"15mm Cold War/AREA 51 Tunnels And Subterranean Rooms???" Topic

Now that GZG has come up with so many nice doors and gates . . .

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Has anyone tried to use them to make any cool Area-51-like bases??? You know the ones I'm talking about, right? Those with lots and lots of concrete corridors deep under the ground.

Any tips and pictures to share with the rest of us? Or do 28mm gamers get all the fun?

Thanks.

CC
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No, but thanks for the heads up. I'll get some and use them for my tunnel system when I get the chance in august.

Please post pics when you do them!

The hardest thing for me to come up with is the actual layout concept.

I have no idea where to get realistic "diagrams", of where to put what room where, and what the hallways/corridors should be like . . . even if all I make is the underground laboratory, medlab and/or alien storage areas.

Any ideas on HOW to design such a thing?

Or is there already a map of similar facilities, perhaps the base used in SG-1?

CC

Someone was selling off an old missile silo somewhere and there was a schematic of that. Maybe that would help. I don't remember if it was real or not but there were some pretty neat pictures.

Hey Pictors,

Is this what you mean?

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CC

In July, Syfy has a new series coming called Warehouse 13. Commercials for it are running now. Looks like sort of an updated version of where Indy's ark ended up. Might be good for some ideas.

It depends on what you want. A 'form follows function' layout or a dungeon. It is very expensive to lay miles of random underground passages in steel and concrete, as a result most of these instalations are rather dull and mostly above ground. An alternative construct of Cheyanne <sp> mountain may be more in order.
Most of this junk was layed down in the '50s, so 'Fallout' may be more in order in terms of inspiration. Or any 1950's cheesey movies- Earth vs the flying saucers comes to mind.
…I'm such a wet blanket…

"An alternative construct of Cheyanne <sp> mountain may be more in order."

That would be very nice!

Suggestions on layout?

CC

Although it is expensive to lay the miles of Steel and Concrete, it wouldn't bother me having long corridors…

Mainly because it wouldn't be any more…eh..ludicrous than having an underground Area 51 to begin with ;-)

Phil Schneider comes to mind.
apfn.org/apfn/PHIL.HTM
Although a little off his rocker, his "experiances" would make an interesting scenario.

I always imagined running gunfights down long hallways myself ;)

Sorry. That didn't have a rough-edge of his combat, and I can't find where I did see it.

Basically some US Spec-ops and British SAS got ambushed by Gray Aliens….

That is more or less what I mean. There was a specific one for sale somewhere though. I think they had it up on ebay.

Maybe something based off of the Wildfire site from Andromeda Strain? 5-6 levels, spoking off of a central core.

Over at Militaryphotos.net there were two interesting sets of photos. One of a Soviet underground submarine base which seems to fit your bill, while the other was a Soviet ICBM launch site. The latter was a much larger complex than a Minuteman capsule (with long sloping corridors IIRC), as it even had a cafeteria with waitresses. Look under the Russian photos thread.

Here is some information on the actual base in Dulce NM:

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Captain Beefheart: "Most of this junk was layed down in the '50s, so 'Fallout' may be more in order in terms of inspiration."

I see what you mean:

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I really love these "Fallout 3" screenshots. Exactly what I needed. Wish I could find more:

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CC

In terms of layout, again form follows function. Define the functions of the 'base' that should be buried underground for some reason.
Lets assume it's an Air Force base and they decided to harden their command post. Maybe a room for emergency generators and another room for fuel. Radio room(s) and a command center. Bunk and storage space for all of those delightful civil defense crackers and airmen. A suite for Dr Strangelove-whatever.
Now it is semi forgotten and a new need comes into play. What do we do with these dead Martians? How would you re-organize this section of the base? What retro-fits would come into play?
Grab a pencil and warm up the foamcore….

Just remember how bulky low tech stuff is and how it ages. New stuff would be (probably) pasted to fit. Add natural deterioration and stir. …Sounds like a fun project!

Ok. Let's see . . .

Imagine a game where Aliens (Greys or other) come to Earth to rescue their long lost brethren (dead, alive or in stasis). They decide to storm the Bio Sciences Section of Area 51 and get them out. This keeps it simple, I guess, instead of storming the entire underground complex.

