question about 20mm

[warrenpeace]

There's a lot of rules out there.  I tried "Arc of Fire" twice using 28mm figures, and really liked it.  Unlike "Disposable Heroes," "Arc of Fire" doesn't have several booklets to buy in order to get the data for different armies.  Then again, "Arc of Fire" doesn't have much in the way of vehicle rules. "Arc of Fire" groups individually based figures into squads, as opposed to the fire teams used in "Disposable Heroes."  Tried a skirmish level game earlier this year from the "Chain Reaction" family of rules.  That was a different approach, as a firefight between a unit of each side would be resolved with ongoing exchanges of fire until one side or the other was suppressed before moving on to resolve action between other units.  Some of the really fun WW2 games that I've played used the old AH Squad Leader and Cross of Iron rules adapted for use without hexes.  Those rules were less complex than the "Advanced Squad Leader" boardgames that are in current publication.  A couple of figures on a stand represents a squad in those old boardgame rules.
 
Some of the 20mm WW2 metal figures have fantastic detail.  On the other hand, many of the 28mm sculpts have really great character and attitude.  The larger figures are also easier to see without a magnifying glass as the eyes age.  But, given that most WW2 figures are going to be painted in drab colors, stepping down one size from 28mm to 20mm may not mean giving up too much in the looks department.

Buildings can take up a lot of space though.  It doesn't make a lot of sense to collect scenery in two different scales if you've got limited storage space.

Of course, a good reason for gaming WW2 in 20mm/1:72 scale is the availability of inexpensive vehicles. I started buying pre-painted 1:72 scale metal and plastic tanks back when the price was only about $12 US per vehicle.  Unfortunately, the price has increased to the point where many of the pre-painted tanks and half-tracks now cost between $20 and $25 US.  I just bought a beautiful 1:72 scale M-10 for $25 US.  At those prices, some pre-painted 1:50 and 1:48 scale vehicles are competitive.  Countering that trend, there are now very cheap and easy to assemble plastic 1:72 scale model kits that are specifically designed for wargaming, including Armorfast and Italieri "fast assembly" models.  These often come with two vehicles in the box, and each vehicle only has 10 to 15 pieces to glue together.  So the cost can be only $5 to $8 per vehicle.  Also, many of the old metal Corgi tanks and halftracks and armored cars of indeterminate scale can be used with 20mm, and those can be picked up for as little as $4 to $5 US sometimes.