"Can I use 15mm minis with D&D 3rd edition movement rules?" Topic

Where as one inch squares equal 5 feet of space and distance? I'm new to 15mm minis but don't play any if the mass army games.

Well, yes you certainly can.

But for a moment, consider the scale question. 1" = 5 ft is the same as 1" = 60" so is 1/60th scale. A 6ft tall character would be about 1800 mm tall or 30mm in 1/60th scale. This is more or less the scale of 28mm figures.

15mm figures are usually really 18mm tall so they are in 1/100th scale. True 15s are in 1/120 scale. In 1/100 scale, 5 ft is about 15mm. Some old games like Traveller has deck plans and dungeons in half inch squares which is 1/120 scale.

So playing with 15mm figs on 1 inch squares means the figures are smaller than the ground scale. That's a little backwards from the normal war game thing.

I've done my dungeons with 15mm squares and 12.5mm bases. But play with what gives you the most fun. If you have the tiles and want to start with 1 inch squares or hexes go for it.

You can see my 15mm dungeon set up at 15mmdungeon.wordpress.com

Of course you can. Anyone who says otherwise deserves a punch in the face. Like Dungeondelver said, there are a few visual problems.

I've often found that changing inches to centimetres work well for movement without changing the building scale.

As long as you change weapon ranges to match the movement then effect spells, bow / black powder weapons etc work as well.

Key thing to remember is that it's a game bending reality (even in these strange days) and as long as you feel comfortable with the result then it's fine. i.e. It's OK to change the rules if it works for you :-)

If any of the group question it – claim it's a rift in the space time continuum (or send a fireball their way).

++ on the fireball

Go for it. If you are not familiar with a YouTuber, named Wyloch, I recommend you look up his channel. He advocates using 1.5" squares for five scale feet, for 25mm-30mm figures, to allow for wall thickness, and to give the mini's some space, as they often have their arms, and weapons, sticking out to the sides.

Several years ago, I built a 2.75D version of the classic module, G1: Steading of the Hill Giant Chieftain… I discovered that Gygax drew the maps as if the walls were paper thin! If the walls were more than a few scale inches thick, the rooms, and hallways, became very tight, and much smaller than the map would suggest!

Wyloch's approach gives the mini's extra room to move around in, without their fixed position arms banging into the walls all the time. By using one inch = five scale feet, for 15mm-20mm figures, you will achieve the same effect which Wyloch espouses. It works. Cheers!

Thank you for all the reassuring posts. I'll carry on with your advice and just have fun with the game. I'll also check out the YouTube page. Thanks again everyone.

About a year and a half ago, I got a 3d printer, and about 4 months ago I got enought time and all the bugs worked out and started printing dungeon tiles. I am printing mostly OpenForge2.0 (free STL's on thingiverse ect) with open-lock with magnets tiles, ( the magnets is what really make the things useful, do magnets if you go that route). As Sgt Slag mentioned Wyloch- who more than a youtube, also sells Wyloch Tiles for 3d printing. His tiles are based on the tiles having thinner walls and the tiles having an extra 1/4 inch or so, so that the walls dont eat into the floor space.

I am heavily into 15mm miniatures, and have based all of my miniatures on washers (5/8" fender washers for most) so that I can use them singlely for D&D or skirmish wargaming or on magnetic movement trays for wargaming (using the Battlesytem rules)and so that I can use them for D&D (1st edition or maybe basic when they first start) with my kids in a year or two. I am likely to do the D&D thing using both 15(really 18)mm and 28mm, jumping back and forth between scale as needed. (lots of cool miniatures for 28mm for player characters and such.)

Now as two scaling things, I would use any scale system that works for you depending on what you want to accomplish. At least in 1st edition, the rules were just guide line.

With 15mm its quite easy to say 1" = 5' but if space is limited, you could just as easily say 1" = 10' also. I will likely be doing both with using my dungeon tiles. (did I say, the magnetic tile thing is really great, sure wish I had those things back in the late 70's as a kid)( its worth buying a ender3 or what ever just to print magnetic dungeon tiles with if you play D&D. But, you can also just as easily say, in the dungeon, your X" movement rate ( or what ever your movement rate for your particular monster or character is), is simply X" and for get about many feet each inch is. simply say, thats inches are inches and all movement rates, firing ranges are measured in inchs. Done and Done, Its your game, and KISS applies.

Now… I wish I had thought about base sizes before I started printing things, If I had it to do over again, the start of printing I would have considered the Wyloch ( true tiles) thing of having 1.25" squares, to better accomidate bases sizes miniatures (especially for 28mm (which is becoming 35mm(ARG)). except, I would have printed the bases closer to each square being 1.3" for a better fit for 28mm miniatures and which would also have made 1" close to 10' for 15mm D&D play on my tiles. ( of coarse I would have had to custom scale everything before I printed and used a little extra plastic, but considering the plastic is cheaper then the magnets, its not that much more expensive, and YES…
You do want magnets what ever scale you use!.