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Wednesday 10 April 2013

What figures (and vehicles) can I use with my Minitanks?

I had a spare moment this afternoon and decided to see what figures I could use alongside my newly acquired collection of Minitanks. When I fist started wargaming with Minitanks the only figures that were widely available were made by Airfix, so I started by putting an Airfix First Series German Infantry figure in each comparison photograph. The results were ... interesting.

I started by comparing three of the Minitank models I am going to use most of with some Raventhorpe figures ... which towered over both the models and the Airfix figures!


I then compared some Britannia and Dixon figures with the Minitanks models and the Airfix figures ...


... and finished with some Tumbling Dice and Essex Miniatures figures. Unlike all the other figures (which are notionally either 20mm or HO/OO-scale), the Essex Miniatures are largish 15mm-scale figures.


This exercise seems to indicate that the Tumbling Dice figures are closest in size to the original Airfix figures ... but that the Essex Miniatures 15mm-scale figures are not that much smaller than the Airfix ones!

This set me thinking, so I pulled out a Peter Pig 15mm-scale/1:100th-scale Pzkpfw IV and compared that with the Minitanks version of the same tank and the Minitanks Pzkpfw III.


The Peter Pig model is a bit smaller than the Minitanks one ... but not a lot smaller.

I then did the same exercise, but this time I used an Axis and Allies Miniatures Stug III model. This is also supposed to be 1:100th-scale ... the same scale as the Peter Pig model Pzkpfw IV. The results were similar and the Stug III is a bit smaller ...


... but not a lot smaller.

I then compared an Axis and Allies Miniatures T-34/76 model with its Minitank equivalent ...


... and although the hull length and width were not too different, the turret on the Minitanks version makes the model look a lot taller. This is interesting, as one of the common complaints about the Minitanks T-34/76 is the inaccuracy of its turret in terms of size, shape, and design.

The upshot of this set of comparisons is that the best modern figures I can use with my Minitanks are probably those manufactured by Tumbling Dice (which was one of the suggestions made by Nigel Drury), and that I might just get away with using the odd smaller-scale vehicle if needs be.

14 comments:

  1. A visually interesting post Bob & good to see the project continuing to resolve itself.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Tradgardmastare,

    Thanks for your comment. I find doing this sort of comparison helpful ... and in this case it has helped me realise which figures I need to buy to go with my Minitanks and what other vehicles I might be able to use to fill in any gaps I might have in my collection.

    All the best,

    Bob

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  3. Try SHQ Bob- they are at the smaller end of '20mm', good detail too.

    Cheers,

    Pete.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Pete,

    Thanks for your suggestion. You are quite right about SHQ figures being the right size to work with Minitanks.

    I would have included some SHQ figures in the comparison, but the only ones I could find were fixed to quite thick bases which made them look taller than they are when placed next to the other figures that I used.

    All the best,

    Bob

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  5. Sometimes the search itself is a pleasure.

    For me, the thinner figures do seem to look better against the afv (or without them).

    Anyway I'm sure you'll find a satisfactory solution.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Ross Mac,

    I agree about the process of searching being enjoyable ... and that the thinner style of figure looks better next to the Minitank models.

    I do have some ideas about possible solutions, but as this is a long-term project I don't want to rush to judgement about which figures to use quite yet.

    All the best,

    Bob

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  7. Preserved figures are supposedly the same scale as Roco. They used to come with separate little clear plastic bases.
    I'd say that that Airfix figures acre the best widely available fit to scale. SHQ are more like 1/72. They have more 'heft' than the Airfix figures which are more like 1/76 to 80. I recall Roco as being 1/87
    Roy

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  8. Lewisgunner (Roy),

    I must admit that I had not heard of the figure manufacturer you mention in your comment.

    If I can find something that is the same size as the old Airfix figures I will be more than happy ... but I will certainly make do with a size or scale of figure that is close.

    All the best,

    Bob

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  9. http://www.gaugemaster.com/wargaming.html

    If you search around a bit on the site you should find 1/87 German WW2
    Roy

    ReplyDelete
  10. Lewisgunner (Roy),

    Thanks for the link and the information. I will follow it up as soon as I can.

    All the best,

    Bob

    ReplyDelete
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  12. Needless to say I meant Preiser figures!
    The things auto spell does to us.
    Roy

    ReplyDelete
  13. Needless to say I meant Preiser figures!
    The things auto spell does to us.
    Roy

    ReplyDelete
  14. Lewisgunner (Roy),

    Preiser figures! That now makes a lot more sense to me! All I have to do now is to find a stockist.

    All the best,

    Bob

    ReplyDelete

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