"MARKERS (really for 1/144)" Topic

Warning this post may cause apoplexy in 2 page rule devotees.

Here is a picture of the same basic model an AOTRS Shipyards Marder 1A3 using FDM) In a marked hull down position. A vital position in real Tank tactics.

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It's interesting in that it shows the advantages of 1/144. The "gret Lulloping whatjama call it!" is 1/72 (re-scaled properl,y but basically the same model as the the superb small one which is 1/144 scale.

This is the real size comparison. The gorgeous small one you will agree is vastly smaller than half size visually.

Now to the point, storing even a few of these hull down markers at 1/172 is a nightmare, requiring excessive storage space. I made these 1/72 ones and then was reluctant to do other than slap some paint on them, they are far too storage unfriendly. However the small one is the identical model (a rare case where simple scaling is effective) at 1/144 scale. These I can store a tank companies worth in a box the size of the single hexagon of the Hex terrain shown and only 4 hexagons high, even better at a push the top of the box can replace 4 stacked single hexes in some complex terrain (yes its been done for Show games which are sometimes a bit OTT for your average game).

Now many single page ruled devotees would consider Hull down far too much detaile, despite there being a page or two devoted to such positions in the real world tank manuals. But to a 1/144 fan decent markers are a must. later on I will post pics of other equally important 1/144 markers.

I posted the 1/72 as we do seem to have readers of the 1/144 thread who own not a single 1/144 model, "SOON I WILL TURN THEM TO THE DARK SIDE" (said with heavy breathing afterwards).

Merry Christmas to all.

vastly smaller than half size visually.

That's because the overall size of the 1:144 Marder is actually 1/4 of the 1:72 scale Marder even though all of the dimensions of the 1:144 Marder are only 1/2 of the 1:72 Marder. It is a "visual" thing.

Jim

Space concerns are relative. I have a lot of 54mm stuff, so 1/72 doesn't take up any room at all.

Hull down is easy enough for 1 page rules.
It's just a die roll modifier or a saving throw.

Do you collect 1/72 or was this an experiment?

79thPA – I have a very limited amount so I can play folk at the club. It most certaily is not my favorite scale far too big to get a decent groundscale. You can only do very short ramge stuff or it looks daft like Rapid fire, terraine like One to one but the bits take up large amounts of ground. Even in WW2 tanks could be 100 yds appart. so one tank+2 takes up a lot of room.

1/72 is great for 1:1 "skirmish," with a reinforced platoon per side or less. 1:144 is better suited for larger games.

Scale is volume. I learned that when I was 13 years old as a new model railroader, 50 years ago. I used to have O, S, HO, N, and Z scales for decades. Now just O, HO, and N.

Different scales for different purposes IMO.

Mister Tibbles Whilst I would agree with you in part, games such as Rapid Fire assume 1 tank to represent at least two real tanks.

Personally I am happy with the based villages to run games at 1/144 to run down to a basic platoon. A smaller board is required and for me no loss in detail. However it may be that in your games you move individual figure, I would then agree 1/72 would work better at that level.

OK some more markers for 1/144

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Smoke and Suppression markers (all the orange(ish) ones. They are different paint jobs just to add a bit of variety. The dark Grey one is a Reaction marker. Same model but Reaction markers are all grey/black, Never could see how to quickly make the variety as wide as for the orange/red type markers. Its important not to blur the distinction as that could slow the game.
PS I am no lover of text markers but it is a personal thing.

For reference the vehicle is a Russian IMR2 1/144 scale of course. A model commissioned by us (Maneouvre Group) but now available through AOTRS Shipyards as we like to give back something to the hobby and encourage folk to expand beyond the boring basics.

Now thew Smoke marker is 2D when used on its own typically representing a small smoke screen from say a smoke grenade or a smoke discharger(S) say on a tank.

Bigger screens laid by artillery are marked by a rectangle or linked rectangles of smoke markers to give them depth. It's also used as a means to allow them to not vanish instantly but linger randomly so they like the real thing they can be a two edged sword.

The same markers can be used in a more sophisticated manner to represent smoke generators screens made by tanks. They are beloved by Russian tanks.

I could be argued where the distinction is between a model and a marker. The smoke is definitely a marker. The boat of this thread to me is a markers :-

TMP link

This is because it lacks detail and does not come in loaded and unloaded standards, too much hassle in a tense game.

Now we use a "marker" for barbed wire (pics to come). Yes some folk have more akin to a model but to me it's not an often used feature and so minimizing storage is more important than over detail that adds little to its functionality.

where do you stand on model vs markers and why?