"Bolt Action Vehicles and a Sdkfz 251D question" Topic

Hey folks,

I am not trying to reignite the 1/48 1/56 debate, I think most can agree that it is just a matter of taste at this point.

Anyway, I know some of the Bolt Action vehicle models are based, and I loathe bases on vehicles. My question is, do most of the Bolt Action models come unbased?

I was going to use 1/48 (I love modelling) but after just finishing a Tamiya 1/48 Sherman, it looks enormous next to my Bolt Action plastic Brits. I have decided to reconsider the Bolt Action 1/56 so long as I do not have to endure bases on my vehicles.

On a side note, does anyone know how big 1/48 Tamiya Hanomag 251Ds look next to BA Waffen SS or Artizan Germans? BAs 251D looks like it is based, and that is a deal breaker for me.

Warlord have removed the bases from most of their range, 251, 250, Dingo, 222, AEC, off the top of my head, and to be commended.

Hi, AFAIK the BA vehicles are all unbased. Are you getting mixed up with the Forged in battle 15mm range that all come with bases?

Cheers Andy :-)

I love bases on vehicles , stops the running gear falling off or being otherwise damaged. You base your men don't you?

Aaaaand right from the scale debate to the base debate. Thanks Cardinal. I do believe he mentioned not liking bases…

That is correct that Warlord removed the bases from their Sdkfz 250s and 251s. Even back when they had them as based, they offered a version with metal tracks. They also have the new plastic C version (with hopefully the D to follow).

Thus giving people the chance to choose to base theirs or not depending on taste.

Just a matter of taste Hawkwood. But I only base my men because they would fall over without them. I like very realistic terrain boards, and would *love* to have unbased men, but in an effort to make the most of it, I base my men to match my terrain. Having vehicles on muddy bases does not appeal to me, especially when said vehicle is on cobblestones, or pavement.

Been gaming for 25 years with models, never had one break from normal use. Now, dropping onto a cement floor is another matter, but I doubt the base would help much there.

As to where I got the base info, I was watching some bloke on Youtube unbox a BA 251 (but might have been a while ago, did not pay attention to the date) and the wheels and tracks were molded onto a base, the body glued onto that.

Anyway, thanks folks!

Both Company B companyb.biz and JTFM diewaffenkammer.com offer 1/56th scale vehicles
and are availabe from Brigade games brigadegames.com
I have a mixture of Bolt Action, JTFM and Company B and they all fit together well. The bolt action vehicles I have are not based. I ended up selling off my 1/48th vehicles because they were just too big.

I'll try to post pics of 28mm figures with my Tamiya halftracks tomorrow.

But I would suggest that you choose one or the other and not mix 1/56 and 1/48 – 1/50 vehicles, even if they're on different sides. If you already decided on the 1/56 Sherman, then go with 1/56 halftracks as well. My 28mm British are all metal and comprise a mix of Crusader, Artizan and BAM figures I base on GW slottabases. They don't look small at all next to 1/48 vehicles because they're chunky and are taller for the slottabases. Plastic figures with the BAM bases are not only smaller than their metal counterparts but are shorter because those bases are not elevated.

I noticed that 1/56 looks small next to First Corps and Artizan.

I've noticed the Warlord plastic are a bit smaller than the Heroic Scale 28mm metals of other companies.

The First Corps figs are chunky 28s, I got 1/48 scale kit to go with them (but then, back when they came out there was nothing else… 1/56 wasn't even a gleam in Tony Ashcroft's eye then)

So really, what my issue seems to be at this point, is the BAM plastic British are just going to look smaller than the metals from even BAM, and especially Artizan as well?

My two forces will be made up of BAM British late war, metal and plastic mixed, with BAM Waffen SS with a smattering of Late war German Artizan mixed in for variety sake.

The pics I have seen, the late war Artizan Germans looked pretty good with 1/48 and sort of dwarfed the 1/56 (I know, the old debate, just going by looks). This is why I bought a Tamiya sherman on the cheap, just to see how it looked.

I don't have my Artizan of BAM metals yet (they are on the way) but the plastics seem a lot smaller than the metals at this point. I wish the companies could at least get the scaled of their own products to match.

I may just have to bite the bullet and put the plastics on thicker bases.

Thanks guys, for the input. I cannot believe how neurotic picking a vehicle scale is making me…/sigh

Here are some pics I took for comparison. All figures are metal and based on GW-style bases. Also, I don't have any plastics (WL or WGF) so can't speak on their behalf:

Warlord officer, Artizan rifleman & Warlord rifleman with Tamiya 1/48 halftrack:

Warlord MG42 LMG team & Artizan rifleman with the same halftrack:

Here are some British/Sherman comparison pix:

Warlord officer & Artizan Bren Gunner with Tamiya Sherman:

Crusader infantryman and Bren Gunner with Sherman:

Wow, I am humbled by anyone taking the time to snap pictures for me. Thank you so much. It really does make a huge difference, between bases and figure mass. While height may not be exactly a match, the mass of the figures (something missing in WL plastics)makes them really work with 1/48 to my eye.

Especially with the 251

Thanks again!

You're welcome. And based on the pics I culled from the internet at the links below and the photo beneath them, you will see that the British infantry isn't too short compared to the 1/48 Sherman either.

Sorry, but 1/56 to me is just wrong for 28mm.

Tamiya: link

King & Country: link