"10mm vs 15mm" Topic

Hey everyone. I game almost exclusively in 28mm but was looking to take the plunge and do a smaller scale. Any tips? I'm torn between 10 and 15mm. Let's pretend that cost isn't a factor and the bulk of the initial purchase will be with old glory/blue moon.

I don't like 15mm, they do not have the detail of 28mm and lack the mass effect of 6mm. 10mm are a tad better than 15s, but 6s are the best

Another vote for 10mm. Like Vanth said, I jjust always felt 15mm was too small to be visually appealing for skirmishes, and too big to give a really good mass effect.
To me, 10mm is also superior to 6mm, a it allows you to clearly see troop types/weapon types at reasonable distances on the tabletop.

So for me, 10mm has been the best answer.

I see 10mm as being heroic scale 6mm, and heroic 6mm is as good a place to be as any.

Hearts,

This is from a previous TMP thread, but should help with regards to showing you about 10mm.

TMP link

V/R,
Jack

15mm constantly surprises me: nearly all the detail of 28mm (just the exaggerated cartoony stuff left out) and small enough to be viable en masse if you choose.

I am mostly trying to diversify from 15mm … 20mm, 54mm, 90mm, 10mm, 6mm, and even 2mm (for variety) – but 15mm is hard to beat.

10 and 15 are almost interchangeable in terms of detail and quality these days the choice really comes down to cost, space and the availability of ranges for particular project.

I'd do both (but then I do do both, chosen on a project by project basis ….) …

Phil
P.B.Eye-Candy

Do both, there are pluses and minuses for both but at the moment I like 10mm better.

Roger.

What if I specify black powder era? Things like Civil War and Rev War. Does that change anyones answer?

I blow hot and cold with both 10 and 15mm scales. Sometimes one appeals more than the other. 15mm has loads of detail, although often it is too small to see when in play how ever good the paint job. 10mm figures paint much faster and it is easier to be realistic about the level of detail you need to add to your painting. On the table if using same base sizes than 10mm can be more expensive. If pushed I would probably opt for 10mm but it probably comes down for your preference for the amount of faff you want on the figures.

How good is your eyesight, and how big is your table. I find 15mm looks better but takes up more room.

15mm and not just because its my job. There are benefits to all scales but 15mm gives you the smaller size but the level of detail you want if you like detail on 28mm.

Also if you are doing Historicals you have legacy on your side. There are a MASSIVE number of ranges in 15mm scale for all periods. This means competition and better deals. This to me is part of the reason that 10mm and 18mm exist in the first place to break apart and move away from what already came before.

My 2p.

GBS
15mm.co.uk
theionage.com
alternative-armies.com

It also depends on how well you paint. I prefer 10 mm usually, but not for uniforms with lots of color. Cuffs and turn backs on AWI/SYW and Napoleonics are harder to paint in 10 than 15 mm, and get even harder with old age. ACW and later are easier in 10 mm. I already have a large collection of 15 mm ACW, but if you are just starting out, ACW Bill's new 10 m Cracker Line Miniatures are fantastic. link

Buy a sample pack of each scale for the period you are interested in and give them a try.

10mm (or larger 6mm like Adler) is an ideal scale for horse and musket period games. If based correctly it can give you a real feeling of mass *and* linear formations – larger scales can achieve mass, but always sacrifice the linear quality of the units due to their size, and inevitably sacrifice the quality and type of games one can play due to the footprint of the units.

As for ACW and AWI – ACW has long been one of the most popular periods in 10mm, and there are many lines to choose from. As noted above, the new Cracker Line miniatures are hard to beat, but a simple search here will turn up as many options as you will find in any other scale. One of the bif advantages of the smaller scales for the ACW is that you can field all those different types of guns *and* their limbers without breaking the bank, and field mounted and dismounted cavalry with horse holders, as well as using figures for markers.

Much the scale goes for the AWI, although here it is one line that dominates in 10mm – Pendraken's AWI line is simply superb.

