Use of Miniature Figures With the Game

Use of Miniature Figures With the Game-

< ** Gary Gygax didn't use minis ** >

- Use of Minis (Unofficial) - Use of Minis (Notes) -

The Game - DMG.10 - DMG

The special figures cast for AD&D add color to play and make refereeing far easier.
Each player might be required to furnish painted figures representing his or her player character and all henchmen and/or hirelings included in the game session.
Such distinctively painted figures enable you to immediately recognize each individual involved.
Figures can be placed so as to show their order of march,
i.e., which characters are in the lead,
which are in the middle, and which are bringing up the rear.
Furthermore, players are more readily able to visualize their array and plan actions while seeing the reason for your restrictions on their actions.
Monster figures are likewise most helpful,
as many things become instantly apparent when a party is arrayed and their monster opponent(s) placed.

Furnishing such monsters is probably best undertaken as a joint effort,
the whole group contributing towards the purchase of such figurines on a regular basis.
Be very careful to purchase castings which are in scale!
Out of scale monsters are virtually worthless in many cases.
As a rule of thumb, HO scale is 25 mm = 1 actual inch = 6’ in scale height or length or breadth.

Figure bases are necessarily broad in order to assure that the figures will stand in the proper position and not constantly be falling over.
Because of this, it is usually necessary to use a ground scale twice that of the actual scale for HO,
and squares of about 1 actual inch per side are suggested.
Each ground scale inch can then be used to equal 31/2 linear feet,
so a 10’ wide scale corridor is 3 actual inches in width and shown as 3 separate squares.
This allows depiction of the typical array of three figures abreast,
and also enables easy handling of such figures when they are moved.
While you may not find it convenient to actually use such figures and floor plans to handle routine dungeon movement,
having sheets of squares for encounter AREA depiction will probably be quite helpful.
If you do so,
be certain to remember that ground scale differs from figure scale,
and when dealing with length, two man-sized figures per square is quite possible,
as the space is actually 6 scale feet with respect to length.
This is meaningful when attacking a snake, dragon, etc. if characters are able to attack the creature’s body length.
With respect to basically bipedal, erect opponents,
scale will not be a factor.

Details of preparation and painting of miniature figures for the game are not germane to this work.
Your hobby supplier will have an assortment of small brushes and paints for such purposes,
and you may inquire there as to the best techniques of painting.

Q: If a character using a weapon requiring
3' (or more) of space is standing
next to other characters using weapons
requiring the same amount of
space, how many may occupy a 10'
wide hallway and still attack at no
penalty?
A: Only two. Remember that human-sized
characters occupy about 3' of
space themselves, plus the given
amounts of space for using the
weapons.
(Polyhedron #2)

Q: Where can I get cardboard figures
for use with fantasy role-playing
games?

A: TSR's two Dragon Tiles fantasy play aids
contain cardboard figures. Their stock
numbers and titles are: 9121 Dragon Tiles
1 and 9145 Dragon Tiles 2. Look for them
at your local dealer. If you can?t find them
locally, you can order them through the
TSR Mail Order Hobby Shop, PO. Box 756,
Lake Geneva WI 53147
(126.12)

D&D Lead (main bibliography for AD&D Miniatures)

1976 Archive
1977 Minifigs
1979 Dungeon Dwellers
1980 Grenadier
1983 TSR
1985 Citadel Miniatures
1987 Ral Partha
1999 WotC D&D
2000 Chainmail
2006 Otherworld

source = dndlead.com

MINIFIGS

DD1 Demogorgon
DD2 Type II Demon
DD3 Type III Demon
DD4 Type IV Demon
DD5 Balrog (Type VI)
DD6 Type V Demon
DD7 Orcus, Prince of Demons
DD8 Succubus

DWF1 Dwarf with Ox-Tongued Partizan
DWF2 Dwarf swinging One-Handed Pick
DWF3 Dwarf firing Light Crossbow
DWF4 Dwarf with Handaxe
DWF5 Dwarf swinging Two-Handed Axe
DWF6 Dwarf with Spear
DWF7 Dwarf with Flanged Mace
DWF8 Dwarf swinging Military Pick
DWF9 Dwarf firing Heavy Crossbow
DWF10 Dwarf with Two-Handed Axe
DWF11 Dwarf King holding Rod
DWF12 Dwarf blowing Warhorn
DWF13 Dwarf Noble with 2-Headed Mattock
DWF14 Dwarf Guard with Bec-de-Corbin

ELF1 High Elf with Long Spear
ELF2 High Elf thrusting with Long Spear
ELF3 High Elf firing Bow
ELF4 High Elf attacking with Sword
ELF5 High Elf with Two-Handed Sword
ELF6 Wood Elf advancing with Bow
ELF7 Wood Elf firing Bow
ELF8 Wood Elf attacking with Sword
ELF9 Wood Elf with Short Sword
ELF10 Wood Elf with Short Spear
ELF11 High Elf King
ELF12 Wood Elf King
ELF13 High Elf Noble
ELF14 High Elf Guardsman

