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Historical Miniatures involves the use of miniatures (toy soldiers) to play wargames as opposed to board wargames that use paper maps and counters. I used to like making and painting models so this seems a natural progression. So after getting interested in Napoleonic board games, I purchased Empire III miniatures rules. At first it all looked like gibberish to me, but I purchased some 15mm Minifig Napoleonics and pushed some lead around trying to make sense of it all. I checked out the Funcken uniform books of the college library to help with painting of the figures. After a few weeks, I got a notice that someone else wanted the books. I decided to leave a note in the book asking about Napoleonic miniatures and if there was a group in town.

Sure enough, I got a call and headed out to one of the local geek shops. They played a locally produced set of rules which I learned later was a rehash of Empire II (that hated Empire III). I had my little Wurtemberg army, to face off against, typically, Russians and British. Though I was new the era, I had been reading through the books available in the library (already through Chandler’s Napoleon classic). After a few games, a few things were apparent. For starters, I actually read the rules and figured out how to use the charts. Even the author of the rules seemed to be foggy on some concepts of his own work. I learned a few classic gamerisms: the Russian Polish Uhlans were the same uniform as the French Polish Lancers and therefore they were classed the same (i.e. Guard). Russian horse artillery could limber in a microsecond and could move faster than any cavalry unit. Russians were generally rated fully equal to if not better then the French on every category. Also, you only painted the best troops, no militia or 2^nd line units were necessary. Needless to say my poor Wurtermbergers were easy meet for such troops. However, in the last game I played with those guys, I maneuvered my troops well enough to trap a force on Russians against a river and isolate some Russian guns. However, as I was closing the trap, lots of ‘missing’ rules and clarifications were made by the rules creator (who iwas playing with his Russians). One was the instant limbering capabilities of Russian horse artillery and its ability to teleport away from a flank charge delivered from under 300 yards. Also the morale failures of Russian units under heavy canister fire, was stopped by a special Russian stubbornness rule nowhere in the rulebook or army lists. Soon his entire force was able to slip away across the ‘impassible’ river. That was the last time I played those rules of played with those guys. I have found better opponents and better games ever since.

Later, I met a guy who played Ancients using WRG 6^th edition. He should me how to play and purchased the rules and army lists. I selected Nicophorian Byzantines from Garrison in 25mm. I never had much success under 6^th edition but I least beat that guy once with the rules. Things were a lot better under 7^th edition and I played at all the local tournaments with a good amount of success. After a few years, I became less enamored with the rules (the endless interpretations and the new army lists), I sold off my Ancients.

For Ancients I use Warhammer Ancient Battles rules

For Renaissance I use Warhammer English Civil War rules

For the Age of Reason (1700s) I use Koenig Krieg rules

For Napoleonics I use Empire V rules

For ACW I plan on using Johhny Reb III

For WWI I use Warhammer The Great War rules

I use 15mm armies for the horse and musket stuff (Naps and SYW), everything else is 28mm except for ACW. I plan on using 10mm for that.

I enjoying painting my figures and I think I do a pretty reasonable job. However, as I have aged it has gotten harder to paint smaller figures. Also, I tend to like games with lots of figures, so there is often little time to paint and lots of figures to paint. About 10 years ago, I began sending figures off to be painted. Mostly I use Fernando Enterprises based in Sri Lanka. I am very pleased with their work. I plan on sending them more lead in the future, when things improve economically. In the galleries of m armies I have identified those figures which Fernando painted. I recommend them as a painting service.

The Miniatures Page aka TMP

Fernando Enterprises