Stagate SG-1 Miniatures Game & Diorama Project

I have been developing a miniatures game for well over a decade now, to build and play a Stargate SG-1 Miniatures Game! It’s a personal labor of love, with the end goal of having a game I can play, and maybe even host at conventions and game clubs. It is for personal ownership only and will not be marketed in any way.

This thread will specifically serve as the overall game and diorama project build thread. This is going to be a long project, and already traces its roots back some 15 years ago, so it’s a slow horse!!! My thought on this thread is to go through each of the games’ components, as they develop, from start to finish: I’ll start with the inspiration and genesis of the project and add in each element (miniatures and structures) to show a history of game development. I’ll maintain separate, complete build threads in this subforum, and post finish work threads in the main category. In this way, I hope to show a full log of a step-by-step method of building the entire game and the diorama it will play upon, along with the miniatures and accessories to be used in the miniatures game. As I finish each planned element (miniatures, temple, obelisks, village, etc.), you will be able to go to the specific subject threads on how they were made and what the final product of each looks like. 

INTRODUCTION

— “Welcome to Stargate Command. Please do not wander about the base unattended”

I'd seen a home-brewed miniatures game played out at the 2008 Origins Game Fair, in Columbus, Ohio, USA; by a guy named Art, who kept his information pretty close to the vest, managing to only glean a little info on where and whom he acquired his components and rules from. I was so impressed, I decided right then on the spot that I would go home and try to create a version of my own.

I won’t delve deeply into the rules of the game, other than to say that I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted in mechanics for play and what I wanted in game play. I have also looked at several systems already published by others to see what fits, in terms of mechanics; all games share theory and mechanics in some form or another, in varying combinations and execution. All game designers share in the practice of inspiration from others.

GAMES SYSTEM & RULES

I’ve a very basic set of rules developed and it’s a launching point. I’ve played a few playtests, which went well enough to convince me that I have the genesis down, which will be added to immensely over time.

 

 

My main resource will be a series of excellent Role Playing Game books; the Stargate: SG-1 Roleplaying Game, based on the TV series Stargate SG-1, which was released in 2003 by Alderac Entertainment Group (AEG). The game, based on AEG's Spycraft, uses the d20 System. Since Sony did not renew AEG's contract to publish the game, it is now out of print. It is the definitive resource that delves to the nuts and bolts of the Stargate SG-1 universe and canon — and whereas it”s way too in the weeds to use specifically, it can be used to figure out and fine tune the mechanics of my miniatures game version. I have the core hard cover rulebook, and managed to get my hands on PDFs of all the other books

 

Already started years ago, was my start in collecting the components I could still find from what I’d seen for the major components… the Stargate SGC soldiers.teams; I was smart enough back in 2008 to ask the fellow at Origins, where he purchased his miniatures. With that knowledge, I was able to buy the SG-1 Team of Col. Jack O’Neill, Dr. Daniel Jackson, Major Samantha Carter, Teal’c, and the latter Lt. Colonel Cameron Mitchell. I was also able to buy Jaffa, Goa’uld, and System Lords. From yet another manufacturer source, I use Battlefield Evolutions Marines (a defunct game system out of print/manufacture) as other SGC Teams. And from another source, I bought a Stargate! Many of these miniatures are no longer available or very hard to get, so I was fortunate to have the insight to buy while the products were around! I also added miniatures that would serve in the realm of the series, to depict townsfolk and alien combatants to ally with either the Stargate Command personnel or the System Lords.

Alongside the above miniature figures, I also collected a fair collection of accessories, such as obelisks, Egyptian structures and statues, and such… and even an Egyptian play set that the other designer used in his game!

INITIAL INSPIRATION - DIORAMA

As mentioned above, the genesis of this game was seeing a magnificent, home-brewed miniatures game at the Origins Games Fair in 2008. Here's a few pictures from around the time this game was played thers...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and some more pictures of the original game at Origins…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As you can see, there was a LOT of diorama here!!! Great inspiration. And I have quite a bit to recreate much of what you see here.

THE MAIN ATTRACTION!

The playset used in the game at 2008 Origins Game Fair was a playset from 2001, and I was able to buy one from eBay back in 2008 or 09. I can’t remember what I paid for it but it was probably at or a little over $50; copies are rare today and go for upwards of $125. Near as I can tell, the company that produced it was SOMA.

Its called Great Adventure of the Lost Kingdom, and is made from soft, hollow plastic for the big walls, and hard plastic for the rest. There are two, big statues, but I’m thinking they need modification to look less cartoonish. It was missing a few bits, the major stuff is there! I liked the idea of having a good foundation element to start from and build up from there. It’s the major building terrain element of the diorama.

