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So, I know 40k and WFB are poorly scaled, but are supposed to be 28mm games. Some of the older gents at my FLGS play WWII games in scales ranging from 10mm to 54mm. What does that actually mean? If 40k is supposed to be a 28mm game, what is 28mm and what is it scaled against?

It refers to the height of the models; a 28mm scale mini will stand 28mm tall, either to the eyes or the scalp depending on manufacturer. A 10mm mini stands 10mm likewise.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miniature_figure_(gaming)

That's a lot less complicated than I thought it would be. Thanks!

I doubt they are playing 54mm scale? Probably 1/56th level scale (close to 28mm)

54mm is a pretty popular scale with historical gamers (in particular the vernerable Toy Soldier games...). Don't recall the particulars, but I saw a battle set up at Historicon on the floor of a large conference room for a Revolutionary War battle. The room was a good 15x20 and was packed fairly well with stands of figures, canons and cavalry.

It has even popped up on several fantasy/sci-fi skirmish games (Inquisitor was a 54mm game). Seem to recall a couple of Kickstarter campaigns in the last year that looked to use 54mm as their scale.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Paradigm wrote:
It refers to the height of the models; a 28mm scale mini will stand 28mm tall, either to the eyes or the scalp depending on manufacturer. A 10mm mini stands 10mm likewise.

 Powerfisting wrote:
That's a lot less complicated than I thought it would be. Thanks!

That is the cliff notes version. The truth is somewhat more complicated.

The modern consensus is that the measurement will be to the eyes, as opposed to the top of the head. So a 25mm figure would actually be 28mm to the top of the head. A 28mm would be around 32mm to the top of the head (give or take a bit). It is also more accurate to refer to it as a size, not a scale. Scales are...scaled out based off from fractions and what not. Most miniatures have nothing to do with scale - it is simply an issue of being roughly (sometimes very roughly) the same size. It is akin to Match Box cars - where the cars are sized to fit in a specific package, as opposed to actually reduced to a specific scale.

If you were to compare miniatures in the same size category from different companies - you will often have vastly different proportions, often even height interpretations (top of the head versus to the eye...). This is further complicated by a phenomenon known as scale creep, where miniatures often grow year after year - even from the same manufacturer. Sometimes this is intentional (looking to move from traditional 25mm to the top of the head to 25mm to the eye...then 28mm to the eye to stay in line with competing companies. Sometimes it is just sloppiness (trying to add more details to the figure without the sculptor having the needed skills to do so on a small scale).