"I need some convincing.....to drop 28mm to start 15mm ACW" Topic

Ok, while I love the deatil of 28mm, my table is only 6x4, and it seems 28mm limits the size of my battles.

I only have experience in 28mm, so I also need some advice…best 15mm ACW models?, and what base size would be appropiate for say four mini's per base? artillery, and calvary.

Thanks in advance to all replys

Actually, I'd consider going to 10mm.

I use 15mm Old Glory and Battle Honors, though not in the same units. I'll throw in a single AB Miniatures figure if I need an extra flag bearer or officer, but they are 18mm versions of the Battle Honor figures, so don't overdo it.

If you want true 18mm, look at the Blue Moon line. They are great sculpts and lots of variety and units to choose from.

For artillery, Stone Mountain carriages and guns with Old Glory figures are the way to go.

I second the suggestion to CONSIDER 10mm. You may not believe you can/want to paint those size figures, but if you really want bigger battles on a max 6x4 table, 10mm is the way to go. It allows you to BOTH shrink base sizes and increase figure count. When you move to 15mm, you can shrink base sizes OR increase figure count, but not both. 10mm has really good sculpts and options out there in ACW.

Another option, which we have been doing with our DBx ancient/medieval armies, is to use double 15mm figures on a standard 28mm base, and using 28mm movement and firing scales. Looks good. But we are generally playing the same 12-element games on a 4x4 table, or a big battle 36-element army on a 8x4 table. Again, if I wanted to increase figures and have a bigger battlefield, we would have needed to drop to 6mm or 10mm.

I currently do ACW in 30mm Old School style.

I have done ACW in 15mm but have moved them on.

I considered doing ACW in 10mm but decided to go for 6mm instead.

I think I have made a good choice.

link

10mm is the way to go these days. Here's a photo from my recent game using mostly Pendraken figures…

Why not get a larger table?

Office supply stores sell large folding tables at a reasonable price.

Easy to set up and take down if space is an issue.

If you like 28mm figures, keep them. Rebuilding forces in 15mm will take a lot of time and effort.

Unless you're looking for excuse to start a 15mmm collection….

I would also recommend 10mm figures. It really does give a nice mass-effect you don't quite get with 15s.

Unit size and ground scale is a major contributing factor as well. What are yours?

DBACW and Volley and Bayonet provide for low 25mm figure count units, but some people don't like low figure count units.

While you table is 6x4, is there enough room around your gaming area to put a sheet of plywood on top of your table, thereby increasing your table size?

I'd go 10mm as well. Though 15mm is a fine choice.

Go 6mm! Where you had 4 15mm figs you could have 8 to 12 6mm ones – really gives the impression of lots of troops!

No idea for a good 15mm option. If you do go 6mm I really like the Baccus figs.

If I started ACW from scratch now I would definitely go with 10mm. But since I have thousands upon thousands of 15mm models painted I will stay with what I have.

I think this really comes down to what scale gives you the look and feel you want. I like the look of huge armies arrayed across a large battle field with farms, and fields and woods… As a result I use 15mm/18mm for my military collections and 28mm for my Pulp/Adventure/Victorian Gothic collections. You can see my 15mm ACW (Old Glory 15s, Essex, Battle Honors, Minifig) at link

For some reason I can't edit my post.

You can always collect multiple scales and use your 25s for small actions, and your small figs for large actions.

I've tried 10s several times and they are not for me; I'm seriously considering 6mm.

I have a large 15mm ACW army and if I was to start over 10mm all the way.

I second the 79th PA on multiple scales.

28mm for BAB or regimental actions.

18 or 15mm for brigade actions.

10 or 6mm for Corps or Army actions.

Keep the 28's, and then go to BT Sherman site and 6mmacw.com to choose between 10mm or 6mm.

If you want 15s, then I suggest looking at Blue Moon.

ACW is like WWII in that it's worth it to do the period in two scales. Keep your 28's for smaller actions where it actually fits quite well and gives you that feeling of a localized part of an engagement not to mention you get great individual detail that you can enjoy. As the second scale I would recommend 10mm as the figures are just large enough to recognize who is who and see the detail while standing up and still small enough to give you the grand battle effect.

