Do you use miniatures

[Bendris Noulg]

I voted counters, mostly because I (as GM) see them as a needless expense. My players, however, are invited to use one for their PCs assuming they ever find one that looks like their characters, which they've yet to do.

 

[Addix]

For my concern, I use no minis at all.
But we sometimes use a whiteboard to quickly sketch where people are or show how the setting looks like. That's far enough.
So no minis, although I got a pretty big collection of lead ones. I just don't feel the need of using them. They'd certainly slow the game down. So...
And, concerning the WotC (in-my-sense-UGLY)-plastic miniatures, there's just one thing that disturbs me except their very relative quality : WHO paints 'em, hum?

 

[robberbaron]

For my AD&D1+ campaign we use figures (metal, of varying ages and standards of painting) for PC positioning, along with some metal figures, counters, dice, etc., for "enemies".

For D&D3 we use pretty much the same figures. You have to use some representation of each individual to apply flanking, AoOs, etc.

For Star Wars d20 I made a load of card figures, one for each of the PCs and some generic Stormtroopers and Rebel guys. They work well, but I will definitely buy some WotC figs when they come out. We would have used the old metal figs but they are just too expensive when you can find any.

 

[Woas]

Hero's Quest figures. I like to scare my players by putting down 10 "Chaos Knights"... then "forgetting" to tell them their just Dire rats.

PC1 "What are those?"
PC2 "I dunno. They look pretty menacing and evil."
PC1" Maybe we should flee or something."
DM(Me): "Oh.. those little guys? Heh.. there just Dire Rats..."

 

[MeepoTheMighty]

We use minis in most combats, unless it's a situation where there's only one monster or something. I have a huge toolbox full of the WoTC minis, and keep a plastic case with a bunch of Claudio's counters in my backpack. Every now and then someone will get the motivation to paint a metal one, but that doesn't happen very often.

 

[megamania]

In the beginning was wooden tokens with letters and/or numbers. Confusing.

Then I made counters (this was in the mid 90's) helped but just barely.

Then I began to buy and paint TSR minis. Found it time consuming but relaxing to do. The problem...I couldn't always find what I wanted.

Then I went into Reaper and others for more variety and different poses.

Then I discovered 40K Tyranids which lead to other plastic minis.

Then came Chainmail. Great figures but the sizes went from 24mm to 28mm. This was noticeable with many figures where humans were the size of goblins etc....

Then came Magenight and Heroclix. Hmmm...no painting.

And now the new figures.

What will be next? I can't wait to find out.

As for the question- Yes I use mini's from the above and often I go into 1 dollar stores or toy outlet bargin bins and find lots of cheap and really neat stuff there.

I have two 30x44 dry erase lined rolls for big battles and am now working on creating 3-D terrain starting with ruins and walls. I also use sheets of hobby felt/plastic that is colored to represent water, rivers, magma, swamp and tar.

Mini's take time and money but do add to a game.

 

[rgard]

green and tan army men

Lego minifigs and green army men! (I wish I had had the foresight to buy the package of green and tan army men, but I didn't.)

If you mean the green and tan 20mm army men (copies of old Airfix minis), you can sometimes still find them at your local Dollar Tree store.

If you don't have one local or they are sold out, I'm sure I have a package laying around somewhere and can sell it to you at cost plus postage.

Thanks,
Rich

 

[rgard]

Lots and Lots of minis

We always use minis when we play. It makes things so much easier in keeping track of where everybody is as the the action takes place.

I've been buying metal figs since 1977 from just about every manufacturer known. Over 1000 in the collection I bet, but only 1-2% are painted.

We're currently buying the D&D minis.

Thanks,
Rich

 

[Arnwyn]

Darn you Merric. That post just veered me closer to jumping into miniatures.

Mind you, johnsemlak, you do realize how much you'll be paying - especially if you were interested in those two specific minis... They're not all like that. (Prepare for some bad cat-people and skeletons, and an ugly unicorn as your rare.)

 

[Chupacabra]

We use Reaper minis for our PC's, most of the non-combat NPC's, and the BBG's and their henchmen, or hench-things. We are increasingly using the WotC minis for opponents as current DM is adding to his stock by leaps and bounds. Our group has also pressed into service dice, counters, and little medieval army men (wielding halbards AND shields, go figure) over and over as the need arises.

When I DM its mostly just metal minis for the PC's and counters for the critters. I don't have the stash of mini's that my DM has.