Plans are to modify it with sheet styrene to fill in the columns that have open backs, some painting and weathering, and whatever modifications might be needed to make it look less “kiddie”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

As mentioned earlier, I’ve done a little playtesting and here’s a shot of one of those play sessions from not long ago…

 

It only uses on of the main components of the playset, as well a a couple of the statuary, but it shows how cool this playset can be as a starting diorama foundation element!

I'll rearrange and repurpose many of the items, and add other secondary market and scratchbuilt items to the overall temple. I'll probably enlarge the compound and fortifications, inner and outer village structures, and add accessories like wells and fountains. The front entrance to the playset is made of blow molded soft plastic, and is so soft it can be squished with the hand! The detail on it, and pretty much all of the components is somewhat juvenile, but it's a kid's set, after all! Options I'm considering include:

Option 1. Using it constructed as is, which its’ super thick walls, but it may prove unstable, so I've thought of weighing it down by pouring sand inside (there are injection holes in the molded piece so I could widen one and then fill it with sand, and then seal the hole). 

Option 2. Cut the walls in half, trim to thinner halves and re-glue them back together. I doubt I'll go with this option and stick with the above instead. Either way, I know if I airbrush, hand paint, and weather the heck out of it, it will be more passable in realism. 

The detail in the molded artwork is actually quite nice as is! The two statues are nice, but the heads especially are very cartoonish... I might not use these at all; but if  do, they will need alterations, which may or may not be doable in the soft plastic they are made from.

 

…yeah. Pretty bold tablecloth! …that will NOT be part of the diorama!

 

There are two large walls that flank back from the main entrance wall. Again, we're talking thicker than maybe realistic, but that depends on their use. They also suffer the same instability issues as the main entrance, but not to as drastic a degree. The option I am thinking about for these two walls is opposite of the main entrance, which is to actually widen them! "What?!?", you say! Here me out! If you look on the entrance front wall, there is a main gate in the center, which you find on most fortified forts; but notice there are two side doors... why would they be there? To me, they look to serve as Guard posts (and used secondary for large crowd gatherings). With that in mind, Option 1 would be to make inner open faced stalls fr markets or military weapons storage, or closed storage bays. Option 2 would be to widen them more and make enclosed entrance tunnels, though I haven't worked out why you would need them, execpt for a better weapons storage thing...the latter 'tunnel walkways make for great miniature bottleneck movements!

 

 

As you walk into the inner courtyard, you reach the sacred temple. This is all in hard plastic and has some awesome detail, including massive doors and hidden treasure floor vaults. As cool as the setup is, I doubt I'll use it like that. What I'm thinking of doing is, using the walled outer walls elsewhere, and placing a rood on it; and using the inner temple throne area in another area, scratchbuilding a Goa’uld sarcophagus regeneration device area attuned specifically for the System Lord's use only.

 

 

 

So there you have the playset, and what will be design foundation items to start with and build on.

As for miniatures that are specifically of the Stargate television series, I started with these 28mm Jaffa warriors that I purchased and painted back in 2009 (there’s a thread in the build log section on how these were assembled and painted). Made by Phoenix Miniatures in the UK, they are no longer made, and scarcely available on the secondary markets, which makes them highly sought after and extremely valuable, both acquisition and money-wise. The few that I've seen have run about $50 for one miniature figure each! I paid probably around $10 each blister pack, and I believe I got them from Cold War Miniatures. 

I got a couple packs of the Jaffa Warriors with Skullcaps...

 

A First Prime, which is a leader of a Jaffa Squad...

 

And one Jaffa Warrior with Heavy Cannon...

 

These are currently completed… You can go to the main category for finished pictures of how they came out.

I also bought some 28mm Goa'uld Serpent Guards from Phoenix Miniatures…

 

I was lucky to find the SG-1 Team themselves, also from Phoenix Miniatures…

 

And a 28mm Stargate from Cold War Miniatures…

 

Recently, I found some 3D printing Stargate series stuff online...two being pieces I do not have, which is a DHD (Dial Home Device) used to activate the Stargate, and Goa'uld Hawk Guards! The third item is a super-detailed set of the Stargate SG-1 Team. Yes, I ordered all three items!!! My reasoning was, I didn't have two of them...dah; and for the SG-1 Team, I'm thinking it wouldn't be a bad idea to have figures that stand out (because of their superior detail from Phoenix ICONs') and there are different options in poses. These are coming in from Finland, Hungary, and somewhere else    ...and of course, scheduled to arrive when I'm away on vacation  

First is an upscaled version of what I had for the actual SG-1 Team...

 

The other item is a squad of Goa'uld Hawk Guards, which I did not have...

 

The last item is a DHD (Dial Home Device), which I did not have. This is the device located next to a Stargate, used to dial a destination event horizon...