Anyone Using 15mm or Larger Ships and Minis for Games?

[Mako]

Just curious to see if any of you are using 15mm - 32mm minis for your Traveller encounter games and scenarios?

I suspect it would be a lot of fun to have actual scale characters, NPCs, creatures, and aliens to deal with, fight, flee from, combat, etc., etc., either on far-flung, planets in distant systems, or at your local spaceport, or starport too.

I think 15mm scale is best for games with lots of terrain and buildings, and where you want a bit of maneuvering room on the tabletop, or when you want to create, or purchase your own spacecraft.

I've purchased several "dropships" or shuttles for use with the 15mm, and larger scale minis. They make great scenic backdrops for the minis, and can be good for something to fight for, if needed. Of course, they're good for hauling cargo too, for more mundane pursuits.

25mm - 32mm scale figures are more impressive, but take up a lot more space, especially once you start adding in spacecraft, or a spaceport for them to move around in.

Thoughts, photos, descriptions of what you're doing with your games, when using minis in the Traveller, or other universes?

 

[aramis]

While not running traveller recently, I've switched to using mini-meeples because I can't find good 15mm's in a price range I can afford. Draw a face on, and they make facing checkable. White ones can be colored upon with markers....

Works great with D&D, L5R 5E, WFRP (any-but-3), etc...

 

[infojunky]

Just curious to see if any of you are using 15mm - 32mm minis for your Traveller encounter games and scenarios?

YES! As a matter of fact I do! In 15mm in fact.

I suspect it would be a lot of fun to have actual scale characters, NPCs, creatures, and aliens to deal with, fight, flee from, combat, etc., etc., either on far-flung, planets in distant systems, or at your local spaceport, or starport too.

Yes, yes, it is.

I think 15mm scale is best for games with lots of terrain and buildings, and where you want a bit of maneuvering room on the tabletop, or when you want to create, or purchase your own spacecraft.

Actually 6mm would be best, but coming up with character figures in that scale is a pricey pain in the ass.

I must mention that I started a whole movement to bring back 15mm Science Fiction figures back 20+ years ago in a quest to have more for my Traveller games. With a bunch of help from other fans we have been pretty successful.

 

[Maksim-Smelchak]

YES! Actually 6mm would be best, but coming up with character figures in that scale is a pricey pain in the ass

It used to be. A number of manufacturers are now making 6mm characters.

Shalom,
M.

 

[kilemall]

I'd prefer 10mm, cause it's close to Nscale and plenty of structures and vehicles for that.

 

[infojunky]

I'd prefer 10mm, cause it's close to Nscale and plenty of structures and vehicles for that.

Where, besides Train stores?

 

[whartung]

Where, besides Train stores?

Well, "the internet". What's a "train store" any more nowadays.

Anyway, since N scale is dominated by trains, everything is basically TL 6-8.

You could certainly kit bash things, but probably not a lot of luck finding an Air Raft in N Scale.

 

[infojunky]

Well, "the internet". What's a "train store" any more nowadays.

Ok, I admit I live in a land of wonder, I can think of three hobby shops within close proximity that have sizable train selections.

 

[Mako]

Lots of affordable figure options in 15mm, from: Ground Zero Games (GZG) in the UK, Rebel Minis, Khurasan, Old Glory, RAFM, etc., etc.. Sometimes they have sales, making them an even better value.

There are quite a few spacecraft options too, in 15mm, for reasonable prices.

There are also some in 25mm+ scale too, up to and including the various 32mm Clix figures, of which many can be quite reasonable. You don't need too many for a game, or three, unless you are a megalomaniac like many minis collectors/gamers.

I'm working on acquiring buildings, landing pads, a runway, vehicles, figures, and spacecraft for various spaceports - from outposts to fairly large, well traveled ones with lots of areas, buildings, and other things to explore, protect, or break into, and fight over.

 

[GypsyComet]

There are quite a few spacecraft options too, in 15mm, for reasonable prices.

As flats, yes. Models are anther thing entirely. Even a Scout is almost 6 inches long.

 

[infojunky]

Lots of affordable figure options in 15mm, from: Ground Zero Games (GZG) in the UK, Rebel Minis, Khurasan, Old Glory, RAFM, etc., etc.. Sometimes they have sales, making them an even better value.

Yes, yes there is, Tons of Character figures are available in 15mm, Weirdly there are more Characters for Science Fiction available in 15mm than there are in more popular Miniature Sizes.

There are quite a few spacecraft options too, in 15mm, for reasonable prices.

With the advent of PDFs for Deckplans most work well with 15mm.

I should note that I use a 1/100th ground scale instead of 1/2 inch square, in that most 15mm figures match 1/100th better.

