Miniatures skirmish games like Battletech, Infinity, and Kill Team are gearing up for a massive breakout in 2025, promising faster setup, fewer miniatures to paint, and deeply strategic gameplay that’s capturing the hearts of tabletop enthusiasts worldwide. With new starter sets, innovative rulesets, and a surge of fresh titles-including Star Wars: Shatterpoint and the much-anticipated Trench Crusade-this year is shaping up to be a landmark moment for skirmish wargaming, where customization and collectibility meet intense, narrative-driven battles on a manageable scale.
Most mainstream miniatures wargames require dozens, sometimes a hundred or more miniatures to be present on the table all at the same time. Games like Warhammer 40,000, Flames of War, and Conquest: The Last Argument of Kings fall firmly in this category. But many modern gamers simply don’t have the time to paint all those miniatures, or the space in their home to store them. That’s where skirmish wargames come in.
Skirmish games only require a handful of miniatures on either side of the table, often from six to 12 for each battle group. That makes the games easier to set up and tear down, and easier still to store on a shelf or in a closet. The genre thrives on collectibility, with small unit counts making it easier for players to own and field multiple factions. But they also encourage customization, with kitbashing and exotic paint jobs turning heads online and in person.
Here are our picks for the nine best miniatures skirmish games on the market right now, with details on what to expect from them in the year ahead.
BattleTech
BattleTech is a classic miniatures skirmish wargame that pits giant piloted mechs against each other in tactical combat on hexagonal grid maps. Originating in the 1980s, it has seen a resurgence thanks to modern editions and accessible miniatures that come fully assembled and ready to paint. Players command BattleMechs with distinct weaponry and armor, engaging in strategic battles where damage to specific mech components affects gameplay. The game offers multiple play styles, from fast-paced to deeply strategic, supported by a rich narrative universe spanning decades of lore. With new releases like the BattleTech: Mercenaries boxed set, 2025 looks set to be a great year for fans of this iconic armored combat game.
Catalyst Game Labs is just one of the modern stewards of the combined BattleTech/MechWarrior license, and the team there has made incredible strides at reviving the beloved tabletop game from the 1980s. With dozens of different models of mechs available for purchase online and at your local game store, it’s among the least expensive ways to enter the modern tabletop hobby. Miniatures always come fully assembled and ready to paint, and the game has multiple styles of play. Whether you’re into fast and punchy or slow and crunchy, these big stompy boys have a lot going for them – including the new BattleTech: Mercenaries boxed set arriving at retail early next year.
Cyberpunk Red: Combat Zone
Cyberpunk Red: Combat Zone is a fast-paced miniatures skirmish game set in the gritty, futuristic world of Night City, roughly 30 years before the events of the Cyberpunk 2077 video game. Developed by Monster Fight Club under license from R. Talsorian Games, it features small gangs battling for control in an urban warzone with easy-to-learn rules powered by the innovative [RE]action system. The game emphasizes tactical movement, ranged and melee combat, and hacking, with a color-coded system that simplifies action resolution and reactions. Its affordable starter set includes detailed plastic miniatures and terrain, making it accessible for newcomers and appealing to fans of narrative campaigns and gang progression. Following its successful 2023 launch, the upcoming Cyberpunk Edgerunners: Combat Zone expansion is highly anticipated for 2025.
Monster Fight Club licensed the Cyberpunk Red intellectual property from R. Talsorian Games, whose original work on Cyberpunk 2020 became the foundation for CD Projekt Red’s epic role-playing video game Cyberpunk 2077. That partnership directly led to the launch of its skirmish miniatures game, Cyberpunk Red: Combat Zone, in 2023. Thanks to an affordable starter set, easy-to-assemble miniatures, and a dirt-simple ruleset, the experiment was an instant hit. Expect the latest entry, Cyberpunk Edgerunners: Combat Zone, to be another winner when it arrives at retail early next year.
Halo: Flashpoint
Halo: Flashpoint is an officially licensed tactical miniatures skirmish game by Mantic Games that brings the iconic Halo universe to the tabletop with fast, fluid gameplay and a cube-based movement system. Designed for two or more players, it offers quick setup and easy-to-learn rules while rewarding tactical awareness and positioning, making it accessible for both newcomers and veterans. The game features preassembled miniatures in classic red and blue team colors, with plenty of opportunities for customization and expansion, including the upcoming Rise of the Banished faction. Halo: Flashpoint stands out in 2025 as a fresh and dynamic entry in the miniatures skirmish genre, combining beloved Halo lore with innovative gameplay mechanics.
Mantic Games revived the Halo franchise on the tabletop in 2024 with Halo: Flashpoint, a small-unit skirmish game with loads of style. While the game draws its lore from the classic video game series, the gameplay is truly unique. It uses a cube-based movement system that encourages fast, fluid traversal of in-game terrain. It teaches incredibly quickly, and I can’t wait to see how the British company expands the franchise in 2025.
