"Question of scale ?" Topic

Hello everyone ,

Why do sculptors not respect a very precise scale or/and why those who pay them do not force them to do so?

For example the 1/68 for the "pure" 25mm and the 1/56 e for the 28 mm, this will save us the masses of miniatures of all sizes and rarely compatible with each other because of the styles of sculptures.

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Because despite the term "models" being used to describe them they are works of art with each sculptor following their own muse to create their interpretation of man and machine.

Additionally, -especially in SciFi and Fantasy- figures are often sculpted for -or to be compatible with- a given game and matching the style and size of that games existing figures is more important than any specific scale standards.

Minor deviations of scale does not bother me in the least. I use Dark Age 25mm Old Glory with 28mm GBM it makes no difference on the table. Because some warriors are bigger to stockier than others.

Paskal, please feel free to refuse to buy any figure you regard as out of scale. See how long you hold out.

Otherwise--well, a lot of the stuff in fantasy and SF is franchise, and the current holders of the rights rightly think they'll make more money if no one can use figures sold by the previous holders of the rights. In historicals, there is always someone willing to pay for a slightly out of scale figure so his will be just that little bit bigger and more detailed than his opponent's figures. After a while, you find you can't match the smaller original castings any more.

Would you like me to write a long, whiney letter of particular examples?

Sculptors aren't making parts for a space ship -- they are making toy soldiers in a style and manner that pleases them. Also, I don't think most manufacturers care if their figures match someone else's figures.

Usually a shame with historical when 2 manufacturers make a line that compliments or supplements the other yet the 2 don't mix well either allowing us to ignore one of the ranges or used mismatched figures.

Many companies come up with their own interpretations on "scale" so that they may gain an edge on their competitors, AND they actually PREFER them to NOT be compatible in order to weed out any competition.

You've pegged it right Thresher01. "Product differentiation" is designed to restrict a buyer to choosing only the products of a specific manufacturer.

A feature of capitalist production systems is that in the absence of regulation they will tend towards the creation of monopolies through market segmentation. Extreme examples being the likes of Uber and Amazon.

Toy soldier manufacturers do exactly the same thing, but fortunately the barriers to entry are low, which maintains competition, and some manufacturers usp is precisely that they do adhere to specific scales (thank you SHQ and HaT). Others just make it up as they go along and invent brand new definitions of existing scales. It doesn't apparently stop people buying their stuff though. Just one of the things which make wargaming fun.

Thank you all,

Me personally, I hate the mix of brands of miniatures in the same unit and even in the same army as well as seeing this army facing an army of a different brand of miniatures.

Because for me different brands of figurines can be "compatible", but for me, because of the different types of sculptures, they are not.

So I always implement two opposing armies historically speaking.

All this is for purely aesthetic concerns, understandable I hope.

It pleases people who like to play, but who do not want to invest financially or in time with our passion and me it suits me for the reasons explained above.

My problem is that I recovered for a sudden passion for historical 25mm MiniFigs (if you can sell me some send me your lists and P&P by PM and if you know sellers they contact me by PM too).

Some of their ranges are really incomplete but there is a way to transform miniatures, it's not too bad, on the other hand for artillery, 25 mm MiniFigs are a disaster.

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Do you know, that with tin soldiers it is not possible to have an exact scale?

The designer makes a model with some putty. Depending on the putty that model may shrink a little bit.
From this model is made a silicone mold. That usually will shrink.
From this form you cast the original (maybe destroying the putty model in the process).
From this original you make the mold that is used for casting the commercial available figures. This mold will also shrink a little bit.
So, you see, there are many steps that can make it unpredictable how big exactly the model at the end will be.

Well, I will say that 25mm MiniFigs are 1/68th, okay?

Decebalus. Thats why sensible folk buy 3D printed, they are approximate, yes but even I don't care if they are 0.008" of an inch out (less than 1" on a one inch figure) or about 0.5" inch in terms of a real man height, due to printer tollerances.
One of the reasons we insist on 1/144 scale figures there can then only be approxinations due to the variation on real folks height and the weapon should generally be the same size, few are tylormade to an individual.

@UshCha

Yes, the firearms being of a type are normally all the same size, because none are made to measure for an individual, as well as we can calculate the size of the man represented by the figurine which carries it .

To be honest I put it down really to incomptence. They are MODEL soldiers so they should be as clear to scale as possible. "Artist" as they call themselves just lack the disapline of doing the job right within the limitations of the medium.

Thank goodness more sane folk now make Vehicles and the new stuff especially plastic, be it 3D print or otherwise are basically as close to scale as the medium and handelability will allow. Why this competence has not spread to foot figures shows the scant regard for reality many foot figures designers have.

I do my own figures as I am fed up of circus freaks that could not possibly get through the hatch of a vehicle of the samwe supposed scale of the figuresscale. N scale model railway figure are far more realistic than even 1/144 scale plastic figures, but to be fair they are not really practical for wargames figures but with new stonger tougher Fillament even that limit may diminish,.