| Miniature Wargaming |
Article Index for Miniature |
Website Links For Miniature |
Information AboutMiniature Wargaming |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT MINIATURE WARGAMING | |
| miniatures games | |
| wargames | |
| miniature wargaming | |
|
GENERAL OVERVIEW ( Lord Of The Rings SBG ). Games Day 2005]] Miniature wargaming is a recreational hobby where players simulate a battle, which is played out using small figurines to represent the land, sea and/or air units involved. Many miniatures games are played on a floor or tabletop, with terrain represented by miniature scenery (hills, forests, roads, fences, ''etc.''). Movement of the miniatures is regulated using a Tape Measure . However, like Boardgames , miniature games can also be played using gridded terrain (demarcated into Squares or Hexagon s) or even gameboards. One of the main reasons for playing miniature wargames, in both these respects, is because it offers players more freedom of play and a more aesthetically pleasing Tactical element over Traditional Game s or Computer Games .1 Additionally, many Hobbyist s enjoy the challenge of painting Miniatures and constructing scenery. In many ways, miniature wargaming may be seen as combining many of the aesthetics of Tabletop Train Modeling with an open Strategy Game predominantly, though not exclusively, with a Military theme. There is also a large social component to wargames as very often games are played with several participants on a side. The miniatures and scenery used vary greatly in scale, from 6mm figures up to 32mm or larger. The miniature figures are typically Plastic or Metal and are often sold unpainted. Scenery is often home-made, and figures are painted by the players, who will sometimes even " Convert " shop-bought figures to better represent the units they are trying to depict.234 There are any number of sets of miniature wargaming rules, some of which are available without charge on the , Regiment or even larger formations on the tabletop. Generally, these games are Turn Based Strategy , like Chess . Scale See Also: Miniature figure (gaming) Scale is generally expressed as the approximate height of a humanoid figure from base of foot to eyeline (though some count to top of head - hence the possible confusion) in millimeters, this is sometimes referred to as the Barret Scale, as opposed to the ratio values used in scale modeling. Popular sizes include 54 mm, 45 mm, 28 mm, 25 mm, 20 mm, 15 mm, 10 mm and branch of the hobby almost exclusively uses ratios). "HO" (1:87) and "N" (1:160) scale are popular among model railroad hobbyists. Some model railroad scales are close enough to the smaller-scale figures to provide usable structures and/or vehicles, possibly requiring some modification. Some wargamers use Card Model structures because of their economy and the ease of scaling them to appropriate sizes, and many wargamers Scratchbuild their structures. Part of the reason for the profusion of miniature sizes is the need for manufacturers to differentiate themselves in what is a Niche Market . This results in what has been termed 'scale creep' where miniatures listed in a catalogue may be identified by a measurement, but in reality may vary significantly from that advertised size. This is to encourage the purchaser into Brand Loyalty based on the aesthetic desire to maintain a look of uniformity on the tabletop. Over the years the size of new miniatures has tended to increase. For example, 25mm figures from the 70s are visibly smaller than the 25mm figures today. Some can even be used alongside modern 20mm figures. Currently most manufacturers and gamers refer to 25mm figures as 28mm figures, since they are so much bigger than the earlier 25mm figs. Some figures are still being called 25mm, even if by the foot to eyeline ratio they should be 30mm or bigger. A players choice of which scale to use is a direct reflection of the scope of the game to be played. For historical games, 15mm seems to be the most popular scale, because it is small enough to allow for large battles. Smaller scaled miniatures are typically mounted in groups and moved as groups. This creates the visual effect of a large mass of combatants, allowing games simulating Platoon , Company , Battalion , and even Corps level actions. In these cases, the miniatures are often mounted on trays for ease of mass movement. Larger scaled figures (primarily 25mm and up) tend to be used in Skirmish games where the single miniature represents a single man/animal/vehicle. This is because although scales in this region provide greater detail that is easier to paint, their higher cost limits the size of battles that might be recreated. Games of this scale that are not mounted on trays (and thus not locked in block formation) tend to offer greater flexibility of movement.5 The perceived and agreed ratios of representative models to represented 'real world' objects are generally explicitly stated. This is particularly true of rules systems that claim some form of historical authority, whereas a minority of rules sets do not state any representative scale. RULESETS See Also: List of Miniature Wargames There are many miniature wargaming rulesets, not all of which are currently in print, including some which are available free on the internet. Most rulesets are intended for a specific historical period or fictional genre. Rules also vary in the model scale they use: one infantry figure may represent one man, one squad, or much larger numbers of actual troops. Wargaming in general owes its origins to military Simulations , most famously to the Prussian staff training system Kriegsspiel . Consequently, rules designers struggle with the perceived obligation to actually 'simulate' something, and with the seldom compatible necessity to make an enjoyable 'game'. Historical battles were seldom fair or even, and the potential detail that can be brought to bear to represent this in a set of rules always comes at the cost of pace of the game and enjoyment. In Osprey Publishing 's book about the Battle Of Crécy , from its series on historical campaigns, there is included a detailed section on wargaming the battle, in which Stuart Asquith writes: He adds that unless at least the initial moves are recreated, "then an interesting medieval battle may well take place, but it will not be a re-creation of Crécy." Still, rules aimed at the non-professional hobby market therefore inevitably contain abstractions. It is generally in the area of the abstraction liberties taken by the designers that the differences between rules can be found. Most follow tried and true conventions to the extent that a Chess player would recognise wargaming merely as a different scaled version of his or her own game. Role-playing games '' rulebook.]] See Also: Role-playing game During the 1960s and 1970s, two new trends in wargaming emerged: First were small-unit rules sets which allowed individual players to portray small units down to even a single figure. These rules expanded the abilities of the smaller units accordingly, to magnify their effect on the overall battle. Second was an interest in fantasy miniatures wargaming. J.R.R. Tolkien 's novel '' The Hobbit '' and his epic cycle '' The Lord Of The Rings '' were gaining strong interest in the United States, and as a result, rules were quickly developed to play medieval and Roman -era wargames, where these eras had previously been largely ignored in favor of Napoleonic and Civil War gaming. The two converged in a set of miniatures rules entitled '' Chainmail '', published by a tiny company called Guidon Games , headquartered in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin . Later, in 1974 , TSR designer E. Gary Gygax wrote a set of rules for individual characters under ''Chainmail'', and entitled it '' Dungeons & Dragons ''. Further developments ensued, and the Role-playing Game hobby quickly became distinct from the wargaming hobby which preceded it, developments which are not within the scope of this article. Naval wargames See Also: Naval wargaming Although generally less popular than wargames set on land, naval wargaming nevertheless enjoys a degree of support around the world. , were manoeuvred on large playing surfaces to recreate historical battles. Prior to World War II , firms such as Bassett-Lowke in England and the German company Wiking marketed these to the public.Head, Derek. ''Bassett-Lowke Waterline Ship Models'' London 1996 ISBN 1-872727-72-7Schönfeld, Peter ''Wiking-Modelle Die Schiffe und Flugseuge'' Hamburg 1998 ISBN 3-7822-0731-9 After World War II, several manufacturers started business in Germany, which remains the center of production to this day, Jacobs,Paul 1250 History on the steelnavy.com website while other companies started in England and the United States. Rules can vary greatly between game systems; both in complexity and era. Historical rulesets range from the ancient and medieval ships to the fleets of the . Dice determined wind speed and direction, and hence the ship's speed and the use of its Cannon by measuring angles with the protractor.'' Don't Give Up The Ship! '', 1st Edition, 1972, Guidon Games , 50 pages, blue & black cover In naval wargaming of the modern period, '' General Quarters '', primarily (though not exclusively) using six-sided dice, has established itself as one of the leading sets of World War I and II era rules.''Survey of Naval Wargames Rules'', NWS journal "Battlefleet" 1996 Each model for the now Out-of-print fantasy game '' Man O' War '', set in the realm of '' Warhammer Fantasy '', had a corresponding template to record damage, crew levels, and outbreaks of fire, among other bookkeeping activities. In this regard, the game mechanics proved some limiting factors. Some land-based miniature wargames have also been adapted to naval wargaming. '' All At Sea '', for example, is an adaptation of '' The Lord Of The Rings Strategy Battle Game '' rules for naval conflicts. The game's mechanics centred around boarding parties, with options for Ramming Actions and Siege Engine s.6 As such, the ship's scale ratio corresponds to the 25mm scale miniatures used by ''The Lord of the Rings''. Model ships are built by hobbyists, just as normal miniature terrain, such as " Great Ships " of Pelargir , Cogs of Dol Amroth and Corsair Galleys .7 COMMUNITY AND CULTURE Miniature games tend to be more social than do other forms of commercial wargames, and very often games are played with several participants on a side. This manifests itself in wargame organisations, conventions, community websites and other social events. Some conventions have become very large affairs, such as Games Workshop 's '' Games Day '' and the Historical Miniatures Gaming Society 's '' Historicon '', called the "mother of all wargaming conventions". Sometimes the wargamer stereotypes are parodied, such as in "''Wargamers, a spotters guide''" and the Comic Strip "''Larry Leadhead''".89 Notable miniature wargame organisations miniature battle at the HMGS " Cold Wars " convention in Lancaster .]]
Notable miniature wargamers and miniature wargame designers
REFERENCES
SEE ALSO
EXTERNAL LINKS
|
|
|