I think it would require the following:

Cryo Room(s) – For the Roswell crash "survivors"
Genetic Lab – For creating hybrids
Barracks
Medical Bay
Archive room(s)
Hallways

I would imagine the hallways would twist and turn somewhat. And that there should be some blast doors between the entrance and the ultimate destination (at the deepest point).

As for how to arrange those and the other rooms, I have no clue.

CC

Maybe I can adapt something like this for my uses:

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CC

There is an Osprey Fortress on US Missile systems which might include plans/cut-aways of underground systems.

Graham

To make something like this gameable and practical to build, I think you need to use printed floor plans along with whatever 3D elements are practical (doors, consoles, etc) – and have them laid out semi-randomly as the action progresses.

You don't have to account for the entire installation – just the areas that are important and accessible (not locked or destroyed depending on your scenario).

I agree with 6. This way you don't have to agonize over the layout. It also lends itself to solo games as well.
Besides, multiple plays of the same map allows players to learn optimal tactics…. no one wants that! It's the ignorant mistakes that make for great games.

Perhaps these might work for some of the surface structures?

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CC

I may be able to convert this simple tunnel diagram into 15mm (I hope):

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CC

Shouldn't be too hard, CC. Try a 20mm or 25mm square (assuming that you base your 15s on Pennies).

As an alternative, you can use SAE #10 washers (3/16" inside diameter, 1/2" outside), and use 1/2" squares.

Thanks, Lion! I'll come up with some calculations then.

I must also come up with above ground options that fit this look:

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CC

I imagine such a below-ground facility could be used as a defensive position against an attack by terminators too, right? Like "Crystal Peak" in Terminator 3?

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Contrast that with the more modern facility where the machines get their control first:

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What do you guys think?

CC

I agree with Number 6. Have rooms whihc 'move' with the combat. No point modelling rooms that will be cleared in Turn3. Simply move that Room module to the next encounter point.

I do this for recon games – where the terrain beyond the road gets laid only when there's action or if the recon troops are conducting a specific observation action to identify 'probable' ambush or cover terrain.

Cheers
Mark

"I imagine such a facility could be used as a defensive position against an attack by terminators too, right?"

Terminators, Greys, Soviet Paras, American Militia groups, Zombies – why not!

Cheers
Mark

Anyone seen this?

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CC

This could be useful:

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CC

The search for the right 15mm corridor/tunnel system continues . . .

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Dan

There is always foam core, textured styrene panels and paint. If you can make buildings out of the stuff, walls are a cinch.

how about plastic guttering with a floor added?
That woul give you that converted ww2 bunker/underground station look.

I guess I could try to build walls for a subterranean base, using this fictional research facility as a model:

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What do you guys think?

Dan

I JUST LOVE THIS!!!

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Dan

Oooo . . .

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Dan

I wonder if this modular cave/mine system could be used for underground base corridors too:

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Dan

Cool documentary on secret bunkers and tunnels:

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All that money and effort to build Greenbrier and keep it secret was wasted because of one reporter:

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Dan

This is a cool "tutorial" for underground shelters/bunkers:

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Dan

Suggestions for multi-level gaming:

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Dan

I would love to make something like this:

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Dan

CC

For layout, don't forget a canteen and kitchen and at elast one admin office.

Good point! Thanks.

I guess one could do a multilevel layout similar to SGC:

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Dan

Lots of cool links here, on a new thread started by 28mmMan:

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Dan

For layout, don't forget something more important than a canteen--the restroom!

Rob

Well said!!! Good thinking.

Thanks,

Dan

And I would think armed control points (kind of like in prisons, or the ward office in movie mental hospitals) would be a feature in something like that. You don't want people just wandering in to the areas they aren't cleared for.

QUESTION:

Would a secret base in Neuschwabenland have looked Cold-War-ish (nuke "proof") on the inside, if it had become a refuge after WWII?

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Dan

Great for gaming ideas, kinda scary for real life.

terravivos.com

Not to mention they forgot the folks who would do the real work, no one to clean the telephones.

But good for gaming ideas.

Lee

Other awesome miniature ideas here:

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Dan