The original Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game bore the subtitle, "Rules for Fantastic Miniature Wargames Campaigns Playable with Paper and Pencil and Miniature Figures." Initially, fantasy wargamers used figures designed for historical wargaming, but eventually, new lines of fantasy figures appeared.
The original Dungeons & Dragons, designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, was first published in January 1974 by Gygax's company, Tactical Studies Rules (TSR). Originally derived from tabletop wargames, this publication is generally regarded as the beginning of modern RPG's and, by extension, the role-playing game industry.
TSR, Inc. produced a line of official Advanced Dungeons & Dragons miniatures. Other companies have produced a multitude of figures for Dungeons & Dragons and other games in various scales.
Traditionally, figures were made of lead or pewter and cast from silicone rubber vulcanised moulds. Many are still made of pewter or other alloys, but plastic miniatures have grown in popularity. Both Mage Knight and the Dungeons & Dragons Miniatures Game use prepainted, collectible plastic figures.
Originally, D&D was simply a miniatures game, with the distinction that each player controlled a single figure and a wider variety of moves or plays were possible. As the game grew and changed, miniatures remained a way of visually representing tactical situations.
Dungeons & Dragons did not require miniatures, although it suggested ways of using them, and referred interested players to the official line of AD&D figures. AD&D did assume the use of miniatures. Player's Option: Combat & Tactics introduced a more elaborate grid-based combat system that emphasized the use of miniatures; a streamlined version of some of these concepts made their way into Dungeons & Dragons Third Edition.
Although not strictly necessary, the use of miniatures is assumed in the current version of the game, and many game mechanics refer explicitly to the combat grid. In addition to reducing ambiguity about the size and position of characters, this allows the game rules to define rules such as reach, threatened areas, and movement rates intended to simulate a particular reality.
LJN had done a incredible job with the regular size action figures for Dungeons and Dragons line, and decided to also create a smaller miniature line as well. Only 7 different figures were produced, each at a average size of 2" 1/2 inches tall. They could be purchased individualy on card or in a boxed gift set.