"Miners with rifles?" Topic

Preferably 15mm but anything suitable?

Want to play some "coal miners vs company men" games for some characterful skirmishing ala the fights that went down in Kentucky and elsewhere.

Anything looking like rough working men, with basic rifles?

I figure for national guard types, ww1 infantry can do okay.

Ironclad and Sloppy Jalopy both do miners in 28mm, I believe primarily intended for VBCW. The former are armed and equipped British-style, whilst the latter appear to be mostly armed with Mausers. Ironclad are wearing miners' hard-hats, whilst SJ have separate heads and a selection of options – but not, as far as I can tell, slouch hats.

Personally I think 28mm best suits skirmish games. In that size, aside from using some of the SJ figures with appropriate heads, probably the closest you're going to get is the Old Glory Villistas, with either Winchesters, or Mausers that can be converted into Springfields, and with the sombrero-clad heads replaced with slouch hats and lemon-squeezers from Woodbine.

You should also look at Copplestone's Amazon explorers, and Pulp Figures' Mexican Revolution range; especially the American mercenaries. You could also mix in some rifle-armed cowboys, and Boxer Rebellion civilian volunteers from Redoubt. Finally a sprinkling of Boers might be acceptable.

The options in other sizes are more limited, but look for the same types.

In 15s, maybe SCW militia? PP do some in overalls and minimal equipment.

Weasel, do you think the miners would go into combat still wearing their helmets? I have often done a game based on The movie Matawan. In that movie which seems pretty realistic, the miners are just wearing civilian clothing. Overalls and shirts and pants and such. I think in 28mm it's fun to have the miners with helmets and lights on the helmets, in. 15 mm you could get by with out that.

At the battle of Blair mountain the miners were fighting company police, mostly wearing suits. Gangsters work well for these guys. When the actual National Guard arrived the miners stop fighting. The company thugs had a few airplanes with machine guns and homemade bombs.

In the 1920s, most miners put lamps on their own soft hats since they didn't have actual helmets. These big battles were fought in West Virginia in the 1920s. Most of the rest of the country was already organized.

If you go back earlier you end up with the Molly Mcguires which were not really large scale battles as I remember.

Appreciate the tips guys. Good call on SCW militia types.

Probably some RCW militia that can double as well.

28mm is a good call,but doing it in 15mm will allow it to be a "pocket game".

"Probably some RCW militia that can double as well."

Maybe some WW2 Partisan/Resistance types too.

These are PP SCW militia in flat cap:

French resistance with rifles:

and pistols:

all look suitable to me.

Yeah, those are pretty much perfect.

Okay, time for yet another Peter Pig order :)

Don't forget the 1914 Colorado Coalfields War, it had several pitched gun battles. The National Guard had an armored car even. Fascinating and sad story.

Not 15mm, not armed with rifles not cheap, but I'll post a link to the Malifaux Union Minres anyway. Anyone thinking of building a force of miners who sees this thread later should know about these figures (they are very, very nice looking).

link

Those are some gnarly looking dudes.