Naval wargames have intrigued me. I like the idea of controlling a fleet of ships. Also, making terrain is not an issue. For most naval scenarios all one needs is a flat surface to simulate the ocean. Collecting and painting miniatures is still an issue, but I think that I found a solution. The company Topside Minis produces high quality warship tokens that consist of a sticker that you apply to a wooden counter. The ships are in 1:1800 scale, which is the same scale that the Axis and Allies War at Sea game was produced in.
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| A Topside Minis ship ready to mine the harbor. |
The Topside Minis counters look great. The pictures on the ship are detailed and the counters have a nice feel to them. All you have to do when you buy them is peel off the sticker at attach it to the base. The stickers are very forgiving; I have peeled them off and reattached them when assembling them with no problem. I do trim around the edges with an X-acto knife and then they are ready for battle. You can have a fleet ready to go in the fraction of the time it takes to base and paint some miniatures.
Topside Minis are also affordable. Ships run from about 50 cents to $1.50 each, and you can purchase battle packs for famous naval engagements. They will also send you a free sample. The company also has a free set of miniatures rules that you can download from the site. I plan on using General Quarters III for my battles.
Check out Topside Mini's website for some naval wargame action: topsideminis.com