Infinity
Infinity is a complex and strategic tabletop miniature skirmish game set in a near-future science fiction universe dominated by powerful megacorporations. Players control small squads of highly detailed 28mm metal miniatures, representing soldiers with diverse skills and equipment, engaging in tactical combat on terrain-rich boards that simulate urban environments. The gameplay emphasizes careful positioning, reactive turns, and a dynamic interplay of actions and reactions, creating a tense and immersive experience where players must outthink and outmaneuver their opponents. The latest edition, Infinity N5, and the recent boxed set Operation: Sandtrap, highlight the game’s continued evolution and appeal to fans of tactical, turn-based games like XCOM.
Spanish gamemaker Corvus Belli spent the last few years trying new things in the board gaming and 3D printing space, only to return to the venerable Infinity line late in the year. It posits a near future dominated by powerful megacorporations, and its punchy and strategic style of gameplay will appeal to fans of turn-based tactical games like XCOM 2. While the latest ruleset, known as Infinity N5, was a bit late to market, a lavish new boxed set titled Operation: Sandtrap full of gorgeous miniatures dropped in December. It features units from Panoceania and the Japanese Secessionist Army, so if you like lithe warriors with longswords you’re in for a treat. Beware, though, that Corvus Belli is still making white metal miniatures, which require different tools and skills than more modern plastic miniatures.
Necromunda
Necromunda is a narrative-driven skirmish tabletop game set in the dystopian depths of Hive Primus, where players control rival gangs vying for dominance in the lawless Underhive. Originally launched in 1995 and revamped in 2017 as Necromunda: Underhive, the game features intense close-quarters combat with highly customizable miniatures and a richly detailed, multi-level urban terrain. Unlike large-scale Warhammer 40,000 battles, Necromunda focuses on small gangs whose members develop skills, suffer injuries, and grow through ongoing campaigns, making each fight a unique story of survival and brutality in a sprawling industrial hive city.
I honestly thought that the Necromunda franchise was on the way out in 2024, but the game received an excellent new starter set this year. Representing the warlike state of what amounts to civil society in the dark and distant future, it’s a breeding ground for bloody, unbalanced narrative campaigns among friends as well as some of the most stunning artwork in the miniatures space. A newly published rules compendium puts everything you need to learn the game in one place. If you’re looking for a crunchy and rewarding new hobby, there’s never been a better time to dip in.
Star Wars: Shatterpoint
Star Wars: Shatterpoint, launched by Atomic Mass Games in 2023, is a skirmish miniatures game set in the Star Wars universe that emphasizes small squad battles with heroic-scale 40mm miniatures. Its gameplay focuses on character abilities, dense terrain, and verticality, offering a tactical and cinematic experience with just a few miniatures per side. The game continues to expand in 2025 with new squad packs, terrain sets like the Outer Rim Outpost, and organized play support, making it a standout choice for fans seeking deep strategy and rich customization in a manageable scale. With a growing roster of over 30 squads and ongoing updates, Shatterpoint is poised for a major year in 2025 alongside other top skirmish games.
Atomic Mass’ latest Star Wars license, Star Wars: Shatterpoint, burst onto the scene in late 2023. Its larger-than-usual 32-millimeter “heroic scale” miniatures are a joy to work with, and they take modern materials like contrast paints with ease. For newcomers, it’s also nice that you only need three or four miniatures for most factions to get started. Add to that the fact that there are currently 30 (!!) different squads to choose from, and you have one of the most diverse and competitive games on the market. Expect Fantasy Flight Games’ miniatures imprint to double down on its advantages in the new year.
Stargrave
Stargrave is a miniatures-agnostic small-unit skirmish game designed by Joseph A. McCullough and published by Osprey Publishing. It features a flexible, battle-tested rules system that allows players to use miniatures from various collections, making it highly accessible for those who already have painted figures. The game emphasizes crew building, where players assemble a captain, first mate, and a diverse crew to engage in sci-fi skirmishes on compact battlefields. Stargrave uses a straightforward d20-based mechanic for combat and movement, balancing simplicity with tactical depth. It also incorporates campaign elements, allowing characters to level up and evolve over multiple sessions, adding a role-playing dimension to the gameplay. With its sci-fi setting and adaptable rules, Stargrave continues to grow in popularity among skirmish gamers looking for a quick, engaging, and customizable tabletop experience.
Joseph A. McCullough’s Stargrave is a miniatures-agnostic small-unit skirmish game that continues to earn new fans thanks to its battle-tested, highly flexible rules system. If you have some little dudes that you’ve previously painted for any other game system, they are more than welcome to participate in this skirmish wargame. And that’s not all: Osprey Publishing also publishes McCullough’s fantasy-themed Frostgrave and the horror-themed Silver Bayonet. Between these three games there is likely a setting to suit you and your gaming group.
Trench Crusade
Trench Crusade is poised to be one of the biggest breakout miniatures skirmish games of 2025, following an incredibly successful Kickstarter campaign that raised over $3.33 million and attracted more than 20,000 players. Set in an alternate World War I where a portal to hell has transformed the conflict into a grimdark battle for humanity’s soul, the game features stunning art by Michael Franchina and rules co-developed by Tuomas Pirinen, creator of Mordheim. Its miniature-agnostic, conversion-friendly approach and free experimental rulebook have already fostered vibrant communities, supported by 3D printable miniatures. Trench Crusade uniquely captures the interest of the Warhammer 40K community by offering a darker, more mature narrative and gameplay experience that many fans crave, positioning it as a potential paradigm shift in the indie wargaming scene.
