"Planning To Finally Game "THE THING" In 15mm?" Topic

Will YOU be the one to finally game "The Thing"?
Are YOU ready to be the first to give it a try?
Will YOU open the way for the rest?

If so, there are at least 3 areas you will need to to look at more deeply:

1) What terrain (station and iced areas)?
2) What figures (winter dressed)?
3) What rules?

I might be able to give some pointers on the first, particularly the station. But the other 2 points will have to be discussed among you guys here.

THE OUTPOST 31 STATION -

Here are a few diagrams for your use, though I have yet to figure out the full extent of the station's footprint:

Source: link

And, for a more 3-D feel, here are some computer reconstructions:

link

link

THE NORWEGIAN STATION -

Source: link

The director of The Thing (2011) apparently used that Norwegian station map for his film.

At 1:45 in this clip of the 1982 film, you see the very first time the Norwegian station is shown:

YouTube link

I'll keep looking for more maps, etc. of the Norwegian Station. For now, here's some info and ideas on that:

TMP link
TMP link

So, I hope this gives you a little head start on your project. Hope to finally see someone give it a shot.

NOTE: There's no telling how long those pics and links will be functional. So, if you are planning on taking on this project, now is your time to start a folder with pics, diagrams and other notes.

Have fun!

Dan
PS. More information and ideas available here:
link
link
boardgamegeek.com/blog/1162
outpost31.com/index2.html
TMP link
TMP link

I've been toying with the idea of doing this and for rules I thought that Strange Aeons might make a good fit. Clearly there's some need for a mechanism on top to deal with players getting infected, etc, but I'm sure it's doable.

I believe the time has come… should I start some sort of Blog thingy to keep track of this idea that I have?

Seems to be all the rage these days…

Thing, Blog, Blog thingy…..yes! Assimilate everything!

I used GZG civilians and some putty they work great They also have 1 pack of troops in winter gear.
link

One more detail . . .

Check out this map of Outpost 31, from a fan-made game:

Source: link

And are some pics of the Norwegian station as they filmed the 2011 version:

link

Of course, the goal is to finally see someone make this (or the Norwegian station) into a miniature gaming terrain.

TMP link

Dan

I have men in parkas with a variety of firearms, including a few military (that is, a SAW and a flamethrower), and two strange monsters which are being moulded right now, I was supposed to get the castings at the beginning of the month but there's been a delay, hope to get them mid-late month.

By the way, apropos of nothing, the sentrybots, armed versions of the robot from the DPLS crew, are in the same batch so hope to have them available by March too….

Woohoo! Khurasan – most awesome.

I'm still painting the Space Demons I got off you a month or two ago, really need to get my proverbial in gear…

Lemme know when they are out!

@bandit86 – nice conversions!

Here's the link for GZG Scandinavian Federation minis in winter gear:

link

This thread reminds me, there was a series of comics that were sequels to the original Carpenter "Thing," and about 2.5 years ago (!) I promised Dan that I'd type up the basic plots and post them here on TMP. Well, I think it's high time I did just that, so look for those write-ups in the next day or so. Sorry about the delay, Dan!

@TheCount: Cheers for that! They'll be on my GZG order no doubt about it!

I think I've got a pack of Civvies (pack A) and 2x Civvies with Guns (pack A) on order at the moment so when they are done, these will be next on the list!

ISDBlues: "Seems to be all the rage these days… "

Then this is the perfect time for miniature figure manufacturers to let everyone know what they plan to do to make the most of that "rage".

If they are smart, they'll realize that the timing is right for making winter-dressed figures, BOTH armed and unarmed.

Don't you think?

By the way, here are some 1982 "shooting plans" for the Norwegian station:

thething.ca/shootingplans.html

Dan

Indeed.

I'm currently painting up figs for gaming: The Thing, Alien/s, Star Wars (w Blasters & Bulkheads rules), Fallout-esque and even thinking about Star Trek, all in 15mm.

I think I will start a blog to keep track of it all or I'll lose the will!

hi-ho, hi-ho, it's off to blog I go…

Try the board game Panic Station, I believe the rules available online. Very "the thing", but players need to get into the spirit of the game.

ISDBlues,

If there's anything you need me to dig up, let me know. That can be my contribution.

I might not be currently in a position to make this project my own, but I'm willing to help anyone else who might have the drive and stamina to make a miniature version of this a reality.

I would love to see a step-by-step of how this was made, or if someone is actually producing it:

link

Dan

Jeez Dan.
Just when I thought I'd put that game to rest, you gotta bring all of this up again and get my creativity going…
thanks….

Cheers Dan, I'll let you know!

With any luck I'll have some time tomorrow night to get a blog up and running and at least get some content up over the weekend.

Got a day off on Monday as well so should be able to give it a good bash then too. Will get some civvies painted up and let's see how it goes!

