"What kind of aliens do you want to see in a game?" Topic

"No Stars in Sight" is ticking along and the time to figure out aliens is coming within sight (pun!)

Obviously gotta have the xenomorph/bug swarms as an option but what kind of archetypes would people like to see?

The intention is to have maybe five or six "ready to use" aliens, then a system of alien traits people can use as inspiration to build their own.

If you are not producing your own figure range, then analogues of existing ranges is your best bet. A quick look through Khurasan's extensive range would be a good start. Also, Loud Ninja Games' Space Raptors.

I don't think there'd be a market for mis-shapen lumps of metal, so no miniatures from me :-)
Good suggestion though.

personally I have long asked for aliens, as in something that is alien, and not something earthlike.

So radially symmetrical, hexapod, slither, tentacle, etc,

but they have to be not jellyfish, or squid, or octopus, or beach ball, or starfish, or half wolf, or lizard.

they have to be alien.

My favourite SF character that is not done yet

x42

Maddaz – I'll try to get soemthing really weird in there, though it becomes problematic because miniatures manufacturers tend not to make that.

x42 – Try looking at the Edofleini from Bombshell Minis:

Comes pretty close!

In 6mm there are some nice ones out there (Exodus Wars, DRM, CinC, Onslaught, MicroWorld, TMG, Zombiesmith, GZG, Darkests Star and more to come (CinC, Khurasan, Onslaught). BTW, here's a list I did on Tac Cmd a few months back … GZG makes Bugs like seen in SST, and Kra'Vak that look llittle like Predator aliens. DRM – Andrayadas = Androids , Kraytonians = High tech Lizardmen, Skyth = Bugs. Exodus Wars – Tarragin = Feral Lizardmen , Gurden = "Demonic Dragons" , Edenites = Androids & Zombies , Khazari = Space Dwarves/"Squats". CinC/PFC – Felids = Cat people , Ha-Lu-Ki – large 4 armed "frogs'' , Raptors = High tech Lizardmen , Marthak (Fishmen) & Cyborgs (Yellow 1-eyed Minions) = humanoid Aliens, Gastater = humanoid Aliens (with weird helms), Alien Mercs = see here : link … MicroWorld – Kreen = Wasp and Frog type aliens , Lizard Riders = Exodite types , Beastkin = High Tech Bovine Aliens. Onslaught – Avians = Hawkmen aliens , Legion = Hybrid Cultists aliens , Okami = Very Hi-tech humaniod aliens, Sectnids = Hornet/Wasp like bug aliens. Plasmablast Games – Orbital Combine = Robots/Androids. Zombiesmith – Quar = Upright Ant Eater type aliens in WWI/Early WWII regalia. Darkest Star – Khiff = Upright Canine aliens in PA . Brigade – Cimexian = Bugs/Slug/slimy type aliens. Baccus/Command Horizen[sold to another company ?] – Alien Centaur-like creatures and worms. Troublemaker Games – Skinners & Gobblers = Redskin bald brutish ape/monkey like aliens , Eloi = pointy-eared big headed hi-tech aliens …

Flick through "Barlowes Guide to Extraterrestrials" and note well the Lithians, Cygnostik, Ruml, Radiates, and Cinruss. Believe it or don't but the Polarians have already been done in 6mm by QT Models back in the day.

There's always the Known Space bunch:

link

The Moties from Niven/Pournelle, too:

posleen

link

The 'Lovecraftian' mimics from 'Edge of Tomorrow' are really cool…

The more traditional anthropomorphic alien invaders from 'Battle Los Angeles' and 'Battleship' are kinda cool too…

I'll second the Battle L.A. invaders. Especially that four-legged support weapon and the hover saucer.

Just give me a bunch of traits, I'll roll my own.

I like the idea of basic core types/shapes/genius of alien types from all the core alienverces, then either a bolt on or roll system to either add to the core traited aliens or a roll up for the more radical of us (also its always fun_ remember the original demon books from GW in the 80s "realms of" :) I know you'll get the idea right anyway 'you got it perfectly in 5Parsecs)
Actually I wouldn't mind someone actually doing miniatures for Los Angeles,Battle ship and of course my favourite District 9.
As long as you get the basics. Movement, size, intelligence, basic fighting style, how hard to kill, and a few other core shaping markers, then bring in a list that makes them alien as traits (the thing that makes them alien is not so much the shape or weapons but how we humans would perceive their ways of interacting,fighting or such- one of my favourites is that they fight only in sets pattens of numbered groups like 5s or 8s split into 4s or that one member of the group goes in as an expendable)
Anyway ideas like that start making them different to human-humans, remembering even human types can be seen as aliens, example the 'greys' of common knowledge, how would we be able to play them different to humans.
Finally the aliens do need all that cool kit similar but perhaps slightly superior to humanity (not always) and as always that fun way you set it all together Nordic.
Can't wait Cheers
PS I think you could give us a list/dice roll list of Universes to give us an idea of where humanity is in an alternate time line too. Normal with aliens attacking earth, first contact in the stars, universal wars, and a nice battleground location in these worlds.
Cheez have I forgotten anything :+) oh again those Los Angeles ect. miniatures, anyone? (I'll take scratch build ideas?)

Something like this beastie.

Always like the Skaarj and their similarity to the Predators, only more likely to use heavier weapons.

Here's another vote for including examples drawn from some of the existing alien ranges that actually have models, namely: Khurasan, GZG, Rebel, Ion Age, Loud Ninja, Critical Mass, even the 'Harook' from Mad Robot, or 'Quar' from Zombiesmith. Crazy, non-anthropomorphic aliens are fun, but I'd prefer what I can actually buy and put on the table.

As for archtypes (some might overlap): AI/Robot, hivemind, slavers (masters with enslaved minions), zombie/infectious, tunneling/teleporting, feral/animalistic, self-reparing/respawning. Mechanically speaking, examples of types that interact uniquely with the command/leadership, activation, morale, movement, wounding, and/or combat systems. And yes, ultimately a nice list of traits so I can mix and match to create my own.

punkrabbitt returns 23 Nov 2014 11:22 a.m. PST:

If you are not producing your own figure range, then analogues of existing ranges is your best bet. A quick look through Khurasan's extensive range would be a good start

Sadly, I agree in principle -- originality doesn't sell especially if you aren't going to be supporting the game with a line of miniatures (or, as it is more traditionally understood to go, vice versa). Not sure about the best miniatures source to lift from but since it looks like this is not going to be a 28mm game, that rather rules out the overwhelmingly obvious choice of miniature lines to incorporate -- Games Workshop -- anyway.