In this category showcase, we’ll be exploring Noble Knight’s Historical Miniatures category, which (as you might expect) is flush with figures and miniatures war games focused on historical settings. That sentence contains multitudes, as we’ll see – there’s plenty to love here whether you’re coming from hex-and-counter war gaming or are fresh off a Warhammer 40,000 spaceship and looking for something a little more grounded but just as exciting.
Historical Miniatures Games
When considering historical miniatures, it’s best to start just like with traditional war games: what conflicts, eras, or types of battle are most interesting to you and your friends? Games like Bolt Action and Flames of War are more popular, certainly. You’ll be more likely to find dedicated game nights for them at local stores
(Noble Knight hosts Bolt Action every other Friday, and general war games the 2nd and 4th Sunday of every month). Still, the historical landscape is both smaller and more focused than its sci-fi and fantasy brethren.
Take Blood & Plunder, a miniatures system all around pirate-era combat in the Carribean. It’s easy to grab one of the faction sets, and go on your murderous, pillaging adventure. Black Powder offers a similar easy entry if you’re keen to play out 18th century battles—you’ll not find a more immersive way to play through the Revolutionary War. Neither one of these systems is massive, but they deliver exactly what you’re looking to get without a huge financial or time commitment. In short, while Warhammer and its ilk are often pitched as lifestyle games, historical miniatures on the whole offer a plethora of unique games, rules, and adventure in smaller, delightful bursts.
Like The Silver Bayonet, because werewolves and Napoleon will never not be a fun combo.
Yet, if you’re seeking a larger game to sink your teeth into, then Bolt Action is going to be the one. Primarily focused on WWII tactical combat (though it does splash into Korea), Bolt Action has factions for every major player, rules to design custom scenarios, campaigns, and more. It’s a mature game, so you can dive in with confidence there’ll be plenty of action to be had. Quality starter sets make entry easy, and the terrain here can be carried over to just about any other game. Its neighbor, Flames of War, puts the emphasis on vehicular and squad-based combat, grouping infantry to make for larger battles with appropriate grandeur. If tanks are your first love, then I’d go for Flames, but if Advanced Squad Leader and Combat Commander are mainstays in your collection, then Bolt Action is going to be the place to start.
For those seeking more modern conflicts, Team Yankee gives you a cold war gone hot setting flush with (relatively) new armor, weapons, and tactics. You’ll be rolling out Bradleys against Warsaw Pact artillery, all packed in with fun terrain like shipping containers and palm trees. As you might expect, every battle here is a blast, as almost every target is a big vehicle. That the models here are both great and relatively inexpensive makes Yankee a neat source of figures for both its game and anything else you can think of.
Lastly, you can jump far back into the ancient era too. Battle line games like Hail Caesar give you the Roman war experience, as you’ll smack those barbarians off the battlefield, only to be stabbed in the back by your traitorous senators. Betrayal is inevitable, but you don’t have to let them win.
Historical Miniatures Publishers
Much like with the science fiction and fantasy miniatures world, diving into historical miniatures is best done with a particular publisher or scale in mind. For games like Bolt Action, you’re set with Osprey. But a plethora of great miniatures games come with rule sets meant to be used with miniatures of your choice, so you have options.
Take GHQ: a glance at their catalog shows intricate artillery, armor, ships, and aircraft covering centuries. Detailed and intricate, yet small enough to be used in just about any game (including Bolt Action or the excellent War Stories). You’ll build, paint, and then admire these minis as you chuck dice, hoping they blow each other to bits. Metaphorically, of course.
Essex Miniatures, Old Glory, Mirilton SG, and Gripping Beast take you further back in time, with cavalry and foot soldiers emerging all the way from ancient eras. The sorts of things you could take into a SAGA campaign or an American Civil War clash. That these are primarily metal miniatures brings some nuance, while ensuring they stand out on any table.
Warlord Games (Bolt Action) and Battlefront Games (Flames of War) are the spot to find all the accessories, models, and boxes you could want from those games, 
though, again, a major difference with historical miniatures compared with their Sci-fi counterparts is the ease in which you can swap in miniatures from just about anywhere. Just pay attention to scale—a tank towering over infantry might be appropriate, but a major twice the size of the privates in his squad doesn’t quite work.
Ultimately, what’s going to make the difference here is finding a publisher that consistently delivers the quality and type of miniature you’re looking for, not just for the games, but the building, painting, and joy of having it on your shelf. Your chosen era is going to drive most of this, but when crossover exists, experiment. Many models are inexpensive—you’ll find, in general, historical miniatures to be a more budget-friendly hobby than its fantastical cousin—making multiple armies by yourself, rather than splitting with friends, an easier proposition.
The key, as always, is to dive in with eyes open and a goal in mind: enough to run that Black Powder campaign, to host a Hail Caesar match with five friends, or explore the fascinating battles of Muskets and Tomahawks.
Tips for Historical Miniatures Gaming
For folks who’ve been reading these pieces for a while, some of these tips will feel familiar, because many of the same lessons apply to historical miniatures as to science fiction and fantasy, as well as war gaming in general. Start with a game you can get a group interested in, decide early on whether painting the miniatures is
something you want to do or hire out (or, if you’re not planning on tournament play, leaving unpainted), stick to a specific scale for each era to match sizes, etc.. You know these. So here are a few new ones:
- Historical War Gaming has so many miniature-agnostic games out there that, before investing in miniatures, explore games like Muskets and Tomahawks, The Silver Bayonet, and Lion Rampant. These are all great experiences that can give your figures tons of life on the table. Decide which of these are most interesting to you, then let that guide your collection.
- Armor and cavalry or infantry, either in lines or individuals. Which of these is more engaging to you – more Combat Commander or Panzer General? The latter will encourage games with more mobility, the former tighter, squad-based tactics. Lines grouping warriors together have a very different feel than games running individual models. Watch some videos, read some reviews, and go in knowing what style of gameplay you’re aiming for.
- How much do the models themselves matter to you? The publishers up above vary in cost and quality. If you’re planning on displaying these on your game room shelf, larger scale figures with more intricate details are the way to go, even if their gameplay options are more limited. There’s no wrong answer here, as assembling, painting, and putting together a historical miniature collection is a fulfilling hobby in and of itself.
- Embrace variety. Historical miniatures gaming gives you a whole slew of options – Warlord Games alone offers Aztec-era, Ancients, the Battle of Midway, and more as wholly separate rule sets – that don’t require massive investments to enjoy. Having sets across various eras, just like you might have different hex-and-counter games, is not the same commitment buying into, say, Warhammer and Legion, and Infinity would be.
- Invest in neutral terrain. Trees, hedges, boulders, and stone walls can be used in almost any historical miniatures game. Putting Dracula’s Tomb in the middle of your Roman and Gaul clash might break immersion, but a good terrain collection can work wonders in verisimilitude and tactical options, and you won’t need to buy specific bits for every title. Give it a try and you’ll see how even a small amount elevates your experience.
All in all, Historical Miniatures offer unmatched variety both in games and model options. Moreover, it’s often less expensive than its brethren, making it easier to grow a diverse collection. Whether it’s Mongolian cavalry charge, a Panzer blitz, or a pirate attack, there’s so much adventure waiting for you. So get those paints, sprue cutters, and dive into a fascinating, fun hobby.
