Sprue: The Hidden Business of Miniatures
How a Niche Hobby Became a Global Industry

About this book:

They began as lead soldiers in Victorian nurseries and Egyptian shabtis in ancient tombs—tiny objects meant for play, prayer, or military strategy. Today, they anchor a global industry worth hundreds of millions, driving blockbuster licensing deals, six-figure Kickstarter campaigns, and a collector’s market where a single figure rivals fine art. *Sprue* pulls back the curtain on this hidden economy, tracing the improbable journey from crude tin flats to the injection-molding revolution that birthed plastic empires like Games Workshop, and onward to the 3D-printing disruption that has democratized production and shattered old gatekeepers.

This is a story of supply chains sculpted in resin and steel, of intellectual property wars fought over shoulder pads and pauldrons, and of a community that turned painting plastic into a spectator sport. You’ll walk the foundry floor where molds decide profit margins, navigate the retail gauntlet from FLGS to Amazon, and explore the secondary market where “grey plastic” becomes gold. Through the lens of sculptors, factory managers, crowdfunding disruptors, and competitive players, the book reveals how a niche hobby mastered the art of scaling passion into revenue—navigating toxicity scares, IP litigation, and the relentless march of digital files.

Whether you’ve ever clipped a model from a sprue or simply wonder how a basement pastime conquered the boardroom, *Sprue* delivers the definitive business history of the tabletop. It maps the past—from Prussian war games to the British Invasion—while forecasting a future of augmented reality battlefields, sustainable resins, and AI-assisted design. Discover the ruthless commerce and boundless creativity fueling the tiny figures on your shelf, and understand why the biggest battles in this hobby aren’t fought on the table, but in the boardroom.