The Ranking of Board Games with the Most Miniatures

If the setup phase of board games is the physical equivalent of video game loading times, taking the miniatures out of the box is their heaviest download.

In recent years, the world of board gaming—spurred by the crowdfunding phenomenon and platforms like Kickstarter and Gamefound —has seen the rise of true publishing giants: titles whose boxes, weighing several kilograms, contain not just boards and tiles, but entire armies of sculpted plastic.

Here is the ranking of the board games that hold the record for the greatest quantity (and density) of miniatures included in the base game alone or in their main campaigns.

1. Time of Legends: Joan of Arc

• Miniatures in the base box (+ Stretch Goals): 389+ (and over 900 with expansions)
• Publisher: Mythic Games
• Miniature scale: 15 mm

In absolute first place is a title that straddles the line between board game and tactical wargame. Time of Legends: Joan of Arc lets you relive the battles of the Hundred Years’ War, intertwined with French medieval mythology. By choosing the 15 mm scale (instead of the classic 28-32 mm), the publisher managed to cram an impressive number of foot soldiers, knights, archers, angels, and demons into the box.

Record-breaking feature: The presence of the Legendary Dragon (in an expansion), one of the most imposing miniatures ever produced in the history of board games, with a wingspan of half a meter.

2. The Zombicide series (e.g. Zombicide 2nd Edition / Black Plague)

• Miniatures in the base box: 88 – 99 (which reach over 200-300 in the Kstarter / All-In)
• Publisher: CMON (Cool Mini Or Not)
• Miniature scale: 28 mm

CMON built its reputation on producing exceptionally high-quality plastic miniatures. The Zombicide formula is based on a simple principle: an unstoppable horde invading the board. Each base box includes dozens of “Walkers,” “Runners,” “Fatties,” and imposing “Abominations,” as well as various Survivors.

Video game equivalent: Left 4 Dead or Dead Rising. The longer the game goes on, the more the table’s “RAM” fills up with miniatures.

3. Cthulhu Wars

• Miniatures in the base box: 72 (with colossal dimensions)
• Publisher: Petersen Games
• Miniature scale: Variable (the Great Old Ones exceed 15-20 cm in height)

In Cthulhu Wars, the miniatures stand out not only for their quantity, but also for their size and the sheer mass of plastic. Each faction (Cthulhu, the Crawling Chaos, the Black Goat, etc.) has entirely unique sculpts for Cultists, Monsters, and its own signature Great Old One.

Why it’s a colossus: Although 72 miniatures may seem few compared with other titles, the total mass of plastic in the base box is comparable to that of three traditional games put together.

4. Warhammer Quest: Cursed City

• Miniatures in the base box: 60
• Publisher: Games Workshop
• Miniature scale: 28 mm Citadel

When it comes to miniatures, Games Workshop is playing on its home turf. In this cooperative dungeon crawler set in the universe of Age of Sigmar, the box offers 60 highly detailed Citadel miniatures: from the expedition’s heroes to zombies, skeletons, bats, and the vampire king Radukar’s monstrous lieutenants.

A note for modelers: Unlike other board games with ready-to-use miniatures, Games Workshop miniatures require full assembly using push-fit plastic components (push-fit). In addition, Games Workshop makes brushes and ink designed not only for painting but also for customizing every piece.

5. Kingdom Death: Monster

• Miniatures in the base box: Approximately 40-50 (assemble from sprues)
• Publisher: Kingdom Death
• Miniature scale: 30 mm

Dubbed the quintessential “boutique game,” Kingdom Death: Monster doesn’t aim to fill the table with hundreds of identical tokens, but to offer a fanatical level of detail. The base box contains advanced model-kit-style sprues for creating the survivors (with hundreds of armor and weapon options) and the terrifying nightmare-fantasy creatures they must face.

Comparison Table: Quantity vs. Design Philosophy

The impact on players: The era of organizers

The presence of hundreds of pieces has given rise to a whole parallel industry: that of MDF, plastic, or foam inserts (made by companies such as Folded Space or Feldherr). Without an optimized storage system, “loading” (setup) for these titles can take as long as—or longer than—the game itself.