Miniature War Gaming

nolawis · Post by **nolawis** » Mon Jan 28, 2013 3:59 pm

Anyone play miniature war games? Just curious.

A few of my co-workers play Flames of War and it seems interesting, although I have no clue where I'd find the time.

Nw

Fishin Phil · Post by **Fishin Phil** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 5:57 am

Never messed with the miniatures, used to be in a computer war game club based on a series of civil war games (I'm a Civil War geek). It was fun and interesting, but I just didn't have the time either.

joe mcclaine · Post by **joe mcclaine** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 10:51 am

Dabbled with Warhammer 40K (Warhammer World is just 5 miles from my house) but soon realised it was ruinously expensive.

Flames of War seems much more reasonable on the pocket, but I've not played it.

Always fancied giving Kreigsspeil (?) a try.

Thalay Sagar · Post by **Thalay Sagar** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 12:54 pm

joe mcclaine wrote: Always fancied giving Kreigsspeil (?) a try.

The Avalon Hill Game? It's a blast- I love its flexibility as compared to the more "realistic" games the company offered.

Kyle76 · Post by **Kyle76** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 1:12 pm

Can someone explain this to the uninitiated?

JayTrek · Post by **JayTrek** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 1:21 pm

Kyle76 wrote:Can someone explain this to the uninitiated?

Thanks...I am lost too.

jww · Post by **jww** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 1:39 pm

I played Blitzkrieg once -- it was crazy, brutal to learn, lasted days, but was wild and wacky. That was when I was a teen with time on my hands .... long ago.

joe mcclaine · Post by **joe mcclaine** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 2:29 pm

Kyle76 wrote:Can someone explain this to the uninitiated?

Toy soldiers with 'proper' rules for grown ups ... covering unit sizes, movement distances, shooting rates, accuracy, damage, morale, objectives.

Dagnabbit!

Now you've got me Googling Warhammer again!

Kyle76 · Post by **Kyle76** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 5:33 pm

joe mcclaine wrote:
Kyle76 wrote:Can someone explain this to the uninitiated?
Toy soldiers with 'proper' rules for grown ups ... covering unit sizes, movement distances, shooting rates, accuracy, damage, morale, objectives.

Where does the big expense come in?

Thalay Sagar · Post by **Thalay Sagar** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 7:40 pm

The toy soldiers- lead miniatures- can get pricey. Then for the truly dedicated there is the battlefield.

joe mcclaine · Post by **joe mcclaine** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 10:53 pm

Kyle76 wrote:
joe mcclaine wrote:
Kyle76 wrote:Can someone explain this to the uninitiated?
Toy soldiers with 'proper' rules for grown ups ... covering unit sizes, movement distances, shooting rates, accuracy, damage, morale, objectives.

Where does the big expense come in?

I was talking specifically about Warhammer 40k.

There's always more units and vehicles to buy and new rule books and codices come out every few years.

And no-one can have just one army.

You can get started and on the table playing friendly games for about £150 but for serious / tournament play you might have to spend the best part of £750+

nolawis · Post by **nolawis** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 10:54 pm

My understanding is that the miniatures can be quite pricey, especially as you build an entire army. Plus, everything has to be painted.

Kyle76 · Post by **Kyle76** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 7:04 am

I've seen some of these lead soldiers. My friend's son has a small collection. I painted several for a school project as a young man -- George Washington and a small cannon battery. It was kind of enjoyable. Do most people paint their own or buy them painted? How many pieces in a reasonable set?

Fishin Phil · Post by **Fishin Phil** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 7:24 am

When I was a kid, I took my dad's old lead soldiers and melted them down to make leadhead fishing jigs.

I was a bad, bad, boy.

rustyblade · Post by **rustyblade** » Mon Feb 04, 2013 10:52 am

Sort of related, but I'm recently getting into "modern" boardgames. Carcassonne, Puerto Rico, Ticket to Ride, San Juan, etc. Really enjoying it.

wenestvedt · Post by **wenestvedt** » Tue Feb 12, 2013 7:16 pm

If you like Carcassonne, try Settlers of Cataan!

jww · Post by **jww** » Wed Feb 13, 2013 7:35 am

wenestvedt wrote:If you like Carcassonne, try Settlers of Cataan!

I have been lobbying for some time that the IOC would introduce Settlers as an Olympic sport --- and since they pulled wrestling off the table yesterday, I wonder whether this will be opening the door for us Settlers geeks.

I love Carcassonne as well -- both are actually really easy to play, but the opportunities for developing a playing strategy is enormous for either.

I recall back in the 80s buying a game called Kensington --- it was unbelievably simple to play, but the strategy resulted in some games lasting longer than chess. It was British game of the year in 1979 then rapidly disappeared from the market --- Trivial Pursuit was simply too much competition for it to be relevant in the then arguably lack-luster board game industry.

I have yet to play Axis and Allies --- some day perhaps.

I still miss Stock Ticker -- a game from the 60s/70s that was just a blast to play. I just found an online merchant who is selling a new version of the product, and also an electronic version at the App Store for $0.99!

Woot!

Icarus1 · Post by **Icarus1** » Wed Feb 13, 2013 10:10 am

jww wrote:
wenestvedt wrote:If you like Carcassonne, try Settlers of Cataan!
I have been lobbying for some time that the IOC would introduce Settlers as an Olympic sport --- and since they pulled wrestling off the table yesterday, I wonder whether this will be opening the door for us Settlers geeks.

+1

wenestvedt · Post by **wenestvedt** » Wed Feb 13, 2013 12:13 pm

My kids actually like both Settlers of Cataan and Carcassonne, especially the boys (8 and 10 years old).

It's fun to play with them and watch as their sense of strategy -- and the rightness of betraying one's family -- develops right there in plain view. :7)

- Will

wenestvedt · Post by **wenestvedt** » Wed Feb 13, 2013 12:16 pm

Also, back in the 1980s I used to paint fantasy gaming miniatures for a store near my house, who used them for displays and sold them. I got some store credit and they got something different to display...it was fun!

I think I only saved one, though: a dwarf from an early Warhammer set that I bought in York, England, in 1986.