Ever since being introduced to hex and counter wargaming a
few years ago, I’ve wanted to get into miniatures. I enjoyed modeling as a kid,
and painting miniatures seems like a fun, relaxing, and rewarding creative
outlet. Further, Wargame tables are often beautiful in their own right – not to mention
the enjoyment of playing on one! There is just something deeply rewarding about
interacting with a physical environment. And the games themselves just sound
like good ol’ fashioned fun.
One thing has kept me at arm’s length however: the cost. And not just the financial cost either. There is also the cost in time needed to paint, assemble, and build everything needed for play, as well as the cost in storage space when not in use. All three are limited resources. However, with more time having opened up this year for hobbies, I’ve decided to take the plunge.
Where to start though? With so many rulesets out there, selecting the “right” one can seem a little daunting. To begin, I broke down my gaming priorities as follows:
- Prioritize theme and “feel” over historical realism. I already own (and enjoy!) lots of big, crunchy hex and counter wargames with endless charts and tables. For a miniatures game, I just want to have fun pushing some figures around the table and rolling dice at my friends.
- Related to number 1, I want a game that is quick to set up and quick to learn, so we can get right into the action.
- I have limited time, funds, and space. I would like a game that plays well on a small table (3X5 maximum) and needs a relatively small number of minis to play.
Next, I identified my three main gaming interests:
- The historical setting. Based purely on my own personal interests. Broadly speaking, I am most interested in gaming 20th century land warfare.
- Creating a narrative. I love a good war story. Even while playing the aforementioned crunchy hex and counter games, I create a running narrative in my mind that unfolds as the game progresses and the dice go hot or cold.
- A small scope. Leo Tolstoy, in his work The Raid, wrote “War has always fascinated me. I don’t mean the tactical maneuvering of whole armies by famous generals – movements of such magnitude are quite beyond my imagination. I have in mind the real essence of war . . . all that interested me was the state of mind that pushes a man, without apparent advantage to himself, to expose himself to danger and, what is even more puzzling, to kill his fellow man.” Likewise, I am less interested in gaming grand strategy and huge conflicts between armies, and more interested in watching the personal struggles of a few desperate men unfold on the table.
After doing a lot of reading and research, I think I have found the rules system that best fits both my gaming interests and my gaming priorities: Five Men in Normandy (5MiN) by Nordic Weasel Games. Here is why.
Historical setting, theme, and feel
Play out a few skirmishes from the TV series? Yes, please.
5MiN is a set of skirmish rules for land combat during WWII, which fits my interest in 20th century ground combat. It is also, comparatively speaking, a light ruleset – what I would consider to be the core gameplay rules numbers only 12 pages. The rules for character creation, skills, campaigns and encounters, on the other hand, number nearly 40 pages. Needless to say, this is a game that does not lean to heavily on the simulation side of things, but from what I have read from others, “feels” right. Ivan Sorensen, the designer, states that he wanted to design a game that felt like a war movie – and that is the kind of miniatures game I want to play.
Scope, Size, Scale
My need for a low footprint game combined with my interest in the individual soldier in battle makes 5MiN a natural fit. The game can be played on a 2X2 table, with only 5 – 8 miniatures needed per side. The rules are quick to grasp and, by all accounts, quick to play.
This offers me a few practical advantages, especially as I am getting into tabletop wargaming completely from scratch. First, I will not have to build huge armies before jumping in nor will I have to invest in much terrain. I can start slow. Second, I do not have much space available for play, so a small-scale skirmish game is ideal. Third, the simplicity of the rules will allow me to teach the game quickly to others so that we can enjoy getting right into the action. Time is precious!
Narrative
Probably what I am looking forward to the most with 5MiN. I enjoy
a good tactical puzzle just as much as the next wargamer. However, when gaming with miniatures why not add a little more character?
Character skills for your soldiers.
With randomly generated characters that progress from mission to mission, campaign events, etc., 5MiN sounds as though it will provide me with no shortage of narrative. This is also the reason why I am choosing to start with Five Men in Normandy over some of the other, similar Nordic Weasel products such as FiveCore and Five Men at Kursk. I am looking forward to getting to know the men in my squad, seeing them progress through a campaign, and grow in the process. I imagine I will be witness to many small, interesting stories. And I can’t wait to start playing.
Nordic Weasel is here: https://fivemennormandy.blogspot.com/
Five Men in Normandy is here: https://www.wargamevault.com/product/223411/Five-Men-in-Normandy-30-cal-edition