GNL1 Gnoll Chieftain with Broadaxe
GNL2 Gnoll Guard with Two-Handed Sword
GNL3 Gnoll with Glaive-Fauchard
GNL4 Gnoll firing Bow
GNL5 Gnoll with Bill-Guisarme
GNL6 Gnoll with Morning Star
GNL7 Gnoll with Guisarme-Voulge
GNL8 Gnoll with Sword and Broadaxe

GNM1 Two Gnomes with Swords
GNM2 Two Gnomes firing Bows
GNM3 Two Gnomes with Slings and Targets
GNM4 Two Gnomes with Spears
GNM5 Two Gnomes with Clubs

GOB1 Goblin whirling Sling
GOB2 Goblin with Voulge-Type Spear
GOB3 Goblin with Short Spear
GOB4 Goblin swinging Morning Star
GOB5 Goblin with Military Pick

HOB1 Two Hobbits with Slings
HOB2 Two Hobbits with Bows
HOB3 Two Hobbits with Swords
HOB4 Two Hobbits with Spears
HOB5 Two Hobbits with Hand-Axes

HBG1 Hobgoblin Sergeant with Military Fork
HBG2 Hobgoblin with Partizan
HBG3 Hobgoblin with Spetum
HBG4 Hobgoblin with Glaive Guisarme
HBG5 Hobgoblin with Spiked-Tipped Guisarme
HBG6 Hobgoblin hurling Spear
HBG7 Hobgoblin firing Horn Bow
HBG8 Hobgoblin with Barbed Whip
HBG9 Hobgoblin with Scimitar
HBG10 Hobgoblin with Spiked Mace
HBG11 Hobgoblin marching with Banner
HBG12 Hobgoblin Chieftain with Mace
HBG13 Sub-Chief with Kris-Bladed Sword
HBG14 Hobgoblin Guardsman with Bardische

KL1 Two Kobolds with Short Javelins
KL2 Two Kobolds with Spiked Maces
KL3 Two Kobolds with Axes
KL4 Two Kobolds with Swords
KL5 Two Kobolds with Glaive Headed Spears

ORC1 Orc with Guisarme
ORC2 Orc with Fauchard
ORC3 Orc with Kris-Bladed Spear
ORC4 Orc with Halberd
ORC5 Orc with Serrated Crescent
ORC6 Orc hurling Spear
ORC7 Orc firing Bow
ORC8 Orc with Crossbow
ORC9 Orc with Tulwar
ORC10 Orc with Piercing Axe
ORC11 Orc Chieftain with Spiked Flail
ORC12 Orc Sub-Chief with Piercing Axe
ORC13 Orc Sub-Chief with Broad-Bladed Axe
ORC14 Orc Standard Bearer

OGR1 Ogre Chieftain with Axe
OGR2 Ogre with Spear & Stone Axe
OGR3 Ogre with Glaive-Headed Spear
OGR4 Ogre with Morning Star & Spiked Club

Note: Some of these Ogres may not have been produced.

OGM1 Ogre Magi with Katana
OGM2 Ogre Magi with Ceremonial Naginata
OGM3 Ogre Magi with Sabre-Headed Naginata
OGM4 Ogre Magi with Cross-Guarded Spear

TRL1 Troll Attacking
TRL2 Troll Advancing

The following were never actually produced:
ECL1 Evil Cleric Elder on Foot
ECL2 Evil Cleric Elder, Rider
ECL3 Evil Cleric on Foot, Indian Type
ECL4 Evil Cleric Rider, Indian Type
ECL5 Evil Cleric on Foot, Sphinx Dress
ECL6 Evil Cleric Rider, Sphinx Dress
ECL7 Evil Cleric on Foot, Skull Helmet
ECL8 Evil Cleric Rider, Skull Helmet
FEL1 Female Elf Magic User on Foot
FEL2 Female Elf Magic User, Rider
FEL3 Female Elf Princess/Magic User on Foot
FEL4 Female Elf Princess/Magic User, Rider
FEL5 Female Elf Thief on Foot
FEL6 Female Elf Thief, Rider
FEL7 Female Elf Fighter
FEL8 Female Elf Fighter, Rider

GRENADIER
2001 Wizards and Illusionists
2002 Halflings
2003 Dwarves
2004 Hirelings
2005 Fighting Men
2006 Specialists
2007 Female Characters
2008 Thieves
2009 Wizard’s Room
2010 Denizens of the Swamp
2011 Orc’s Lair
2012 Dwellers Below
2013 Adventurers of the Golden Quest

