Fast’n'Furious is a set of fast play ancient and medieval skirmish rules. The author writes:
FAST’n'FURIOUS! Is a set of 1:1 simple, fast and fun rules for ancient and medieval skirmish scale games using 25-28mm or 1/72 plastic figures, and designed to cover roughly from 3000 BC to 1400 AD. As well as classic field battles these rules also allow for opposed landing actions and ancient siege operations, as even in ancient times many actions included landings and were directed to assault a fortified site! The emphasis is on fast, simple and enjoyable basic mechanics, suitable for games with many players, but which produce accurate results in harmony with actual historical tactics.
Paul Galley offers “You’ll Have Someone’s Eye Out With That,” a set of skirmish rules for the ancients through renaissance periods. The combat system uses 2d6 with a base chance of 7+ to hit at combat range. I like 2d6 systems because they offer an average base chance, with the possibiilty of out-of-the-ordinary results.
GMT Games offers a free download of a Battle of Agincourt game. If you’re familiar with their commercial board war games, you’ll know that they have wonderful graphics and gameplay, both of which are on display here.
Ed Mueller offers a fast play medieval card game called Chevauchee. The game is well-designed, with good lookign cards and extensive rules. You need to join the Yahoo group to download.
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.