vehicles, scales and wargames

[tereydavi]

I wrote this blog post a few years ago, but I've been improving it ever since, adding pictures, tips, and more...

It deals with using cars as terrain in wargames and how to get the perfect scale for our miniatures.



I know it's been really helpful for a lot of people just getting started with wargames, so I'm now sharing the updated version on the Frontline Heroes and Fear of the Dark wargames blog:

https://sukiwargames.blogspot.com/2025/04/cars-scales-and-wargames.html

[Gunbird]

Thx, good blogpost. I pick up a few every run to the Goodwill, 50 cents or so and some work better that others, and if they are too big or too small they just get the Hammer treatment.

[Sgt_T]

Good stuff!
Thanks for mentioning my blog 

I've recently added a post containing figure comparisons with post-WW2 vehicles:

https://toomuchterrain.blogspot.com/2025/03/post-ww2-vehicles.html

T

[tereydavi]

Thx, good blogpost. I pick up a few every run to the Goodwill, 50 cents or so and some work better that others, and if they are too big or too small they just get the Hammer treatment.

When I buy a lot always ask for Broken models to make some terrain. "The hammer trestment" thats a good one 😂😂😂

[tereydavi]

Thanks for mentioning my blog 

I've recently added a post containing figure comparisons with post-WW2 vehicles

Your blog is a reference for me.
One of the best blogs I follow.

It's imposible to make a post about vehicles and scales and not mentioning your blog.

Thanks for your work!!

[Aethelflaeda was framed]

This really ought to be pinned up somewhere for constant referral.  Very good answers for questions i have had.

Bought some 3d printed early Ww2 tanks and armoured cars and trucks marked 1/56, ostensibly for 28mm but really look far more proportional for 20mm (which used to be the common WW2 scale quite a few years back). I checked the dimensions to the real thing and they were much more like 1:60.  They would look fine next to old airfix plastic figs.

[Freddy]

Great article! A few more thoughts:

-28mm figures look bigger than their nominal scale not only because of heroic scale, but also because their base. Especially the GW style, which adds 2-3mm height. But not just that, also the area it "reserves".
-when weathering vehicles, a coat of satin lacquer makes wonders. The brand new painting instantly turns into a  worn one. A rusty, but shiny car breaks the illusion.
-cars have number plates, almost everyone forgets them... making them in Paint and printing on paper is not a great effort though.
-GW Space Marine bikers distorted the wargaming communitys senses for scaling motorbikes forever Motorbikes IRL are surprisingly small, I use some of the Matchbox motorcycles for 1/35.

[tereydavi]

Bought some 3d printed early Ww2 tanks and armoured cars and trucks marked 1/56, ostensibly for 28mm but really look far more proportional for 20mm (which used to be the common WW2 scale quite a few years back). I checked the dimensions to the real thing and they were much more like 1:60.  They would look fine next to old airfix plastic figs.

That's something pretty common. I bought a 3D printed halftrack that was supposed to be 1:56, but was closer to 1:64 (like hot wheels vehicles). Next to 28mm miniatures looked pretty ridiculous.

28mm figures look bigger than their nominal scale not only because of heroic scale, but also because their base. Especially the GW style, which adds 2-3mm height. But not just that, also the area it "reserves".

That's true, but it just adds even more difference with the 1:56 vehicles. Even Perry miniatures ("true" 28mm scale) look Big besides 1:56 vehicles.

when weathering vehicles, a coat of satin lacquer makes wonders. The brand new painting instantly turns into a  worn one. A rusty, but shiny car breaks the illusion.

I like how they look, but I have to mask they windows, because they look blurred or tarnished. Apart that they look better, Paint ir washes look better too with the satín lacqer.

There is an option of painting the window (as the solo wargamer does) but I'm not very fond of.

-cars have number plates, almost everyone forgets them... making them in Paint and printing on paper is not a great effort though.

This an awesome idea!!! I love It!!
And It is as easy as just printing one page full of lucense played, and you have plates for 100 vehicles.

[Patrice]

Yes the true scale of models is a can of worms. 

Personally I fear that 1/48 sometimes looks too big (but that's me, and also I base my figures on bases as thin as possible). Old diecast cars you never know what exact scale they are, you need to see them first.

Been discussing it recently for interwar games on a French language forum
https://www.anargader.net/t3930-de-l-echelle-des-vehicules
because (for the first time in my gaming group) we had been recently playing with miniature cars, and a train.
https://www.anargader.net/t3933-argad-tchou-tchou-fait-le-train-mandchou

For trains, a correct scale for 28mm figures do not exist in traditional railway modelling ...but it does exist in cheap toy trains. Funny thing is, I recently bought on eBay more plastic rails sections of the size I needed for 28mm figures (c. 25 mm gauge) and most sellers advertise it as 1/87 which it certainly isn't. I'm not even sure they are dishonest, apparently they just don't know what they are talking about.

[Freddy]

That's true, but it just adds even more difference with the 1:56 vehicles. Even Perry miniatures ("true" 28mm scale) look Big besides 1:56 vehicles.

Indeed, the bases just make them look even bigger. And this is not only a problem for vehicles, but for terrain things like building doors too.

I like how they look, but I have to mask they windows, because they look blurred or tarnished. Apart that they look better, Paint ir washes look better too with the satín lacqer.
There is an option of painting the window (as the solo wargamer does) but I'm not very fond of.

I never liked painted windows, always feel like a cheap excuse not to do the internal details
For the satin lacquer, you do not have to mask, most of the diecast cars (at least for 1/32) are held together by two simple screws, just disassemble it for the spraying.

And It is as easy as just printing one page full of lucense played, and you have plates for 100 vehicles.

Yep, just what I also do. Keep in mind that license plates are different for countries, eras, sometimes even for vehicle purpose (dedicated colours or character combinations for police, military or taxis for example). But even a bogus one is better than having none.