Small is beautiful - an ethos... and a Khorne Raiding Party.

Small is beautiful was the name of an article from an old White Dwarf (issue 205 I think) written by Adrian Wood that talked about the merits of smaller games, and linking them together with a bit of narrative.

The article was aligned to the Warhammer 40,000 universe (in the days of second edition) and it has always stuck with me, for the simple reason I believe, that I'm a designer, sculptor and painter with a desire to be a gamer.

I'm always short on hobby time. My fitness and my sleep suffers so I can paint and sculpt. Gaming has never been a priority for me, I'd rather use the time creating.

Perhaps for this reason the small is beautiful article always haunts me! Organising a small game can't be that hard! You don't need that many miniatures! I could paint up and finish a little army no problem! So the theory goes.

I started out with HeroQuest around 1992 and I've never looked back. I actually played games then and come into my own with Necromunda, but it's the artistic side that stuck.

Fast forward about 24 years, Age of Sigmar happened. Open play became a thing. I bought Age of Sigmar.

Heard of Inq28? I'm sure you have, google image search if not. It's many things: a style, a theme, a way of gaming, a narrative, an artistic outlet... Sometimes it even comes across as pretentious. Anyway, I like it a mostly! Primarily as as artistic outlet and means to conduct the hobby, I do dabble in it.

I tend to think it's the style more than anything that makes it so cool: grimdark, atmospheric, weird and lots of unique* conversions.

*mileage may vary on that, you tend to see the same base miniatures and conversions popping up.

I do wonder, is there scope for an Age of Sigmar equivalent?

No is probably the answer, Age of Sigmar art direction is quite different... but I do wonder.

Age of Sigmar + "small is beautiful"/ Inq28 mentality = ? 


Check out my last post, Khadesh-Za for my first foray into this thing. I'm not trying to imitate Inq28, but I am inspired by it!

By now you might have realised the image of my Khorne Raiding Party isn't really displaying the ethos: no conversions, not much atmosphere... in truth I painted these things a while back, I now need to go and weather them to them look the part.

Here's the loose guide I'll refer to as I develop my Age of Sigmar collection:

1. Quality over quantity
2. Average army no more than 40 miniatures, unless it's a horde army
3. Aim for a narrative with the army
4. It's all about the characters
5. The landscape is also a character
6. Bring it/them to life with motivations and drama
7. Convert in moderation, it's an army...
8. Create new things...
9. Make it an experience - fiction, images, props
10. Games Workshop miniatures only, unless I sculpt something whilst following rule 8.