Originally, I was going to talk about my favorite class, magic-users, but lately, miniatrues have been on my mind.
I know that this hobby of ours developed out of old-style tabletop wargaming. But, for me, I've never really used miniatures EVER when playing RPGs. The only time I've ever used figs is to play WH40K, which is a whole other barrel of fish (that being said, I have a whole hell of a lot of bait from that kettle I need to sell.... maybe W will be for WH40K Figure sale? 8)
The only thing I ever appreciated miniatures for was painting them. When I first started, my painting was VERY primitive... unprimed lead figures, painted with Testor's model paints. Over the years, as my exposure to WH40K showed my the error of my ways, I started to paint more figs, but really, other than Space Marines, the only thing I can ever remember really painting was a Blood Bowl team of Dark Elves, and the odd Warhammer Fantasy goblin figure.
Later, with the advent of Heroclix, and prepainted plastic figures, I see how miniatures really made a comeback. Sadly, they turned it into a collectibility thing, but really, what did you expect? In a way, I miss some of those old figures. I recently came across two packages of old Grenadier AD&D figs (Elementals I and Djinn & Efreeti), as well as an actual, honest to goodness Grenadier WIZZARDS & WARRIORS blister (the Dungeon 01 pack, which has about 8 figures in it), and I am torn between selling them ASAP on eBay, and actually painting them. I also know of a sizable supply of old RAFM lead figs, waiting to get purchased.
I guess what I'm asking is... just how important are minis to your old-school campaign? I know they're kinda required for 4th Ed (what with all it's intricacies), but has anybody out there used miniatures regularly in an old school D&D / AD&D game, and found them to be extremely useful? Also, is it possible to find those new plastic ones cheap and plenitful enough to be a good modern stand in? Maybe I just never got this, and it puzzles me.....
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Minis are important to me for a number of reasons - I enjoy painting them, I think that they bring the table to life, even if we're not doing exact wargaming-style D&D, and in the times when I am breaking out the Chainmail or Battlesystem rules, well, the miniatures are required.
ReplyDeleteNow if you ever decide to sell/swap those Grenadiers... I have some stuff in the trading bin. :)
Oooooooo.... msg me @ suprunown AT gmail DOT com . ;)
ReplyDeleteFor my D&D games minis are not too important. I guess they settle the argument of "but I wasn't standing there"; which only leads to the "I never said I was going to stand there" argument :)We use them anyway, and we greatly prefer (OK, maybe it's just me) the older Grenadier minis.
ReplyDeleteMinis are a big part of the game for me too. Even if you don't use them "tactically" for combat, they establish marching order and you can have players set them up in "empty" rooms so you know who finds the treasure, who sets off the trap, etc.
ReplyDeleteI usually have BIG sheets of white paper (that I steal from work ;) to write marching order and such upon, so while I concede the useful of minis for such things, I think I have that covered. 8)
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