Best Miniature Ranges In Tabletop Games

Tabletop wargames have been around since the early 19th century, when the Prussian army introduced Kriegsspiel to simulate real-world battles and practice strategy. However, in modern times, this fun hobby has grown into a worldwide industry, with Games Workshop’s sci-fi and fantasy settings leading the way in popularity.

While many hobbyists discover miniature gaming and painting through Warhammer, a wide selection of other game systems and miniature ranges are also available to hobbyists looking to expand their collections. From small skirmish games to narrative-focused series or titles based on popular franchises, wargaming is experiencing a golden age, with a range of fun games and diverse settings for groups of friends to discover. Each model range offers a unique take on the hobby, from metal-based miniatures to classic fantasy or sci-fi-inspired models, and more traditional toy soldiers. Each offers models that are wonderfully designed with passion and skill. While some companies feature a smaller variety of miniatures, each of these ranges has made a big impact on the growing hobby industry.

Battletech

An Addictive Game Of Battling Robots

For fans of heavily armored and powerful robots engaging in all-out war, Battletech is the tabletop wargame to try. This expansive franchise is set in the 31st century, where humanity has spread into the galaxy and engages in interplanetary conflict. While Battletech is a futuristic setting, it presents its technology as more grounded and industrial than highly advanced.

The game takes place on a board made up of hexagonal terrain tiles, where players control their miniatures and engage in highly tactical and addictive conflicts. While Battletech doesn’t have Games Workshop’s varied range of models, their Mecha miniatures are detailed and fun to paint.

Bolt Action

A Classic WW2 Wargame

For hobbyists looking for a tabletop wargame with a little more realism, Bolt Action is the perfect option. In the game, players take part in historic battles from the Second World War, including Stalingrad and the Battle of the Bulge. Armies can include soldiers, vehicles, and artillery, as each player attempts to destroy the other or achieve strategic objectives.

The miniature range is ideal for anyone interested in WW2 military history, with all the major countries represented in miniature form. These include the British Airborne, German Tank divisions, and US Marines. Soldiers from famous WW2 movies are also featured, with sets from Kelly’s Heroes (1970) and Enemy at the Gates (2001) available for purchase. Bolt Action is a classic WW2 tabletop wargame that is a welcome change from the more common fantasy and sci-fi settings often seen in the industry.

Infinity

A Stylish Futuristic Setting

Infinity is set in a manga-inspired sci-fi universe set one hundred and eighty years into the future. The game follows the conflicts of the vast interplanetary human civilization, known collectively as the Human Sphere, as different factions battle for influence, ideology, or expansion. However, an oncoming alien invasion seeks to disrupt the fragile balance and dominate the warring human race forever.

Infinity offers complex gameplay based around small skirmish-style battles and features an array of well-designed metal miniatures from each of the settings’ different factions. The metal models are a great addition to any hobby collection, offering a unique painting opportunity over more common plastic miniatures.

Frostgrave

A Nostalgic Fantasy Adventure

This popular tabletop wargame has become a staple of hobby clubs all around the world. In the game, players choose their unique wizard, who commands a rough and ready warband of soldiers, knights, and barbarians, as they set out on a high-fantasy adventure through ancient frozen ruins.

Frostgrave leans more into the narrative side of wargaming, with random beast encounters available during a game. While the miniature range is relatively small, these wonderfully crafted models fit perfectly with the classic fantasy feel of the game. For hobbyists looking for a fun alternative to Warhammer‘s fantasy games, Frostgrave offers simple, streamlined gameplay and classic fantasy miniatures.

Fallout Factions

Detailed Miniatures From The Popular Video Game Franchise

The Fallout franchise has become one of the most recognizable series in modern gaming history. With numerous game releases, spin-off games, and a successful TV adaptation, Fallout has attracted legions of fans to its expansive, satirical, and action-packed post-apocalyptic universe.

