"Miniature Wargaming: 2D Paper Figures" Topic

As a follow-up to our recent poll:

Playing with two-dimensional paper 'stand up' figures or elements is not miniature wargaming because they ignore the modeling half. It's gaming alright, but not miniature wargaming. Agree or disagree?

Haters gonna hate.

I'm slowly working with printed paper "figures" mounted on blocks (3-D???)for a War of the Spanish Succession army. This is done primarily for rules development and to introduce novices to the concepts of miniature gaming-- too many potential recruits seem to be put off by creative activity like painting.

While some of the image files are usable as is, for variety, modifications for assorted facing or coat colors, or headgear is needed (and is almost as tedious as painting metal).

And there is a photograph in John Tunstill's "Discovering Wargames" of similar paper figures mounted on blocks from Stirling Castle which were created c. 1790. So I guess I'll have to disagree with the premise.

Disagree. Some 2D figures need to be colored in and most all need to be placed on stands of some sort. I think the term is paper modeling.

Where in the words "miniature wargaming" do you see the word "modeling?"

I don't want to model my 3D figs if I can at all avoid it. I'd rather they be a single part, with no assembly required, as that makes it all the easier for me to get to the wargaming part of miniatures wargaming. Model-making may be a subset of the miniatures wargaming hobby, but it isn't the hobby. 2D paper figures are simply another subset.

The term miniature is generic for many things.

miniature: adjective
1.
(especially of a replica of something) of a much smaller size than normal; very small.
synonyms:
small-scale, mini; More tiny, little, small, minute, baby, toy, pocket, dwarf, pygmy, minuscule, diminutive, vest-pocket;

noun: miniature; plural noun: miniatures
1.
a thing that is much smaller than normal, especially a small replica or model.

verb: miniature; 3rd person present: miniatures; past tense: miniatured; past participle: miniatured; gerund or present participle: miniaturing
1.
represent on a smaller scale; reduce to miniature dimensions.

For may miniature war gaming is with miniature figurines. I would guess that more accurately describes miniature war games but it certainly is a very narrow perspective.

Doesn't matter what the material is. Tony Bath used to game with metal flats instead of three dimensional figures.

I'm with Extra-Crispy on this one. Modelling need not be an integral part of wargaming, and I am surprised anybody should even begin to think us. Still each to his own

Disagree

It is miniature gaming. Is someone who has their minis painted by another a miniature gamer? Of course!

I am also with extra crispy – Modelling is a different hobby – sometimes you need to do it in order to wargame but it is not part of the hobby. By extension would that not also exclude anyone that uses professionally painted figures?

First, any pointers? I can't get my paper standups thin enough to actually be two-dimensional. :)

But, I disagree with the quoted statement in the OP. I don't use a lot of paper standups, but do have a few "travel sets" which are lighter and more resilient to being carried around in planes, trains, and automobiles.

Also, these.

If some want to game with 2D paper figures, etc., that should be their option. I prefer the 3D models that many of us use. But everybody should do what works them …

Disagree. However, that it looks best when the infantry, artillery, and cavalry are the same alignment, i.e. all side view or all front/back view. If you do side view, which is the most common (by far) for cavalry and artillery, then you end up playing from the side of the table, rather than behind the troops, which is more traditional. Otherwise it completely loses its aesthetic value.

I don't think you should have both 2D and 3D on the table at the same time. But if a gaming crew wants to go all 2D, they should do what works best for them …

Dale Hurt, your worry can be mitigated by making '2.5D' figures with both front/back and side-view cutouts glued together.

Like others have said flats are a pert of the history of wargaming. To me generally they are better with infantry and cavalry than for machines. In the odd show we have put on 2.5D miniature helicopters. Basic flat fuselage(vertical), Flat, stub wings wings (horizontal) and flat wing stores, quite convincing from some angles as it adds depth.
Generally much detail is provided on models, particularly infantry that is unnecessary when viewed en mass at wargames distances. Some very effective models have been done with just interconnected flat prices like one of the ship games or Star wars games, Excellent war games models if not quite 2D