Dave Crowell | 31 Jan 2015 11:23 a.m. PST |
I decided to crack out some figures with an eye to playing a couple of AWI games, and I can't find my minis! It's just teh AWI that have gone missing, so I am not completely panicked. They were also substandard paint jobs, so I was considering a do over. I do still have my 40mm for up to large skirmish, but I want something a little bit more suited to a battle on a small table that actually looks like a multi-unit battle. I could do this in 40mm, but the per unit footprint would be larger than I want. 50mm square for four foot vs 40mm or smaller square adds up. I have an OG army card, so 28mm metals and plastic are about teh same cost and BM 18mm cost the same as Musket 15mm. I still have my Musket 15mm buildings, and previous troops were Musket 15mm. If you were starting over what would you pick and why? Although I like smaller scale minis I am finding 25s and up to be more fun to paint these days. No particular campaign in mind. Mostly just wanted to vent some frustration about teh lack of my existing troops, and the slowness of painting 40mm, although they look great when finished. |
John the OFM | 31 Jan 2015 11:28 a.m. PST |
I thought I was bad when I could not find a unit of 12 Perry British grenadiers. I at least have a vague idea where my army is. Where are those s? |
Sigwald | 31 Jan 2015 11:43 a.m. PST |
I would probably use mostly 28mm OG and Perry Bros. They match up size wise and between the two companies there are not many units from any AWI time frame or theater that you cannot depict. ..and yeah tho, where are those s? |
cavcrazy | 31 Jan 2015 11:49 a.m. PST |
28mm Foundry, Perry, Old Glory, and Eureka. |
Yellow Admiral | 31 Jan 2015 11:53 a.m. PST |
I'm not sure when or why this period became so popular, but there's an amazing selection of very nice minis available in both 15mm and 28mm. It looks like you can't go wrong with either scale. I have a gut feeling (no proof) that 28mm is the more popular scale with collectors & players, but of course it costs a lot more, takes longer to paint, and has a bigger table footprint, leading to a smaller maximum size of unit or battle (unless you're playing a game like Volley & Bayonet with a fixed base size). Greater popularity means a better chance of finding collaborators who can bring their own troops to participate, if you have local gaming buddies who can also be drawn into the period. I went with 15mm by accident, but I would probably do it again. I already have boxes of appropriate terrain (from my ACW collection), and I like maneuver room. I am finding a brigade or two (4-6 units) per player in a 4-8 player game fits comfortably on a 5'-6' by 8'-10' table with enough open flank space to make maneuvering important. In the 15/18mm sizes, I love the sculpting and casting of the Blue Moon figures, but they don't mix with the other figures in my collection (Musket, Frontier, Washington's Wars, etc.). I will probably keep using the Blue Moon foot in separate units, but turn elsewhere for cavalry and guns/limbers. - Ix |
Axebreaker | 31 Jan 2015 12:05 p.m. PST |
The period is well supported in most scales so that's not a factor. I suppose it comes down to space, what kind of battles you want and what you feel like painting. I'm doing it in 28mm, but that's my preferred scale most of the time. Christopher |
FusilierDan | 31 Jan 2015 1:07 p.m. PST |
If you didn't have the 40mm I would say 28mm because you could use them for skirmish also. 15/18mm will give a smaller foot print and should be faster to paint depending on how detailed you want to get. Staying with 15mm will give you more troops when you find the others after you've painted the new models:-) |
Skeptic | 31 Jan 2015 1:29 p.m. PST |
25s/28s are very tempting indeed, but 15/18mm permit what look and feel more like battles, because there is more manoeuvre room. Another friend in the OMG has a large 15mm/18mm War of 1812 collection, and the games that we have played thus far have convinced me that 15mm/18mm would be the scale for me to do the AWI in, as tempting as Perry and other 28s may be. P.S.: I hope that the "care/of" ebei items didn't also disappear with your 15mm AWI! |
zippyfusenet | 31 Jan 2015 2:04 p.m. PST |
If I was starting from scratch I might consider 1/72 plastic. The footprint of a unit isn't much bigger than 15mm, but you can put more detail on a figure. The selection these days is pretty good, Indians, cavalry and artillery are all in production. |
dBerczerk | 31 Jan 2015 2:25 p.m. PST |
The new 28mm AWI figures from King's Mountain Miniatures are very nice -- separate torsos and heads enable tremendous variation in poses. They also fit in nicely with other 28mm ranges. Some photos of dismounted Continental Dragoons skirmishing -- link |
nnascati | 31 Jan 2015 4:26 p.m. PST |
If I had the table space and the money, it would be 40mm all the way. |
Pictors Studio | 31 Jan 2015 6:04 p.m. PST |
I don't use my 15s very often. If you are in the states and want to borrow them for a while while you build up your forces let me know and I'll bring them with me to one of the east cons. |
Doctor X | 31 Jan 2015 6:25 p.m. PST |
Armies are pretty small in size so 28mm. |
Thomas Mante | 31 Jan 2015 7:01 p.m. PST |
I have a mix of 28mm Front Rank, Old Glory and Dixon's painted up and the same plus Perry, Eureka, Fife and Drum and Kings Mountain on the lead pile awaiting attention……and yet I am seriously considering starting again in 10mm using the excellent Pendraken AWI figures. I am not sure if this is madness, folly or just plain stupidity but space is at a premium these days and the Pendraken range so tempting. Failing that I might have gone towards the Bacchus 6mm range. |
79thPA | 31 Jan 2015 7:06 p.m. PST |
I put ten 1/72 plastics figures on a 3" x 1.5" battalion stand for Volley and Bayonet. I have also been tempted by Peter Pig (a very extensive line) and Blue Moon, using 36-48 figures per battalion. Others will come along shortly and recommend 6mm and 10mm (I've also thought about 96 figure 6mm battalions). |
Khusrau | 31 Jan 2015 9:45 p.m. PST |
1/72 plastics. The Italeri Indians and cavalry are lovely, add in Redbox Highlanders and the Imex militia and redcoats, plus artillery. Cheap as, and lovely figures. Intending to use 'Rank and File' but some painting has to happen first. |
NappyBuff | 01 Feb 2015 4:10 a.m. PST |
Depends on your gaming group I would think. My gaming group does both 15mm and 25mm – with 28mm tossed in. We mostly use the 15mm figs. I think it is because everyone has them, and only a few have the 25mm. I have more 15mm AR/AWI figs than 28mm. I also find them easier to paint, transport, and store. Both 15mm and 28mm are easy to game with, but if space (table size) will ever be an issue, than 15mm would be easier to game with. |
Frostie | 01 Feb 2015 5:28 a.m. PST |
You say your eyes don't like small than 15mm but try 10mm Pendraken….they are great and if anything esier to paint than some 15 or 25s and the details is great! |
oldnorthstate | 02 Feb 2015 7:06 p.m. PST |
Starting over…yeah, 40mm's may take a little more time to paint but as you point out they look great. Think of this as an opportunity rather than a problem. Go with 40's. |
Winston Smith | 02 Feb 2015 8:01 p.m. PST |
I must use regularly 20 different manufacturers in 25/28mm. The only manufacturer I would avoid is Redoubt. |