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I do a lot of 1/72 gaming. The first thing I want to say is that the porportions are far more realistic and even if a given kit is technically excellent in terms of sculpting and reproduction of detail, it will never look good to someone used to GW's style. In short, I don't think there is "specifically stuff that they think matches the quality of the best 28-32mm models" because the style is so different.

The smaller scale + different style means I can't think of a single example to show someone looking for an answer to that question. So I will say none of them. None match the quality of the best 28-32mm models. Now some metal sculpts might come close. Franznap is great, for example:




Overall, I think the boutique figure painter focus that 28/32mm has gotten over the last 15 years has pushed its quality well outside of what's largely available in 1/72. People putting out 28/32mm figures are pushing the envelope and really striving for people's attention for high end models. In 1/72, people are often thinking about dioramas and painting groups, or adding some infantry to go with some tanks in a display case.

There has been a great quality push in historical figures, but I think this has largely happened in 54mm and larger. For example, do an image search for 54mm Andrea painted.

To answer some other questions:

Do you play as single model on a base, or multiple models on a base?

I currently am playing ancients so I'm doing multiple models on a base. Usually like 8 figures on a 60mmx40mm rectangle. There are certain figures that might go on a individual base. I'm considering a rules set called Sword & Spear that has generals and leaders on small individual bases.

Anyone play "mass battle" scifi games at 20mm?

There aren't really many figures to choose from (can't think of any currently in production). Never heard of anyone doing it either.

I've done my usual searching online, but a lot of the pictures I find aren't of a full table in play.

It's primarily a scale for collectors, painters and diorama makers rather than wargamers. There are wargamers too though.

Places to check out:
http://bennosfiguresforum.com/
http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Index.aspx

WayneTheGame wrote:I have just been eyeing some but I like how cheap a lot of the plastic 1/72 figures are, like $15 for 40 some figures. Detail isn't amazing in most cases (also soft plastic ew) but it's good enough. I haven't actually tried any games yet as it's just kind of a pipe dream right now, but some of them are cheap enough that I kinda want to buy them just to paint and have.

They are ridiculously cheap and work well with speed painting techniques. One key is to stay flexible with all layers. A flexible primer (artist acrylic gesso or Vallejo's surface primer work good, as does simply using a good quality white glue 1 part to 3 parts water). Flexible paint (all our hobby acrylics like GW, P3, Vallejo, Army Painter whatever). And a sealer that stays flexible as well (most polyeruthane based ones. I use brush on varnish from Vallejo). There are a few specialty spray primers for soft plastic available at hardware stores and spray on clear rubber coatings that can take things to a whole new level in terms of durability.

They are not for everyone, so I'd recommend figuring out what era interests you and seeing about getting one or two boxes to try something simple out. What era were you thinking about just for painting? There are many where a single box can be split into two skirmish groups and you can have a legit game for $10-15 for miniatures with 20 figures a side. Often though, you'll need at least two boxes from different nationalities.



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 Vertrucio wrote:
I've done my usual searching online, but a lot of the pictures I find aren't of a full table in play.

People tend to want to show off their figures and take pictures of them more than taking pictures during a game. I know I don't like it when other participants at a game want to stop what we are doing to take photos. I tolerate it, but I'm not a fan. I'm probably not alone. Lots of people don't like being in photos or stopping their activities to put on a photo shoot.

Paul has a pretty cool 1/72 wargaming blog


http://paulsbods.blogspot.ca/2011/08/imperial-roman-army-172nd.html

I've found searching for 1/72 rules name painted gets more army and table shots.

https://www.google.ca/search?q=1/72+impetus+painted&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=8lvcVL_NLcL2yQT21ICADg&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1036&bih=593&gws_rd=cr




Strelets has a sculpting style that is a lot like 15mm metals. Deep recesses that look chunky but paint up really well.

But yeah, shots of units and armies are going to drastically outnumber game photos.

There's an old wargaming tradition of imaginary nations (or imagi-nations as they are sometimes called) where people make up their own country. The most popular period for this is the 18th century in Europe because of the huge number of little duchies and principalities, but I think it would work great for ancients as well. It's sort of like making up your own Space Marine chapter but instead it's a imaginary nation of the past. This would also work great for late antiquity/the early middle ages. Or doing little crusader kingdoms. Or small baronies that never were going to war.

You've got the right sort of rules for an accessible game. DBA, Sword & Spear and RRtK are all element based where you can put a four or so figures on a 60mm wide base and have a box of 1/72 go a long way in terms of building armies. The rules that have base depth matter like DBA can still be played if you go non-standard. I know there's lots of people who just go with 60x30 for infantry and then deeper as models need it for cavalry, elephants, chariots and the like and just play without worrying that a unit of one type should be slightly thinner than another.

The same sort of approach can work for Napoleonics as well. It can be a much harder time period to navigate as it's a large series of wars spanning almost two decades with a level of organization and documentation greater than almost anything that came before it. As well, the scope of the battles can be hard to come to grips with. Whether it's man to man skirmishing as one battalion approaches another or entire divisions under corps and army commanders. There's just so much there.

That's awesome. I think it really shows the nature of some 1/72 plastics being about groups of troops rather than individual figures. Sort of like 6mm, 10mm and 15mm, but just bigger.

Anyone who has seen Rogue Trader era orcs knows just how big GW's scale has crept up over the last couple decades. When I first saw the 6th edition fantasy plastic orcs I was shocked at how big they were. They're pretty much ogre sized in 28mm and are perfect for use with 1/72.

Have you seen any of Caesar's fantasy stuff in 1/72? Their elves might work for you.

http://cheapfantasyminis.blogspot.com/2015/01/new-caesar-fantasy-comparisons.html
http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/ShowFeature.aspx?id=39