What are wargaming miniatures made from?
Miniatures are models for soldiers, vehicles, weapons and buildings used for table top wargaming,
These scale models are usually between 2mm and 54mm tall and call known as miniatures or minis.
Historically, solders and figures were made from were cast in a metal an alloy of lead and tin. Now the vast majority of miniatures — such as those for Warhammer by Games Workshop or historical army figures such as Warlord Games Battle of Waterloo — are made from plastic and come in easy to assemble kits.
Similarly, vehicles and artillery are also now made from plastic but in the past have been made from white metal (lead and tin) or wood. You can make buildings paper, card or clay.
> A final, personal, note: I spend a huge amount of time testing, photographing, writing and researching techniques for these articles and pay for all the running costs of MRE out of my own pocket. If you found this article useful you can support me by making a donation on my fund-raising page. Thanks and happy modelling, Andy.
Andy is a lifelong modeler, writer, and founder of modelrailwayengineer.com. He has been building model railways, dioramas, and miniatures for over 20 years. His passion for model making and railways began when he was a child, building his first layout at the age of seven.
Andy’s particular passion is making scenery and structures in 4mm scale, which he sells commercially. He is particularly interested in modelling the railways of South West England during the late Victorian/early Edwardian era, although he also enjoys making sci-fi and fantasy figures and dioramas. His website has won several awards, and he is a member of MERG (Model Railway Electronics Group) and the 009 Society.
When not making models, Andy lives in Surrey with his wife and teenage son. Other interests include history, science fiction, photography, and programming. Read more about Andy.