The divide between miniatures and ‘ordinary’ board/war games gets blurrier with every passing year, thanks largely to crowdfunding, but if you’re hunting for a spectacular miniatures game with combat and adventure, then this is the gift guide to you. We’re talking space marines, aliens, monsters, and super mutants here. This is your gift guide to great science fiction and fantasy miniatures games in 2026!
As an aside, if you or someone you know is deep into one of these games, paints and crafting supplies always make great gifts too!
Fantasy
RPG Miniatures
And yet we begin our fantasy section with miniatures that aren’t tied to any game in particular. These figures, whether they’re official Dungeons and Dragons minis or the swath of awesome creations crafted by publishers like Reaper and Privateer Press, are more than just shelf showcases. Games like Rangers of Shadow Deep, A Billion Suns, Dragon Rampant, and so many more RPGs come to life when you have figures for your characters. There’s big packs, sure, but consider loose miniatures as excellent stocking stuffers too.
Moonstone
If you’re taking your first steps into the wonderful world of miniatures gaming, it can be intimidating to see huge boxes with dozens of figures to build before you can play a single game. Moreover, if you’re not into grim, bloody battles, it can be hard to find something fitting a brighter fantasy aesthetic. Moonstone solves both of those problems with magical whimsy. Built around capturing, er, moonstones with unique units that wouldn’t feel out of place in Alice in Wonderland, Moonstone is fast, easy to learn, and a delight to play. Begin with a two-player starter set, then expand with whatever captures your imagination, be it Sir Hogwash, trolls, or goblin pirates.
Heroscape
There are degrees in the miniatures hobby – many games require you to build and paint miniatures (and, in so doing, invite players to discover an engrossing hobby in and of itself). Heroscape, back after a couple decades on the shelf, goes half-way in its new edition by giving you assembled minis perfect for coating in your favorite colors. The game’s a tactical delight too, but not hard to play. A battle box and a paint set makes a great combo gift or, if you’d prefer the classic pre-painted option, Noble Knight can reach through time and find one.
Trench Crusade
We talked about this newcomer recently, but so far as horror fantasy miniatures go, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better one. Trench Crusade takes you to a warped World War One, with zombies, demons, magic, and, yes, trenches. Coupling a modern rule set and multiple game modes (including immense multiplayer campaigns), Trench Crusade is a striking sight on the table. Start with one of the box sets, and sneak a faction warband to a friend to get the battle going.
Conquest: Last Argument of Kings
Mass Battle miniature gaming, where figures in a unit all move together on a single base, is a bit rarer these days, but Conquest: The Last Argument of Kings remains a unique, awesome beast. Para Bellum has been supporting its flagship for years now, and the reams of lore, faction variety, campaigns, and new First Blood skirmish off-shoot are full of fascinating, fun ways to play and immerse yourself in a different world. If you’re a miniatures veteran, go for the full mass battle experience. Newer players will find First Blood faster to get to the table (fewer minis to paint and build) but equally compelling, and the figures can be used across both games!
Science Fiction
Fallout
For years now, the Fallout brand has been making quality tabletop adventures. There’s a great RPG, a solid cooperative (or competitive board game), and Wasteland Warfare, a Nuka-cola-sponsored miniatures game that packs in everything you could ever want from a Fallout experience. There’s narrative campaigns, skirmishes, super mutants, and so much more on the way. In particular, the Warbands expansions let you create your own crew and tell their story (with and against other players). As some sets come pre-assembled, too, Fallout makes for an easier entry and, thus, a great gift for anyone who digs its retro-future setting.
Konflickt ‘47
Okay, there’s an argument to be made that Konflict ‘47, a rollicking war game set in an alternate post WW2 where smashed realities have brought in demons, belongs in the fantasy section above. But here me out: mechs. This incredible mash-up leverages classic, refined Bolt Action rules to deliver a blast of a time with just enough historical flavor to ground the action. If you or your pals have been playing Bolt Action or just want to try something so out of left field, much like Trench Crusade, then Konflict ‘47 is going to make you laugh, then have you puzzling out how to get that giant spider walker into striking position. Awesome.
Starcraft: The Miniatures Game
If you’ve been reading our gaming hall pieces this year, you’ll have seen Starcraft: The Miniatures Game mentioned a few times, and that’s because it’s unique, well-designed, and perfect for newcomers to miniatures gaming. Designed to play like its real-time strategy forefather, Starcraft has you open every match with a small squad on the battlefield. As you take objectives and the rounds advance, you’ll spend acquired resources to construct buildings and bring new units into the fight. This ramp up keeps the total unit count in the battle low, while adding loads of strategy about what you’ll bring out next to counter your buddy. A great selection of starter sets are available now or will be before the holidays, so if a Zerg is on your list, you know what to get them.
Infinity
A small scale stalwart for decades, Infinity remains a staple for miniatures veterans and those that love cyberpunk action – think The Matrix, Ghost in the Shell, or Blade Runner. You’ll craft a platoon (usually 10-20 figures), slap some terrain on the board, and then get to play with one of the most innovative rule sets out there. While initially complex, you’ll soon find Infinity is designed for cinematic moments. Actions can get spent consecutively on the same unit, allowing for dashes across the map, chain strikes, and more. It’s a tight blast, perfect for the miniatures gamer that’s seen everything, or a group looking for something fresh. Start the adventure with the Essentials set or one of several battle packs and operations, then expand with smaller boxes of, say, robot cowboys, because that’s what gaming’s all about.
Warhammer 40,000: 11th Edition
You knew this one was coming, but you can’t leave Warhammer 40,000 off a science-fiction miniatures game list. At first glance, the sheer volume here is intimidating, but Games Workshop has gone to great lengths to make jumping in here as easy as possible. Box sets are good deals to get playable armies to the table, and the bevy of modes, like narrative campaigns, give you and your group tons to explore and enjoy without digging into spicy tournament play. That said, of all the games on this list, Warhammer is the one most likely to get you a game anywhere, and as we often say here, the best games are the ones that get played. If the big game’s a little much, then you can start small with a format like Kill Team and immerse yourself without as much of a hobby commitment. But once you take the plunge, well, there’s a reason Warhammer is the biggest miniatures game on the planet, and with this year’s 11th Edition launch, it’s as easier to enjoy than ever before.
