Before I ever picked up a brush or clipped a miniature from a sprue, there was a single image that lit the spark: the cover of Samurai Blades. Illustrated by the legendary Peter Dennis, the artwork was stunning and impossibly evocative—especially to a younger me, staring wide-eyed at the shelf over 40 years ago. The game, designed by Gary Chalk and published by Standard Games, may not have been historically precise in its depiction of Sengoku warriors (I've never been entirely sure), but none of that mattered. That image looked like what my imagination told me samurai battles should look like.

Inside the box, the magic continued. Each of the playing piece tiles featured characterful illustrations—more tiny warriors, frozen mid-strike, each one oozing personality. It was a gateway to a new world. That artwork is a big part of why, to this day, the visual impact of miniatures matters so much to me.

So when it came time to choose the warriors for Warring Clans, I knew they had to capture that same sense of drama and detail. These miniatures wouldn't just be gaming pieces—they needed to tell a story.

For me, in every wargame, the miniatures are what bring the story to life. They're the heart of the battlefield, the characters in every clash, and the lens through which we connect to the history we're recreating. So, when it came time to choose the 28mm miniatures for Warring Clans, I wanted to get it just right.

And yes, it turns out this decision wasn't as straightforward as I first imagined...

The Obvious Choice – And Why I Didn't Make It

My first instinct was to opt for the Warring Clans metal range from Footsore Miniatures & Games—a collection that holds a special place in my hobby heart. After all, I was the one who originally commissioned and curated that line, and (yes, I'm biased) I still think they're some of the best metal samurai sculpts out there.

But as beautiful as they are, there was one thing they couldn't give me for this project: the flexibility of plastic.

This time around, I wanted to lean into kitbashing, mixing parts, swapping heads, and creating a variety of poses that could bring to life the chaotic diversity of Sengoku Jidai warfare. And for that, plastic miniatures were a must.

Enter: Fireforge

Thankfully, the ever-helpful community over on the Feudal Japanese Miniature Wargaming Facebook group came through with a suggestion: the Fireforge Games plastic samurai range.

A few clicks (and a slightly trembling wallet) later, I had all of their Samurai and Ashigaru box sets on the way to my doorstep courtesy of North Star Miniatures.

The kits are great. Crisp detail, dynamic poses, and best of all, a wealth of interchangeable parts—heads, weapons, arms, armour options—all of which open the door to some seriously satisfying hobby time. Whether I'm assembling spear-armed Ashigaru or katana-wielding clan Samurai, I've now got the tools to make each group visually distinct and full of character.

Expanding the Arsenal: Hokusa 3D

Of course, once you start down the kitbashing rabbit hole, you start wondering how far you can push it.

That same Facebook group also pointed me toward Hokusa 3D—a range of printable miniatures and accessories perfect for expanding my options. I'm currently exploring these files with a view to mixing and matching heads, bodies, weapons, and extras across all the Fireforge kits.

If scaled correctly, these 3D elements will give me even more variety, personality, and modularity—perfect for building distinct groups, specialist characters, or even faction-specific looks as Warring Clans evolves.

I love this part of the hobby—the blending of kits, the hands-on creativity, and the 'what-if' builds. It's not just about making a retinue, it's about telling a visual story. And with a mix of Fireforge plastics and potential Hokusa 3D prints, I think I've struck the perfect balance between flexibility, style, and historical flavour.

Laying the Groundwork: Basing

Miniatures might be the stars of the show, but let's not forget what's beneath their feet—basing is what ties everything together visually and grounds each figure in the world you're building.

For Warring Clans, I've decided to use 25mm Textured Bases (3mm bevel) from Wargames Atlantic for all my infantry. These bases offer a fantastic level of detail straight out of the packet—most of the basing work is already done for you, making it easy to achieve a consistent and polished look across the entire force.

Now, usually, I lean toward thinner bases—something a little more subtle. But this time, I'm trying something different. After a discussion with my good friend and regular opponent, George Asling, we made a hobby pact: we're both going with the 3mm bevelled style. George is a massive fan of these bases, and since the miniatures I'm using don't have puddle bases, it's a clean connection.

There's something satisfying about locking in these small decisions—it's one less variable to worry about down the line, and it gives the project a sense of shared direction.

Now I need to find a good 40mm round option for the cavalry...suggestions welcome!

Looking Ahead

Next time, I'll dive into the build process itself—starting to assemble test models, experimenting with combinations, and defining the visual identity of each force. Will a particular clan favour a specific helmet style? Should the Ashigaru groups look more ragtag or organised? It's all part of the fun—and I'll be documenting some of the journey step by step.

For now, I'm knee-deep in sprues, clippers, glue, and inspiration. A huge thanks again to the Feudal Japanese Miniature Wargaming Facebook group—your suggestions have already helped to shape the direction of this project, and I'll definitely be leaning on your collective wisdom as Warring Clans continues to grow.

Got tips on assembling the Fireforge plastics? Have you combined the Hokusa 3D prints with the plastics and have advice? I’d love to hear from you.

Stay tuned—next up, we go from sprues to soldiers while at the same time, I start planning terrain for the tabletop.

The links below are to product creators mentioned in this blog post:
Fireforge Games: https://fireforge-games.com
Footsore Miniatures & Games: https://footsoreminiatures.co.uk
Hokusa 3D: https://www.myminifactory.com/users/Hokusa
Peters (Dennis) Paperboys: https://peterspaperboys.com
Wargames Atlantic: https://wargamesatlantic.com/