Minifigs - MiniMiniFigs - 5mm 'scale' blocks

 Updated 11t April 2026.

I picked up a miscellaneous bunch of old miniatures recently which contained two of these... I had no idea what they were exactly until I was researching further and came across the Wargaming Hermit blog;

https://wargamehermit.blogspot.com/2019/10/minifigs-5mm-miniminifigs-ancients.html

https://wargamehermit.blogspot.com/2017/02/5mm-minifigs-blocks-part-2.html

Lots of images on there of the various types (still no WW2 images found as yet) and, of course, I can only find one of my blocks - possibly 5M 2 French Line Infantry though I could be wrong... they really are very tiny. The range didn't last very long as apparently Neville Dickinson couldn't find anyone to sculpt what he wanted. 

Edit - the original sculptor was a Neil Butcher - does anyone have any other details for him?

Anyway, a few close ups of mine... There's nothing on the base... just checked as I'd forgotten to take a pic!

The listings from my 1972 catalogue...

A short article from Wargamer's Newsletter, No.122, May 1972 by Peter Gouldesbrough

Edit; a note from Wargamer's Newsletter (1974 I think, I was looking through so many yesterday) c/o Donald Featherstone;

 A few days ago I received a letter from a subscriber most interested in wargaming with the Mini-Minifig 5mm regimental blocks but felt that the range was not sufficiently complete for his purposes. I communicated this information to Neville Dickinson whose reply will no doubt be of interest to other collectors of this scale. "Fortunately Dick Higgs is built like every normal person, having only one pair of hands to design with and only 24 hours a day at his disposal. Command strips have been made and will be in production very shortly while troops for the British Household Cavalry and the French Dragoons already exist as numbers 15N55 and 15N57. British Riflemen are so similar to the British Light Infantry that it would appear pointless for us to make a specific figure but we agree that a separate command strip is necessary. As to the absence of French Light Infantry, authentic information suggests that the only difference in their uniform to that of the French Line is that Line wear white trousers. Currently in production but not yet advertised or listed are Prussian, Austrian and Russian Infantry figures together with some command strips"

As always leave a comment or if you've anything to sell or trade please email me on enquiries@deartonyblair.co.uk

Wargaming Personalities of the 70's

 

These images are taken from Wargamer's Newsletter No. 145 and 146. I don't own the original images (just the magazines!) and are just posted for awareness. I've added links to some pages where found rather than have me whitter away.

Peter Gilder and Don Featherstone

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Featherstone_(wargamer)

https://petergilderalifeinwargaming.blogspot.com/2017/06/the-battle-interview-in-1978.html

'Images of Wargaming'

Eric W.Knowles

https://awargamingodyssey.blogspot.com/2017/12/eric-knowles-rip.html

Terry Wise

https://steve-the-wargamer.blogspot.com/2010/08/terry-wise.html

Roger Moores

Can't find a decent link... let me know if you have one!

Neville Dickinson of Minifigs fame... apparently still wargaming away.

Phil Barker

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Barker

Tony Bath

https://www.soa.org.uk/joomla/about-us/14-our-founder

Thought they might be of interest!

Unknown Bob Olley (?) Santa... and a Minifigs chromed elf!

 

I was passed this lovely little mini that has appeared on a mould. Problem is we don't know where it has come from? Does anyone recognise it? Personally it looks like one of Bob's sculpts however I have been wrong before...

Edit; identified by Jacob Fathbruckner - it's a dwarf from the Ral Partha box set 'Durin's Doom'. Thanks Jacob!

https://www.miniatures-workshop.com/lostminiswiki/index.php?title=Sculptor%27s_Row:_Dragons_by_Design#10-465_Durin.27s_Doom:_The_Price_of_Greed

(and it is a Bob Olley sculpt!)

I was also very lucky to be passed one of the old Minifigs MF (More Fantasy) range chromed masters... MF18 Noble Elf with Sword. Neville Dickinson was apparently paranoid about lead rot and had all masters chromed (I had been told he also? had them all cast in silver for his private collection but haven't had that confirmed) 

Some of the range is pictured here;

https://www.miniatures-workshop.com/lostminiswiki/index.php?title=More_Fantasy

Any missing images - let me know if you have them and I'll get them posted for posterity on the WIKI.

Please leave a comment below!

Bill Lamming, Neville Dickson, Donald Featherstone and more...

 

A hobby friend posted this Bill Lamming interview on one of the Facebook groups which got me looking my copy up. Hopefully high enough quality to read/ download. Battle Magazine was/is a great read and a fantastic resource to jump back into. I just picked up a wonderful pile of Wargamer's Newsletter along with another copy of Table Top Talk July 1966 and a very earlier copy of Wargames Terrain by Donald Sutherland.

I still have numerous Lamming figures... some of my earliest metal figures. I painted up some Romans and Vikings, half painted some later Landsknechts and got addicted to their separate heads and weapons. Don't forget that Lamming Miniatures are now back! Tell them I sent you...

https://www.lammingminiatures.com/

Wargames Terrain... a rather threadbare copy but one I will cherish.

From Wargamer's Newsletter January 1968...

Neville Dickinson, Wargamer of the month!

Possibly the earliest Minifigs advert?

A letter from Neville...

Notts Wargame Association 1974 National Convention...

Some slightly later adverts from WN...

Dave Ryan at Caliver Books is slowly re-releasing all the Minifigs back catalogue. Top job that man.

http://www.miniaturefigurines.co.uk/Home.aspx

Lots of the old Der Kriegspielers minis are available now from Michael Thomas over at Classic Miniatures; https://classicminiatures.net/

A lovely gem of a pic, Frank Hinchliffe, Peter Beaton, Peter Gilder and Tony Sovill...

I spent a very enjoyable Saturday afternoon and early evening reading through the latest cache of publications. Hopefully I'll get more scanned at some point.

If you like the blog, please follow it and become a Politico (top left) - it makes me feel like I'm appreciated as does leaving a comment below!

Also, if you feel slightly flush, buying me a coffee is always appreciated...blogging can be thirsty work... https://ko-fi.com/davidwood