Inspirations wanted for Weird World War 1(ish) - minis, your projects, proxies

[ShortscaleDave]

I've decided to use my bag of 80 old warzone plastics to knock up a kind of WWW1 project and I would love some inspiration. I'd love to know any mini ranges (including fantasy and alien races) or random figures that would work in that setting, any images from any source that fit, and any models, kits, toys and so on that might make good conversion fodder.  I am especially interested in any super cheap ways of making things and most of all I'd love to see YOUR WWW1 projects (photos or links).

I am essentially trying to pitch the look between VSF/steampunk and WWW2, without being obviously either - generally this will mean VSF/steampunk looking tech with WW1 aesthetics.  I don't want to use WWW2 tech, such as the widley available mechs and walkers UNLESS they look a bit more primitive and basic.  Nothing too "sci fi future".

As to fluff, I am thinking that this was the war that never ended, so it actually went on in this timeline.  Basic super soldier tech was developed to explain the size of the warzone dudes, sort of this univerese's "space marines".  Therefore normal WW1 minis can be used as normal humans and so on.  Because the war became truly global, never ended, and made resources less available, the impact has effectively frozen the technology around a steampunk/diesalpunk/Tesla world.  Perhaps the only tech really advancing is biological (mutations, super soldiers, chemical weapons and so on). This fluff is just brainstorming right now.

For my own references I created a Pinterest board where I am pinning anything that might inspire an idea for this project which can be found here:

http://pin.it/-a9DzlH

[Ballardian]

I think that the GW Ad Mech range could supply quite a few useful bits - this walker/tank in particular could easily be given a Weird WWI treatment.

[ShortscaleDave]

Definitely!  Thanks for the tip . Will have a look on evilbay see what else is in that range....

[wadempage]

For other ideas, you could check out "The Great Undead War" series by Joseph Nasisse, there's two books and a short story out there but it's got a Weird War I premise....

[Inkpaduta]

You definitely need to check out CP models.

They have some great weird WWI figures.

They are under 28mm Sci Fi. Then click on Trench warfare.

[Wyrmalla]

Hmn, ever played that old game Iron Storm? ...It wasn't very good.

Oddly enough, when searching for the name of that game I cam across these, which may be workable: https://www.ragingheroes.com/products/ie-iron-storm-command



Plenty of companies make third party heads and bits for Games workshop kits. Due to the aesthetic those may be useful. Ah, though just who's making what these days isn't something which I've kept up on. Maxi-Mini, Kromlech, Puppets War come to mind.  

Oh, and if we're bringing fiction into it. There's the Baltimore comic series, which is kind of tangential to this - in that its set is a post-apocalyptic WWI, where the undead took over (I didn't manage to read it all, but there was some nice art, though that may not be what you're going for here).

And there's also the Tannhauser game:



Depending on your platicard skills, you may want to check out Tank Encyclopedia's pages on WWI. Many countries had prototype tanks in the works, but cancelled the projects with the war's end (IIRC the British had planned on churning out as many tanks as they could, then steam rolling their way through the enemy lines in one massive push, but the war ended a year before that came about). Of course if you're going for the weird side of things realistic designs might not be great, but well, they're a basis (and its not too difficult to buy a 1/48-1/43rd tank and tat it up to look how you want it to).

http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/

[ShortscaleDave]

Thank you Wyrmalla, I hadn't come across these things, especially the Baltimore comic!  I see someone has some raging heros in the ads sexrion... Much tempted!!  Going to have a google around the things you mention for inspiration, and that tank site is a great resource!  I was chuffed to find Macrocosm are carrying on with the hasslefree WW1 halflings so I will find a way to work them into my fluff just for the hell of it.

[aircav]

Scarab miniatures do a WWW1 Terror in the Alps mini

http://scarabminiatures.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=5_72&products_id=398

Heresy miniatures do an Angel, that can be used for the Angel of Mons

[Hat Guy]

I always had the idea of a WWWI American task force led by an ageing Wyatt Earp, maybe a "dirty dozen" with characters like Frank Nitti and John Dillinger (playing with the timeline a little).

[Bogdanwaz]

I had run a Weird War I game at several of the HMGS conventions in the US.  I had a number of different weird tanks, aircraft, etc.  It was called "Goodbye to Guns:  All Quiet on the Ruritanian Front." 

Here's some links to my blog about it:

http://bogdanwaz.blogspot.com/2012/01/good-bye-to-guns-pulp-wwi-game.html
http://bogdanwaz.blogspot.com/2012/05/tumbleweed-tank.html
http://bogdanwaz.blogspot.com/2012/05/royal-navy-anti-submersible-aerostat.html
http://bogdanwaz.blogspot.com/2012/03/some-pulp-games-at-cold-wars-2012.html
http://bogdanwaz.blogspot.com/2012/07/historicon-2012.html

[Ultravanillasmurf]

Anvil Industries have Stahlheim (open face or with death or gas mask).
http://anvilindustry.co.uk/Regiments/Infantry-Heads-Helmets/stahlhelm

http://anvilindustry.co.uk/Regiments/Infantry-Heads-Helmets/stahlhelm-deathmask

http://anvilindustry.co.uk/Regiments/Infantry-Heads-Helmets/stahlhelm-gasmask

And bodies to suit.

[Terry37]

I'm new to this forum, but am an avid HOTT gamer. I use the HOTT rules for my Weird World War games and armies. I game in 15 MM, but often use 10 MM scale for vehicles so they fit the bases, and 6 MM models for the Strongholds.

I am just finishing an German WWI army to oppose my Weird WWI American army. Both armies are taken from the books "By the Blood of Heroes -The Great Undead War" by Joseph Nassise.

You can see my American army here

http://fanaticus.boards.net/thread/635/american-weird-wwi-army

I have only finished the A7V (Behemoth in the HOTT rules) and you can see it here

http://www.pendrakenforum.co.uk/index.php/topic,15820.0.html

My Germans are about 75% done and when finished I'll share pictures of them too.

Terry

[Metternich]

Bogdanwaz, your vehicles are gloriously weird indeed !

[Ultravanillasmurf]

Anvil Industries have their Trench fighters range in Regiments.
http://anvilindustry.co.uk/Regiments/regiments-full-squads/connaught-trench-raiders

They also do Stahlheim helmets and individual parts.

[Metternich]

Take a look at this company re vehicles:

https://shop.tobsen77.com