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hey guys,

putting together an Ork army and I'd like to use some World War 2 tanks, half tracks etc... but not sure of what scale is best to use!!

Can anybody help?

thanks

1:35 seems to be the standard for vehicles in 40k.

From memory, 28mm miniatures are nominally equivalent to 1:64, but in actuality, thanks to Citadel's unbalanced proportions, and to continuing size creep, you might well find 1:48 or even Tamiya's 1:35 significantly closer in scale.

If you want a Truescale representation of a Marine I think you need 1/52? scale models. (1 / 50something) the vehicles by height wourk out at around 1/64 yes, and by width aruond 1/40odd, but 1/35 is generally used to match the size of existing vehicles from what I remember.

Basically, because it's 28mm Heroic, that makes the scale squiffy anyway, then they seem to have a different scaling for infantry / big monsters / vehicles, and it starts getting more obscure as you get into titans etc.

I:48 or 1:35 work with some modification, depending on the specific vehicle that you're looking at.

As an example, a 1:48 Sherman is almost identical in size to a Leman Russ, aside from being a little narrower.

Because of the exagerated proportions of GW's minis, though, the fittings can be a little awkwardly sized. Seats, controls, hatches and the like are a little small at 1:48, and a little big at 1:35, and at either scale the weapons tend to be too small since real-world weaponry isn't as silly-big as 40K weapons are... so to make these kits fit in with 40K minis a little modification is generally required.

its mainly the the body, wheels and possibly some of the weaponry but either way they will be modified to fit in with 40k scale! just something other than GW minis

I have a 1:35 jagdtiger (heavy tank destroyer); the wheels are about chest-high on a marine. The chassis is a bit longer than a falcon and is shoulder-high on a wraithlord.
The cabin on my halftrack looks like it would be a fairly good fit for two; to fit more than a dozen on the back there would have to be some guys hanging off the sides.
If these dimensions seem good to you, go for it. I should mention (if you don't know) that these models can have a ton of parts.

40k has no consistent scale, as even the hands and head of a miniature have a different scale than the torso.
Nominally, the height suggest a scale of 1/56 with several manufacturers offering resin tanks in that size, e.g.
Warlord Games: http://store.warlordgames.com/vehicle-platoons-521-c.asp
Westwind production: http://www.westwindproductions.co.uk/catalog/index.php?infoBox=2&cPath=10
Die Waffenkammer: http://www.shop.battlefield-berlin.de/index.php/katalog/showarticles/42140-1-die_waffenkammer.html
Nominally, 1:32 is almost exactly double the size of 40k and called Inquisitor scale.
But 40k tanks are grossly misformed, e.g. having guns the size of battleship guns with not enough room for ammo in the tank, so real tanks always look misplaced. They also destroy the illusion of a SciFi setting when unmodified.

I remember once when one of the vehicle sculptors said it was closest to 1/43 scale. Certain toy cars are that scale and they seem right on.

They're orks. Anything goes if you're good enough at converting.

CuddlySquig wrote:They're orks. Anything goes if you're good enough at converting.

This^^
I usually use a rhino or something to make sure my scale is working, just so long as you have something to compare your work to you should be A-ok.

Personally I try to keep 1 inch equal to about 2 to 2.5 meters, but that doesn't work across the board.