"1/72 scale is my new favorite" Topic

I have been visiting some train shows and also looking at some 1/72 scale model kits. It seems this is the perfect scale to game. The models are small enough so tanks do not look silly on the table like a 40K battle. And the troopers are big enough to add some decent details. Throw in the huge amount of ready made terrain and vehicles and I am wondering why this has not become the standard scale for gaming?

As part of my "become compulsive about a new project every few moments" initiative, I am going to spend some time exploring the possibilities of this. Right now I have my hex table top covering up on the table, the first Squad Leader rules out for a re-read, and a pile of Billy-V plastic infantry from Hobby Lobby on the table being based.

Hi. Welcome to the club! I made the same conclusion about 20 years ago.

Thanks,

John

I got into 1/72 a few years ago when the local Target was stocking the Forces of Valor sets. You could get a painted die cast tank for $5 USD and a tank or gun and some infantry for $10. USD I was hooked. I picked up a bunch of Italieri infantry and its snowballed form there.

Many moons ago this was the favorite scale for WW2 enthusiasts. As time went by, 15mm and other scales offered more complete lines of vehicles and other equipment. At the same time, those making things in 1/72 seemed stuck on the idea that they were making models.
Now we are spoilt for choice in almost any scale one might care to mention. While many might not agree with me, I feel we are in the golden age of our hobby when it comes to the availability of figures, rules and so on…
My friends, welcome to the golden age.

I also have long preferred 1/72//20mm. Recently the flood of new quick-build kits has rekindled my interest. SCW and WW2 being favorite periods, but recently I ordered some of Newline's 1/72 Late Romans, Goths, and Franks to build Migration-Era armies that will mix metal and plastic.

Has anyone seen the Tumbling Dice Romans, Goths, and Huns in 1/72? I'd like to mix these in.

1/72 or 1/76 since the 70's for WWII. The recent years fad in my family has been FOW using 20mm or 1/72/6 scaled models and miniatures. Just changed the team basing size to 2 1/2" wide and 1 3/4" deep or 1 3/4" wide and 1 1/2" deep for the smaller teams. All the other stuff is based on model size. Has worked with almost no issues and saved me a large wad of cash compared to BF pricing. Also…. you can see the detail on the model 1/72 kits across the tabletop…. small 15mm resin just have oversized molding. Still BF models are nice for the scaled size I must say but the current pricing for the smaller model vs. a 1/72 detailed kit is always in the favor of the large model.

Elhiemfigures.com

Were I to start all over, it would be a battle royale between 6mm and 1/72 for my hobby budget.

Doug

I've jumped back into 1/72 as well.

I'm with you on this one KenofYork. Although i'm 1/76 and 1/72 :0)

Welcome to the club!

I got into 1/72 some years ago when I was a) broke, b) into WW2 and c) knew someone who owned a shop which stocked Airfix so I could buy them at cost. Now it's become my favourite scale – I have WW2 and medieval armies and I'm eyeing either Biblicals or Colonials in 2013.

Kudos to Newline and Tumbling Dice for really taking 1/72 or 20mm so far beyond WW2 (and plastic manufacturers like HaT and Zvezda, of course!)

@rvandusen – I have TD medieval figures which are very nice and fit right in with the various plastic makes, the Late Roman figures are newer sculpts so should be even nicer.

I also do my wargaming in 1/72. ancient, napoleonics, ww2, fantasy (warmaster) and lately some scifi and weird ww2. have a look at my blog: plasticgeneral.blogspot.nl

I recently got into collecting the HaT Sudan range….fantastic selection for the price.

Love 1:72 scale so much I'm thinking of selling off my 28mm WWII collection.

Almost as much detail, far cheaper, easier to store/transort, TONS of choice, and the ability to have larger battles in the same space as 28mm. Win.

Don't believe the hype – 1/72 is still the favourite scale of most WW2 Wargamers

I have a small collection of 28mm WW2, intended for skirmishes, but have revisited my venerable 20mm collection . The cost of vehicles in 28mm is high and for me doing anything more than infantry in that scale is a non-starter.
Undoubtedly 28mm is riding high at this time, but 20mm has been quietly trundling on throughout in the background.

1/72nd or 20mm is what I am looking at for modern Force on Force and Fubar.

VR
James Mattes

If I had nothing I'd probably also just stay in 1/72, but alas it's going to be the first scale dumped in the marketplace.

1/72nd and 20mm is the way to go. I use that size exclusively for all of my WWII, Vietnam, and Modern skirmish level gaming. (20mm Zombies & Terrain coming soon.)

Lots of pics on my gaming blog.

David G.
gamerarchitect.blogspot.com

Wow, really nice pic there snowman. Looks amazing.

I am going to dabble in sci-fi in this scale too. All I need to do is sell off a pile of 28mm stuff to fund my new project.

Ken,

I have been gaming in moderns for years, with 20mm, 1/72, and 1/76. For moderns, there is just so much available, from high end to low end, from kits to models to diecasts.

I used to game WWII in 1/72 exclusively (about 12 years ago), but drifted into both 28mm and 15mm as those were the scales most popular in the area, and sold off all of my 1/72 WWII collection.

I have begun to collect WWII at this scale again recently, so I can concentrate on western European terrain that works with my 1980's Cold Wars era moderns and 1944-1945 Western Theater WWII.

Lots of great 15mm and 28mm WWII stuff out there, but I think this will make it easier for me in the long run. I am keeping 28mm as my scale for WWII PTO and for Vietnam, as the terrain is completely different from the West Europe (but most of it can be used for both PTO and Vietnam, conveniently enough).

I think my only 15mm WWII will be North Africa (once again, a different terrain set anyway). Sci fi is 15mm too, but I like using my 28mm Pacific/Vietnam terrain mixed in with 15mm desert terrain :)

Chalfant

Why anyone does WW2 in anything other than 1/72nd astonishes me.

OK – let me clarify: I'm not talking about micro armour but for larger scaled games, if the choice is between 15mm, 1/72nd and 25/28mm I can see no reason to not pick 1/72.

The choice of model (nowadays). The ready paints. The scenery. The detail. It's so obvious, surely?

I have a very large collection of pre-paints/diecasts in 1/72nd and nothing in any other scale.

And – apart from anything else – 1/72nd is actually a scale and not some arbitary foot to eye/hat hilarity. So it gets my vote!

John T