Christopher

Some lovely 10mm out there including GHQ.
If you really like 15/18mm – AB do a range.

I'd consider the above advice from other and see if there is any way you can get a larger table, that might be easier and faster than creating new armies.

If you do decide to change scales I'd buy some samples from a range of makes of both 10mm and 15/18mm and decide which you like to paint the most.

10mm is the best scale to do ACW in IMHO. I have done it in three different scales and twice in 10mm.

Post up to see if anyone wants to trade armies as well, chances are someone out there is looking to up size their collection.
Good luck.

@JohnBear:

15mm, 10mm, and 6mm all have their pros and cons of course. Honestly, I'd suggest buying a sampler of all 3 sizes and go from there. As it happens I sell all 3 sizes in my shop at ScaleCreep.com

Some advice on going small: do NOT try to paint small figures like 28s – that ways lies frustration and madness. In 6mm think of a unit as "one figure." In 15mm base & highlight. More effort is honestly wasted at any distance over 6" (though I do more on some generals and interesting vignettes, but not for troops).

For $50 USD you can get a nice regiment in each scale and give them a serious look. In fact, if you really hate them, you can even return them (provided they are unpainted of course!).

Here is why I like 6mm. This unit took me about 4 hours start to finish (not counting drying time):

And oh yes, on basing.

2 figs on a 20x15 steel base, and $5 USD of sheet magnet, will let you rebase for any rules set you might want to try. In 6mm use a 20x20.

General Sherman….those---are---lovely.

15mm beats 28mm every time … but from scratch, today, yes – there's a good argument for 10mm

Phil

that was lies madness!
stay big!

While I would recommend 15mm(for obvious reasons ), I would suggest you look at various manufacturers sites and try to get a feel for the various scales. Also, unless you want to paint both sides find out what scales are predominant locally. That way you can always find an opponent.

Dave
wargamingminiatures.com

I game the AWI in 40mm! Of course I have a 5 x 15 foot table. Have sometimes had as many as 2,000 figures in the game.

I agree with the suggestions on painting a unit of each size and see what you like best.

If it is the figure more than the unit that floats your boat visually, stay as large as you find comfortable but if it is the unit, go small.

A unit of 12 great figures is just that, a collection of great figures whereas that same unit represented by 36-48 smaller scales figures probably has individually less attractive figures but makes for a far more impressive unit.

15mm and 10mm each have an abundance of model buildings, types of bridges, fences, stonewalls, and other scenic items made for ACW & AWI to decorate your table.

28mm dwellings are few and hard to find.

I have huge numbers of 15mms in various periods, painted in the 80s and 90s. I have painted very few since then. My issue with them is that they have a lot of fine detail that is difficult and slow to paint.

Larger figures are easier. Smaller figures don't require the painter to try for those buttons or collar lace.

ACW figures are mostly fairly simple, so that's less of an issue of course.

If I was interested in the period, I'd do 28mm skirmish and either 6mm or 10mm big battles.

For ACW I use 28mm and 15mm. In 15mm you can use Fire & Fury, in 28mm you can use Johnny Reb III. I do not choose 10mm, because of the difference of the weapons between 1861-1865 and 1870-1871. So 10mm is for the French-Prussian War (and later).

Do it or else….don't make me come over there!

Another guy with several thousand 15mm, that concurs with the opinion that 10mm is the way to go.

6mm 6mm 6mm

A few years ago, I loved the GHQ ACW 10mm figures. They are probably the smallest of the 10mm ACW figures I own. As I have aged, my vision has worsened, and the GHQ figures are harder to paint, for me anyway. I bought a few Blaze Away just to try out. They are the largest 10mm I own. What a difference! So much easier on my eyes! It made me think hard about 15mm, except I already have so many 10mm, so I don't think I'll switch. But if I were just starting out again, I would probably go with 15/18mm from Blue Moon.

10mm all the way, its a great scale to represent the mass battle!