@ khurasanminiatures

That's great news!

CC… that "Thing" looks to be assembled from parts from the GW chaos marine and chaos Spawn sprues. Probably melded together on a greenstuff torso.

Ooo, that sounds do-able!!!

Thanks, Leidang.

By the way, I almost forgot this The Thing boardgame:

link

I'm sure that someone here can turn some of those ideas into something useful for miniature gaming.

Also, as mentioned above, unarmed 15mm versions of the miniatures are a must (or with improvised weapons), as these that Ebob produced in 28mm a long while back:

Dan

Gaming The Thing is something I want to do. A worthy endevour for me in 28mm. Though I could see someone else doing it in 15mm. It would be a good deal easier I think.

If only I could get my hands on some of those Outpost 31 figures!

Regardless of scale, I believe that one of the hardest things would be to incorporate some sort of hidden body-snatcher mechanism into the rules.

MacReady: "Somebody in this camp ain't what he appears to be. Right now that may be one or two of us. By spring, it could be all of us."

Childs: "So, how do we know who's human? If I was an imitation, a perfect imitation, how would you know it was really me?"

Dan
TMP link

Thomas,
Have you seen the Regiment Games Ice Station Zebra miniatures.

regimentgames.

They have some possibility I would think.

I just cannot believe any of this voodoo .

I love that line!

Childs had some good ones in the film.

Dan

I did a bunch of vfx work for the 2011 version of The Thing. I would love to see the station realized in 28mm scale.

I'm too busy building my District 9 diorama at the moment though!

By the way:

anotherworld15mm.blogspot.com

Just getting it up and running for now, will get some tiday content on there soon!

Awesome ISDBlues! Can't wait to see what you post next.

QUESTION:

Guys, based on the maps provided in the initial posts, about how big across would you say is Outpost 31?

In case this helps a little with your calculations . . .

"Front shot of the Outpost, taken from atop Mac's Shack"

"Construction picture taken from behind the Outpost"

link

Thanks,

Dan

Cheers Dan, I plan to get a few more colour tests done on the GZG civvies before going for it properly with Thing related content!

I finally typed up the Dark Horse comic sequels to Carpenter's movie. You cna find the write-ups here: TMP link

Enjoy!

J,

I'm gonna take some time tonight and go through the notes. Looks awesome.

Thanks so much!

Dan

This is killing me, I would REALLY like to do this, but will wait for the Khurasan Minis…must..be..patient…

Dathbain,

Then start work on the terrain now!

Build it and they will come. :)

Dan

Dan – do me a favour, have a look at my blog and let me know which bases look better – picked up some different basing material earlier thought I'd try it out…

Cheers!

With 15mm, my suggestion is to definitely go with the smaller "Moon" rocks, with a little tiny bit of sand in between.

You don't often come across ground that has rocks so evenly sized, so more finely crushed rock or a tiny bit of sand might break up that uniformity.

As for color preference, it all depends on what climate you want to evoke. I always feel that gray gives the impression of coldness, whereas tans remind me of warmth.

Dan

Cheers Dan, need to work a bit on them I think. Might stick to the Grey for the alien-esque ones and the desert tones for the B&B ones.

Now to work on snow bases…

Thanks for the Dark Horse comic sequels write up jpattern2 its much appreciated. :)

Sure thing. Hope some gamers find them useful.

Plus, now they're archived here on TMP for posterity. :)

JP,

Great work, without a doubt.

Thanks so much.

Dan
PS. By the way, this site has several nice pics:
link
link

Guys,

Check out this map for a polar station:

link

Dan

Guess what castings I got into stock yesterday?

Exterminators in vac suits….
Federal police….

And ….

Men in parkas with guns!

Unfortunately the caster has not yet got to the strange Antarctic monsters, but apparently they are in the queue for casting soon. Also plan to make US army rangers in parkas to add to my modern warfare line, who can be the cavalry in the scenario (or, perhaps more likely, the way to introduce the thing to the wider world…).

Interesting idea!… My 15mm dogsleds are heading to the Polar Station… ;)

TMP link

I am willing to know what rules would you use? What type of game are you thinking about?

for armed men in parkas, QRF have modern US infantry in Artic gear.
link

and
link

Only M16 armed for now. I've just painted some up, so I'll try and get them online shortly.

Guys,

Check out this other map:

link

link

Enjoy!

Dan

Maybe someone from this hidden Antarctic base also found the UFO that carried The Thing:

TMP link
TMP link

Dan

Or within some other Cold-War base?

TMP link

Dan

OMG. You guys need to watch this!!!

YouTube link

Dan

where the H*ll did you find that? That is so cool. Is it your own work?

I wish I had come up with it!

Found it while looking for images and such.

link

Dan