Even with 90% of my wargames material in storage, I've still been scouring the Internet for game material and recently, while researching Harlequin's Invasion Earth Doctor Who miniatures game, I literally stumbled over the free Doctor Who Miniatures Game, by Graeme Dawson.
The game was not only slick and well-written, but a work of art to look at.
While Invasion Earth is long out of print (although still available from Black Tree Design, who took over Harlequin's range of 28mm Doctor Who figures), the Doctor Who Miniatures Game is still in its infancy, but already with an amazing and ever-expanding back catalogue of support material.
It was time to subject Graeme to Six Of The Best:
The game was not only slick and well-written, but a work of art to look at.
While Invasion Earth is long out of print (although still available from Black Tree Design, who took over Harlequin's range of 28mm Doctor Who figures), the Doctor Who Miniatures Game is still in its infancy, but already with an amazing and ever-expanding back catalogue of support material.
It was time to subject Graeme to Six Of The Best:
(1) Which came first for you: a love of Doctor Who or a passion for tabletop wargames? And what made you think of combining the two?
Tabletop Wargaming. Doctor Who was something that was occasionally on when I was growing up, I can sketchily remember various bits of Tom Baker, then more of the 5th, 6th and 7th Doctors.
By the time the series was wound up I'd pretty much lost interest, with other things (girls, being in various bands, beer etc.) seeming much more interesting. I fell into wargaming through Fighting Fantasy books, via boardgames like Talisman, Battlecars, and RPG's (Star Frontiers was the very first one I played).
Warlock magazine must have led to White Dwarf, which led to 2nd edition Warhammer Fantasy Battle. After years of mucking about gaming with mates, I opened a games store where a colleague (a BIG Who fan) found the Black Tree figures. Still it took years to get back into Doctor Who - I guess I needed a lot of persuasion.
Early in 2006 I had a forced three months off work (the store had long since imploded!), so decided to put both things together and give a game a go. I played Invasion Earth years ago at a wargames club I used to go to, but seriously wasn't impressed. Initially it was just some rules so myself and Richard could have some decent games with the miniatures. Which just does indeed go to show you can take anything too far.
(2) The question ever Doctor Who geek is asked: can you tell me your favourite Doctor, villains and storyline and, maybe, explain why you chose these particular ones?
Patrick Troughton, Cybermen, Spearhead From Space. I obviously was too young to see any Second Doctor stories, and for me it's a great shame so many episodes seem lost. He was such a change from William Hartnell - the hobo, yes, but a blusterer and a bit of a coward in a tight spot as well. Much more of a likable personality after Hartnell's crabby old man.
The Second Doctor also had some great companions, once Ben and Polly were written out. Pat and Frazer seem to have such a brilliant on (and off) screen relationship.
Barring stories like 'The Underwater Menace' and 'The Macra Terror' we had some great stories as well. Iconic stuff with the Daleks, Cybermen and Yeti for me make the late 60's my favourite period of Doctor Who.
The series got the whole monster thing down (mostly) quite successfully. Having said that, I think 'Spearhead From Space' is my all-time favourite story as, unlike a lot of them, there's absolutely no padding. Every line and scene is vital to the story, and is probably the most efficient set of episodes I've seen. I also think it's the best debut story any Doctor has had. Bear in mind I don't think I have seen even 50% of Doctor Who stories all told.
(3) When did you first start experimenting with the rules for The Doctor Who Miniatures Game, how long was it before you decided to publish them on the Internet, and how often do you still find time to play the game and test out new rules ideas?
The rules were started sometime mid-late February 2006. Richard and I playtested it a lot to get the obvious flaws ironed out, while I kept writing it.
When it was approaching 40 pages of PDF (I am a bit of a perfectionist, so banging it out as something like a Word document was never going to happen!) it seemed a shame to have done all that work for just two of us.
Initially I was going to advertise the game on my free web space, as a kind of 'post me a blank CD and I will burn you a copy', which was scarily unprofessional. Within a week of that idea I had axed it, and made the rules downloadable from the site.
Most of the initial changes to the rules were from a select gang of online gamer fans who spotted mistakes in profiles, or suggested better rules. Every week I was revising pages, and uploading new versions of the rules until they have more or less stabilised.
The one thing I'm unhappy with is that a lot of the stuff that goes out is unplaytested. Richard is the only person I game with, and we both work shifts in the same book shop, so getting time to game can be tricky. On the other hand, I am extremely contactable if I do write something that doesn’t play well, and only too happy to take criticism/ideas from anyone willing to give it.
(4) Obviously you are looking to adapt the monsters and storylines of every single TV episode into 'game format', but once you've done that are there plans to turn to turn your attention to the numerous comics and original novels for more inspiration?
