Multiscale adventures, or A Night in the Gulliver Museum

[Vanvlak]

As this could include just about any period, topic or theme I guess this is the best place to post it - please remove if I am wrong.

My game design pedigree is as long as this sentence.
It amounts to designing a Man O’War campaign (those were the days….) and jotting the outline of an idea based on Plan 9 from Outer Space which I sent as email to a friend to add to it and send on to someone else. I wonder where it ended up.

I was thinking of the loose ends of my model collections, and how nice it would be to use some of these more; and how much nicer it would be to have a museum for models and stuff. This sparked off an idea which is very undeveloped, and which is probably not original - in which case, apologies for unintentional plagiarism.
It’s also inspired by the film ‘Night in the Museum’.

Setting: a museum – ANY museum, of any size. Could be the inside of a building with corridors etc.; or an external museum, such as an aviation or transport or tank museum – or even a future museum on another planet or space station – or a historical site with artefacts and dummies etc.

Scale: any scale between 1:600 to 54mm – possibly larger. A mix of scales works splendidly, especially if they are not close in size (e.g. 2mm and 28mm).

Period/category: anything goes – but can be selectively tailored to taste or stock of models – for example, early 21st century museum featuring only historical figures from Neanderthals to present; or different races in an alien museum.

Premise/scenarios: skirmishes between two factions fighting it off in the museum; a band of pulp-types contending with exhibits coming to life; alien/human enemy invasion crossing the museum which is defended by its exhibits/Bedknobs and Broomsticks/museum guards vs exhibits or allied to them against thieves…..

Rules: anything which fits – but skirmish rules are ideal. You can have a simple skirmish, or have exhibits activated progressively to get the heroes/invaders. Space Hulk corridor type settings are perfect for a nicely modelled museum with loads of corridors. The rules should be twisted to cater for the blend of scales (see below).

How to deal with mixed scales: The larger scale models represent human-sized/animal/monster/dinosaur characters or troops which could be exhibits in the museum, security guards, intruders, invaders etc. Small scale models would come from museum models and dioramas (or even statuettes) which also come to life for the occasion. You can even have a model of a games table in the museum.
Large scale models would be roughly equivalent to a stand of small scale models, and would be stronger and carry small arms which would be cannon to the small scale types. Small scale models would have particular advantages: (1) numbers; (2) access to vehicles or artillery (large scales would not manage to use these easily inside the museum – unless it’s an open air one of course!, or unless they wreck the building in the process); (3) small scale troops can get through passages or access ways too small for lager models to use.
Aeroplanes and ships could be a bit of a problem, although a small scale flyer could be used. And I guess some excuse for a large aquatic area suitable for small scale ships can certainly be found.

It’s naïve, and may never be used – but there you have it, as the king said to Amadeus; and if anyone knows where to get 28mm scale glass cases for exhibits from.....

[pocoloco]

Interesting idea as I just recently saw the Night in the Museum flick from a telly (had never seen it before), this could be very funny game. I see it could work in an actual museum but maybe then the idea of warmongering could be changed to something more not-so-warlike to appease the younger public. Hopefully somebody does something like this and posts the results.

Regarding the glass cabinets for 28mm miniatures... wouldn't it be quite easy just use the clear plastic from blisters? Easy to cut and glue at least.

[Vanvlak]

Interesting idea as I just recently saw the Night in the Museum flick from a telly (had never seen it before), this could be very funny game. I see it could work in an actual museum but maybe then the idea of warmongering could be changed to something more not-so-warlike to appease the younger public. Hopefully somebody does something like this and posts the results.

Regarding the glass cabinets for 28mm miniatures... wouldn't it be quite easy just use the clear plastic from blisters? Easy to cut and glue at least.

Exactly - anything goes- thus a mild skirmish with exhibits vs museum thieves could fit that bill.
And, by the way, a similar idea could be used for a Lilliput scenario too.

Blisters - well d'oh!  I DID say elsewhere I still have not had my dose of coffee.
OK, now all I need to do is tackle my need for ornamental wood showcases.

[pocoloco]

I used to work in museum so I feel this is close to my heart

Ornamental wood showcases... make yourself from balsa (decorations as in carvings can be done with pencil etc) or then you need to visit a doll house store

[Vanvlak]

I used to work in museum so I feel this is close to my heart

Ornamental wood showcases... make yourself from balsa (decorations as in carvings can be done with pencil etc) or then you need to visit a doll house store

Really? I always loved museums, and once applied for a job in one (a maritime museum).
I don't have the skill for decoration, I guess; as for the other alternative - the only shop I know which has this stuff is also a model shop....

[fastolfrus]

You might find decorative wooden beading in a woodwork shop, or maybe even in a craft shop - the type that supply fancy cardmaking materials etc.
A cheaper alternative might be to look for a decorative box from a tourist gift shop and strip the parts away.