I'm painting both sides using pendraken minis, great sculpts

I´m yet another quite satisfied 10mm ACW gamer. I live in Europe so I went with Pendraken, but if I lived in the US I would go with Cracker Line.

If you want "big " battles you can use 10 and 6mm Andy Robertson shows what you can do with 6mm Baccus figures

I prefer 6mm because of the mass effect you can achieve with them in a reasonable amount of time using basic painting skills.

Here is an interesting site that features 6mm figures and terrain

link

A lot of 10mm figures are very well detailed so that the adage "if you see it you should paint it kicks in "thus increasing the amount of time and effort to paint a reasonable figure They have the details of a 15mm figure and require a lot of time and effort to paint them thus negating one of the main benefits of smaller scales

There are some excellent 3mm figures available as well that have supporters as well

link

Johbear you have asked to be convinced as to what scale you will use and as Mark ( Extra Crispy), suggested, choice is personal. A lot of posters have already made strong cases for "their" scales and I have tried to do the same.What I have written are my own views based on my experiences, preferences and painting time and skills. Others will and should disagree . Ultimately the choice is yours ,so as Mark suggests. look around first and try to see some actual games then buy some figures in various scales and have a go

I'd drop to 10mm

They are easier to paint than 15mm whilst still retaining character of figures.

Lots of choice of manufacturers.

Now this is a Napoleonic game, but it gives you an idea of what you can fit onto a 6'x 5'table:

link

or this Civil War one:

link

Personally, I'd use stone mountain and musket minis. They are plain functional and easy to paint, and outside of 9 inches , who cares. I am not the best painted by any means. So plain easy castings is the only way I can go. ( I shake a lot). And you can't find a friendlier pair of firms than the boys from Colorado ( I wonder why they split into two entities. ). Always wondered that. Shout out to Brookhurst as well. These three are the best firms to deal with in the CONUS.

15mm shows up better on the tabletop, but 10mm allows for bigger armies. If I was doing Napoleonics, I'd probably want 15mm, I'd want to know that the beauty of the figures was there even if I had to pick one up to see it. However, for ACW with their very basic drab uniforms, I'd probably go for the drama of the big battles and use 10mm.

Splendid little guys there, Toronto48 !

Phil

I'm another duel-scaler ….15mm (based for fire&fury) for corps-army sized action and 28mm for the smaller actions.

I also have some naval stuff from peter pig …but i dont recall the scale?

Don't do it! Stick with your big 28mm figures!

This is not a troll:

I find it interesting that some gamers are saying they wish they could re-do this period in 10s instead of 15s. This seems to contradict the tendency of our eye sight to grow worse over time.

Hey, I'm in my mid-fifties and my eyes are just as bad as they've always been! But I can still paint 10mm stuff with ease.

Same here. I'm 58 and find 10mm easier to paint because they require less detail. 15mm still seem to need the extra details.

Have a look at the Kallistra range. It is around 12mm but to my eyes, reminds me of the charm of the old 15's (a good thing). Their range is complete.

Definitely do 10s (or 12s) if you're making the scale move. You can do just about any of the primary periods in this scale now, and this enables gamers to amass good terrain collections w/o repeating their work or costs (and required extra storage space) when doing setups in multiple figure scales.

Btw, I have ACW in 15mm & 10mm (legacy vs. preference), and I try to use as much built terrain between these two similar scales. It's when going between the larger scales – 28s, 25s, & 20s vs. the smaller scales that the duplication of effort occurs.

(IMO it's not all about the figs either, but the package-deal – when good terrain & that cost is also considered)

15's are the smalest figures I can see without squiting. I like Blue Moon, Stone Mountain, and Scale Creep.

Simple answer – go for 15mm or 10mm or 2mm or 3mm and send us all your 28mm kit…we'd be very, very grateful.

I will add to Bryan's (BT Sherman) reasons to do 10mm with a few of my own.

For those that hesitate to buy my figures because they are in the UK, my UK distributor is Timecast.

link

In the US

crackerlineminis.com

B