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Author Topic: Is “25mm” WWII mostly played in 1/48 now?  (Read 7303 times)

Offline Khurasan Miniatures

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Is “25mm” WWII mostly played in 1/48 now?
« on: March 16, 2019, 03:44:26 PM »
With all of the great Tamiya kits available, and with scale creep being what it is, do most “25mm” (28mm/30mm/etc) gamers use 1/48 vehicles and AT guns now?

How about figurines? What scale is most widely used?
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Offline Ballardian

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Re: Is “25mm” WWII mostly played in 1/48 now?
« Reply #1 on: March 16, 2019, 04:46:52 PM »
 I get the impression that it's a fairly even split between those who favour 1/50 or 1/48 & those who use 1/56 scale vehicles. I think it can depend on which ranges you use for the figures - Perry, or the excellent new Empress have more 'realistic' proportions than more 'heroic' ranges like Warlord - 1/56 vehicles look fine with the former, but can look a little small with the latter (though of course, it all comes down to personal taste, what models you already own & what you can get hold of easily). There's also the question of whether you can get the vehicle you want in a particular scale, Rubicon & WG also have large ranges of by & large pretty good kits in 1/56 (Rubicon are also moving onto infantry models, pewter at the moment but hopefully plastic at some point), but the 'what scale' argument is likely to shamble on & on & on....
« Last Edit: March 16, 2019, 04:54:22 PM by Ballardian »

Offline Westfalia Chris

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Re: Is “25mm” WWII mostly played in 1/48 now?
« Reply #2 on: March 16, 2019, 05:27:32 PM »
I used to use predominantly 1/48 vehicles, but over the past few years, Tamiya have become so expensive over here while the plastic 1/56 kits got better that the latter are more attractive. I did a bit of late Ww2 last year to repurpose some originally mid-war BTD Germans and used Rubicon and Warlord plastic vehicles, and I think it works just as well as the Tamiya stuff used of their mid-war years.

For Perry miniatures, I wouldn't use 1/48 in the first place. I painted a Crete-themed Fallschirmjaeger force in 2017 and got a Tamiya Mathilda and Panzer 2 because they were discounted - the Mathilda is okay and works well next to my old Chieftain Light Tanks Mk VI, but the Panzer 2 just looks too big, strangely enough.

I'm doing "looks about right scale" in most cases anyway, so I guess it depends on what figures it should go with. Perry with 1/56, Warlord, BTD and TAG with either 1/48 (earlier, smaller vehicles that benefit from the extra heft) or 1/56 (later vehicles e.g. big cats which tend to be a bit too hig in 1/48).

If pressed, I'd prefer 1/56.

Offline Norm

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Re: Is “25mm” WWII mostly played in 1/48 now?
« Reply #3 on: March 16, 2019, 08:46:12 PM »
For wargaming purposes, I suspect it is the faster build kits that have all the running gear done in just 1 to 3 parts, that are gaining popularity.

Offline Ultravanillasmurf

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Re: Is “25mm” WWII mostly played in 1/48 now?
« Reply #4 on: March 17, 2019, 09:41:18 AM »
1/56 for WW2, 1/48 or 1/50 for moderns.

Partly that is because of availability, Rubicon and Warlord have a good and expanding range (my opinion of some of the kits can vary), and partly because I never thought of using 1/48.

I am using Perry (and Perry compatible) figures for North Africa.

Warlord plastics for North West Europe.

I have Warlord Blitzkrieg Germans and would like some BEF plastics.

Offline Arrigo

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Re: Is “25mm” WWII mostly played in 1/48 now?
« Reply #5 on: March 17, 2019, 10:46:51 AM »
Bulk of my vehicles are 1:56 from Rubicon and Warlord, I have one lovely Blitzkrieg M3 Stuart (1/56), some Company B and Trenchworxx (again 1:56) and a some Tamya and Hobby boss (1:48).  I think to prefer 1:56, and I agree we are inundated with excellent kits in this scale. Infantry is Warlord+Empress for later war and Pacific, and Perry for Africa. I do not see any issue between Warlord and 1/56 models.

As mixing tanks... sometime works sometime not. Often, as Chris says, depends on the vehicle in question.
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Online Tim Haslam

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Re: Is “25mm” WWII mostly played in 1/48 now?
« Reply #6 on: March 17, 2019, 02:35:02 PM »
Agreed,
I don't think it's an issue really.
I have armies built around both scales.
The only rule I stick to is to not mix up scales in the same force.

It's only ever been an issue once in a tournament, where my 1/48 scale KV2 wouldn't quite fit over a bridge and my opponent wouldn't let me cross. All his vehicles were 1/56.
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Offline JamesValentine

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Re: Is “25mm” WWII mostly played in 1/48 now?
« Reply #7 on: March 18, 2019, 05:29:55 AM »
It's only ever been an issue once in a tournament, where my 1/48 scale KV2 wouldn't quite fit over a bridge and my opponent wouldn't let me cross. All his vehicles were 1/56.
To be fair that's how it should be.
If you can't fit you can't go.

I only do 1/56th.
The model range is bigger and it looks better next to 28mm stuff.
48th (333mm) just looks wrong.

This is usually because people forget that 28mm model is on a 2mm tall base and your tank isn't....

