This page has three paper building models of particular interest to anyone doing miniature wargames set in China, such as the Boxer Rebellion. The models are of the Pavilion Bridge, the East Gate and a two story building. They are in 1/100th scale -- perfect for 15mm. And, because they are available as JPG files, they could be easily resized for any other scale you care to use. Take a look at them. They are amazing.
The painting geniuses at Slave to Paint have this guide to painting a five o'clock shadow. I wouldn't go to all of this trouble on my wargames miniatures, but I also paint individual role playing figures for sale on EBay. This would be a good painting technique for such "character" figures.
R.J. Denning presents Green Jackets, a set of free wargames rules for Napoleonic skirmishes. Requiring just 10 to 15 figures per side, the rules have a unique card-action point system that forces players to make strategic decisions about when to activate their units.
Lace Wars v. 7.3, from Dick Larsen is a simple, one page set of free wargames rules for the Seven Years War. Warning: You'll be going to a "Fortune City" site, which has popups, at least one of which is reportedly spyware. Just don't agree to download anything.
Here's the annual report from Games Workshop. It's interesting what they have to say about themselves. What's bizarre is how they refer to it as the Hobby in caps. It's like there aren't any other hobbies.
Martyn Simpson has written a World War II wargames scenario generator. It has appeared in numerous places without credit. He gets credit here.
Download ww2_scenario_generator.doc
Miniature Wargaming is part of the "adventure games" hobby, which includes r ole p laying and board games. Wargamers recreate battles on the tabletop with toy soldiers, like a more complicated game of chess. Models range in height from 6mm to 28mm tall, with 15mm and 25mm being the most popular. There also is a growing interest in toy soldiers and military models, such as the 1/32 and 1/35 scale plastic soldiers from Conte, and Marx.
The most popular miniature wargames are fantasy and science fiction based, such as Warhammer, Warhammer 40K, Warmachine and The Lord of the Rings. World War II games such as Flames of War and Axis and Allies are new favorites. Other favorite historical periods include Napoleonics, the American Civil War, and ancients, such as Romans or Greeks. Other gamers enjoy miniature naval wargames, recreating battles like Trafalgar, Jutland and the Coral Sea.
Hobbyists research historical periods and paint their tiny soldiers in accurate uniforms. Others develop "historically realistic" rules sets or build scale battlefield terrain using model railroad techniques.
For pictures, visit the gallery.
Some of the bigger hobby companies are Games Workshop, which produces Warhammer, Wargames Foundry and Old Glory Miniatures. Wizards of the Coast produces several lines of pre-painted miniatures games, such as the Star Wars and Dungeons and Dragons miniatures games, and a historical game with pre-painted miniatures: The new Axis and Allies game. Wizkids produces a fantasy collectable miniatures game, such as the Mage Knight and Heroclick fantasy games, the science fiction games MechWarrior and Rocketmen, as well as the quasi-historical Pirates of the Spanish Main.
