S Scale is the railroad scale that most nearly approximates the 25mm - 28mm figure scale. Unfortunately, until recently it has been rather obscure, difficult to find at even the best stocked hobby store. This website has a vast list of S scale resources.
OK, this is a bit esoteric, but it could be useful. Wondering what will happen when you douse your plastic wargames figures in acetic acid? Use this chemical compatability site to find out.
A while back I bought a bunch of Wargames Foundry's pirate figures. My idea was to make a bunch of boats and use them to play the Pirates! game from Flagship Games. I got sidetracked while trying to figure out a good way to make the ships. Now, Games Workshop has an article on building 25mm - 28mm boats.
Star Ranger has this advice for basing your starship models. There are lessons to be learned here for players of Battlefleet Gothic, Full Thrust, Star Fleet battles, and other science fiction miniature wargames.
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.