Miniature game

H. G. Wells with your game Little WarsOne of the first miniature games.

A miniatures game is a type of war game in which the mobile elements of the game (usually plastic or metal miniatures) do not move on a board equipped with squares but on a model or a diorama. While in board games the ranges of the weapons and the movements of the tokens or miniatures are counted in squares, in the miniatures games the miniatures are displaced on a surface not divided into squares, so such ranges and movements They are counted in centimeters or in other units of measurement of distances. Other characteristic elements of this kind of games are usually cards that show the objectives to be achieved, clues or tests to overcome. The miniatures in a miniatures game are sold individually, although they can also be purchased through sealed packages with random content or, conversely, with certain thematic content.

Types of miniature games

From Bellis Antiquitatis. To the left C-in-C (general unit in cavalry) and to the right 2LH (light cavalry unit) in 15 mm on bases of 40 x 30 mm.

Output Warhammer Fantasy Battle

There are different ways to classify miniature games, as an example we will name three of the criteria that we could use for this purpose:

By setting:

• Heroic fantasy games, like Warhammer Fantasy Battle(1983) and The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game(2005)
• Science fiction or space opera games, like Warhammer 40.000(1987) or Star Wars Miniatures Battles(1991)
• Historical Games, which represent real wars that have occurred in the past, as From Bellis Antiquitatis(1990)
• Games inspired by Japanese anime, like Gundam Collection Tactical Combat(2005)

By scale of figures and models:

• Fractional scale: refers to the size of the model in scale with respect to the actual object, it is represented as a fraction where the denominator means the number by which we must multiply the measures to obtain the actual size of the object, for example 1/72, which means that if the model measures 1cm the real must measure 72 cm.
• Metric scale: makes direct reference to the size in mm of an average person, the 28mm scale is very popular among miniature games because it is used by Games Workshop.

By scale of conflict:

• Strategic: Each player controls the resources of an entire faction, this could be an empire, a nation, coalition of nations or even an entire planet or galactic empire, depending on the setting. Diplomatic and economic aspects are usually included among others and different components of the Armed Forces tend to be available and are fully available.
• Operational: The resources of a campaign immersed in a larger conflict are controlled, it may require the management of supplies and resources. Each piece represents battalions and even entire divisions. Individual battles are not represented
• Tactical Scaling or Tactical Command: A single battle occurred in one day, Each piece represents a platoon and even a division.
• Tactical: Each model represents an individual unit, individual clashes and usually have detailed rules for movement and vision lines that normally take into account the terrain in three dimensions and the position of other miniatures.

Term confusion

A game that makes use of miniatures is not necessarily a miniatures game. In general, the term "miniature game" does not apply to games that make use of a board whose surface is divided into squares, even if miniatures are used in their games. Games like BattleTech, Heavy Gear and Axis & Allies for example, are not miniature games. However, there are games commercially designed to encourage miniature collecting and are therefore designated as "collectible miniature games". This kind of games can make use of a board, as is the case, for example, of MLB SportsClix (based on baseball), HeroClix (based on superheroes comics), Halo ActionClix (based on the Halo video game series) and Star Wars Miniatures (based on the Halo universe). Star Wars).