Offline Daeothar

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Re: Is “25mm” WWII mostly played in 1/48 now?
« Reply #8 on: March 18, 2019, 01:40:05 PM »
This is usually because people forget that 28mm model is on a 2mm tall base and your tank isn't....
Exactly the reason I eventually decided to go with 1/48 and 1/50 (I merrily mix both); my vehicles are unbased about 99% of the time (mind; I do not own more than 100 vehicles in this scale (not by a long shot), so my estimation might be off ;) ), whilst miniatures on foot are.

Add to that the fact that most of the miniatures I use are quite bulky/heroic (Artizan, Copplestone, etc), and with the bases used adding another mm or two, the 1/48 and 1/50 vehicles do not look off at all.

I'm with Westfalia Chris in that regard; if it looks right, I'll use it. And 1/56 vehicles tend to look too puny next to based and heroically scaled miniatures.

But I gather that, if I had started out with Perry or other plastic offerings, the slighter miniatures might have prompted me to go for 1/56 vehicles instead...
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Offline Griefbringer

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Re: Is “25mm” WWII mostly played in 1/48 now?
« Reply #9 on: March 19, 2019, 02:38:55 PM »
Regarding the Perrys, my impression is that they deliberatedly started with using 1/56 scale as a reference for their WWII range, and sculpted their figures accordingly, even though this means that the figures in their WWII range are smaller than many of their other range - I think Captain Blood once posted a great reference picture showing Perry plastic figures from WWII and WotR ranges side by side.

Also, the Perrys range included vehicles from quite an early stage (of their own design, in addition to the Blitzkrieg range that they retail), so they needed to consider the issue of the vehicle scale and infantry compatibility from quite an early stage.

On the other hand, many of the companies doing 28 mm WWII figures (such as Crusader and Artizan) do mainly infantry, maybe with an odd horse or artillery piece thrown in, but no vehicles, and thus are less concerned about trying to fit their models into any particular scale.

Offline Ultravanillasmurf

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Re: Is “25mm” WWII mostly played in 1/48 now?
« Reply #10 on: March 19, 2019, 05:48:41 PM »
Regarding the Perrys, my impression is that they deliberatedly started with using 1/56 scale as a reference for their WWII range, and sculpted their figures accordingly.
They are about the same height as many other 28mm [edit] WW2 [/edit]figures though.


Also, the Perrys range included vehicles from quite an early stage (of their own design, in addition to the Blitzkrieg range that they retail), so they needed to consider the issue of the vehicle scale and infantry compatibility from quite an early stage.
Perry Kubelwagen (top) and Warlord (bottom).

« Last Edit: March 19, 2019, 08:30:23 PM by Ultravanillasmurf »

Offline Captain Blood

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Re: Is “25mm” WWII mostly played in 1/48 now?
« Reply #11 on: March 19, 2019, 08:20:09 PM »
Regarding the Perrys, my impression is that they deliberatedly started with using 1/56 scale as a reference for their WWII range, and sculpted their figures accordingly, even though this means that the figures in their WWII range are smaller than many of their other range - I think Captain Blood once posted a great reference picture showing Perry plastic figures from WWII and WotR ranges side by side.

I did. This...



Michael Perry was very definite about his WW2 figures being ‘true 1/56’ to fit with ‘true 1/56’ AFVs and softskins...

I use Perry, Blitzkrieg, Rubicon and Warlord 1/56 scale model vehicles happily and compatibly together.

Offline Ultravanillasmurf

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Re: Is “25mm” WWII mostly played in 1/48 now?
« Reply #12 on: March 19, 2019, 08:37:07 PM »
Wow Captain Blood, that does surprise me.

It does explain why the Perry's mediaeval figures match so well with other similar figures.


Offline Redmist1122

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Re: Is “25mm” WWII mostly played in 1/48 now?
« Reply #13 on: March 21, 2019, 03:38:31 AM »
I'm a modeler before I became a gamer.  I like detail and the ability to modify the vehicle and make something that is not available commercially. For me, 1:48 scale vehicles look right compared to the 28mm figures for this period.  I have a nice ANZAC force for N. Africa from Perry, hasn't stopped me using 1:48 vehicles.  I do own a 1:56 Tiger II...won it at a local hobby shop in a drawing.  Looks pretty, but pretty dwarf by 28mm figures...for me that doesn't look right.

As far as availability, it all comes down to how creative your search is. I guess I'm fortunate there is a local modeler group which has swap meets every quarter; this is where I score BIG. I find way better deals in 1:48 scale stuff than from Warlord and Rubicon.  The most expensive stuff I bought is from 1st Corps and Blitzkrieg miniatures...which are resin kits.  Just order a Panzer I from Blitzkrieg for about $28 w/shipping...not sure how that compares to the other manufacturers.

Finally, I think it comes down to how much time and effort you want to invest in building the kit, detailing it, and how much money you want to drop to get it.  Our group here uses 1:48 kits for N. Africa and Europe.  My buddies which have Pacific stuff has all 1:56 vehicles.  That fine too.

I agree, not recommended to mix scales in a game...looks out of place.
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Offline Khurasan Miniatures

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Re: Is “25mm” WWII mostly played in 1/48 now?
« Reply #14 on: March 24, 2019, 03:48:57 PM »
Thanks for all the responses — it’s very informative but to someone not as active in this scale, also a bit confusing.

For figurines as opposed to vehicles, what mm is the equivalent of

1/48
1/50
1/56

Also if I post a poll asking what scale figurines (men) most people use, would that cause any hard feelings? I know people get quite passionate about scales.