The basic rules manage to cover a lot of episodes already with the profiles in the book. Most of the releases so far have been for stories where the miniatures are available, to expand what you can game with.
I might go back and do scenarios for some stories like 'Robot' or 'The Brain of Morbius' where the main antagonists have been covered in the basic rules, but anything like that will probably happen after I've done all the other episodes I want to do.
Every single TV episode is a lot of work... do they all merit it?
I did have plans to take the basic system and adapt it to two new genres: 1930's Pulp Adventures and 'Bubblegum Crisis / Dominion Tank Police' Mecha stuff, as I foolishly thought that when the basic game was done that was it, Doctor Who was more or less covered. How wrong. It would seem I have become a one trick pony.
Once I get the core rules extracted, Richard and anyone in the Yahoo! group can do what they like with them.
As to covering the novels, comics (Big Finish audio?) etc., I have to surprise you all and say I'm not the massive fan you seem to think I am. I only own two Big Finish audio CD's (Storm Warning & Shada) and have only read two original books, and zero comics. Oops. I might do stuff like 'Sting of the Zygons' if I get a chance, and if it's any good. I also have some original ideas of my own - 'Cold Fear' will be online in December - face the Wendigo in Alaska!
(5) The rules seem primarily geared towards small-scale skirmish games, what's the largest and most complex battle, or campaign, you have ever run with the system?
To be honest, Richard and I aren't overrun with Doctor Who miniatures, so the battle report that's on the site is possibly the biggest game we have ever played. I reckon the rules would stretch to about two dozen models per side possibly.
One day we will go large, and report back on our findings, if someone else doesn't beat us to it. The only campaign we have played was the 'Pyramids of Mars' one. The problem with spending a lot of your time working and writing rules is that time for painting and playing is reduced.
(6) As a Doctor Who fan, I expect your home is full of merchandise and memorabilia; which piece, or pieces, are you most proud of, and are there any that you still aspire to get your hands on?
Ha Ha! My home is surprisingly normal and NOT full of Doctor Who merchandise at all. There are clues here and there for those who manage to look in the right places, but I don't have a Dalek in the hall or a TARDIS in the back garden.
My most useful Doctor Who possession is the official BBC guidebook to the series, which I picked up four or five years ago. Before Wikipedia it was a great source of knowledge, and has only been read cover to cover about 1,000 times.
I am most proud of my DWMG 'Christmas Card' I put online in December. It looks quite sexy on 6x4 photo paper, but more importantly it marked the end of the first year the DWMG existed. The game was born, literally, by accident, and lots of people on The Miniatures Page foretold disaster and 'cease' notices from the BBC. The fact I could do that ‘thank you’ at all was a big thing.
If I could get my hands on something, it would have to be a Cyberman helmet. I do prefer old Doctor Who to the new, but the new Cybermen just look amazing! I'm still hoping....
Tabletop Wargaming. Doctor Who was something that was occasionally on when I was growing up, I can sketchily remember various bits of Tom Baker, then more of the 5th, 6th and 7th Doctors.
By the time the series was wound up I'd pretty much lost interest, with other things (girls, being in various bands, beer etc.) seeming much more interesting. I fell into wargaming through Fighting Fantasy books, via boardgames like Talisman, Battlecars, and RPG's (Star Frontiers was the very first one I played).
Warlock magazine must have led to White Dwarf, which led to 2nd edition Warhammer Fantasy Battle. After years of mucking about gaming with mates, I opened a games store where a colleague (a BIG Who fan) found the Black Tree figures. Still it took years to get back into Doctor Who - I guess I needed a lot of persuasion.
Early in 2006 I had a forced three months off work (the store had long since imploded!), so decided to put both things together and give a game a go. I played Invasion Earth years ago at a wargames club I used to go to, but seriously wasn't impressed. Initially it was just some rules so myself and Richard could have some decent games with the miniatures. Which just does indeed go to show you can take anything too far.
(2) The question ever Doctor Who geek is asked: can you tell me your favourite Doctor, villains and storyline and, maybe, explain why you chose these particular ones?
Patrick Troughton, Cybermen, Spearhead From Space. I obviously was too young to see any Second Doctor stories, and for me it's a great shame so many episodes seem lost. He was such a change from William Hartnell - the hobo, yes, but a blusterer and a bit of a coward in a tight spot as well. Much more of a likable personality after Hartnell's crabby old man.The Second Doctor also had some great companions, once Ben and Polly were written out. Pat and Frazer seem to have such a brilliant on (and off) screen relationship.
Barring stories like 'The Underwater Menace' and 'The Macra Terror' we had some great stories as well. Iconic stuff with the Daleks, Cybermen and Yeti for me make the late 60's my favourite period of Doctor Who.
