Did you use minis and grids pre-D&D3?

[Mark]

Always, since the mid-seventies. And it is kinda odd, but I've played with a ton of people over the years and I do not know any group that didn't use minis (or something similar like chess pieces) and a grid (or even tape measures when a grid wasn't available (at least when they got into close quarters combat). *shrug*

Maybe that harkens back to my wargaming background prior to D&D.

 

[2WS-Steve]

I've used minis and something or another most of my life. Usually a hex grid though since we played a lot of games that used those and they work well in games that just measures stuff in inches or game scale.

Before moving to the East Coast we had purchased a 3 ft. by 5 ft. sheet of glass then slid a paper hex sheet under the glass and left the glass out on our table. The glass only cost about $50 and worked great; ours has lasted over 12 years. Overhead markers erased easily, even if you left the markings on for a couple weeks. Also, the glass is really smooth so you don't get the lumpiness of a regular battlemat. Finally, I could write things like initiative and hit points directly on the table next to me then erase with a paper towel. When I get the space again I'll pick up another one.

 

[Walter_J]

We rarely used minis and mats, even though most of the group owned one or both. The first time I ran 3E with the Sunless Citadel I had the whole first level mapped out ahead of time using a 1" grid and all the minis we'd need on hand. The end result was combat seemed to take forever and everyone was a little bored. I stopped using them after that and things moved along at least four times faster without the game suffering and we had a lot more fun. With minis there was just too much yawning going on around the table. I've no idea why because we all play and enjoy tactics scale games, but "tactical D&D" just didn't work for us.

 

[Darius101]

batle mat and minis

We have always used minis (since 1979) but never even knew what a battle mat was until I started to play at the Hobby shop near me. Before that we used the old big hex paper that was put out by "The Armory". It was sold in rolls in about 1981 or so.
We also used the hexsheets for Traveller.

Using a battlemat for combat is a cool cool thing.

Darius

 

[Zappo]

I only used them if I couldn't avoid it... when the room was small, or the terrain was complex. The reason for this is that before 3E the rules didn't support battle maps very well, and that I didn't have many miniatures, and that using pencil'n'paper to supplement the lack of minis was troublesome. So I mostly went without.

Then 3E came, and there was much rejoicing, for I read the rules and saw that they were good. And thus part one of the problem was solved. So one of the players had a great idea and brought with him whiteboards and erasable markers, and they too were good. And the minis, which used to fall from the table and turn into caltrops, were forgotten and no longer used, and the era of the whiteboard began.

 

[Zaruthustran]

I've used minis since 1981. My dad used to work for the toy company that produced those plastic sets, the ones that came with a 3-d molded plastic setting and a bunch of plastic minis(there was a dungeon set, a field and castle set with moat, and a couple more). So, I kind of had a jump-start. I then got into metal figs in second grade and never stopped. We wouldn't use a grid or map, but would instead play on a big chalkboard, pool table, or other surface that you could draw on with chalk. Dominoes were for corridor walls and such.

I really enjoyed painting and playing with minis in D&D, and used to come up with my own miniature battle rules. But my group pretty much stopped using minis in high school, and we never played with them in college.

Now, of course, we play with minis and battle mats every time. And I dread having to buy and paint new figs; I already have 10-20 pounds of unpainted miniatures. I don't want to use them unless they're painted, and I can't paint them because I don't want to take the time (I'd rather be playing D&D).

That's why I'm so excited about the new Chainmail. Prepainted, inexpensive figures? Sure!

-z

 

[Gospog]

We've always used minis or markers of some sort.

Back when I was "wicked po", we used paper and cardboard stand-ups (home made).

These days, I have more minis than a small game store, so it's easier to put appropriate "lead" on the table.

Very few games are easily playable (by me) without the minis. (Dying Earth is one of them, BTW)

 

[Inez Hull]

We never used minis or mats before 3E and sometimes I wish we never had. Before we got back into D&D with 3E the main system we played was Rolemaster. Now that we play with minis the combats take waaaay longer than they ever did in RM.

 

[Agamon]

Used "minis" pretty much since I began playing AD&D back in '83. Mostly used board game pieces and the like in place of minis and usually used a ruler rather than a mat, but a friend of mine that got me into D&D had a table that he squared off with a marker.

Started buying minis around '88, bought my first mat in '92. I currently have 3 Chessex mini strage containers and a display for the largest minis that are difficult to store/transport.

 

[Kichwas]

Did you use minis and grids pre-D&D3?

Yes.

They're quite nessessary when playing Champions / Hero or GURPS.