"Figures size and compatability" Topic

There are a number of schools of thought here:

All my figures must be the same size and sculpting style

I don't mind minor variations but some figures just don't go together

I am pretty laid back about size and style but there are limits

Look around you at the huge range of variation in real life – anything goes

They must be the same sort of size, mostly in regards to height, sculpting style differences I can live with.
I paint in the same style so that helps mask any overtly mis-matched figures due to style.

Preferably same style and proportions.

I don't buy figures that are the wrong size – and have no issues 'outing' them on pages like TMP. I have no problem with variation in the size of people, but weapons and equipment do not vary in 'real life'.

For the human figure I like a wide range of sizes and proportions but not for equipment.

In periods without standardisation I happily mix makes trying to get at least 3 different manufacturers figures mixed together. I find two never works even when close but 3 or more can look well.

Where equipment is mass produced I try very hard to match it properly and usually end up with a single manufacturer and once to my great irritation a manufacturer produced two figures with sten guns of vastly different sizes.

x42

When I'm painting my Dark Ages figures, very much up close, the differences in size really stand out, but I find that when the figures go on the table, from my position towering over the table, it hardly matters. I end up liking most of my figures to be of a similar size (the bell curve distribution of height/size, if you will), but don't mind an occaisional small lad or Viking Giant, like the guy I paid 25 cents to see at the state fair long, long ago (still have the post card, too). That said, I do get a little pickier in more modern figures due to the weapon size issue.

Grelber

I like anatomy and height to keep within two standard deviations of the norm, (97.5% of people fall in that range, though it's probably higher for soldiers) equipment I'd tolerate +/- 10% though within 5% really ought to be enough.

All my figures must be the same size and sculpting style

When you can it's great. But, with certain periods, it's not always possible.

My most eclectic collection is for the early 16thC (Italian wars), which is only the same size and sculpting style within units. There was, at the time, little choice but to do it that way. Some units are 'usual 28s' (OG, Foundry, etc.) and there are big units (Front Rank, Redoubt) – but, when they are on the table, surprisingly, no one seems to notice.

I try to use figures of roughly the same proportions in any unit. I pretty much manage it.
I have had armies where rather different figures were in seperate units. When I had an Austrian Napoleonic army there were units made up of Minifigs, others of Old Glory.
It was more satisfying to me with the Confederation of the Rhine. Mecklinberg were Old Glory for infantry and artillery, Essex for Hussars. Nassau were Minifigs for infantry, Battle Honors for their cavalry.
These days my WW2 forces are done with a mix of Command Decision and Peter Pig. The two really look well together, I think.

I am pretty laid back about size and style but there are limits

That being said, I was just thinking about last night when I was looking at my Artizan WW2 Airborne squad that was mixed with some Victory Force figs -- and thinking that you really can spot the different figs in the squad.

First time that ever happened to me.

I am pretty laid back about size and style but there are limits

As long as they don't look particularly absurd next to each other from a few feet away, it's all kosher.

Depends on what i'm doing. War-games I make forces of same scale. RPG and other play? I am more lenient. I use chronoscope figs with empress troops (true 28 and closer to 32mm respectively) to do pulpy-stuff all the time.

Of course i use everything from 1/43 to 1/55 scale vehicles in the same fights, so there's that too…