Using WaW85 stats for miniature games

Many people play games using 1:285th scale GHQ Micro Armor figures or even the larger 12mm and 15mm plastic and metal miniatures from Plastic Soldier Company and Gale Force 9 . For those of you that do, here are so unofficial suggestions from the World at War 85 design team on how to convert units in WaW85 to be used for miniature gaming.

Let’s start off by having a look at one of the data cards for a unit from World at War 85. This is a close-up of the M-2 Bradley IFV card that will be released in Blood and Fury.

In the lower-left corner is space to record the movement value (in the gray box) and various range values (AP and HE) of the unit, once you convert the values on the counter to your favorite miniatures game ground scale. The conversion factor is right on the table: 1 WaW85 hex = 150 meters.

For the Range values we recommend doubling the effective range in hexes and then converting to find the Maximum range in your game’s Ground Scale. Effective range is half of that value and Point Blank range is a quarter. Round all numbers and fractions down if you are using this method.

As an example, if you are using WaW85 with minis and terrain you bought for A Fistful of TOWs then in the FFOT rules it says the Ground Scale is 1″ or 1cm = 100 meters. Remember that your figure scale does not matter here only the terrain ground scale used in your rules.

You will see on the unit data card that the M-2 platoon’s movement point value is 6. So 6 WaW85 hexes multiplied by 150 meters is 900 meters. Divide by the FFOT Ground Scale of 100 meters and get a maximum movement speed of 9 cm or 9″ when playing A Fistful of TOWs .

Here are two movement rules that you may want to consider using.

1. If the center of the base of your miniature is within 75 scale meters of another unit you are considered stacked with that unit.
2. If the center of the base of your minis is in the open but within 75 scale meters of Obscuring or Blocking terrain, you are considered to have the benefit of that terrain. For example, 75 scale meters in the case of A Fistful of TOWs is .5 cm/inches.

As I do not typically design WWIII ground minis rules, let the player beware!

You may need to resolve situations where you have more than one base within 75 scale meters of another base or more than one type of Obscuring/Blocking terrain with additional logic or a die roll.