Miniature wargaming stretches back to the 1800s, first as training for the military academy, then as a game largely dedicated to reenacting historical battles in the smallest scale. As some will tell you, H.G. Wells wrote his own rulebook for wargames. As most will tell you, Peter Cushing was an ardent historical wargamer and owned a significant collection of medieval models.
And as everyone will tell you, wargaming exploded in the 1970s and ’80s as casting and distribution became easier. Historical wargame models and games were easily found in hobby shops; fantasy and sci-fi games evolved from a niche within a niche to equal popularity to the only games visible to the general public. In the following decades, wargames waxed and waned through both popularity and health of the overall industry.
But here’s a secret. Wargames are at the best they’ve been in quite awhile.
There are more games of a higher quality than ever before, in every possible genre: strict historical simulation, tactics, campaign play, rules-lite systems (like onepagerules), and more. Joseph A. McCullough’s The Silver Bayonet combines Napoleonic history and battles against gothic monsters. BrikWars, recently released in its most definitive edition yet, uses LEGO to build an infinite combination of warriors, vehicles, and more. Publishers including Osprey Games, Warlord Games, Wyrd Games, and Modiphius Entertainment are expanding on the wargame.
We are in an exceptional era for the miniatures to play these games. Whether you’re planning to build and paint stock models or kitbash, miniatures from Dark Sword Miniatures, Meridian Miniatures, Statuesque Miniatures, Perry Miniatures, and many more combine decades of experience and development with high quality materials to make some of the best miniatures ever on the market. Black Site Studios has combined inventive rulesets, compact flavorful boards, and miniatures into stand-alone games. 3D printing has opened an entire world that demands a separate article.
Upcoming games hold significant promise. Trench Crusade — from the team of Mike Franchina, Toumas Pirinen, and James Sherriff — promises to be something special. The game itself is designed by Pirinen, the designer of the beloved Mordheim; he believes it is his best game yet, and from the preview material released, I’m inclined to agree. One of Black Site Studios’ upcoming games is Night Thirst, a game about vampires and hunters designed by Wittle Goblin, which shows promise with a theme I love.
This is an incredible time for miniatures and for wargames. If you’re intrigued, this is the perfect time. Find something you love, and jump in!
Featured Image: lil artsy (via Pexels)
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