Hobby Preview: Monsters and Tomb of Dracula

10/07/2024

In today’s transmission, Atomic Mass Games Creative Director Dallas Kemp shares an in-depth look at the Tomb of Dracula and hobby tips.

When monsters rise…you need some sweet terrain to show them off! The Tomb of Dracula Terrain set is designed to be a centerpiece to your collection. We wanted to create the classic tomb and have a piece of terrain that can showcase the monsters and Dracula. The first step to the design was to create an overall shape and silhouette that captures the gothic vibe of Drac’s tomb and be able to tell a story around the four minis in the Monsters Unleashed set. We knew we wanted a castle with multiple levels and a full terrain experience. We went through a few designs but landed on the circular shape with the spiral stairs to allow our monsters to be fully viewed in the scene. Each level has a smaller platform to accommodate the base of the minis (even Moon Knight if you are feeling cheeky).

The next element that we fell on is the stained-glass window in the stairwell. We had a few designs that we went through, but landed on the idea of Dracula to of course have a giant stained-glass image of himself constructed in his domicile.

The center of Dracula’s deepest dungeon has his sarcophagus and great treasures. During the sculpting phase, we decided to add an ancient tome as an option as well. Perhaps Dracula finally retrieved the Darkhold for the Montesi Formula within!

More set dressing was added, including the tapestries, piles of treasure, and the steel-barred dungeon.

When it came time to paint the set, we had our intrepid painter Brendan Roy work on this one. He was able to create a beautiful atmosphere with the stonework by adding subtle colors and focusing on the lighter areas where the light would pass through the stained glass. Speaking of the stained glass, Brendan was able to really capture the grandeur of Drac’s image with clever use of very translucent paints over a light base coat.

Once painted, the tomb becomes a fantastic centerpiece to a thematic game of MCP set in the dark forests of Transylvania or maybe a crumbling castle set in the Dark Dimension! With a little hobby prowess, the parts can be easily converted to create several small pieces as well if that is more in line with your needs.

Additionally, you can use your tomb to display your monsters in their fully painted glory! Your granny will love it when she visits.

That’s all for today’s deep dive into Monsters and Tomb of Dracula. Be sure to check back for more previews on new and upcoming releases for Marvel: Crisis Protocol. The Monsters Unleashed Character Pack, Tomb of Dracula Terrain Pack, and more are available for pre-order or purchase at your local game store or through the webstore. Thanks for joining!

Until next time, Atomic Mass Games, signing off!