"Is it all a matter of scale? " Topic

This thread got me to thinking,

TMP link

Does it really matter what size the toys are when you are war gaming? If you are having a blast with your buds/mates/friends who cares if you are doing the Battle of Borodino in 54mm is it a crime against the war game gods?

Really I think we should just enjoy our toy solider games as they are and not judge. Yes if you really want to capture the scope my above example then perhaps it would best be presented in 6mm. In fact I have seen some spectacular Napoleonic games run in 6mm. But I have seen the same in larger sizes as well. Same pretty much goes for any period or genre.

Every time I get in a scale discussion with someone, I visualize Doc Brown saying, "Please excuse the crudity of this model as I didn't have time to build it to scale or paint it." it helps lighten my mood.

I think that if you are having fun, go for it. I dable in all scales. I play with toy soldiers and if it looks cool and is fun to play, I'm all in.

I actually find it odd the, "one true scale" arguments. You might as well say that WW2 is the one true game.

But really, 1/6th RULES! 😉

Matthew

I think it only becomes a problem if the models are so large that the actual units they represent are too spaced out.

"The only true scale" unquestionably is 1:1 with real bullets. ;-)

Sho Boki for the win.

Is it permissible to play with 6mm figures for a game where the ground scale is 1" = 2 yards?

Or use a base of multiple figures to represent 1 person "in real life"?

Two influences on me …. (1) It's just a game and (2) how much storage or gaming space you have at the place you game at may be the factor that has the greatest determination on chosen scale(s).

Pedrobear, permissible? Who's going to stop me?

I never pay heed to the white noise. This is the one true scale and that scale is to big; or can't see that stuff and all my figures are this. Game as YOU like. Notice the prominence of the word game in our hobby. It is both a noun and a verb. Just enjoy your game and game with your friends!

You said it, Bill!

It all comes down to simple math:
What size game do you want to play?
How much gaming space do you have?
What would please you?
Do your own math, you will come up with the correct answer.

+1 miniMo

It all comes down to simple math:
What size game do you want to play?
How much gaming space do you have?
What would please you?
Do your own math, you will come up with the correct answer.

There is a balance between size of gaming table (depth is usually the limitation) and unit fromtage (which sets the ground scale), and size of figures and the "look" you want

1 54mm figure representing a division might look good to some people

John

It really depends on what you define as a game and how close to plausibility you want and possibly the terrain you want to operate over. Doing a large battle on a small table could look daft. Take bocarge in WW2. The spaces between hedges is 10 to a mile so about 170 yds. It would look daft if your tank model completely covered 3 fields! Now you could remove lots of hedges but then its not bocarge its just fantasy. My personal l guide is that an adequate compromise is figures 5 times the ground scale. In very open terrain higher rates may look plausible like some ancient and Naplionic battles. However Le Hay Saint would not be one as it was a relatively dense detailed area. However if it's "just a game" as some consider it then relationships to the real world are not important. In the end it's what you feel comfortable with.