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Deep dives, multi-part histories, and special features exploring the objects, ideas, and traditions that shaped tabletop gaming.

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The Complete History of Polyhedral Dice

Start with the series overview, then follow six stories from ancient randomizers to the rituals that make gaming dice treasured possessions.

Ancient knucklebones and bone dice progress toward colorful modern polyhedral dice beneath the title “Seven Stories in Every Roll,” labeled 1/7.Polyhedral Dice: Seven Stories in Every RollYour guide to the complete Polyhedral Dice series.Knucklebones, casting sticks, ancient cubical dice, tetrahedral forms, and a twenty-sided solid illustrate “Before the d20,” labeled 2/7.Polyhedral Dice, Article 2: Before the d20The ancient shapes of chance.Geometric teaching models transform into numbered polyhedral dice over a vintage miniature wargame map for “From Science to Wargames,” labeled 3/7.Polyhedral Dice, Article 3: From Science to WargamesHow the d20 found the table.Early-style plastic polyhedral dice, graph paper, and cardboard number chits illustrate “Dungeons, Dragons & the Dice Shortage,” labeled 4/7.Polyhedral Dice, Article 4: Dungeons, Dragons, and the Dice ShortageWhen fantasy needed more dice.Plain plastic dice progress into colorful resin, metal, and precision collectible sets for “From Tool to Treasure,” labeled 5/7.Polyhedral Dice, Article 5: From Tool to TreasureHow dice became collectibles.Physical dice, a tray, tower, bag, cup, vault, and spinner sit beside a digital dice interface for “Why We Keep Rolling,” labeled 6/7.Polyhedral Dice, Article 6: Why We Keep RollingPhysical chance in a digital age.An overflowing dice bag, a special black-and-silver Ninja combat set, and a playful dice jail illustrate “Why Gamers Love Their Dice,” labeled 7/7.Polyhedral Dice, Article 7: Why Gamers Love Their DiceLuck, ritual, memory, and the Ninja set.

Featured Series

The Complete History of Gaming Miniatures

Start with the series overview, then follow six stories from ancient figures and toy soldiers to fantasy characters, changing materials, 3D printing, and the personal meaning of a favorite miniature.

Editorial series artwork showing ancient gaming pieces, toy soldiers, a military terrain map, fantasy miniatures, plastic sprues, and a 3D-printed figure around one central painted hero.Miniatures: The Little Figures That Built WorldsYour guide to the complete Miniatures series.Editorial history artwork moving from an ancient animal game piece and uncertain clay figurine to a medieval pewter knight, flat tin soldiers, and hollow-cast toy soldiers.Miniatures, Article 2: From Sacred Figures to Toy SoldiersThe long road to the gaming table.Editorial illustration of an early military map exercise transitioning into a civilian floor battle with toy soldiers, model terrain, bridges, and a spring-loaded cannon.Miniatures, Article 3: When Toy Soldiers Went to WarFrom Kriegsspiel to Little Wars.Editorial illustration of a late-1970s fantasy gaming table with distinct metal fighter, wizard, thief, ranger, and monster miniatures beside catalogs, paints, and a converted historical figure.Miniatures, Article 4: Fantasy Takes FormThe rise of character miniatures.Editorial illustration of an early-1980s miniature display linking class-based boxed figures, paints, conversion parts, catalogs, mail order, a fantasy army, and tabletop play.Miniatures, Article 5: TSR, Citadel, and the Miniatures EmpireWhen official became valuable.Editorial illustration comparing a metal casting mold, plastic sprue, flexible figure, generic prepainted dial-base miniature, digital sculpt, and safely enclosed resin printer.Miniatures, Article 6: From Lead to Plastic to 3D PrintingMany materials, many paths.Editorial illustration of a player's hands holding a repaired painted hero miniature above a campaign table, with companions, a varied collection, and future projects softly lit behind it.Miniatures, Article 7: The Little Figure That Becomes YouWhy miniatures become personal.

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