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 Miniature
Spaceships
A Capsule Summary of Models for SF Gaming
by Michael Willner
Photographs by Redmond Simonsen
From
Ares Magazine issue 05 - November 1980
Space ship miniatures, and the rules (or using them in plav,
popped into existence shortly after the advent of the
television series, Star Trek. This popular show,
which prominently featured the highly detailed
Enterprise-class star cruiser, prompted gamers to
simulate the epic star battles be- tween the space forces ot
the Kllingons, Romulans, and the Federation. Lou Zocchi,
adventure gaming entrepeneur, was the first to introduce a
set of space ship rules — a system played on the floor using
cardboard discs and thread. Before long, gamers began using
whatever miniature space vessels were available to replace
the cardboard. As more attention was drawn to both
miniatures and science fiction gaming, other companies began
to introduce lines of space ships as well as sets of
playable rules.
 The
use of miniatures in games can best be demonstrated by a
look at a represen- tative game. The Star Fleet Battle
Manual (Zocchi and Zurtick) uses a cardboard disc with
a 360° calibration around the edge An overhead view of the
ship appears on the disc, and a bookkeeping sheet records
damage, weapons, movement, and power allocations. To fire, a
player examines the position of his opponent's ship in
relation to his own and then calculates (or makes a guess
at) a line of fire through a degree along the disc edge. A
thread is stretched between the centers of the discs along
the chosen degree; if the thread intersects the ships, the
enemy is hit and the line of intersection in- dicates where
it took the damage. After damage is assessed and recorded,
counter- fire is initiated. Other factors, such as launching
photon torpedoes and powering shields, are included in the
turn sequence.
More recently, Game Designers'
Workshop has brought out their excellent science fiction
role-playing game, Traveller (see the review in
this issuel, and a refined ship-to-ship combat system,
Mayday. The latter game comes with a conventional hex
sheet, but it is well suited for use with miniatures. There
is still the need for a separate bookkeeping sheet to keep
track of the details of play, but GDW has added new twists.
Players design their ships, installing armament and computer
systems to suit their tastes. Movement uses an inertia-vec-
tor system, and combat maneuvers are handled by the ship's
computers. How "smart" the computer is determines how many
maneuvers, weapons, evasive tactics, etc., it can "know" and
properly utilize.
 There
are a number of other sets of rules on the market, but all
share similar character- istics: low unit density (two to
six ships total), separate bookkeeping records of greater or
lesser detail, and descriptions of nigh energy beam (laser)
and missile weapons.
 It
is not surprising that most of the miniatures on the market
are patterned after the popular Star Trek and
Star Wars space ships. The simple, clean lines of the
Enterprise contrast strongly with the baroque,
highly complex design of the Star Destroyer. As
important as the cast of the ship itself is the application
of paint; most ships look best when given a white base, off
white, and a wash of gray or black to bring out the details.
Too much or too many colors will ruin the stark appearance
of a space-going vessel, while a simple white
"spraypainting" will make the ship boring. Painting
miniatures is a subtle art, due to the limited size
involved.
 The
four major manufacturers of spaceship miniatures are Lou
Zocchi, Valiant, Superior, and Eisenwerk. Each manufacturer
offers a different look in their line of models.
 The
Zocchi figures are modeled on Star Trek vessels,
including the complete line of ships thai appear on the show
and additional models extrapolated from the series. Most of
the figures are lead castings, but there are plastic models
as well (that include phosphorescent, "glow-in-the-dark"
ships for those who have figured out how to play the games
in the dark). The ships are simple, yet carry sufficient
detail to look interesting when painted. The sizes vary, and
they are priced in the $3 range.
The Valliant ships
have a unique design The entire line is hypothetical, and
they tend to be smaller than Zocchi's ships. The ships have
a Star Wars feel, with many little bumps and
doodads that may be interpreted as weaponry, access bays,
etc.; the detail work is quite good. The line appears to
break down into Destroyer and Cruiser class vessels, with
large task forces and fleet organizations. The ships appear
to be lightly to moderately armed, depending on support from
sister ships in combat. The figures run 3 to 4 inches by 1/2
to 3/4 inches, and are priced around $4.
 The
Superior line is extremely impressive; their ships are
really massive. The "carrier" type ships run as large as 6
by 3-inch wedges of solid lead. The super-detailed, finely
crafted figures put Superior at the top of the list.
Superior also uses the Star Wars look in their
line, offering ornate and detailed surface patterns. The
line seems to be designed with the idea of a "one ship
fleet." The monster vessels pack enough firepower to level a
whole solar system. The smaller ships (1 1/2 to
2 inches) seem hopelessly outmatched by their big sisters.
The larger ships also act as "aircraft carriers," since they
come with four to eight tiny fighters in the box.
(The fighters lack detail and are awkward to handle in
play.) The price tag for this line is high: $20 for the
giant "Ring" space station, and an average $6 for the
others. Some smaller types are available packed two in a
box.
 The
Eisenwerk line is not particularly unique; the figures are
about the same scale as the Valiant line and are of a
similar design. Details are lacking; they tend to look more
like cigarettes with bumps and ridges than space ships. One
might argue, however, that real space ships would tend to
look like the Eisenwerk line rather than the pretty designs
of science fiction art. These ships are quite servicable in
play and are reasonably priced in the $3 range.
(Note:
The Eisenwerk line of minis later became the Galaktik Taktik
line of minis from Pewtercraft.)
The
whole field of space ship miniatures is beginning to enjoy
wider public attention. More companies are offering ships,
and many new, enjoyable rules are appearing each year. The
pressure of competition should cause manufacturers to
upgrade and extend their lines. The starship captain of to-
day can find a wide array of miniatures in his local hobby
store to use when out hunting Klingons
A special
thanks to Lou Zocchi and The Compleat Strategist for their
assistance.
For further information about the lines
of space ship miniatures, contact the following companies:
Eisenwerk
Industries, Inc.
1208W. Pasadena Freeway
Pasadena, TX 77506 |
Superior
Models. Inc.
P.O. Box 99
Claymont, DE 19703
|
Valiant
Enterprises, Ltd.
97 Hickory Commons
Antioch, IL 60002
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Zocchi
Distributors
(Gamescience Corp.)
7604X Newton
Biloxi, MS 39532 |
The contact information above is from the
orginal article and 40+ years later is not accurate.
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