A modern setting SA project

[Connectamabob]

I've wanted to give SA a go for a while now. Finally collected some minis to do a team of modern investigators vs a small gaggle of cultists. Though Lovecraft's stories are set in the 1920s and occasional late 1800s, I feel that horrors that exist on cosmic scales are, by definition, timeless, so pretty much any era should be equally up for grabs.

Click pics to enlarge.

Investigators:

From left to right: Dionne B (Hasslefree), Woolsey B (Hasslefree), Lazurus (Hasslefree), and Luthor DeLaCroix (Anima Tactics)
They will be getting their own names and stories as SA characters as I build them. I deliberately wanted to stay away from military or police type characters. The prototypical Lovecraft hero to my mind is a socially awkward anorak, so that's who I'm assuming Threshhold recruits: off-kilter obsessives who're valuable because they've accumulated WAY too much expertise in specific areas. Full-bore tinfoil hat timecube folk, only by pure luck the objects of their nutter-butter obsessions turned out to be real.

Cultists:

From left to right: Skaard Hoodoo (Dark Age), Parker (Hasslefree), Miranda (Hasslefree), Guild Harlot (Carnevale), and Aaron (Hasslefree)
Like the investigators, these will get their own new character identities. Rather than do the usual gang of faceless interchangeable robed cultists thing, I wanted to do a band of individual "lost souls". The robed and hooded legions thing isn't actually a Lovecraft thing. His cultists in the stories come in two flavors: motley bands of Hills Have Eyes-esque degenerates (blatant code for his "quaint" race and miscegenation anxieties), and slightly off villagers who seem normal-ish until they suddenly aren't. The robes and hoods schtick is present, but largely reserved for representatives of the cult clergy proper, not a general cultist uniform. So I'm treating my cultists as "anti-investigators", as individual and fleshed out as the investigators.

Lurkers:

Piranha Boy (4A Miniatures), and a Dravani Shambler (Aberrant Games)
These are slated to be failed alchemy subjects and/or failed summonings, in place of the fish monsters called for in the test game scenario. I have another shambler (they come in random packs of two), but I can't find it at the moment. It's the one with the Dracula cape of skin hanging off it's extended arm.

Also, the hardware store here FINALLY started stocking EPS insulation boards (i.e. blue/pink foam)! That stuff's always been nonexistent in southern Cali, so I'm looking forward to turning a couple into terrain boards. Very excited about that, as I've been reading about the stuff for like fifteen years, but have never actually seen any in person 'till now.

I get rather involved in my basing and painting, so this will go slowly.

[commissarmoody]

Great idea bring it into the present. Looking forward to seeing how this works out.

[Mason]

Nice choices with the background ideas and the figures.
Mythos is timeless.
 

I look forward to seeing this progress.
 

[Duke Donald]

This is looking like a promising project. Looking forward for more.

[Constable Bertrand]

Great mini choices! They size up well with eachother. 

Cheers
Matt

[jnr]

I too am doing this but using a swat team in caps as the backup and fenris do a nice group of investigators.
Swat team
http://www.theassaultgroup.co.uk/index.php?prod=694

Fenris APEX -Investigators
http://fenrisgames.com/shop#!/FGAPBOX3-APEX-Investigators-Series-3-Box-Set/p/35425005/category=2202439

Black Cat bases do this nice fireball thrower.
http://blackcatbases.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=437_684&products_id=2

Two young Fire Elementalists. One sister is the master, the other is her apprentice.
http://www.northstarfigures.com/prod.php?prod=7556

[Mason]

Black Cat bases do this nice fireball thrower.
http://blackcatbases.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=437_684&products_id=2

A warning to ALL about Black Cat Bases...

http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=59375.0

[Connectamabob]

Thanks for the replies. I've been sculpting bases, so I should have some pics later today.

@jnr: I've got a backup military/SWAT squad too, but I want to get the main guys done first. I'm using Hasslefree hazmat troopers for mine. Been looking for an appropriately scaled toy cargo van to use as their covert transport.

Fenris Apex guys look well done, but they're not the vibe I'm going for. Too "professional" (for lack of a better term). They put me in the mind of BPRD guys, whereas I'm thinking more of chumps like these:

[jnr]

I thought about hassle free but it's hard finding a set with all bush hats so i went with the set i posted plus they only cost £6 for the group as hassel can be £4 upwards.
I like some of the Fenris that are psychic related the modern attire will bring colour to a group.

I also have these as modern investigators. and they have a few gun men.
 
http://www.rogueminiatures.co.uk/index.php/gun-miniatures/red-rum-miniature.html

http://www.rogueminiatures.co.uk/index.php/gun-miniatures/herb-miniature.html

[Connectamabob]

I'm picky about sculpting. If I have to choose between quality and price, I'll choose quality, even if it stings a bit. The assault group soldiers are TBH below my personal quality theshhold regardless of alternatives or cost. Not a dig against people who do buy them, they're just not something I'd go for.

The hats thing wouldn't matter to me 'cause I wanted guys like these:


Given the kind of stuff their unit/regiment is formed to respond to, it felt "right" to me that MOPP-4 would be their default loadout. Plus it links right into the whole modern trope of ominous hazmat troopers from a "no such" agency arriving to lock down and disappear UFO crashes and mysterious outbreaks and the like.

[Connectamabob]

Some quick teaser pics (click to embiggen):



This is why I take longer. I like to sculpt bases rather than just do the scatter and glue thing. It takes two or three one-hour sessions to sculpt one (one to lay down the basics, then another or two to add and/or tweak details. This one's pretty simple: just some uneven ground and a gnarly root.

Pics be crappy 'cause I'm just half arsedly wrangling stuff around with my desklamp. I will improve this arrangement for tomorrows pics.

*EDIT* Right, that was a little too crappy. Lets try this again:

[cuchulain23]

I think Strange Aeons lends itself well to any era really. Just need to adjust some weapons is all, looking forward to seeing your work unfold.

[Hoser]

Anyone done any work statting out modern weapons that they're willing to share?
BTW with regard to a previous post about Black Cat Bases, they seem to have their act together again. I received some of their minis recently and am thinking about how to run a game along the lines of Carpenter's The Thing using SA.

[jnr]

I too recently just bought some Black Cat miniatures and turn around was around 5 days.

[forcedperfect]

Seems to me that one wouldn't really need to stat modern weapons. Aside from rate of fire and caliber differences that don't really change much at this level of abstraction, we're still using the same basic tech as we were in the 20s when it comes to boomsticks. A rifle is a rifle, a pistol is a pistol, a submachinegun or heavy machinegun still largely does today what it did then. Play it as it reads and adjust if you feel it's really necessary.