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Author Topic: 20mm - Explain this to me!  (Read 8422 times)

Offline dominic

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20mm - Explain this to me!
« Reply #15 on: January 23, 2008, 01:12:22 PM »
In the early 1970s, back when Britain still had an empire, or the remnants of one, I recall that Airfix was probably THE most popular scale modelling brand.

Airfix had these boxes of plastic model soldiers and plastic model kits sold at really cheap prices marked HO/OO scale, which I think roughly equates to 1/72.

This is how wargaming started for me, and I believe because Airfix models were so widely available and affordable, this is how 20mm or 1/72 became established as a popular wargaming scale.

Offline Lowtardog

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20mm - Explain this to me!
« Reply #16 on: January 23, 2008, 01:20:19 PM »
[/quote]
Atlantic went bankrupt in the early '80s.
Most of the Atlantic moulds were sold to to an Iraqi company. It was 1990. Soon after the Gulf War erupted.
Most of Atlantic plastic minaitures are now in production by an Nexus, an italian firm.
Complete story here: http://www.nexusgames.com/atlantic/faq.html

A chinese firm http://www.miniknight.com/caesar.htm is making fantastic ancient 1/72 plastic soldiers

[/quote]

WOW :o  They are lovely for plastic minis, dont think I could face the trials and tribulations of painting them but they are certainly top notch

Offline TadPortly

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20mm - Explain this to me!
« Reply #17 on: January 23, 2008, 02:32:35 PM »
This is what got me started:





My dad made the Avro for me and it regularly bombed the Germans...
They were all drawn to the Keep; the soldiers who brought death; the father and daughter fighting for life; the people who have always feared it; and the one man who knows its secret....

Offline Jules

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20mm - Explain this to me!
« Reply #18 on: January 23, 2008, 03:30:04 PM »
My pocket money was index linked to the cost of the basic Airfix kit for a number of years.  My favourite set was the French foreign legion the old models. Still have the fort that went with them and I am actually copying a bit of it for my BoBs.

Offline theoldschool

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Re: 20mm - Explain this to me!
« Reply #19 on: January 23, 2008, 08:17:05 PM »
Quote from: "pnweerar"
Does anyone know why the 20mm scale exist? It just seems a bit odd to make a mini that small that's not obviously compatible with 15mm.


Just take a look at Tony Barton's work in his AB range of WW2 figures, nuff said :)
Pat

Offline Rhoderic

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20mm - Explain this to me!
« Reply #20 on: January 23, 2008, 09:13:22 PM »
Normally I don't care for 20mm as I'm not into massed battles in anything above 10mm anymore, but it does intrigue me when they release more adventure-oriented sets sometimes, such as this pack of swashbuckling musketeers:





If they did more stuff like this (much more) I could actually get into this scale.
"When to keep awake against the camel's swaying or the junk's rocking, you start summoning up your memories one by one, your wolf will have become another wolf, your sister a different sister, your battle other battles, on your return from Euphemia, the city where memory is traded." - Italo Calvino

Offline Argonor

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20mm - Explain this to me!
« Reply #21 on: January 28, 2008, 11:42:01 AM »
What company does these?

Quote from: "Rhoderic"
Normally I don't care for 20mm as I'm not into massed battles in anything above 10mm anymore, but it does intrigue me when they release more adventure-oriented sets sometimes, such as this pack of swashbuckling musketeers:





If they did more stuff like this (much more) I could actually get into this scale.
Ask at the LAF, and answer shall thy be given!


Cultist #84

Offline pnweerar

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20mm - Explain this to me!
« Reply #22 on: January 28, 2008, 02:23:25 PM »

Offline PeteMurray

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20mm - Explain this to me!
« Reply #23 on: January 28, 2008, 02:43:46 PM »
Quote from: "Torradas"

I think my very first 1/72 soldiers were ESCI's 8th army minis:



My first set of plastics as well, though oddly enough I actually got some TSR lead 25s first. 20mm is an outstanding scale. Rare it may be, but of excellent heritage, truer to the human proportion than modern 28s, and still broadly popular.

Mock not 20mm and 1/72.

Now to find a box of those swashbuckling musketeers. Limited edition!  :x To the barricades! A bas artificial scarcity!

Offline pnweerar

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20mm - Explain this to me!
« Reply #24 on: January 28, 2008, 04:50:09 PM »
I'm buying a set of these:



Cause they're just too cool.

Offline Argonor

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20mm - Explain this to me!
« Reply #25 on: January 28, 2008, 06:49:30 PM »
Those Mayas are quite nice... Does anyone know if Maya warriors are available in 28 mm? A lost civilization to be reached through the crater of a slumbering volcano on Yucatán, methinks...  :D

Offline Rhoderic

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20mm - Explain this to me!
« Reply #26 on: January 28, 2008, 07:19:36 PM »
'Ang on, those musketeers are limited edition?

Quote from: "Argonor"
Does anyone know if Maya warriors are available in 28 mm? A lost civilization to be reached through the crater of a slumbering volcano on Yucatán, methinks...  :D


Outpost makes some Mayans.

Offline PeteMurray

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20mm - Explain this to me!
« Reply #27 on: January 28, 2008, 07:48:29 PM »
Quote from: "Rhoderic"
'Ang on, those musketeers are limited edition?


Yep. The Plastic Soldier Review said as much, though sneaky-like in a one sentence ridiculous off-handed remark.

I shall send spies to acquire these figures.

Offline warrenpeace

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20mm - Explain this to me!
« Reply #28 on: January 29, 2008, 03:13:11 AM »
This is what got me into 20mm/1:72 scale:

http://www.dragonmodelsusa.com/dmlusa/prodmidh.asp?tlcode=DRR
Sailors have more fun!

Offline Big Guy

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  • Posts: 133
20mm - Explain this to me!
« Reply #29 on: January 29, 2008, 04:24:04 AM »
I blame my father for being in the Army and leaving bits for uniform and equipment where a young boy might find them and my mother for buying me a box of Airfix Brit Paras and US Marines.

 

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