We have a "Used Book Exchange" store here that allows folks to play various games in the back portion of their store.
I saw this game played - Starmada: the Admiralty Edition - using miniatures.
http://www.mj12games.com/I was much impressed. Not at the miniatures, but at the speed and ease of the game play.
I've always used Full Thrust and/or A Sky Full of Ships for my Starship addiction, but I walked out of the store with the core rulebook and "Klingon Armada" gripped in my greedy little paws.
I grabbed the corebook because I wanted to be able to make any sci-fi fleet I wanted (Star Wars, Bab5, Traveller, etc...). And got the Kilngon Armada because I could FINALLY play Star Fleet Battles with a better rule system!!!
I have played Star Fleet Battles since it was sold in a zip-lock baggie and I love parts of the 'verse, but it got to be too much... too much rules, too much alien races, too much rules-lawyers, and too much time to play. Their idea of tactics was to take advantage of the rules for your gain. My idea of tactics is to second guess where your opponent is going to move and move to a place where your strongest weapons would be able to target, thus my love of FT and ASFoS.
I went back to get Romulan Armada but it was gone. I hope to get it this week end.
I know there are miniature spaceship gamers out there in LAF, but I don't see many posts or battle reports in that direction.
Have a good one,
Warren