Large Introductory Sets
5001 Dungeon Explorers
5002 Dungeon Monsters
5003 Woodland Adventurer
Tomb of Spells
Dragon’s Lair

Action Art Sets
8001 Dungeoneers
8002 Monsters
8003 Mythological Creatures
8004 Fantasy Fiends

Blister Packs
101 Rakshasas (2)
102 Bugbears (2)
103 Orcs (5)
104 Lizardmen (2)
105 Djinni & Efreeti w/treasure
106 Driders (2)
107 Umber Hulk & Xorn
108 Goblins (5)
109 Basilisk & 2 Cockatrices w/treasure
110 Golems (2)
111 Kobolds (5)
112 Wererats (5)
113 Elementals I (air & water w/ brazier)
114 Elementals II (fire & earth w/burning pillar)
115 Adventurers (5)
116 Giants (3 plus stone totem)
117 Undead – Never Released
118 Lycanthropes – Never Released
119 Centaurs – Never Released
120 Pegasus & Unicorn – Never Released

Umber Hulk (Ral Partha)

Beholder (Ral Partha)

RAL PARTHA

Ogre Mage (Grenadier)
TSR
Boxed Sets
5301 Fighters, Rangers and Paladins
5302 Clerics and Druids
5303 Magic Users and Illusionists
5304 Monks, Bards and Thieves
5305 AD&D Monster Tribes
5306 D&D Basic Figure Set
5307 GenCon RPGA Set
5308 AD&D Heroes
5309 Champion Figure Set not produced
5310 Expert Figure Set, never produced

5402 Conan Set #1
5403 Conan Set #2
Nothing Produced with this Serial #
5405 Dragonlance Set 1

Monster Blister Packs
5601 Roper and Shambling Mound
5602 Elementals
5603 Ogre and Cyclopskin
5604 Ant Lion and Piscodaemon
5605 Scrag, Yuan Ti, Banderlog
5606 Vilstrak and Rock Reptile
5607 Kampfult, Quickwood and 2 Hoods
5608 Phoenix and Aarakocra
5609 Owlbear and Polar Bear
5610 Neo-Otyugh and Azer and Korred
5611 Firbolg and Boobrie
5612 Rust Monster and Rakshasa

Player Character Blister Packs
5701 Paladins
5702 Cavaliers
5703 Elves
5704 Dwarves
5705 Clerics
5706 Druids
5707 Rangers
5708 Magic Users
5709 Illusionists
5710 ?? Did they even produce a 5710?
5711 Half-Elves
5712 Fighters

<above, is that a giant species of agaric?>

*template***template*

Howdy Jokamachi,

Quote:
Originally Posted by jokamachi
Hey Gary,

I seem to remember reading that you enjoyed wargaming in the early days before D&D, so I'm curious as to what kind of experience you have with miniatures. How much effort did you and your friends put into miniatures at that time? Did you paint them with great detail or were they simply tokens for you to manipulate?

I played military miniatures for many years--ancients, medieval, ECW, Napoleonics, ACW, Victorian, and WW II to 1956. I personally had 40 mm pre-painted medieval figurines, a small contingent of Turkish 20 mm troops, Brunswick Napoleonic figurines that I painted, and a large number of US WW II men and AFVs, the latter including many conversions I did.

In addition I planned and refereed many games in various periods. Our WW Ii games would sometime last the whole weekend--about 20 hours of playing time.

Finally, i had a sand table that we would spend hours preparing for a game, so that the terrain and buildings, if any, looked great.

The spectacle added considerably to the enjoyment of the actual reason for playing--the exercise of strategic and tactical ability.

Quote:
Has that attitude changed? What about now? Do you still enjoy incorporating minis into your campaigns? Is it much harder since monsters have grown so fantastic in scope? How much attention/detail do these minis receive from you?

Lastly, I'm curious if you've seen the new minis line from Wizards. It has displayed a fair degree of success and seems to be pulling in thousands upon thousands of new minis fans by the week. Do you think that's good for the game (D&D)?

Sincerely, Jokamachi

I don't usually employ miniatures in my RPG play. We ceased that when we moved from CHAINMAIL Fantasy to D&D.

I have nothing against the use of miniatures, but they are generally impractical for long and free-wheeling campaign play where the scene and opponents can vary wildly in the course of but an hour.

The GW folks use them a lot, but they are fighting set-piece battles as is usual with miniatures gaming.

I don't believe that fantasy miniatures are good or bad for FRPGs in general. If the GM sets up gaming sessions based on their use, the resulting play is great from my standpoint. It is mainly a matter of having the painted figures and a big tabletop to play on

Cheers,
Gary

Oops!

I forgot to mention that I spent a lot of time painting and converting fantasy figures for the CHAINMAIL Fantasy game.

We also used to play Napoleonic and WW II naval miniatures a fair amount.

