The Dawn of the First Miniature Wargame

The Dawn of the First Miniature Wargame Wargames have taken the world by storm, from strategic battles on tabletops to epic stories brought to life with tiny armies. But have you ever wondered where it all started? Let’s take a trip back to the birth of miniature wargaming — a simpler time when the rules were more flexible (read: chaotic) and the miniatures, well, were more like repurposed tin soldiers. It all began in the early 20th century. The first notable miniature wargame is credited to H.G. Wells, the famous author of The War of the Worlds. That’s right — when he wasn’t busy dreaming up alien invasions, Wells was creating the groundwork for modern tabletop battles. In 1913, he published Little Wars, a book that outlined rules for playing with toy soldiers. Wells himself described it as "a game for boys from twelve years of age to one hundred and fifty and for that more intelligent sort of girl who likes boys' games and books." (Talk about a pitch that’s aged like fine wine.)