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Ive been progressively going smaller and smaller with my miniatures. The buying in bulk for cheap, storing and easy start up is a huge bonus. I've been scouring the interwebs for a while with nothing to show, but a doubt in smaller mini wargames.

What I'm looking for:
Mass combat (no ancient or napoleonic)
fairly easy rules (don't want to look up every little rule)
Something for multiple people to play not just 1v1

Bonuses:
Sci-fi
Easy to find minis that dont cost a boat load (or models that fit the game)

If need be I'll make my own, any suggestions for various unit combat like tank v infantry v flying models. The easier the better, and ill probably make the units have the same weapons so different looking armys but same weapons.

Thanks in Advance!

Future War Commander, use any miniatures you want. The main feature is the Warmaster command system.

Hammer's Slammers, use any miniatures you want. No flyers, really.

Battletech or the faster version Alpha Strike. Battletech, that game never dies.

Epic. Free to download rulesets, developed from previous editions (Netepic from Space Marine 2nd ed, IIRC, and NetE:A from Epic: Armageddon's 'living rulebook'); smooth, tactical gameplay; at time of writing at least *counts on fingers* four manufacturers bringing out proxy minis, plus bits and pieces in Shapeways...

I've also just downloaded Laserstorm from Wargame Vault, which is a new 6mm (3-10mm) ruleset that seems to be selling well for them. It's an inclusive ruleset, allowing you to slot your own stats together and stick in, as n815e says, any miniatures you want; which is one of the reasons I bought it, meself. I still have to have a full read-through, but it's promoted as a quick play set, with minimal markers and record keeping, which ties into the interesting break-and-redeploy mechanic it's got going on. It also splits armies up into three 'battlegroups', which might ease the multiplayer thing you're looking for.

I've got no time for Battletech, but Alpha strike is a great game.

Our club played Future War commander a few times and enjoyed it.

For a real beer and pretzels game that is actually quite strategic, try the Sci-Fi version of Panzer8
you can get it free here:
http://panzer8.weebly.com/rules.html

I did a very minor mod (mostly cleaning up the format and a few clarifications) and built a unit list based on their formulas. You can find the rules and unit list and links to our club's batreps here: http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/504811.page#5242679

Thanks for all the recommendations!

Ill try out Panzer8 sometime in the near future The rules are a super easy version of Flame of War lol, should be easy to learn. I will tweak the rules to play on a Hexagonal map (something that I've wanted to try). Plus its Free!

LaserStorm, I had seen before on a couple blogs but when i did a quick google search it came up with primarily lasertag places, and gave up too quickly. With a 10$ pricetag on the book Ill give it a try if my group is interested. As Im usually the host and supplier of all the mini games we play. Lazy Bums.

Battle Tech has interested me for a while but never really fully commited, Ill keep my eyes on it for the future.

Future War Commander was another that I found but it didnt grab my attention.

EPIC... gross 6mm 40k... Just Kidding , I bought about a hundred bucks worth of eldar before I even started playing 40k or wargames for that matter. Just to paint them, thought they were cool looking minis. Over the years they've been lost in the abyss of my miniatures/hobby room, it was 15 years ago and 8 houses later (I was in the military)

Thanks again!

 Maddok_Death wrote:

LaserStorm, I had seen before on a couple blogs

Was one of those Sean's Gaming and Shooting?

As Im usually the host and supplier of all the mini games we play. Lazy Bums.

Heh! I can understand your preference for cheaper minis, then. But fair play to you, and it beats sitting around with just one army. (Like Alexander Graham Bell inventing the first telephone, then hanging around, waiting for someone to invent the second...)

EPIC... gross 6mm 40k... Just Kidding , I bought about a hundred bucks worth of eldar before I even started playing 40k or wargames for that matter.

I dunno if you ever did play Epic at some point, but I was a 40K/FB player when Epic: Armageddon was released and our GW group gave it a shot. The gameplay was a revelation to me, and I think the 40K universe is a bit more enjoyable when it's not 80% pressure to buy the latest giant kits! Hope you find those eldar sometime.

I did buy the Future War Commander book years ago at Lulu and I had to sell it on ebay since I did not get anyone to play with.

I am going to play Battletech Alpha Strike since I kept my Mechwarrior clix minis from the old days and I have my Dropzone Commander terrain ready. Alpha Strike is faster and simpler than Classic Battletech.

Dropzone Commander: why not? a starter box $55, a commander unit $16-$26 and an extra scout $12-$16 unit you have a good starting point. Or buy the 2 player starter box and play, then expand.