True enough but the minis do have an effect. Where a gumdrop doesnt place any sort of image into your head, a miniature will. You cant help it. Its the way the mind works
I think this may be a minitures gamer thing. I just don't get this at all!
In our first game when I pulled a figure of a thief out for the 3rd time to represent a typical Shadizar alley thug - the reply was instant - "Hey its the guy from the bizarre again! Lets kill him again! Yeah!" Funny sure, but it distracts from the game. The fact that I described the figures as somewhat different from the cloaked and hooded miniature meant little.
Step 1: Get a large bat. Baseball or cricket works well.
Step 2: Get a black permanent marker.
Step 3: Write "CLUE" on the bat with the marker.
Step 4: Apply "Clue bat" repeatedly to players in roundhouse swinging motions repeating the mantra "do you get it yet?"
Disclaimer: Local regulations may apply.
More seriously, you are going to have to have a talk with your players. They just have to realise that minitures gaming and rpg games are DIFFERENT. I'm sure they don't insist on accurate 1930s period costume for their monopoly pieces, or object that historically queens didn't often fight, and demand that the Queen be omitted from chess on that ground, etc etc. In RPGs the descriptions of the adversaries are determined by the descriptions given and the player's imagination: the sole purpose of the figure is to handle location and spacial issues. In a standard campaign, there are far to many different characters to get an accurate miniature for each, and to demand it is just silly.
As far as things to use go, far be it from me to push a Mongoose product, but the counter sheets you get in the Shadizar and Messantia boxed sets are just great. All they are lacking is animals.