Cheers,

Christopher

I prefer 10mm for most pre-20th century historical games because I feel it gives the mass formation effect better than 15mm but allows you to better distinguish the uniforms and equipment than is possible in 6mm – at least with my level of painting skill! As previously mentioned, the 10mm AWI from Pendraken are fantastic.

A couple of us had this debate down the club. I wanted to go 15mm but 10mm won the day due to some sexy AWI pics and cost. We mostly do historical in 6mm and skirmish in 15mm and 28mm. 10mm is growing though. A lot of the detail of 15mm but units nearly as big as our 70man battalions in 6mm.

My last hurrah in massed armies will be in 10mm they have become as good as the 15mm stuff. Yes my eyes are gonna struggle "grone" but I think they are going to look great.

Go with Kalistra – they're 12mm! :)

For new periods, I am going 10 mm ( or 12 mm Kallistra)- quicker to paint, look good en masse and cheaper than 15 mm in most cases.

Yes, as mentioned above, 12mm should be considered as well.

I love the Old Glory 10mm line. I have a lot of their ACW minis and an building up some medieval fantasy armies now as well.

I recall massing up some 15mm pikemen beside an equally based mass of 10mm minis and my (non-gamer) wife pointed to the 15s and said "That looks like a skirmish, these [the 10s] look like 'Braveheart'." That kinda sealed it for me. ;)

I'm a committed 15/18mm player because I started a long time ago and have most of my armies complete or well started. For the periods I like (Napoleonics; Horse & Musket) the 15/18mm figures (AB, OG, Eureka) offer the same level of detail as 25/28mm and yet offer the mass look and a usable ground scale for the space I have available.

Were I starting again I would definitely consider 10mm. Key issue is really if there are good quality, complete ranges for the periods/wars you want to game in whichever scale you are considering.

For me cost comes into this as well

For WW2 a Sherman is approx 5-6 pounds each in 15mm

In 10mm from Pendraken its 2.60. OK its 2-3 pounds difference but it all adds up after a while if need 10 -15 of them

Oops sorry, just read the original post again.

I am with Vanth Spiritwalker. 6MM are best (I have a growing list of armies now) but I would choose 15mm over 28/10mm if starting afresh

Specific to your question: In 15 mm you have a greater variety of options, including other firms that can mix with Blue Moon/Old Glory (there is also Old Glory 15s – do you mean them as well?). In 10 mm, while there are many companies, there is one that stands heads and shoulders above the others – Pendraken – for variety.

A large advantage for 10 mm is that you get the best match between table size and figure size, still large enough to identify across a table readily but just fits 'scale' better.

In 15 mm, you get figures that can paint up quite nicely with easier detail for the eye (though I've seen some very nice 10s.)

I used to say go with 10s if you are starting out. Not sure I can recommend that anymore since Blue Moon debuted their spectacularly diverse and rapidly growing offerings.

So, where did I land? I have in the neighborhood of 32,000 15 mm figures (only about 5,000 painted and another 3,000 in process, roughly). Not all Blue Moon because I've been collecting so long.

In the end you will have to decide. Tens give more table, fifteens give more detail (check out Blue Moon's Sherlock Homles style figure in the horror range – as nice a figure as there is, in ANY size).

Both have advantages. of the two I prefer 10mm.

I also find they are easier to paint than 28mm because they require less detail.

For manufacturers, I like Pendraken and MM for fires and OG for equipment.

I have both 10mm and 15mm armies, both have there pros and cons,
10mm do look great en mass and are easier to paint(I have just finished both armies for 45'Jacobite rebellion).
15mm more variety within in range/period, the ability to drill out hands and replace pike/spears/colour poles etc with wire is a major consideration (a degree in engineering required at 10mm).

Cost?
I use twice as many 10mm as 15mm for the same foot print on the battlefield so cost are about equal.

I think it boils down to what do you like ?
The look of the figures ?
Your painting skills (10mm and 15mm are different painting skills)?
Are there any other wargamers you are wishing to wargame with and at scale do they use ?