For fans of the series and tabletop wargaming, Fallout Factions offers hours of fun. Designed for small-scale skirmish games, players control their squads of wastelanders as they battle for power across multiple sessions. Much like Necromunda, Fallout Factions has a strong emphasis on narrative campaigns, with the player’s crew growing stronger with each victory. Fallout fans will love the miniature range, with all the major factions featured in the video games available for the tabletop.

Star Wars Shatterpoint

A Must-Have For Star Wars Fans

This fantastic Star Wars-themed tabletop wargame has gained a considerable fanbase in recent years and continues to grow in popularity. The game is set during the Clone Wars era, with the two main factions being either the Galactic Republic or the Separatist Alliance. Players form their strike teams, consisting of famous heroes or villains from the series, and engage in tactical battles, while taking objectives and defeating enemies.

As expected, the miniature range is varied and consists of all the major groups from Star Wars and its spin-off shows, including The Mandalorian (2019) and Rogue One (2016). The models are dynamic, detailed, and extremely fun to paint. For fans of the famous franchise, Shatterpoint stands as a great introduction to tabletop wargaming.

Necromunda

Delve into the Depths of the Underhive

Set within the Warhammer 40k universe, Necromunda is one of Games Workshop’s most enduring and beloved tabletop titles. The skirmish war game takes place on the planet Necromunda, within one of the many hive cities situated across the planet. Players battle with one of the rival gangs found in the Underhive, consisting of around 8–12 miniatures.

While Necromunda can be daunting to start, with a large and complex rulebook, it is by far Games Workshop’s most narrative-led system. Player gangs can develop between games, earning money and experience, which allows for long-term campaigns to be played between groups of friends. With some of Games Workshop’s best miniatures available through the game and a much lower cost to start playing, Necromunda is a fun journey into the 41st millennium.

Trench Crusade

A New Vision Of Grimdark

With Games Workshop’s continued domination of the tabletop industry, new games often struggle to make an impact on the community. However, over the last year or so, with its grimdark aesthetics and incredible miniature range, Trench Crusade has managed this feat, quickly gaining an excited and passionate player base.

With a team of experienced designers, whose past credits include Mordheim, Paths of Exile, and Magic: The Gathering, Trench Crusade is a dark fantasy war game like no other. The game is set in an alternative history where religious armies battle the forces of hell in 1914. The game features a stunning miniature range that pushes the idea of grimdark to all-new levels. Trench Crusade is a wonderful alternative to 40k that offers great gameplay and fun painting projects.

Warhammer 40,000

The Original Grimdark Setting

Warhammer 40k was first introduced in 1987 and quickly garnered a loyal following who fell in love with the game’s stunning artwork and over-the-top action. The game would introduce Space Marines to the wider sci-fi lexicon and become a haven for children and adults worldwide looking to get lost in the grimdark universe.

Currently in its tenth edition, Warhammer 40k remains hugely popular and has expanded into video games, animations, and novels. The franchise has grown far beyond its niche hobby beginnings with no sign of slowing down. While Warhammer 40k can be somewhat complex and tough to learn over a single session, the game has developed a thriving competitive scene, with small to large-scale tournaments happening around the world. Its miniature range remains large, diverse, and unique, with new stunningly sculpted models being included regularly.

Warhammer Age Of Sigmar

Warhammer Fantasy Reinvented

After Games Workshop dramatically killed off its original and beloved tabletop setting, Warhammer Fantasy, the company would reinvent the IP into Warhammer Age of Sigmar.

Seeking to create an original fantasy setting, AOS would be released to a mixed reception, with many fans angry at the sudden demise of their beloved fantasy game. However, now in its fourth edition, Age of Sigmar has firmly found its flow and is a major player in Games Workshop’s large roster of war games. Age of Sigmar’s expansive miniature range may be the best Games Workshop has ever released, with stunningly dramatic and detailed miniatures becoming instant hits with fans. Over numerous factions, across the four major alliances, the AOS range has some of the best plastic miniatures available today, with new, beautifully designed models being introduced each year.