The series got the whole monster thing down (mostly) quite successfully. Having said that, I think 'Spearhead From Space' is my all-time favourite story as, unlike a lot of them, there's absolutely no padding. Every line and scene is vital to the story, and is probably the most efficient set of episodes I've seen. I also think it's the best debut story any Doctor has had. Bear in mind I don't think I have seen even 50% of Doctor Who stories all told.
(3) When did you first start experimenting with the rules for The Doctor Who Miniatures Game, how long was it before you decided to publish them on the Internet, and how often do you still find time to play the game and test out new rules ideas?
The rules were started sometime mid-late February 2006. Richard and I playtested it a lot to get the obvious flaws ironed out, while I kept writing it.
When it was approaching 40 pages of PDF (I am a bit of a perfectionist, so banging it out as something like a Word document was never going to happen!) it seemed a shame to have done all that work for just two of us.
Initially I was going to advertise the game on my free web space, as a kind of 'post me a blank CD and I will burn you a copy', which was scarily unprofessional. Within a week of that idea I had axed it, and made the rules downloadable from the site.
Most of the initial changes to the rules were from a select gang of online gamer fans who spotted mistakes in profiles, or suggested better rules. Every week I was revising pages, and uploading new versions of the rules until they have more or less stabilised.
The one thing I'm unhappy with is that a lot of the stuff that goes out is unplaytested. Richard is the only person I game with, and we both work shifts in the same book shop, so getting time to game can be tricky. On the other hand, I am extremely contactable if I do write something that doesn’t play well, and only too happy to take criticism/ideas from anyone willing to give it.
(4) Obviously you are looking to adapt the monsters and storylines of every single TV episode into 'game format', but once you've done that are there plans to turn to turn your attention to the numerous comics and original novels for more inspiration?
The basic rules manage to cover a lot of episodes already with the profiles in the book. Most of the releases so far have been for stories where the miniatures are available, to expand what you can game with.
I might go back and do scenarios for some stories like 'Robot' or 'The Brain of Morbius' where the main antagonists have been covered in the basic rules, but anything like that will probably happen after I've done all the other episodes I want to do.
Every single TV episode is a lot of work... do they all merit it?
I did have plans to take the basic system and adapt it to two new genres: 1930's Pulp Adventures and 'Bubblegum Crisis / Dominion Tank Police' Mecha stuff, as I foolishly thought that when the basic game was done that was it, Doctor Who was more or less covered. How wrong. It would seem I have become a one trick pony.
Once I get the core rules extracted, Richard and anyone in the Yahoo! group can do what they like with them.
As to covering the novels, comics (Big Finish audio?) etc., I have to surprise you all and say I'm not the massive fan you seem to think I am. I only own two Big Finish audio CD's (Storm Warning & Shada) and have only read two original books, and zero comics. Oops. I might do stuff like 'Sting of the Zygons' if I get a chance, and if it's any good. I also have some original ideas of my own - 'Cold Fear' will be online in December - face the Wendigo in Alaska!
(5) The rules seem primarily geared towards small-scale skirmish games, what's the largest and most complex battle, or campaign, you have ever run with the system?
To be honest, Richard and I aren't overrun with Doctor Who miniatures, so the battle report that's on the site is possibly the biggest game we have ever played. I reckon the rules would stretch to about two dozen models per side possibly.One day we will go large, and report back on our findings, if someone else doesn't beat us to it. The only campaign we have played was the 'Pyramids of Mars' one. The problem with spending a lot of your time working and writing rules is that time for painting and playing is reduced.
(6) As a Doctor Who fan, I expect your home is full of merchandise and memorabilia; which piece, or pieces, are you most proud of, and are there any that you still aspire to get your hands on?
Ha Ha! My home is surprisingly normal and NOT full of Doctor Who merchandise at all. There are clues here and there for those who manage to look in the right places, but I don't have a Dalek in the hall or a TARDIS in the back garden.
My most useful Doctor Who possession is the official BBC guidebook to the series, which I picked up four or five years ago. Before Wikipedia it was a great source of knowledge, and has only been read cover to cover about 1,000 times.
I am most proud of my DWMG 'Christmas Card' I put online in December. It looks quite sexy on 6x4 photo paper, but more importantly it marked the end of the first year the DWMG existed. The game was born, literally, by accident, and lots of people on The Miniatures Page foretold disaster and 'cease' notices from the BBC. The fact I could do that ‘thank you’ at all was a big thing.
If I could get my hands on something, it would have to be a Cyberman helmet. I do prefer old Doctor Who to the new, but the new Cybermen just look amazing! I'm still hoping....
good pictures,Awesome blog!!!!!!!!!! check my ancient worldz out love to hear what any other bloggers think
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