The Perfect Captain’s Battle Finder is a set of 64 cards—done in the usual high quality graphics—that you use to generate terrain for your miniature wargames battles. There also are rules for using the cards to create linear campaigns, and maneuver campaigns using the downloadable force counters, order and control markers. There are even revenue and siege rules.
Truly innovative stuff, and something that I’m going to use almost immediately.
Two Hour Wargames offers an introductory scenario called “Dog Soldiers.” The scenario is designed to teach you the Chain Reaction miniature wargaming system as though you were at a convention. It’s based on the horror movie of the same name.
Shawn Garbett has written GEM—the Generic Easy Miniatures Rules—which seem to be aimed at larget miniatures in a skirmish scenario. Garbett writes:
GEM is specifically for those who are sick of having new revisions of their favorite rule system leave out those great new miniatures they just finished painting. If all the commercial miniature systems have flaws which you really don’t like, then GEM may be just what you’ve been looking for. If you’ve ever been bogged down in rolling and rolling with no resolution in sight, GEM is probably for you. Several other play options exist, for customization to a gaming groups own tastes.
Combat Action is a very complete universal wargames system by Fabio Fontana. He writes:
Combat Action is a strategy game of small scale conflicts. It can be used to represent skirmishes with a dozen models per side up to larger conflicts with multiple squads, vehicles and support weapons. The system presented within this book comprises two levels of detail, a simple system for small scale games where each model on the battlefield is a separate unit, and a more complex layer which adds optional rules to govern targeting, simulate chain of command and allow larger engagement of forces.
The point system will allow you to design any creature, vehicle or model you like, and field any model you create on the battlefield.
The site also has playscreens, scenarios and a complete world background.
Ed Walker offers a set of free wargames rules called the Action Combat System. Ed writes:
These rules cover simple combat between single elements or small units. Elements are built using design points and engage in combat based on the scenario. These rules cover the combat activities rather than the weapons, armor, magic etc that may differ from game to game. Use the ACTION combat system to replace the normal move then attack systems that many other games use. This system provides a more fluid combat environment that lends a more realistic flow to battle.
Cheapass Games has a free set of rules for using dice as miniatures called Roll Out The (Gun) Barrels. It’s based on their Button Men game. To play, each player needs to have a set of different sided dice of the same color.
Mini Combat is another attempt at creating a set of generic wargames rules. Shaun Austin writes:
Mini Combat is a generic rule set for massive battles using small scale miniatures. The rules are generic enough to play historical, fantasy and sci-fi battles. It is also possible to play across genres. How would fantasy Orcs fare against the American Confederate army or WWII Nazis against the Alien horde? These rules can be used stand alone where you can pick and choose what sections you will use or they can be used with Source books that define the rules, army lists and objectives of the battles. The miniature scale was designed for 1:300 (6mm) to 1:1000 (2mm) although we have played with 1:185 (10mm) for Fantasy and 1:5000 for Naval combat.
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.