Gary

Quote:
Originally Posted by oldschooler
Gary, my girlfriend would like to start using miniatures in our games because she's so used to boardgames, but the scale always messes me up. In older versions of D&D, movement was rated in inches (1" = 10' underground for example) but ground scale is given as 1" equals 3 1/3' (making a 10' corridor 3" wide on the tabletop) therefore 1" isn't 10'. Argh!
The latest version of The Game has a straight movement rate in footage with a ground scale of 1" = 5', but we'd like to stick with older games if we can. The whole thing is very confusing.
Anywho, the main question I have is: Have you ever used miniatures yourself (for any RPG) and if so, what kind of scale/movement do you employ?
There is always a problem with three-dimensional representation using miniature figurines. Even at one-to-one ratio of figures to actual number, there is a ground scale dilema. If the figurines are truly to 25mm scale, then one inch should equal six feet in ground scale. That means a spear can be thrown c. five inches, a jevalin c. 12 inches, and a longbow has an range of c. 36 inches on the table top. Time scale must then be set, and it it is in one minute turns, then movement, once commenced, will be at rates in the neighborbood of 30 inches at a slow pace, 45 inches quick time, and 60 inches on the run, with horsed figures moving commensurately faster at the trot, canter, and gallop.

During a one minute period a trained archer can aim and loose at least six arrows.

Realistically the ground scale must be different than that of the figurines used, and that means time is relative to ground scale as adjusted by subsumed delays in forming plans and ordering movement or reacting to what an individual comprehends in the field.

No FRPG I know of is meant to be a combat simulation, so there's really no need to worry about such matters <paranoid>

Cheers,
Gary

Quote:
Originally Posted by dcollins
Gary, it was interesting to see your comments on this page because I've recently been working on a program of just that sort. Of course you're correct that there's a lot of leeway for how the morale rules get instituted.

Another key aspect is exactly what the assumed "formation inside a figure" is. For example, if a single figure in 1:10 scale represents a line of 10 men, or 5x2 rows (my preference), or a 1-man wide column -- since it determines how many can attack an opposing formation in one turn. What's your expectation for this?
Christmas Salutations!

Having written a fair number of military miniatures rules for tabletop play, the form that a figure takes depends on the figure to troops represented ratio--1:10, 1:20, etc. and the class/stand mounting of the figures. Skirmisher-types are likely in a single rank or at most a double one with a broad fron assumed. The same is true of cavalry, although the front varies by class of horseman, while infantry can vary according to their class and fighting style/training. A pike figure would be four ranks of five men in 1:20 scale surely, with mounting of figures close in blocks of at last four for Swiss or Landsknecht pikemen, larger stands for less well-trained ones.

Yuletide cheer,
Gary

Quote:
Originally Posted by Henrix
Hi, Gary! It's so good to see that you are up and posting again! I hope your recovery is going along speedily!

I wanted to ask you about the old illustrations of the pig-snouted orcs and asian-looking hobgoblins. Is it true they were inspired by the Minifigs miniatures, or was it the other way 'round?

Ho There!

Thanks, my blasted shingles condition is about 90% gone now---after some five plus months

As I recollect, Dave Sutherland, rest his soul, did the hog-faced orcs and the hobgoblins in samurai-like armor. Minifigs worked from those illustrations.

Cheers,
Gary

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark CMG
Are you a fan of pre-painted plastic figures used at the game table for RPGs?

Actually, I am noit much given to employing miniatures when playing an RPG. I agree with Plato's assessment of spectacle being the least element of tragedy...

What I really do enjoy, however, is tabletop combat with miniatures; and pre-painted is the way to go as far as I am concerned, as I no longer have the desire, time, nor eyeseight to manage a proper job of painting myself.

Cheerio,
Gary

Quote:
Originally Posted by grodog
Hi Gary---

When you were designing the various monsters in Grenadier's "Action Art" Monsters set (#8002) that featured the drow captain, drider, EHP, bugbear chief, etc. (see http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=290095678408 for reference), what level of design input did you have? Did you select the monsters, provide descriptions for the sculptors, review the greens and then request revisions, etc.?

Regardless of these, have you designed other miniatures lines (perhaps some for the Minifigs line @ http://web.archive.org/web/200502052...c/fgo_mfwg.htm)??

Thanks, as always

Heh...

I did very little in regards the miniatures, as I make a fine copywriter as an art director. About all I did was suggest what figure types I thought would be appealing to consumers, give vague discriptions of what some of the figures should look like. Then the miniature figuring people would consult with another person or persona at TSR that could help them--artists and model makers.

I did much the same when working with Steve Carpenter of MiniFigs USA...only he and I would toast a bit with some single malt Scotch.

Cheers,
Gary

Comments
Here you go, Gary

I am not much of a one for fantasy miniatures mysself.