I recently picked up The Fundamentals of Tabletop Miniatures Game Design by Glenn Ford and Mike Hutchinson after hearing about it in a YouTube interview with Mike. I was listening while building some MDF terrain and found the discussion fascinating—it really sold me on picking up the book. As a long-time fan of his work—especially Gaslands—I was curious to see how he approached the broader subject of miniatures game design. While I’ve been meaning to play A Billion Suns for some time, I’ve yet to find a local group in either the USA or Malta that’s keen.
This book is a fantastic deep dive into the mechanics and theory behind miniatures game design. It’s well-structured, covering everything from the history of the medium and fundamental mechanics to more advanced topics like command resolution, terrain interactions, and scenario design. What really stood out to me was how it balances accessibility with depth—you don’t need to be an experienced designer to get something out of it, but if you are, there’s still plenty of valuable insight.
One aspect I found amusing is that it’s published by CRC Press, which is part of Informa—a company that, 15+ years ago, was a direct competitor of mine back when I worked in the corporate conference industry in New Zealand. Funny how things come full circle!
You can find the book here on Amazon:
The Fundamentals of Tabletop Miniatures Game Design – Glenn Ford & Mike Hutchinson
How It Compares to Rick Priestley’s Tabletop Wargames: A Designer’s & Writer’s Handbook
I recently read Rick Priestley’s Tabletop Wargames: A Designer’s & Writer’s Handbook, and it’s interesting to compare the two. Priestley’s book, co-written with John Lambshead, leans more into the historical evolution of miniatures wargaming and focuses on design principles with a heavy narrative and traditional wargaming perspective. It draws a lot from Priestley’s experience developing Warhammer, Bolt Action, and Black Powder, emphasizing the role of probability, dice mechanics, and the psychology of play.
Ford and Hutchinson, by contrast, take a more modern and systematic approach, breaking down mechanics into modular elements that can be applied across different styles of games. While Priestley’s book has a more anecdotal and experience-driven feel, The Fundamentals of Tabletop Miniatures Game Design is structured more like a textbook, making it an excellent reference guide.
For someone looking to understand the why behind miniatures game design, Priestley’s book is a great read, filled with industry insight and practical examples. But if you’re looking for a how-to with a step-by-step breakdown of mechanics and game structure, Ford and Hutchinson’s book is the stronger resource. In a way, they complement each other well—Priestley offers wisdom from decades of experience, while Ford and Hutchinson provide a toolkit for applying those insights in a structured manner.
You can find Priestley’s book here on Amazon:
Tabletop Wargames: A Designer’s & Writer’s Handbook – Rick Priestley & John Lambshead
Inspiring Homebrew Design Projects
Lately, I’ve been exploring more game design for this blog, focusing on custom army lists and missions inspired by Malta’s and New Zealand’s military history. My current project is a Bolt Action scenario for Operation C3/Herkules with Phil, which has been a fun challenge to research and develop. Reading The Fundamentals of Tabletop Miniatures Game Design has already given me plenty of ideas for refining mechanics and structuring missions more effectively.
If you’re interested in game design, whether as a hobbyist or with aspirations of creating your own ruleset, both books are worth checking out. If you’re looking for a structured, analytical breakdown of mechanics, Ford and Hutchinson’s book is the way to go. If you want a more narrative-driven exploration of wargame design, Priestley’s book offers valuable insights from one of the most influential designers in the industry. Personally, I’m glad to have both on my shelf.
