Voice of the Guns is a set of free wargames rules for playing miniatures games set in Europe from 1850 to 1914. The authors write:
VOTG started out as a set of rules for the Franco-Austrian War of 1859 under the working title of the War of the Emperors. As with other sets, it quickly became apparent that the range could be extended to include all the later nineteenth century and the early twentieth, not excluding the first years of the First World War, provided that the gamer had no need of such esoterica as aircraft, tanks or armoured cars.
The rules are element-based, where one base represents 100 infantry, 50 cavalry or two rapid-fire weapons. Artillery is frontage-based according to the number of pieces in the battery. The rules cater for all figures sizes, from 5/6mm right up to 25/28 mm.
Ground scale is 1mm = 1 metre, although if you intend to game the later eras, when small-arms ranges increased dramatically, I would recommend going to 1mm = 2 metres, otherwise your infantry will be picking off the enemy before they even get on the table!
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.
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