Miniature Wargaming

Well, I've been prompted to add my two cents to this little blog, so I thought I would start by following up on some of Amos' comments below regarding miniature wargaming. One thing to keep in mind as you read this: Amos is a boardgamer, and I am a miniature wargamer. While these game genres overlap, and I may enjoy a lot of boardgames (and Amos may enjoy miniature wargaming), they are in many ways different.

So, what is Miniature Wargaming, or more specifically: Historical Minature Wargaming?

There are several aspects to Historical Miniature wargaming, all of which I find very appealing. First, is researching a period that you are interested in. For some, it may be the history of ancient Rome and Carthage, for others it may be the English Civil War. For many, it is the wars of Napoleon, or even World War Two. Research generally includes reading extensively about the era in which you have an interest... Not just in the warfare and tactics of the period, but also the political landscape, and the context for when the events occured. I find this absolutely facinating. As you learn more about the period, many wargamers drill down into weapons and tactics, uniform colors, and systems for command and control.

From there, the wargammer may select his or her rules, and begin building a force of metal (or, nowadays, plastic) miniatures. For many of us, collecting little metal soldiers is very satisfying in a nostalgic sort of way... Actually, it was this aspect that drew me into wargaming as an adult. Today, the collecting has become a huge part of my hobby as I buy and sell on Ebay, review companies and lines of minatures, etc.

As you collect your figures, you can begin the modeling and painting process. This is a hobby all it's own, and I won't spend too much time on it here. For me, painting my collection of miniatures is a very satisfying and rewarding aspect of the hobby. Once I have done my research, looked into uniform colors and unit structure, I can begin the painting process. Often, I sit and paint for an hour or two after a hard day at work and just relax and zone out. In many ways, it is a form of meditation. It can also be very time consuming... It helps that Loralee and I don't have a TV (or, more exactly, we have a TV but no reception, so we are not vegging in front of a tube for 3 hours every night). And, we make it special together time by doing our hobbies together: She knits while I paint and we talk or listen to the radio. So, it becomes a far more creative and relaxing time when we can manage to do it.... And, the best part: As I complete models and the forces take shape, I enjoy the incredible satisfaction of standing back and seeing that SOMETHING was actually accomplished.

Now, finally, there are the games themselves: To me, the visual appeal of a nicely laid out game table is very important, and tend to have the viceral appeal of a miniautre diarama or HO scale train layout (you'll never see me playing with unpainted figures!). It is much more than just a video game in 3-d. Finding an appealing set of rules for your period is very important, for me it needs to be a set that is easy to learn, fast to play, but rewards good stragegy and mirrors the tactics of the period I am attempting to game.

How is all this different from other games? I love most any games, especially strategy games. But, I think I find historical miniature wargames so satisfying because of the investment of so much effort behind them: Reading history, researching tactics, collecting and painting a miniature army, all finally leading up to the game iteself.

I hope you all have enjoyed my brief discussion about Historical Miniature Wargaming. Incidentally, I also play some fantasy. Currently, my projects are as follows, and I have some goals to complete them in 2007:

• WWII Soviets, based for Flames of War (But could be used for Battlefront, etc) in 15mm.
• 28mm Crusader era muslim army, used with my own rules but also Warhammer Ancients.
• 28mm Chaos Beastman army, used for No Quarter but also Warhammer.

I hope to wrap these up within the first half of 07, at which time I can contemplate a new project. The miniature company Xyston has a great range of ancient greeks and Romans in 15mm, and I am contemplating building two armies, Republican Rome vs. Carthage during the Punic wars..... We'll see, maybe something else will grab my attention between now and then.

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