s it possible to play the game without the miniatures?
No. Not more than in any other miniature wargame at least. In Ex illis, miniatures fulfill the exact same role as in any other miniature game: allowing you to see where the troops are on the battlefield and how many are left in each unit. Miniatures also reflect the aesthetic and narrative aspects of the Ex illis world. So, if you need the miniatures in other miniature wargames, you need them in Ex illis too! The screen will never give you a tactical view of the battlefield. Ex illis is a tabletop wargame: all your decisions should be made on the board.
