Stargate Project: SG-1

For years I have wanted to do a project based on the Stargate movie/tv shows, specifically Stargate SG-1 which aired from 1997-2007.  It is available to stream free on demand at PlutoTV.  Over the years I've collected miniatures for this project.  When I was considering what game to run at Historicon 2025, I decided that I was finally ready to take the plunge.  I will be using the 7TV rules, one of my favorite rulesets which is perfect for this type of large skirmish game.

I decided the first task was to paint the forces of Stargate Command, based under Cheyenne Moutain, Colorado.  I painted them during the winter of 2024-25.  I used green uniforms with black equipment as that is the most common uniform worn in the show, though they occasionally wear khaki or black.  Part of my research is rewatching the entire series.

SG1 (l-r): Teal'c, Daniel Jackson, Colonel Jack O'Neill, General Hammond, and Major Samantha Carter.  You can't do a stargate game without the stars of the show.  Hasslefree makes these and as usual with their miniatures, they did a good job depicting the actors.  I did have to paint the Apophis symbol on Teal'c's forehead freehand and I wish he was carrying his staff weapon.  All of these were one piece except for Daniel's pistol arm.

                                                    A close-up of O'Neill & Carter

Teal'c & Daniel Jackson

General Hammond in his most frequent pose, exasperated that SG-1 isn't following orders.

I wanted more teams of 4-5 miniatures each so started looking at modern 28mm manufacturers.  Then I remembered that I had 2 sprues of Warlord/Wargames Factory Modern Military.  I bought them years ago during a $1 sprue sale along with some zombies and had nearly forgotten I had them.  Warlord marketed them as part of their Project Z range which has disappeared from their website.  Each sprue has 4 miniatures so that would give me 2 more teams.  They are not the most detailed miniatures, but I already had them and there are a lot of weapon and head options on thesprue.  I painted one team with black helmets and one team with green helmets to make them visually distinct.  With the limited color palette, these painted up quickly.  I painted the badge with their team number on the upper right arm but it hard to see in the photos.  There are several websites that list the various SG teams along with known members as they appeared on the show.

SG-3, a Marine team led by Major Castleman.

SG- 6, an Air Force team led by Lt. Colonel Barnes.

I used some Crooked Dice X-Commando miniatures for a 4th team.  I have more of these that I painted in black uniforms back in 2017.  I got them out and touched them up so that I could use them as well depending on the size of the scenario: Old X-Commandos.  I haven't given them a team number, perhaps the second iteration of SG-10, whose original members were lost in a black hole.

The full SGC force.

What will be next in this project?  The villainous Goa'uld.

28mm Moderns

Today's post features some miniatures that I started painting at the end of July 2024 and finished in fall 2024.  I recently got them out for photos on a sunny winter day.  I will use them primarily for my 7TV games.

Three American Agents from Brigade Games Cold War era Spies and Patriots range.  These will be part of my Miami VIce collection, hence the bright colors.  I didn't have any female undercover detectives, so these are a nice addition.  I think the one on the right is a good match for Gina Calabrese, one of the original cast.  I am still on the lookout for a miniature to use as Trudy.

Three Female Armed Civilians from Brigade's WW2 range.  These are useful miniatures that can serve in plenty of modern to post-apocalyptic scenarios.

 Two miniatures from Crooked Dice.  On the left is a police officer or well-dressed criminal, on the right is a post-apocalypse raider.

 A giant post-apocalypse mutant also from Crooked Dice.  It is hard to find size XXXXXXL shirts in the apocalypse.  He will smash you with his mighty fists!

The entire group.  You can see how large the mutant is compared to the others.

Historicon 2024 & New Work in Process

I made my usual road trip to Historicon again this year.  I had a great time seeing many old friends, playing in a lot of fun games, and selling some things in the flea market.  It is a great location and my kids and I are already looking forward to 2025.

Starting at the top left and moving clockwise:

(1) a pack of 8 Gripping Beast Illyrian infantry fro Saga.  These weren't on my shopping list, but my son won a gift card from Waterloo Games playing in a Napoleonic naval game and I picked these up from their booth. 

(2) Two jars of Howard Hues paint to replace colors that I am low on.

(3) Three packs of North Star wire spears bought from Brigade Games.

(4) Two of the free convention miniature, a famous spaghetti western cowboy (provided by Brigade).

(5) Two packs from Brigade, Female Armed Civilians from their WW2 range and American Agents from their Cold War era Spies and Patriots range.

(6) A 3D  car and van from Diabolical Terrain.  My friend Mike has painted a lot of their products and I can always use a few more vehicles.

Post-Historicon, I needed a change of pace after painting 7 ancient and dark age armies for Saga in the last 11 months.  I've started work on a group of 15 28mm miniatures for my 7TV and Doctor Who games.  I have had some of these for a long time and it will be good to get them painted.

