"15mm TS&TF" Topic

Gentlemen:
Has anyone ever tried to to TS&TF in 15mm? I want to get back into pushing some minis, but even with plastics 25's look a little costly. I just thought I'd check the site and see if anyone's tried with 15's and see how it worked out. Thanks.
Keith

I've played TSAF with 15mm miniatures before. It works fine as is, but some I've heard change inches to centimeters, but I didn't bother.

The rules will work with any size/scale figure. For cost savings, you may want to look at 1/72 plastics.

Thanks guys, as long as it works and is cheaper.
Keith

Yeah, 1/72 plastic hard to beat for price!

Been using 15mm figures for TSATF for years.

Yes, TS&TF works well with 15mm figures. We did several Boer War games some time ago and kept the 25mm distances. The effect was even better than we thought it would be.

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Jim

All my Sudan and FFL stuff is 15mm. Works fine that way. I've played it in inches and in cm, I prefer cm.

I too have played TS&TF in 15mm (and 20mm plastics).

I like it better with the scale in inches.
I did mount up multiple figures to most of the bases to allow for easy pick up and move. I just keep a few single mounts around to "make change" for a base. Just use a simple convention to keep track of open order and such.

I did mount up multiple figures to most of the bases to allow for easy pick up and move.

That's interesting. How do you deal with the single figure vs. single figure melee combat resolution?

Yep. My first games ever of TS&TF were with someone else's figures, and they were 15s. Not a problem at all, we made no alterations to the rules. If anything, the more open battlefield looks better. (Altho' I still prefer 25mm scale figures.)

Use 15's and 25's with no modifications. Either scale works and looks great.

Benn using 15mm figures for my TSATF games for some time. Since the '80s.

Played a large Sudan game a few years back at a con (can't remember which). The GM used magnetized movement trays so all figures could be individually mounted. I don't recall any significant changes to the rules. It all worked well.

You may wish to consider mounting multiple 15mm or 20mm (1:72 scale) figures on single bases. Using, say, 1.5" squares for Regular Infantry (normally Brits), and 1.5" round washers for Native Infantry, it is easy to mount 4 figures to each. Regulars mount in 2 lines, and Natives in "clumps" of as many as will comfortably fit. (Different poses are a real plus here.)

The idea is to increase the apparent numbers of "men" in units, but still to treat each base as if it were a single figure for purposes of Fire and Close Combat.

By leaving a full square stand's width (back, front, and each side) between bases, Regulars are in Open Order, and when bases touch, Close Order. Natives are easier--just move in Mass.

And by all means, continue to use the original Movement and Weapons Ranges when playing with figures smaller than 25mm--converting for "scale" is quite unnecessary with these rules, and a more dramatic game results.

Finally, seriously consider buying the Battalion level rules variant, "800 Fighting Englishmen," too. These allow you to scratch the inescapable itch to increase the number of units in your games and play much larger actions. And as those rules are premised on 25mm figures also, to speed play and regularize movement, etc, they actually call for 5 four-figure bases for a Brit "Battalion." Thus your existing multi-figure bases can be placed on movement trays in groups of four to represent one game "element."

By continuing to play each Base as if it were one 25mm figure, your otherwise rather thin 20 figure "Battalion" now looks massive at 80 figures. Similarly, as the Natives should generally outnumber the Brits by 3:1, your jaw will hit the floor when you field some 240 Spear and Swordsmen against each Battalion!

And if any of this is tempting, allow me to join the chorus encouraging you to go the 1:72 scale (20mm) route. It could mean a lot of painting, but you'll save a truck load of money and have an experience like no other!

Just remember you will need advice (easily gotten here at TMP) on the various ways to prep the soft plastic figures so that your paint jobs will be permanent.

You are in for more fun than you can rattle dice at!

TVAG

Another option for using 15mm is to mount them two to a 20mm square base (or 20-25mm round) and treat each base as a figure per the usual rules. This ties in well with the Fastoso 8-man unit variant rules. And I wouldn't change the distances either.

Using centimeters with 15mm sucks. You end up with stragglers that look like part of the unit, and 1 D6 in CMs doesn't even move a figure any noticeable distance away from where he was at.

Inches works out perfectly in 15mm.

I even tried cms in 10mm individually based figs, and it sucked. Use inches. It's the American way, anyhow! :)

I used to use 15mm figs for TSATF all the time. We did Zulu wars, Sudan, Boxer Rebellion, and FFL for many years with out any modifications at all. I've even played in a couple of Jay's 15mm Boer War games. l think it works perfectly well as is for 15's.
Cheers,
JB

My very first TSATF troops were 20mm Airfix WWI Germans converted to British infantry and Airfix ACW converted to Egyptians. Then "Mike's Models" released their 15mm Zulu War range and my troops shrunk! I played in the first ever "The Sun Never Sets" TSATF campaign covering the entire British Empire, and it was all 15mm all the time -- and all single-based figures (which was somewhat insane, but still worked fine).

As everyone else has said, it works very well. Whether you go 20mm plastic or 15mm metal or something else, you will have a lot of fun!

Try 800 Fighting Englishmen which is a TSATF rules set for larger battles using 15mm w/ 4 figs on a base. The TSATF rules are simplified and groups of stands (3 companies or reg.) move at a time. Speeds up play and still retains the flavor of the original rules.

I have my 15mm figures 5 to a base. I have just bought the rules and am looking at ways to use them with the based figures I have. Would it be possible to to say roll 5d6 per base to base contact and see who wins by paring up the dice from highest to lowest and then mark the bases with wounds and casualties. A base that inflicts more ''runs'' on the other would make that base move to the rear, if the same number of runs then the CC carries on until there is a conclusive result.

Any thoughts on this combat system, or any other suggestions would be welcome.

I do have some 25mm figures on order, but until they arrive and get painted I would like to play a few games with my 15mm.

No problem using 15 mm for TSATF and in fact that is how I first started playing the game as it was more cost effective to go that way. However 28 mm is my prefered size of choice for Colonials and with all the wonderful Perry Miniature goodness I have converted completely to running my games in 28. But yes 15 is just fine and keep the same movement and ranges.

Another vote for 20mm 1/72. Cheap, good figs thesr days, lots of colonial stuff, especially hat. for my French Foreign Legion project, depending on where I get them anywhere from 8 to 15 per box I get a full platoon with figures left over. also looking other ranges there's a lot of good stuff in the world war 1 172nd range. for example hat has early ww1 French infantry that make great Foreign Legion and its $15 USD for 96 figures

with that being said, If you really are into 15mm, I see no issues using the rules as written. Blue Moon has a fantastic colonial range that is dirt cheap with the old glory army card. $9.60 USD for 30 figures.

I would suggest going to the local hardware store and getting some small washers for bases, to be used with magnetic movement trays.