Bloated with incredible art from prolific concept artist Michael Franchina (Diablo), with rules and lore co-developed by Games Workshop veteran Tuomas Pirinen (Mordheim), Trench Crusade is perhaps the biggest success story of the year as far as miniatures gaming goes. It posits an alternate historical take on World War I where the Crusaders unlocked an actual portal to hell, turning the “war to end all wars” into a fight for the soul of. well, everyone on the planet, basically. The Kickstarter campaign, first previewed here at AELGAMES, earned the pair more than $3.33 million and a throng of more than 20,000 players. The rules are available now, with physical miniatures on the way to backers in the new year. Meanwhile, 3D print files can get you where you need to go in a hurry.
Warhammer 40,000: Kill Team
Warhammer 40,000: Kill Team continues to evolve with its 2025 updates, featuring a range of balance changes and clarifications that refine gameplay and team strategies. The latest patch standardizes key rules such as bodyguard mechanics, incapacitation timing, and movement combos, while also adjusting specific teams’ abilities to enhance competitive play. Notable tweaks include buffs to Plague Marines and Warp Coven, nerfs to Hierotek Circle and Brood Brothers, and improved melee capabilities for several teams like Kasrkin and Death Korps. These updates aim to maintain a dynamic meta, ensuring Kill Team remains a compelling and balanced skirmish game within the Warhammer 40,000 universe for 2025 and beyond.
Following an excellent reboot in 2018, the fourth edition ruleset for Warhammer 40,000: Kill Team was released in 2024, much to the joy of fans and critics alike. It draws its tiny little warbands from all across the franchise’s fictional universe, so you can collect T’au, Sisters of Battle, Orks, and more in addition to the traditional Space Marines. An excellent new Starter Set found its way to store shelves in the fall, and new faction boxes have begun to crop up at retail. Expect this well-regarded game to continue to thrive into 2025 and beyond.
Why are miniatures skirmish games like Battletech and Kill Team set for a major breakthrough in 2025
Miniatures skirmish games like Battletech and Kill Team are set for a major breakthrough in 2025 due to several converging factors. Firstly, these games require far fewer miniatures-typically six to twelve per side-making them more accessible and less time-consuming to paint and store compared to traditional large-scale wargames that demand dozens or hundreds of models. This smaller scale allows for quicker setup and gameplay, often lasting between 45 to 90 minutes, which suits modern players’ limited time and shorter attention spans.
Additionally, the rising cost of living and hobby expenses have made the lower financial barrier of entry for skirmish games more attractive, as starter boxes and fewer models reduce overall costs significantly. The intimate scale also fosters deeper narrative-driven experiences, with players focusing on individual characters, persistent campaigns, and personal storytelling rather than managing vast armies.
Technological advances such as 3D printing have further democratized access to affordable, customizable miniatures, enhancing the appeal of skirmish games. Moreover, the community and indie developers are thriving, creating rich lore-heavy, rules-light systems that emphasize player agency and creativity over complex codices and massive rulebooks.
In summary, the combination of accessibility, affordability, faster play, narrative depth, and community-driven innovation is driving the surge in popularity and positioning miniatures skirmish games like Battletech and Kill Team for a breakout year in 2025.
How do skirmish games address the time and cost barriers of traditional wargaming
How Skirmish Games Address Time and Cost Barriers
Fewer Miniatures, Lower Costs
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Skirmish games typically require only a handful of miniatures per side-often under 20 in total-compared to the dozens or even hundreds needed for traditional wargames. This drastically reduces the initial investment in models, paints, and hobby supplies, making it much more affordable for newcomers and veterans alike.
Faster Preparation and Play
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With fewer models to assemble and paint, players can get their forces ready for the table much more quickly. Game sessions themselves are also shorter, usually lasting between 45 and 90 minutes, rather than the multi-hour commitments of large-scale games.
Smaller Play Areas and Storage Needs
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Skirmish games are designed for smaller tables (often 4’x4’ or less) and require less terrain, making them easier to set up at home, in cafes, or at local game stores. This also means less space needed for storage and transportation.
Simpler Rules, Lower Learning Curve
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The rulesets for skirmish games are generally more streamlined, with fewer pages and less complexity. This reduces the time spent learning and referencing rules, making the games more accessible and less intimidating, especially for new players.
Reduced Financial and Emotional Risk
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Because the investment in time and money is lower, the stakes of losing a game feel less significant. This encourages experimentation and makes it easier for players to try new games or factions without a major commitment.
Enhanced Narrative and Engagement
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With fewer models, players can focus on individual characters, fostering a deeper narrative connection and allowing for persistent campaigns and character development, all within a manageable time frame.
In summary, skirmish games break down the traditional barriers of time, cost, and complexity by offering affordable, quick-to-play, and engaging experiences that fit modern lifestyles and budgets.