 

[Starflyer]

Most definitely, over 30 years using 15mm. Started with the old Laserburn figures and the original Traveller boxed sets. They are the best scale to provide both interesting paint jobs, work with deck plans and play at a skirmish scale with Modern weaponry ranges.

I do get tempted by 28mm these days as there are some great ranges out there but cost and space tend to win out.

 

[infojunky]

The two things right off the bat I want in 15mm.

Hivers and K'Kree.

 

[Mako]

"Even a Scout is almost 6 inches long".

in 15mm, I imagine they'd be even longer than that, e.g. at least 12" - 15" long.

Not an issue for me, though I can see where you might want more room for exploration on a planet, or in a city or other venue. Probably not too difficult to just re-set the table, if so. Even for smaller games, on a 2' - 3' x 4' playing area, it'll look really great.

I've got a Dropship/Shuttle that's about 12" - 14" long, and with a slightly wider wingspan. Looks great with both 15mm minis, as well as with 32mm ones too, and everything in between.

I've been working on some smaller, home-made, personal craft, like pleasure boats, which are around 6" long, or so.

Actually, I don't think it is weird that 15mm has so many character figures, since I consider it to now be one of the major scales for Sci-Fi minis, if not THE major scale for them. Lots of superb new sculpts have been added in the last 10 - 20 years, which is wonderful to see.

 

[kilemall]

Well, "the internet". What's a "train store" any more nowadays.

Anyway, since N scale is dominated by trains, everything is basically TL 6-8.

You could certainly kit bash things, but probably not a lot of luck finding an Air Raft in N Scale.

Dropzone Commander and associated building TTable.com has scifi buildings.


https://ttcombat.com/collections/sci-fi-x?page=2



And downloadable ones-
https://ttcombat.com/pages/dropzone-commander-buildings


Hmm, looks like the whole DZ commander franchise is on the chopping block. Guess that crazy Warhammer money never came through. Anyway, here are some leftover buildings. They used to have a much bigger future cityscape available.


https://www.miniaturemarket.com/table-top-miniatures/dropzone-commander.html#/?_=1&page=1


Ebay Nscale has a LOT more then what you can get just through Walthers and your hobby store. In particular there are building kits from China that have some futuristic skyscrapers, plus some Chinese and Japanese catering to the wargaming crowd with some ruined buildings.


As for grav vehicles, pretty easy to do- get N scale vehicles, cut off/don't add wheels/tracks, putty in/glue angled base chassis, voila!


I think there are several lines of 10mm modern warfare equipment and troops that you can use for light/lower tech, and give the armor the grav treatment.


I like the 10mm size for having truly larger deckplans and facilities and outdoor combat that fits on a table.

 

[Mako]

10mm - 12mm are nice scales too, though I'm not aware of a lot of Sci-Fi figures available for them.

There do seem to be a lot of WWII, Modern, and other figures available though.

Perhaps I'm just ill-informed.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

Just curious to see if any of you are using 15mm - 32mm minis for your Traveller encounter games and scenarios?

If I have a chance to, I use 28mm on my Chessex mat.

 

[CaptRet]

I recently started reconstituting my sci-fi Traveller collection. I have 15mm (bought more for gaming with Stargrunt II, but I am thinking of using for Traveller rpgng as well) - GZG for two reinforced platoons of Imperial Marines; Eureka for a short platoon of Zhodani; Darkest Star for a second Zhodani platoon; Darkest Star for a short Vargr platoon; Rafm for more Vargr (crews, civies, techs); Rafm for Droyne; various civies, crews etc. from various makers. In 25mm/28mm I also have two boxes of the 25mm Grenadier Traveller Marines, and a mostly complete box of the Alien Mercenaries (with 4 extra Aslan and 2 extra Droyne acquired separately), as well as two packs of the 25mm RAFM Aslan. And 12 25mm Shadowrun figures to provide civilians, nobles, rogues, armed security teams, etc.

 

[CaptRet]

Forgot to mention 4 precious 25mm Denizen Venturians - which make perfect Zhodani. Unfortunately, they are very, very hard to come by or I would have more.

 

[infojunky]

Forgot to mention 4 precious 25mm Denizen Venturians - which make perfect Zhodani. Unfortunately, they are very, very hard to come by or I would have more.

Hard? Last I knew they were still in business

http://www.denizenminiatures.co.uk/


Note the Venturians are available in 15mm from both Darkest Star and Eureka Miniatures.

https://www.darkeststargames.com/15mm-dark-star-sci-fi-range--venturian.html

http://www.eurekamin.com.au/product_info.php?cPath=87_102_107&products_id=11706