What Do You Like About Miniature Wargaming?

 For most people, miniature wargaming seems to involve focusing on an historical era that they like, learning about the uniforms and weapons, collecting and painting figures, obtaining relevant terrain features, and playing with rule sets that take into account the advantages and disadvantages of different weapons.  Many players will name the leaders of different units and give them certain personality characteristics that affect their dice rolls. 

That is ok for them.  Whatever floats your boat.  As a solo wargamer, I do not not have to worry about what other players regard as good wargaming practice. 

The miniature is mostly just a game marker. If you use your imagination, any figure can represent anything you want it to represent.  For the last few months, I have been buying 1/72 Airfix soldiers.  They are incredibly cheap.  You can field an army for $12.  As you can see in the pictures, they come in a variety of poses.  I tried painting them but soon realized they look better unpainted.  The bases are not for appearances; they keep the minis from tipping over. 

My soldiers do not have names or personalities.  The infantry units all have the same capabilities, for my purposes.  They shoot and they move and that is about all there is to it.  I have some cavalry and some mortars and some vehicles, but ho hum they are sitting on the shelf. 

The era that interests me in post-Victorian: about 1870 to before WWI.  The smarter commanders learned from the ACW that troops should not advance in formation and fire in volleys.  Instead, they should advance in skirmish order, hiding behind trees and firing when they have a target. They avoid hand to hand combat.  

Some of my minis were from WWI sets and some from WWII sets. They are supposed to be British, German, Prussian, French or American.   In my battles, they are fighting in Europe around 1900, even though their uniforms are not correct and none of those countries fought in Europe at that time.   Too bad.  The scenario can be historically grounded (sort of) but still fictional.  Throw it into a Steampunk universe and you can do anything you want.  The sky is the limit.