I like working on a mix of themes at once, it helps to maintain my interest if I hit a roadblock on one of them.  Starting at the front left, there is a police officer in the front rank with a post-apocalypse raider behind (Crooked Dice).  Next are the 6 agents and civilians I bought at Historicon.  They are usable for a lot of things, and 2 of them are earmarked to join my Miami Vice project since I don't have any female officers.  On the right are the 1st Doctor, 7th Doctor and Ace from Black Tree and the War Doctor from Heresy Miniatures.  The back rank are all from Crooked Dice, a giant post-apocalypse mutant and 2 crab-like creatures.

28mm Characters for 7TV

 Today's post consists of a batch of 28mm miniatures from Crooked Dice for use in their game 7TV.  I bought them during their not-Salute sale in April 2020 and I painted them during lockdown in fall 2020 when I needed a change of pace in between batches of Early Saxons for Saga.  Their miniatures are generally a pleasure to paint.  These are are all for use in the Spy-fi version of the game, which is my favorite, covering everything from James Bond to Doctor Who.  Crooked Dice is scheduled to release a 7TV:Fantasy set in 2021 if fantasy is your thing. The names in the photo notes are from the CD catalogue.

These are two of my favorite minis from Crooked Dice.  The first time I saw the Tomorrow Person (l) in his late 70s/early 80s outfit he immediately reminded me of the classic horror movie 'Scanners' (1981), in particular the early scene when the evil scanner Revok (played by Michael Ironside) makes a weaker scanner's head explode during a demonstration.  Click Scanners Head Explosion for a video clip and watch the whole movie later.  If you haven't seen it you should.  If you've seen it before, watch it again.  You know you want to!  The prototypical Action Hero (r) is seen in a myriad of 70s-80s action movies.  The only question is whether he will defeat evil with his fist or his gun?

Darius, the Man from 2000 can come with an optional resin base surrounded by floating timepieces.  I got just the miniature, mainly because I did not want to paint all the clock faces..  At first I was not sure how to attach it to a base, since he is 'floating' with little surface to attach and the brass rod I normally use for pinning was too thick..  After getting some suggestions from fellow gamers, I used a pin vise to drill into the base of one foot and also into a slottabase, then cut a sewing pin to the right length and superglued it all together.  I left his eyes blank because I thought he looked creepier that way.  Is he a fraud or are his powers real?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

The Crow King (l) is from CD's range of rural horror miniatures.  Think 'The Wicker Man', which I watched again recently and thoroughly enjoyed.  I went through several methods for his all-black outfit, starting with contrast Black Templar.  I didn't like the look it gave over such a large area, so next I applied a coat of black ink.  Last was a drybrush of Army Painter Necromancer Cloak (except for the crow).  The Cultist Dog Handler (r), sans dog in this photo, will go nicely with my collection of attack dogs.  

Crime Boss Tony 'King Tut' Tuttle (l) and Detective (r).  I already have a group of criminals and every crime syndicate needs a boss.  Of course, he is in a suit and doesn't get his hands dirty; that is what his lackeys are for.

Two more police officers on the lookout for lawbreakers  I painted the one with the pistol a long time ago and think I posted him then, but pulled him out of storage to go with the other police.

The obligatory group shot.  Say fromage!

28mm Post-Apocalypse

Back with more 28mm post-apocalypse miniatures from my collection.  I had to skip my intended post for this week due to some picture issues, luckily I had already taken these earlier in May.  All of these were painted in early 2019 for my games using the rules sets 7TV: Apocalypse and Across the Dead Earth.

(l) A friendly neighborhood doctor from Brigade Games.  Based on his expression and what he is holding in his right hand the nickname "Sawbones" seems more than appropriate.  An apple a day might be a better option than his treatment.
(r) One of my favorite miniatures, from Hasslefree.  This ski-mask-wearing, axe- and machete-wielding terror is perfect for leading a crazed band of wasteland marauders.  The model comes with two heads, but the other one doesn't have a mask so why would you use it?

 

(l) Robot gunslinger from Crooked Dice.  In my games I have used him as a creation of the Engineers Guild who work to preserve the knowledge of the old days.  The Engineers are lightly-armed so this gives them some muscle.
(r) Elvis from Studio Miniatures.  Is he the real thing or an imposter?  I have used him in several scenarios as the leader of the Cult of the King, with numerous hooded minions obeying his every command.  For my oil rig game at Historicon 2019 I painted a white and red boat named Hound Dog to ferry his troops.  This post wouldn't be complete without a link to Mojo Nixon's song Elvis is Everywhere: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_3eQBMycfA

 

This father-son duo definitely have a Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome vibe; from Crooked Dice.

 

Two more Mad Max inspired models from Crooked Dice; (l) Road Warrior marauder and (r) Fury Road's Imperator Furiosa.  I couldn't get her face to look right with the black facepaint from the movie so I gave up but it still doesn't look right to me.  I may try to repaint it black again someday.

 

(l) Hacker with a small body but a giant brain and (r) scout with sniper rifle from Crooked Dice.

 

(l) Town marshal keeping law and order and (r) a heavy gunner in case of trouble; from Crooked Dice.

 

Gas Mask Girl from Worlds End, who make the This Is Not A Test P-A rules and an associated range of miniatures.  The arms and weapons bag come separately and include another right arm holding an assault rifle.

 

The obligatory group shot.