MINI WARGAMING: "DCP Is Almost Back!" (Lucky 13 November 2007)

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TOP: DCP's new Desert Mat System...

...pictured with 28mm Starship Troopers minis from Mongoose Publishing.

Hi All,

If you're a long-time OGRE player (...a classic 6mm sci-fi game with a cult following originally designed by THE Steve Jackson) then the name Daryl C. Phillips probably rings a bell... and if not, DCP or Detail Casting Products almost invariably does. DCP cast the resin terrain that was incredibly popular when OGRE Miniatures came out in the 1990s. And now Darryl is gearing up to return to the miniatures gaming zone such as his new Desert Mat System prototype pictured throughout this post which will hopefully soon come into production...

TOP: The Desert Mat System is compact for storage and travel.

This was the DCP line for SJG's OGRE:

DCP created resin structures for Ogre in 1992 and 1993. It was a one-man company; modeling, moldmaking, casting, and everything else was done by the incredible Darell Phillips. It eventually became more work than he could handle. The masters and molds now belong to SJ Games, and someday this line may be available again.

Command Post (Paneuropean) (DCP-151).
- Top: Design by Winchell Chung as interpreted by Darell Phillips; sculpting by Darell Phillips.
Hardened Command Post (Paneuropean) (DCP-152).
- Top: Design by Winchell Chung as interpreted by Darell Phillips; sculpting by Darell Phillips.
Jamscreen (Paneuropean) (DCP-153).
- Top: Design and sculpting by Darell Phillips.
Satellite Dish (Paneuropean) (DCP-154).
- Top: Design and sculpting by Darell Phillips. Uses the same base as the jamscreen, but the dish is round and the jamscreen is basically square.
Laser Turret (Paneuropean) (DCP-155).
- Top: Design by Steve Jackson, sculpting by Darell Phillips.
Laser Tower (Paneuropean) (DCP-156).
- Top: Design by Steve Jackson, sculpting by Darell Phillips.
Crater Pack (DCP-157).
- Top: Design and sculpting by Darell Phillips. Two large and eight small craters.
Small Bridge (DCP-158).
- Top: Design and sculpting by Darell Phillips.
Highway Bridge (DCP-159).
- Top: The same length as the small bridge, but double the width - wide enough for an Ogre. Design and sculpting by Darell Phillips.

And here's Darryl's bio:

I have been in the hobby of miniatures gaming for about 30 years...

...and crossed over into the "supply-side" of the hobby as one of the early sculptors of masters for Star Fleet Battles miniatures. For fans of that game, I made up the Klingon D5, the Neo-Tholians, some of the Andromedans (Conquistador & Python) and Romulans (Skyhawk & Seahawk), Fed Starbase and a few others.

I created Detailed Casting Products in 1987 and offered terrain accessories and 1/285 structures compatible with the Geo-Hex terrain system. I made several 25mm structures, both for fantasy as well as sci-fi gaming.

I worked with the old FASA gang a few years later casting up detailed "posing models" of 1/48 Omnimechs, mastered by Sam Lewis. Just for reference, these were not related to the later 1/72 scale Armorcast models, but were intended for photography and promotion of FASA's products. The Battletech Compendium is a prime example, as using computer generated art was too crude then (my, how time flies!).

I also worked with Steve Jackson Games on his retooling of the classic games of Ogre and GEV by me offering a line of licensed structures for Ogre. In Steve's award-winning "Ogre Miniatures" rulebook (a real gem), I was given credit within the glorious full-color pages and for making up a special "traditional" hex board in 3D relief. Steve used two of these maps to play his famous "Exercise K" scenario on that he demoed around the globe.

TOP: A bird's eye view of some mesas on the Desert Mat System.

Suffering a bit of "burn-out" wearing the sculptor hat, production hat, and business hat, I backed out of the industry as a manufacturer and placed the company in "carbon-freeze" as it were.

I've recently decided to broach back into the supply-side of the hobby, pacing myself slowly on a gradual comeback. Stay tuned for more of my "attempts at creativity". 8^)

And the good news is that Darryl is back... or almost so. He's been primarily working with 28mm scenery for the moment, but hopes to branch out to other sorts of goodies soon. Right now, one of his big projects is a Desert Mat System that is scale-less although Darryl has the prototypes pictured with 28mm Starship Troopers miniatures from Mongoose Publishing. Photos of this Desert Mat System are posted throughout this blog entry and Darryl also shared them over at TMP.

TOP: Another view of some mesas on the Desert Mat System.

TOP: Yet another view of some mesas on the Desert Mat System.

And now a few links:

The DCP commercial web site for now:
http://www.detailedcastingproducts.com/

The TMP post where Darryl first shared more about his new Desert Mat System prototypes:
http://theminiaturespage.com/boards/msg.mv?id=124572

And a Photobucket album where Darryl keeps many photos from his work among others:
http://s31.photobucket.com/albums/c385/SSTforumpics/

Have a great Tuesday!

Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.

Notes regarding photos / pictures / videos: These are not all my images and videos. I am using various images and videos from around the web, mostly from public sources and/or private sources used with permission. I have tried to include only images and videos under public domain, creative commons, or fair use. If I have inadvertently violated any copyrights, please inform me and I will remove your image/s (if it is indeed an infringement).