7b) Combat -- Putting the Lead into Lead and Chrome

Putting the Lead into Lead and Chrome

There are several ways to represent combat in role-playing games. One is to use the imagination of the GM and players in describing the scene and the relative positions of the combatants. Another, which can supplement the first, is to draw a map and use tokens (odd objects or scraps of paper) to represent the characters. Grid paper divided into one centimetre or one inch squares or hexagons is very useful for this, and can be bought from stationers or created as a PDF file at this website: http://incompetech.com

The next step up from this is to use a gaming board or table with scenery, furniture and miniatures to represent the scene. There are many different companies making metal, plastic and resin wild west, American Civil War, colonial, WWI, 1920s/1930s, WWII, modern-day, cyberpunk and post-apocalyptic miniatures and scenery pieces in a variety of scales. You simply have to glue them together, paint them and you're ready to go.

Scale

The scale of miniatures is either expressed as a ratio or a size in millimetres (mm). A typical scale for military plastic model kits and soldiers is 1:72. This means that one unit of measurement on the figure is equal to 72 such units on the object being modelled. Thus, one inch on a 1:72 scale model would equal six feet (two yards) in real life, and one centimetre would equal about 1.5 metres.

The scale in millimetres refers to the distance between the base of the miniature and its eye level, assuming the figure is standing up straight. For an average human being, this distance might measure 1.5 to 1.7 metres (60 to 68 inches). The mm scale used to mean from the base to the top of the head for a six foot (1.8m) tall person. The most common scale for role-playing and fantasy and science fiction war gaming used to be 25mm (which by the original definition was 1:72 scale), but over time that crept to 28mm, measured to eye level. Due to the change in measuring standards, 25mm is now sometimes described as 1:60 scale and 28mm as 1:56.

The scale of the miniatures used should determine how we measure distances for movement and ranged attacks on the tabletop, for which a tape measure or ruler is commonly used. Below are some suggested conversion rates for some common miniature scales:

Figure Scale Tabletop Scale

54mm/1:32 1” = 1m/yd

5cm = 2m/yd

40 – 45mm/1:35 4” = 5m/yd

2cm = 1m/yd

33mm/1:48 2” = 3m/yd

5cm = 3m/yd

30 – 32mm 5” = 8m/yd

3cm = 2m/yd

25mm-28mm/1:60 – 1:56 1” = 2m/yd

5cm = 4m/yd

20 – 22mm/1:76 – 1:72 2” = 5m/yd

1cm = 1m/yd

15 – 18mm/1:100 1” = 4m/yd

5cm = 8m/yd

Readers may have noticed that 1:100 should mean a scale of 1cm to 1m/yd and 1” to about 3m/yd. The scale given here is slightly underrated, in order to keep a handy scale of 1”: 1m/yd for the common 25/28mm scale (when it should be 3cm: 2m/yd or 6”: 5m/yd). This has the effect of exaggerating the size of the figures compared to the distances between them, making them stand taller on the gaming table. This has the effect of making scenes look very crowded, but it also reduces the amount of space needed on the tabletop.

Vehicles

It can be difficult to find model vehicles of the right scale to fit with your figures. Scale model kits of military vehicles are available in 1:32, 1:35, 1:48, 1:72 and 1:76. Civilian vehicles are mostly available as die-cast metal models, in 1:64, 1:43, 1:55, 1:36 and 1:24 (which is far too large).

Most suitable miniatures, on the other hand, are in 28mm (1:56) scale. 1:55 scale would be just right, except that most models in this scale are of farm vehicles. There are a few companies making 28mm-scale historical military vehicles, and fewer still making civilian or sci-fi models.

All is not lost, however. 28mm minis are often mounted on thick plastic 'slotta-bases' and are very broad and bulky for their height, with exaggerated heads, hands, weapons and feet – they look twice as big as realistically-proportioned 1:72-scale figures that stand almost 25mm tall.

Cheap and easy-to-find 1:43-scale cars, especially bigger die-cast vehicles which tend to be modelled at a smaller scale to fit in a standard box, and 1:48-scale plastic kits are more or less OK with 28mm figures, especially since some companies' miniatures have been edging up in size in recent years.

Cheap plastic toy 'army men' and 'cowboys and Indians' sets are usually about 54mm/1:32 scale, with vehicles, horses and other accessories available in roughly the same scale. The downside is that the range of figures are limited to WWII, Wild West, police, fire-fighters, astronauts, pirates, medieval knights and cavemen.