Skirmishing in 15mm ?

[Njall]

I'd like to know if anyone had ever play skirmish games using 15mm miniatures (I'm nearly sure the answer is yes).
And I'd like to have some opinions on the question.
I'm actually thinking of using 15mm for Ghosts of Hefei but that's something I never tried (I usually use 15mm for mass battles).

Thanks by advance (and sorry for my English )

[zorg]

I use exclusively 15mm figs, especially with smaller units. Imo, this has the advantage that things take up less space, and the minis are significantly cheaper.

What, specifically, do you want to know?

[Mr Brown]

Well there are multiple rules sets out there for SciFi games that are aimed at 15mm skirmish. I for one, play and enjoy Gruntz a great deal with (mostly) GZG 15mm figs. Have also used Force on Force/Tomorrow's War for Cold War/WWIII and Near Future.

I really enjoy 15mm and do not think there is a problem overall. The only minor gripe is that some companies that produce 15mm figs do not have the same variety of poses that are found in 28mm. This is not as big a problem as it could be though given the scale in question. Scenery is also easier to produce and store. Games can be played on smaller tables. Forces tend to be painted quicker etc etc

Plenty of pros and not many cons. Ultimately it will be a personal preference thing.

[Inso]

Not forgetting Laserburn.

[dijit]

There's lots now available: Critical Mass, Khurasan, Rebel minis, etc. For me the biggest problem is often seeing the difference between different troops at 15mm, it can take a while to spot the LMG in the squad or the leader or whatever else if they're similarly painted. 28mm is much easier to see. The other problem for me is 15mm is an odd size - it's too small to paint well, but too big to paint quick and dirty.

[Njall]

What, specifically, do you want to know?

Well, to be honest, I'm not sure I know myself what I want to know.
I confess that's a domain I never tried to explore before so I'm looking for more informations before I try to convince my gaming group that 15 mm is really the Holy Grail of wargaming 

[zorg]

Well, to be honest, I'm not sure I know myself what I want to know.
I confess that's a domain I never tried to explore before so I'm looking for more informations before I try to convince my gaming group that 15 mm is really the Holy Grail of wargaming 

I see. 15mm isn't the Holy Grail, it has its pros and cons. I'd say just buy a squad of 15mm minis (this will set you back just a few bucks), paint them, and see how it goes.

[PF]

It would depend what you call a skirmish. For some people, fifty guys on each side is still a skirmish.
For me, "15" mm/ 1:100 is pretty cool and perhaps the best scale for fielding many minis like platoons, big and even huge vehicles and making sweet terrain like cities and such. And you can still see the faces or details that don't show well at 1:300.
For small skirmishes, I still prefer 1:56 tho. Easier to paint and since I'm not really into giant robots, vehicles aren't an issue. Making a city or a cool terrain remains complicated and difficult to store tho.

[dijit]

Yes as PF says, skirmish is a rather loose term, some define it as being 10 guys a side, others a small platoon of 20-25 and others a reinforced platoon of 35-50 with a little armour. 15mm works very well with the later, and I'd say less well with the first and can work reasonably ok with the middle.

[workerBee]

I have played with (1/300th)  6 mm skirmishes for a while and the problem is those not familiar with the figures having identification of command/specialist/SAW type figures (Heavy weapons should be obvious even at 6 mm) though those individuals are usually "heroic 28 mm exclusively" gamers.  We see what we expect to see.

Using  distinctive terrain on base conventions has been suggested for 6 mm so it might work well on 15 mm figures.  Have not tried for 1/600th figures... yet.

I suspect painting 15 mm figures easily/naturally/quickly is a technique learning process - just as you don't paint 6 mm the same as 25+ mm figures so you shouldn't paint 15 mm figures like you paint the taller figures.

I suspect it has a lot to do with what size or scale figures you first painted in moderate numbers.

Edit:   I find that using the shooting range scale for the larger figures in modern and future games while using smaller figures with more scale appropriate movement rates gives a a more accurate "feel" for the weapons ranges (especially for suppressive fire more than killing range shots, assuming the rules differentiate that,)  and provides reasonable incentive to use appropriate tactics to counter the weapon ranges.  More terrain is necessary for such games else no one closes to "close range" before the casualties become dominant.  YMMV.

Gracias,

Glenn

[YPU]

I have done a few games of flying lead in 15mm and it works pretty well. Trouble identifying different weapons is really dependent upon sculpts. The rebel minis I use have always been clearly distinguished for everybody, including people who have only played GW games before.

[Brummie]

I think if you want to have a god load of variation then 15mm sci fi is definitly the one to go for.

I do like the scale, I have loads of the stuff myself, there is plenty available, and nearly all of its good quality figures with a lot of imagination put into them, but also enough features that make them identifiable. I personally do not have an issue identifying who is who, or what role a figure in a squad is playing (Generally). The ranges available compliment each other, and for skirmish use you can certainly place a lot more emphasis on terrain; of which again there is a huge amount of stuff available for it, and you can easily pinch other historic/modern 15mm stuff to go with it. And as a big plus, its waaaay cheaper, unless you want to build some Intergalactic Army.

That said if what your going to do is limited to a specific scenario/skirmish feature, I don't see any reason not to go for 28mm sci fi stuff, as although it lacks the consistency, there is certainly more than enough stuff to use for skirmishy style games. I do like a lot of 28mm sci fi figures currently on the market, although the thing that puts me off a lot with it, is the large wedge that divides it between Heroic and Fine 28mm scale that drastically reduces your options (unless you don't give a sh*t, then by all means).

[Relic]

15mm is the REAL gods only scale . I only play 15 and 6mm. No problems at all. I play skirmish games with rules like rogue trader and strange aeons

[Warren Abox]

I play Necromunda in 15mm.  Works just fine, even if it doesn't save a whole lot of money.  You wind up buying a lot of extra figures to get the ones that you really need, and converting takes a bit more effort - there aren't a lot of weapon bits in 15mm and most weapons are really integrated into the figure, so it's not easy to trim them off.  But you can do it.

Plus, you can pack a nice big terrain set up into a little portable box.  Makes lugging the game around a breeze.

[HRE Joseph III]

I'm in the camp that Skirmish is around 10-15 guys a side and I think that 15mm is a great scale for that sort of game.

My favourite thing to do with 15mm is to use 28mm ranges and table size. You get some real impressive scenery and the buildings can be closer to a realistic size than with 28mm.

I think i did modify the ranges somewhat, but I used a modified infinity for my 15mm post apocalyptic games.

http://josephdragovich.blogspot.co.uk/2011/03/war-war-never-changes.html