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Author Topic: Any suggestions for 40mm/ 1/43rd scale sci fi?  (Read 1535 times)

Offline jhonpog

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Any suggestions for 40mm/ 1/43rd scale sci fi?
« on: May 05, 2022, 09:01:09 PM »
Hey all as the thread title says does anyone have suggestions for sci fi figs/ terrain/ rules sets? I will consider any/ all suggestions :)

Offline Hobgoblin

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Re: Any suggestions for 40mm/ 1/43rd scale sci fi?
« Reply #1 on: May 05, 2022, 10:00:47 PM »
For relatively cheap and interesting aliens, have a look at the Reaper Bones Bathalians. The bigger ones are a good size (and 'size agnostic' figures anyway - they're 28/32, but I used them in 15mm):





The Reaper Bones bugbears would be readily converted to aliens (or just painted up as is for primitives):



Both bugbears and Bathalians cost £3.63 a piece, so they're relatively cheap for their size. Reaper has lots of similarly sized monsters that would work well in 40mm. The Bones plastic takes superglue very well, and oversized 40K guns will work fine with Reaper ogres and bugbears, etc.

And fellows like this bring plenty of proper alienness to the party:


Offline jhonpog

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Re: Any suggestions for 40mm/ 1/43rd scale sci fi?
« Reply #2 on: May 06, 2022, 09:33:22 PM »
thanks Hobgoblin those are some good suggestions and very nice sculpts. Those bathalians have a nice alien/ zerg look to them.

I've found robogear figures appear to be in-scale and tehnolog do some 40mm 40k-ish looking figs

I think there were some starcraft figures released a few years ago that might work too...

Offline eilif

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Re: Any suggestions for 40mm/ 1/43rd scale sci fi?
« Reply #3 on: May 11, 2022, 04:55:01 PM »
Yeah, the Tehnolog/Robogear figs are probably your best bet.

About a year ago, the Heroclix line just scaled it's figures up to 40mm'ish.   All the new sets are in this new scale and the detail is markedly improved. I haven't followed what figures have been released since the scale change, but the line has always had a fair number of sci-fi types.

Why 40mm? It's a tough scale to find figures for. Assuming you're using sole-to-eye measurements, 40mm is the same as 1:40.  I think your best bet might be to find 3d printable figures you like the look of and have a printing service scale them up.  I bet these guys would do it.
https://two-idiots-printing-service.myshopify.com/?msclkid=0568df94d14b11ecb44bee9698cf4fd4


As for terrain, European O Gauge Railroading is 1:43, so anything designed for that is going to be pretty close, though also quite expensive.  Even American O Gauge (1:48) would probably look fine on the tabletop.

GW Sci-Fi terrain has a very specific look, but it's almost always oversized and would look good. Pegasus Gothic buildings are likewise rather scale-neutral.

Lastly, I can take measurements when I get home, but IIRC, this guy is about 40mm albeit a big hunchy.
https://www.reapermini.com/search/rhino/latest/50262
 
« Last Edit: May 11, 2022, 04:59:54 PM by eilif »

Offline Daeothar

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Re: Any suggestions for 40mm/ 1/43rd scale sci fi?
« Reply #4 on: May 12, 2022, 06:03:35 AM »
Primaris Marines?  :D
Miniatures you say? Well I too, like to live dangerously...
Find a Way, or make one!

Offline v_lazy_dragon

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Re: Any suggestions for 40mm/ 1/43rd scale sci fi?
« Reply #5 on: May 12, 2022, 10:38:54 AM »
HLBS used to do 'near-future' troopers in tactical vests with motorcycle helmets and OICWs (and maybe G36s) in their 1:48th/36mm range. OOP sadly, but they do come up on eBay from time to time. I think they also did some bots for their 'zombie/modern horror' range.

There are some ALIENS toy soldiers, including Colonial Marines, out there, but I think those ran closer to 50mm/ 1:35th
Xander
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Offline zemjw

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Re: Any suggestions for 40mm/ 1/43rd scale sci fi?
« Reply #6 on: May 12, 2022, 01:07:30 PM »
Some of the Reaper Bones USA figures are 35mm to the top of the head.

Infinity also had a big size jump, and the newer ones seem to be around the 35mm mark as well. They may be a bit short for 40mm, but annoyingly, they're increasingly too large to use with 28/32mm :-[

GW Ogryns and Genestealer Cults Aberrants should work, although they'll be around regular height in 40mm. The most recent Colony 87 KS had a couple of large humanoid figures in it, so it's worth checking for them on the Crooked Dice website

Tamiya do a load of 1/48 kits, including figures, so are worth a look.

