20mm/ 1:72- Where to get minis from?

[cataphractarius]

Armourfast and Italeri have a good collection of "wargaming" models, you get two per box and they are easy to build yet.

Nice Shermans, Achilles, Cromwell etc. from Armourfast:

http://henk.fox3000.com/Armourfast.htm

Nice Jeep, Halftrack, more Shermans from Italeri - oh, and their lovely Priest/Kangaroo, just in case your troops don't want to go to the battlefield on foot... 

http://henk.fox3000.com/Italeri-rest.htm

Generally, if you have a couple of minutes hours days to spare, browse through Henk's site - great info on the kits that are out there both in resin/white metal and in plastic:

http://henk.fox3000.com/index2.htm

If you prefer 1/76 scale, have a close look at the Airfix range. Yes, many of the moulds are old (though not the nice new Bedfords), the kits do offer excellent conversion possibilities and good value for money. Revell of Germany is re-releasing old Matchbox kits, again interesting stuff here for British forces (Comet tank, M-16, Priest).

[Mad Padre]

Ditto what Catawhatsit said about Armourfast, especially if you're on a budget.
For resin kits, I've bought a few vehicles from Britannia in 20mm and like them, but they may be pricier than you'd like, but they have all the UK vehicles you could possibly want.  I believe Plastic Soldier is expanding their range of vehicles and is about to launch a 1/72 scale Sherman - see http://theplasticsoldiercompany.co.uk/

Cheers,
Mike
www.madpadrewargames.blogspot.com

[warrenpeace]

Is it really that bad to mix 1:72 plastics with 20mm metal figures, as long as they are not mixed on the same base? Seems to me there are some 20mm metal figures that are bulky and cartoonish, much like most of the 28mm figures, while others are slim with more realistic body proportions, as with the 1:72 scale soft plastic figures. If the body proportions are similar between the metal and soft plastic manufacturers, I would not mind a little variation in height. After all, humans don't all come in the same height, so why should minis?

Seems like the metal Elheim figures are slim, like the plastic ones, so a few of the Elheim figures would be a nice addition to any WW2 20mm army. Here is one must have from the Pulp line:

http://elhiemfigures.com/prod_desc_P34.html?sno=298

(and that Elheim Pulp 20mm line also includes a "not Indian Jones" type figure)

 

[warrenpeace]

1:72 and 1:76 scale vehicles might mix on the same table, so long as they aren't lined up hub to hub so that you can compare the slight differences in size. Too many vehicles are bad for the look of the table in a WW2 game I think, especially in the larger scales. This is not micro-armor!

Personally, I snagged huge numbers of prepainted plastic and metal tanks and halftracks over the last several years, starting when they were more affordable. Now the price of those prepainted preassembled vehicles is, on the average, more than double what it was when I started collecting them. Unfortunately, I didn't pick up many trucks or other softskin vehicles. Got a few resin ones from another collector, and will keep an eye out for Italieri Fast Assembly and Armorfast models. Will probably get more resin models at some point.

[Verderer]

True, you CAN mix and match, if you do your research properly or if you're not too critical. Maybe just not include obviously different sizes in the same unit or something.

Thing is, in my experience scale is not an exact science with the manufacturers. With plastic vehicles, for example, some kits can be overlarge, too small or otherwise out of proportion, even with the same manufacturer. The reason for this seems to be that these kits have been made over large period of time (standards and quality change) by different people and companies. So consistency cannot be relied on.

If you're even remotely concerned about size consistency, You need to examine them kit by kit. That's why forums like this and the Guild are priceless. You can count on other people's experience on certain brands and kits, you get reviews and comparison pics etc. All you need to do is ask, and someone will know. There are many a comparison available of various kits from different manufacturer's. I remember one great set of pics of the M3 half-track, for example, was on the Guild forum I think.

Again, in my experience, you can better trust some resin and metal manufacturers about consistency of scale. MMS, Cromwell, SHQ, Milicast are the ones I rely on, and in most cases these kits mix great, there is nearly no variation with the same kit between these manufacturers. I am sure there are execptions, of course, and I am sure some people will disagree with me, but that is my experience. I confess I haevnt' followed plastics much after I chose to go this way.

Traditionally 20mm metals haven't gelled well with plastics, but I think recently some manufacturers have realised they might have rethink their sizes (or maybe the sculptors made their mind up for them?) SHQ has always been in the 1/76 camp, but now their Russians in longcoats are noticeable taller and thinner in proportion. Elhiem does have some tall metallics, but I think they're not sculpted by Elhiem himself? All the above might be sculpted by Tony Boustead, but don't quote me on that. Elhiem's own sculpts seem to be slightly shorter. Then there CP Models and others which seem a bit more compatible with thin and tall plastics. And in the plastic camp, I bought a box of Strelets Finns, and whatever you think of their quality, I think they have a distinctly 'metal' proportions.

Hope these random ramblings will help and not muddy the issue?

[warrenpeace]

No more mud there than on a typical Ardennes road during the Battle of the Bulge!

I'm not so picky that I won't mix in some Corgi vehicles, even though the scale on those is all over the map. Prefer actual 1:72, but those American halftracks and M8 armored cars are not bad. Those Corgi tanks are way too small though. Glad for the Armorfast & Italieri Fast Assembly options.

Bulk in the 20mm figures is the main variation that troubles me, not the height. Some of the 20mm figures are very chunky. Had a similar problem with 28mm Front Rank figures for War of Spanish Succession. They looked like 800 pound gorillas next to most other 25/28mm WSS figures.