from Obelisk for Victorian San Francisco China Town Tongs!

"Just to let you know, I asked David from Bronze Age minis, who sculpted these, about their scale and they are not 25mm. They are between 28mm and 32mm"

I might actually check some of these out then as the subject matter is perfect. I actually like the Bronze Age stuff, so maybe I should look a bit closer. As I mentioned I am more interested in ACW/American Gothic than "weird west"--although that has some charm too and the vampire cabal looks perfect for either setting.

It seems like a natural that Westwind might do and "America" expansion at some point if the game sells well.

BTW: We have a gaming convention, Kublacon, out here in Calfornia weekend after next and someone is actually running an EoD game!

[axabrax]

Just had one more inspiration: How about Mountain Men as stand ins for the Wolf Skins in the Werewolf band? Or maybe Plains Indians?

What would be a good stand in for the Brotherhood faction? Abolitionists? Maybe with John Brown as a personality figure? Trying to think what would work for games set slightly later--like the 1880s as well...