Offline v_lazy_dragon

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Re: Any suggestions for 40mm/ 1/43rd scale sci fi?
« Reply #7 on: May 12, 2022, 01:33:48 PM »
Some of the current range of HLBS 36mm/40mm Ultra modern figures might actually work with a bit of tweaking

Offline eilif

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Re: Any suggestions for 40mm/ 1/43rd scale sci fi?
« Reply #8 on: May 12, 2022, 03:51:58 PM »
Just remembered another source.  "The Corps! Elite" toy soldiers are about 40mm and the sculpts are actually pretty good Colonial Marines types.   
Did a review of a set for terrain purposes years ago, but did show the figures at the bottom of the post.
https://www.chicagoskirmishwargames.com/blog/2017/11/cheap-28mm-suitable-terrain-from-the-corps-elite/
Out of stock most places, but even at inflated ebay prices it's a pretty good deal search for "The Corps! Elite 104" and you'll get some options.  There was also a 120 piece bucket.  Both appeared at WalMart years ago.

I'd have just sent mine to you but unfortunately, my son claimed them some time ago.
« Last Edit: May 12, 2022, 04:02:07 PM by eilif »

Offline Mammoth miniatures

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Re: Any suggestions for 40mm/ 1/43rd scale sci fi?
« Reply #9 on: May 12, 2022, 04:51:43 PM »
The other option would be to find STL files you like and get them printed at 40mm scale.

Offline NickNascati

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Re: Any suggestions for 40mm/ 1/43rd scale sci fi?
« Reply #10 on: May 12, 2022, 06:29:30 PM »
If you can find them, Graven Images had 1/48th scale Flash Gordon types.

Offline 6mmfan

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Re: Any suggestions for 40mm/ 1/43rd scale sci fi?
« Reply #11 on: May 16, 2022, 12:54:06 AM »
Just wait a few years and then all GW stuff will be 40mm... :o

Offline jhonpog

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Re: Any suggestions for 40mm/ 1/43rd scale sci fi?
« Reply #12 on: May 21, 2022, 10:06:43 PM »
Yeah, the Tehnolog/Robogear figs are probably your best bet.

About a year ago, the Heroclix line just scaled it's figures up to 40mm'ish.   All the new sets are in this new scale and the detail is markedly improved. I haven't followed what figures have been released since the scale change, but the line has always had a fair number of sci-fi types.

Why 40mm? It's a tough scale to find figures for. Assuming you're using sole-to-eye measurements, 40mm is the same as 1:40.  I think your best bet might be to find 3d printable figures you like the look of and have a printing service scale them up.  I bet these guys would do it.
https://two-idiots-printing-service.myshopify.com/?msclkid=0568df94d14b11ecb44bee9698cf4fd4


As for terrain, European O Gauge Railroading is 1:43, so anything designed for that is going to be pretty close, though also quite expensive.  Even American O Gauge (1:48) would probably look fine on the tabletop.

GW Sci-Fi terrain has a very specific look, but it's almost always oversized and would look good. Pegasus Gothic buildings are likewise rather scale-neutral.

Lastly, I can take measurements when I get home, but IIRC, this guy is about 40mm albeit a big hunchy.
https://www.reapermini.com/search/rhino/latest/50262

Thanks for these suggestions Eilif. I'm looking at heroclix for conversions and yeah those robogear figures look like a good start too

That's a damned good question you ask: Why 40mm?  With all the amazing selection of 28/32mm figures out there why would I make things unnecessarily hard for myself by going up scale.  The (rough) answer is I've been collecting 54mm for a while but wanted to try something a bit smaller :)  For me 40mm gives you the best of both worlds:  The figures are large enough not to be overshadowed by terrain but you still get the room for mulitple units and terrain pieces.

Also I seem to like hunting out obsure figures that work in this scale. I'm not a great sculptor but I like making things too :)

Offline jhonpog

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Re: Any suggestions for 40mm/ 1/43rd scale sci fi?
« Reply #13 on: May 21, 2022, 10:11:22 PM »
Just wait a few years and then all GW stuff will be 40mm... :o

Well that's the funny things alot of the detailing in GW figs but also legion work really well at 1/43rd and 1/32nd scales. So they are nearly already there IMO :)

Star wars legion figures just need a bit of extra height in the legs to make them work but also make them look alot better proportioned so they are nearly there too.

Offline jhonpog

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Re: Any suggestions for 40mm/ 1/43rd scale sci fi?
« Reply #14 on: May 21, 2022, 10:15:29 PM »
Thanks for all the suggestions everybody. 3d printing does seems like a good backstop to get units of figures

As for the dreaded scale question I have been using this as a guide.  A 6ft man is 1830mm tall. Divide that by 43 (for 1/43rd scale) and you get 42mm.  So foot to eyeline would be roughly 39mm or 40mm.

1/48th scale tends to just be a bit too small and a 45mm figure is going to be a big unit

 

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