Do we actually need miniatures?

[The Other Dave]

I played a *lot* of Avalon Hill hex-and-counter wargames in my halcyon youth, so obviously I have love for non-minis-based games. Still, minis wargames really do tap into something visceral, painting is good fun, and my particular brand of nerdy OCD is weak against the collecting instinct.

[AndrewGPaul]

I suppose it depends on what you're interested in. If it's the gaming or simulation aspect, then board wargames are probably the better bet - they tend to avoid fiddly LOS and movement issues, and they're better at implementing a "fog of war", bluffs and C3 issues. On the other hand, if you like building and painting shiny toys, clearly, they're not such a good fit.

[ashmie]

Sometimes I think we don't need them but just the other day I 'found' my 'to paint' box of minis that were packed away in the spare room at K's house and I thought "ooh" as I opened the lid. Maybe I might have time. Maybe.

[Dungeon Lord]

Miniatures add a lot to most games. Especially the visual context. They don't have to always be the most detailed as others have already mentioned, but something is better than nothing. Of course games like Magic don't need them, but they have cards which are just as cool with their artwork.

All in all, I would say 3D items up the gaming experience, but depending on the game (like Dungeon Lords or Dust Tactics), you don't need a lot of miniatures on the field to have fun. Ash and Prime's historical game last weekend looked awesome with everything painted though!

[pdfitzg]

I remember when I was a kid and we had egg cartons full of counters for map based games. It was a blast, cheap, and simple to play. I also have vague memories of playing the original Risk with what I think were colored wooden blocks or something. All fun and I woudn't mind playing them again, but I do love my minis. Have bought into several games based purely off the models over the years where as other purchases usually come after lots of research. Have to say I'm a collector first so while I could play without minis, I wouldn't want to. Oh yeah, and while I usually try not to balk at proxies, I so much prefer WYSIWYG since my focus is on the models. I'd be frustrated playing someone that ran something like cardboard cutouts for a 40K army, especially if that was their long term solution. That said, to each their own.