Doctor Who Miniatures Game

Doctor Who Miniatures Game* is a tabletop wargame by Graeme Dawson, which provides a welcome escape from the grim reality of the real world, whilst promoting harmony between the generations. After all, who wouldn't enjoy pushing model Daleks around a board? Certainly not Matt Smith , as you can see.

My first wargame in the Doctor Who universe was at the Derby Old Glory Wargames show in 2008. It was put on by the Fantasy and Science Fiction Society, and used some unfathomable rules, and a barking mad scenario. However it was immense fun, and not only for my five year old son who I'd dragged along for the day.

Having discovered that whilst mini me may not be as keen as I am to wargame the whole of the First Afghan War, he did enjoy pitching UNIT into unequal combat against Cybermen, Daleks, Yetis or anything else I could paint. A faulty link stopped me buying the old Doctor Who Invasion Earth rules, which was just as well because I then found Graeme's free set, and haven't looked back.

Like Bruce Forsyth, Doctor Who links the seventies to the noughties, although Doctor Who is at least still funny. Although Graeme's rules were written for the Classic Series, they readily proved adaptable to the new series, largely because, thanks to RTD, it is mostly the same, except for more substantial special effects and flimsier plots.

The rules are quick and easy, with a format familiar to anyone who's played a Warhammer derived set, and provide enough detail to satisfy a wargaming nerd like me, whilst remaining playable by a brighter five year old. What's more, thanks to various special rules and other game features, they actually do play like Doctor Who adventures, with brain often as not triumphing over brawn.

They are supported by a friendly online group of fans, who have been innovative in designing scenarios, and also in sourcing models for use in the games.

Graeme, and co-conspirator Karl Perroton, have now branched out into other small screen adventures from the decade of my youth with 7TV, a game that uses the same mechanics as DWMG.

Whilst miniature wargaming seems to be loosing the war of attrition with computer gaming, at least as far as my children are concerned, DWMG still manages to keep me off the streets, and some of my 'straight' wargaming friends have even been persuaded to have a go.

So thanks very much Graeme for the game, and if there's anyone reading this whose never tried it, why not give DWMG a go?

*Since I wrote this Warlord Games has moved into the market of Doctor Who wargaming, and taken the name Doctor Who Miniatures Games as their own. As a result Graeme's DWMG rules are no longer publicly available. However they can still be found by those who know where to look.