Toy Soldiers or not Toy Soldiers

Its a fact that not everyone likes using miniatures when they roleplay.

The 'elitist' Gamers who play "Storytelling" games (who naively think its a cool title, rather than a marketing device) more than often don't use them (I've bought no-end of Vampire and Werewolf Miniatures out of bargain bins in my time - GREAT for Shadowrun Lol); and even though DnD itself evolved from Chainmail (a wargame) a lot of DnD players don't use miniatures.

I'm not sure why, maybe the additional expense or the extra effort.

Now I prefer using miniatures, not because of the 'combat grid' or any such rubbish like that - but because its more evocative. You can describe your PC, or draw/paint a picture - but when you find (or convert) that perfect miniature to represent your Character (or in the case of a DM - a Major NPC) there is a great feeling of satisfaction.

Not only in the painting of your Model, but also when someone asks "What does your character look like" and you whip out your Figure and say "They look like that" . . . . . .