Black Powder Epic Battles Explained: Small Miniatures, Massive Battles
Black Powder Epic Battles is Warlord Games' historical mass-battle miniature range, pairing smaller figures with period-specific versions of the Black Powder rules. The attraction is the army as a whole: ranks of infantry, mounted formations, artillery, and scenery creating the impression of a substantial historical battlefield.
Smaller figures do not automatically mean shorter games, effortless painting, or a tiny table. What changes is the visual emphasis. Instead of making each soldier the centre of attention, you build formations and command them as units.
This guide explains that distinction, compares the settings represented in Tistaminis' product listings, and helps you choose a sensible first purchase.
Epic Battles in plain English
| Question | Practical answer |
|---|---|
| What are you collecting? | Historical armies made up of infantry, mounted troops, artillery, and commanders, depending on the period. |
| What is the visual focus? | Massed formations rather than isolated individual figures. |
| Which rules do you need? | The rules and period-specific material appropriate to your chosen range and scenario. |
| Does every starter include two armies? | No. Some boxes are army starters; others contain opposing forces. |
| Are the figures ready to play straight from the box? | Check each listing. The starter products discussed here require preparation and are supplied unpainted. |
| Who is it for? | Players who enjoy historical research, army painting, and formation-based battles. |
Figures, bases, units, and brigades: what is the difference?
A figure is a miniature soldier. A base holds figures together. A unit is a game formation that may use several bases. A brigade groups units or describes a reinforcement product, depending on the context.
These terms matter when comparing boxes. A listing with 24 bases does not mean 24 individual soldiers, and two products with the same number of bases do not necessarily contain the same number or size of game units. Mounted and dismounted representations may also depict different states of the same troops rather than separate forces to use simultaneously.
Nor should you assume every miniature represents exactly one historical soldier. Use the chosen rules and scenario to understand the relationship between your models and the battle being represented.
How small are Epic Battles miniatures?
The useful starting point is that this is a smaller format than conventional 28mm collections. Do not treat “Epic Battles” as a guarantee that every range, sculpt, or third-party model has identical dimensions.
Measurements can also mean different things: foot-to-eye height is not the same as overall height, and nominal scale labels do not establish matching proportions. Before mixing manufacturers or buying terrain, check the specific models, base dimensions, and intended battlefield layout.
| Consideration | Smaller Epic Battles figures | Conventional 28mm figures |
|---|---|---|
| Painting emphasis | Readable colours and a coherent formation | More room for individual details |
| Visual appeal | Dense ranks and the impression of large armies | Individual sculpts and unit detail |
| Planning the table | Still depends on basing, rules, and scenario | Also depends on basing, rules, and scenario |
These are preferences, not limits: 28mm can also be used for mass battles. Epic Battles is not the only way to command formations, and smaller figures alone do not determine the scope of a game.
What does playing involve?
Think in terms of formations and battlefield objectives rather than individual soldiers taking separate actions. You will need to learn how your chosen rules handle command, movement, firing, combat, and the condition of units.
For example, your decision might be whether to hold a position, move supporting troops toward a threatened area, or commit another formation to an attack. The precise actions available, their resolution, and the victory conditions belong to the period's rules and scenario.
A familiar Black Powder foundation does not mean every Epic Battles setting is interchangeable. Check the relevant book before transferring unit profiles, basing assumptions, or scenario rules between periods.
Which historical setting should you choose?
The following are examples represented in our listings, not a claim that every Epic Battles product belongs to Black Powder.
American Civil War: infantry and artillery armies
The American Civil War setting appeals to collectors interested in Union and Confederate formations and nineteenth-century battlefields. It offers a clear visual focus on massed infantry supported by artillery and mounted troops.
Choose it if the period interests you enough to research and paint its armies. As with any historical collection, study the causes and people of the conflict as well as the uniforms and equipment.
Waterloo: a Napoleonic army project
Waterloo offers the contrast of infantry, mounted troops, and artillery alongside distinctive uniforms and flags. Tistaminis lists both a British army starter and a French army starter.
