II FloorTop/GardenTop II fantasy Skirmish wargaming?

[Menhir Games]

Hello people!

I wanted to share an idea, well more than JUST an idea, that is in test/protype stage. As the title says, it is about playing wargames with few miniatures, fantasy (could be modern/sci fi) skirmish games but in the floor/garden/yard/park.. in any "outside, with fresh air" place, however of course could be a garage, some big room, an edification with no use (like abandoned house or whatever) using the objects of common life as scenery: like bricks to make walls, real bush, foliage, small plants, or even a dog house!

ANd with that: "big miniatures/models" , "wargaming gnomes" ..

What caused me have this idea, was looking normal garden gnomes in daily life, watching not only humanoid, but also creatures (like rabits, deer, chicken , etc)  plus the idea of wargaming outside a room, and beyond the table really inspired me.

First thing i did was google! i only could find some -in the rol of a SET of models, "angry gnomes" whose are made in the gnomy style, with modern weapons:

https://www.google.com.ar/search?q=angry+gnomes&client=firefox-b-ab&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiG5Jz8sPPMAhXEgJAKHSjtCFMQ_AUIBygB&biw=1600&bih=791#tbm=isch&q=combat+gnomes

Apart from that, i found one or another gnome with a "combative design", but not sets nor nothing.

So, i decided i could try printing the 3D models i am sculpting to make normal fantasy miniatures (in 1/72 scale, and 28mm ) in 1/7 scale, which is 25mm tall models. So i choose the first one, a modular (2 weapons, 2 heads, and separated shield) "miniature" so with only this prototype i can make several combinations.. once i send it to mould and make firsts "production prototypes".

The 3D model is this:



With who there are various assembling options:




And the print is this:







Here is a picture with the "viking" hidding behind a tree, or next to a box as cover:






I would like to hear your thoughts about this, they could serve 2 purposes: guarding/ornamenting the garden, and when required, beign summoned to battle!  

[blackstone]

Really cool seeing a miniature, with wargaming proportions, scaled up this much. Not sure how practical it would be to game at the scale. They would be pretty impressive to have in the garden or around the house though.

[Menhir Games]

the idea is playing  small "encounters" games, like 5-8 members parties, i can think of SAGA rules for example, and there are many others (could be frostgrave, mordheim, bladestorm etcetc)

[ZeroTwentythree]

From what I recall, Faerie Meat did something similar, using the existing environment as full sized battlefield, but with the figures at a significantly smaller size. Am I understanding correctly that this is what you mean - the figures are considered "full scale" in an environment that is much larger than them?

[SBRPearce]

"A Game of Gnomes"?

Can we simulate missile fire by rolling bocce balls at the opposing lines of troops?

[Menhir Games]

@ZeroTwentyThree: well here since they are not gnomes/faeries, they would be "scaled up models, yet, not 1:1 scale".. 1/7, closer enought 

@SBRPearce: dont knwo that, it is about using them with any available rulebook, however i think that also making 1/7 scale die would be cool, to roll them in the grass .. would be like 12cm sided die

[Elbows]

I'm sure there could be some kind of niche market for this...or a group which would flock to something of the sort.  As a business venture?  I'd say very risky. 

[eilif]

Fascinating work!
Am I right in thinking that 25cm 3d prints are going to be prohibitively expensive?

I wonder if there are a range of decorative gnomes that could be used with the addition of weapons?
Here's a 12" fellow who could be easily modified to be holding a spear and shield.
http://www.amazon.com/Sculptural-Gardens-Standing-Garden-Statuary/dp/B000GRKW82/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1464202194&sr=8-8&keywords=yard+gnomes. Still $25 but I shudder to think what a 12" 3d print or resin model would cost.

One other possible track is to use 54mm figures sort of like HG wells would have.  Tehnolog has a very nice range of fantasy and semi-historical figures in 54mm that aren't too expensive and includes things like werewolves, Centaurs and Minotaurs. They come in packs of 4 and usually end up costing 2-3 bucks per fig including shipping.

Best of luck with the project whichever way you take it.

[Menhir Games]

Menhir Games main prodcuts will be "normal sized" miniatures, this "war gnomes" will be a test.. that is why we decided to start with the most generic faction in our lore/fantasy setting, a viking-like faction. Here you can see a warband with two handed axemen, archers, swordmen, axemen/spearmen (built with the first "gnome" model we printed) and mounted units:



The 3D printing is just for masters, dunno why people stills believe that 3D printing is for production (not YET,at least). I just have to 3D print ONCE, then make moulds and production, as if we were talking about miniatures.. you dont high quality 3D print an entire army

Now if you ask about 3D printed master, this is a cheper 3D printing method: ceramic dust, and that 25cm gnome costed 340 dollas, while a normal miniature printed in high quality SLA resin, costs 100-150 dollars, so you can tell this is super cheap printing method to make MASTERS

In the other hand, the price i am aiming is 35-40 dollars per humanoid "gnome" on foot..

::::::

54mm are totally a go! in my acse i wanted to make a gam to play in open air, enjoy the afternoon, having fun outside the room/enclosed area... unlessit is winter, and the battle field is the house inside ! haha

[Menhir Games]

Hello! after months of doing other works, having the viking molded and reproduced a few prototypes, i  can show you son nice pictures i  took today!

I put a coin and a miniature( in separated pics) to show some size comparisson, the  "gnomes" are 1/7 scale (1/72 scale x 10)













!!

[Elbows]

While price would be prohibitive I could see people doing something like this in place of LARP-ing.  The issue would be bringing a truck-load of miniatures for adventures or encounters.  At this scale I do think the sculpts need to be far more in-depth and crisper/cleaner to be appealing to people.