"1/56 vs 1/48...best one for 28mm Bolt Action?" Topic

What are your thoughts out there? I have some 1/56 vehicles and I swear they look a little small compared to my 28mm figures. Is it my imagination, or is 1/48 really more accurate to 28mm? WW2, for what it's worth…

What figures do you use? Most people use 1/56 vehicles for BA due to variety and the fact that it's the unofficial "official" scale of 28mm WWII gaming, but there are people (heretics) who prefer 1/48 models because they look better with their "heroic scale" (i.e. beefy figures with exaggerated width and oversized heads and weapons) minis from makers such as Artizan Designs, Crusader, Warlord, Victory Force and 1st Corps.

sg-lynx.net/?p=1324

Most people will disagree with you because 1/56 is the popular scale that 28mm WWII companies like Warlord and Rubicon are pushing, so you can either go with the flow and stick with 1/56 or trust your own instinct.

I have a couple of Rubicon tanks, as well as Company B and Warlord/Bolt Action. The Company B tank looks good, but I just think the other two seem a little small. However, as you say, since Warlord pushes 1/56 and I am using primarily Warlord figures…

Thanks for your comments!

If you buy 1/56th scale vehicles they often come with figures that are smaller than most 28mm figures. My conclusion is that 28mm figures are larger than 1/56th scale.

I have started to buy 1/56th scale vehicles to enter into Bolt Action comps as I don't want to be the odd one out. Most of my Late War Vehicles are 1/50th or 1/48th scale.

Maybe 1/52 scale would be perfect….

We have this scale crisis every couple of years.

Ideally, something like 1/50 would be just fine.

I have used both and now accept the smaller scale 1/56 for several reasons:
-cost
-less bulky that 1/48

1/48th is the proper scale.

There is no "best", but I prefer 1/48. That said, there is a much greater selection of 1/56 stuff available.

Actual scale 1/56 figures represent WW2 soldiers and work perfectly fine with 1/56 vehicles.

Cartoony-heroic chunky 28mm figures represent WW2 re-enactors, and look overly large in a 1/56 scale jeep. That is not the properly jeep's problem…

Also note that there is a larger, and faster growing, amount of 1/56 equipment available on the market.

Definitely not 1/48th – 1/50th scale.

Those that are using these vehicles need to sell them off immediately and switch to the "official" 1/56th scale.

I'll take the larger ones off your hands at 10 cents on the dollar in value, since I don't want you to feel too badly about an honest mistake.

You can PM me, or inquire via my e-mail as needed.

I look at this from a slightly different angle. It is true that 1/56 vehicles can appear a tad smallish compared to the typical 28mm figure, especial when said figure is mounted to a 2-3mm thick base.

But the point is, these are basically impressions of soldiers and vehicles and equipment. It is okay that they not match up perfectly. Consider this: does ANYONE use "true scale" buildings for their WWII gaming? I think not. We get to use smallish rectangles with roofs. They look nice, but in no way are they a proper size for a house or a hotel (heaven forbid a proper-sized factory).

The roads are usually not properly wide enough, the rivers are nowhere near as wide as they should be, etc.

So when I had to make a choice as to which scale to go with for vehicles, I went with 1/56 because there are FAR more options in that scale. With more and more being added all the time.

1/48 might look a little closer to reality, but with the buildings and roads and rivers all being "off", not to mention that weapon ranges are usually way, WAY off as well, I think going with the wider variety was a smarter move.

I would happily game against someone who decided to go with 1/48, so my stuff was a little smallish. I would happily game against someone with "truer" 28mm figures (like Perrys), which will make my Warlord figures look bigger and bulkier.

But I will stick to 1/56 for my purchases.

Pick either and stick to it. The vehicles do not match from 1 scale to the other. I use 1/56 for my WW2 and post-war games because there is more variety. The size difference is generally because Warlord's figures in particular are over sized. But there is no right or wrong scale because 28mm isn't a scale.

But there is no right or wrong scale because 28mm isn't a scale.

Neither is 15mm or 20mm, yet there is general consensus (and less disagreement) that 1/100 corresponds with the former and 1/72 with the latter.

All my bolt action figures ar 1/56, I should have gone 1/72

Always go smaller with your WWII stuff. The ranges fought at during the war are larger than a typical table can simulate at larger model scales. Even when playing at 28mm (1/56 or 1/48 scale), which is a pretty unrealistic game scale for WWII engagements, you're going to want to lean toward the smaller side of that scale if possible. :)

If you buy 1/56th scale vehicles they often come with figures that are smaller than most 28mm figures.

Even 1/48 scale figures such as the Tamiya range are smaller than 28mm figures, at least in bulk, but often a little taller. My suggestion if you use 1/56 scale vehicles base them, but if you use 1/48 leave them unbased.
Cost wise 1/56 seems to winning hands down. The cheap 1/50 die casts are no longer cheap, prices are up in the £30.00 GBP-50 range. 1/48 plastic kits are about the same as the 1/56th ones, but 1/48 resin kits from the likes of Quarter kit are eye wateringly expensive and the Blitzkrieg 1/48 range are more expensive than their 1/56 equivalents.

Cost wise 1/56 seems to winning hands down.

Actually 1/48 or 1/50 can still compete with 1/56 when it comes to price:

link

link

And if you're patient enough and don't mind putting together kits with higher part counts, Tamiya puts out a steady stream of quarterscale models:

link

link

But 1/56 has already won out over 1/48 in this debate because lemmings, er people want to conform to what their mates are using and what's allowed in BA tournaments.

No current Warlord figures shown but here are a variety of 28mm figures (and one 25mm) with Army Group North Miniatures T-35:

theminiaturespage.com‌

‌"TMP link

The AGNM vehicles are prebased to match based figures.

Link to original photo and a few others…
flic.kr/p/NLYT79

Neither is 15mm or 20mm, yet there is general consensus (and less disagreement) that 1/100 corresponds with the former and 1/72 with the latter.

Sort of. 15mm does seem to have settled on 1/100 as the scale, although the original Quality Castings ranges was 1/108 IIRC. As for 20mm I think the jury is still out. Some say 1/87 or 1/76 instead of 1/72. Many of the kits are still 1/76 scale.

Many may use kits that are the wrong scale. Such as using HO scale (1/87) buildings with 1/72 scale figures because they either do not have anything else, do not want to spend extra money or do not care (or, I guess, know any better?).

Anyone can say "1/87" for 20mm but they have, then, clearly never placed a 20mm figure (measured from the bottom of the foot to the eyes on a standing erect figure) next to an HO scale figure.

Just because Airfix still makes their olde 1/76 kits, does not make them a match for 1/72 scale kits.