Important buying distinction: these are separate army starters, not two opposing armies in each box. Both listings include a bespoke A5 rulebook and an MDF scenery piece, but you still need an opposing force for a two-sided battle.
Revolution!: the American War of Independence
The Revolution! battle set lists British and allied forces alongside Continental forces, plus commanders, artillery, cavalry, an MDF watchtower, bases, flags, dice, and the period rulebook. It is an example of a box built around opposing armies rather than a single side.
This is a substantial hobby commitment. Choose it for enthusiasm about the setting, not simply the number of figures. A separate Revolution! rulebook is also listed for collectors who need the rules without the battle set.
Zulu!: contrasting forces and recognizable scenarios
The Rorke's Drift and Isandlwana sets recreate different settings from the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879. Both listings include opposing forces, rules, learning material, terrain, a mat, and dice.
Rorke's Drift centres on mission buildings and defences; Isandlwana offers a larger Zulu force alongside mounted troops, artillery, and camp scenery. For the detailed comparison, see our Zulu War complete product overview.
Not every Epic Battles box uses Black Powder
You will also encounter products labelled Hail Caesar Epic Battles and Pike & Shotte Epic Battles. Those are distinct ranges, not simply extra Black Powder armies. Similar branding or miniature size does not establish rules compatibility. Match the rulebook, setting, and forces before ordering.
Is smaller faster to paint?
It can suit an efficient batch-painting approach, but a large collection still takes work. Smaller details may also be harder to see or reach. Focus on the finished formation rather than assuming each figure must receive the same treatment as a display miniature.
- Check the assembly and basing instructions. Understand what you are building before gluing everything in place.
- Paint a test batch. Try your colours and establish a manageable finish.
- Repeat the main colours across a group. Keep the batch small enough to remain enjoyable.
- Add readable contrasts. Prioritize the visible uniforms, equipment, flags, and unit distinctions.
- Unify the bases. Consistent ground colours help the army look coherent.
Follow material-specific preparation and adhesive guidance. Plastic, resin, and MDF components do not necessarily use the same approach.
A sensible first-purchase checklist
- Choose the period and a playing partner. Shared interest is more useful than buying the biggest box.
- Check whether the box contains one army or both. “Starter” alone does not answer that question.
- Confirm the rules included. Identify any additional period material you need.
- Plan the playing surface and storage. Use the scenario guidance, not the miniature height, to estimate space.
- Budget for preparation. Include suitable tools, adhesives, paints, basing supplies, and terrain beyond the box.
- Learn before expanding. A reduced-force practice exercise can help teach the basics, but is not automatically a balanced scenario.
Check current CAD prices and ordering status on the linked product pages. Compare the cost of a playable project rather than relying on price per miniature.
Frequently asked questions
Is Epic Battles the same as regular Black Powder?
It draws on the Black Powder foundation, but the products and period-specific material matter. Do not assume that owning one book gives you every adaptation or scenario for another setting.
Does smaller scale mean a smaller table?
Not automatically. Unit footprints, movement, deployment, and the scenario determine the space needed. Check the relevant guidance before purchasing a gaming surface.
Are these skirmish games?
The emphasis here is formations and massed armies rather than a handful of independently acting figures. If a tiny collection is your main requirement, compare the hobby workload carefully before committing.
Is it a good choice for beginners?
Yes, for someone enthusiastic about the period and willing to prepare an army. Start with the correct learning materials and manageable hobby batches rather than trying to finish the entire collection at once.
Can I mix periods or use any Epic Battles models together?
Not on the basis of the branding alone. Check physical proportions, basing, rules, and the historical scenario. A compatible-looking model is not automatically a valid unit for your chosen game.
The verdict: choose the army you want to finish
Epic Battles makes the formation the star of the collection. It is an appealing route for hobbyists who want ranks of historical troops and a battlefield that looks like an army engagement. Choose the period that holds your interest, check exactly what its starter contains, and build toward your first scenario before adding more boxes.
Product examples are based on Tistaminis listings. Consult each product page for current contents, pricing, and availability.