Scifi minis?

[ShapeShifter]

Does anyone know of any current companies which produce 1/72 scale minis of spacemen, aliens, robots, ships and the like. They need not be IP-specific (i.e. not necessarily Star Wars, Star Trek, Alien, Babylon 5, Firefly, etc., etc.). I'm looking for generic and retro-style figs for tabletop scifi wargaming and CT gaming too of course.

 

[Spinward Scout]

Try this out:

Google Search for "1/72 scale" - for those that don't want to click

https://www.google.com/search?q=1/7...le&aqs=chrome..69i57&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Also, if you search for "1/72 Scale sci-fi" on eBay, there's a ton of ship models that come up.

 

[GypsyComet]

It isn't a particularly common scale for SF gaming, at least not on purpose. Some of the top end of 15mm approaches it, as do the true 25mm lines from way back when.

Also, technically the now obsolete GW Space Marines; huge dudes in power armor, they were in something approaching 1/72 while everything else GW makes was more like 1/60 or even 1/50.

The easiest guide is that a 1/72 model of a 6' tall person should be an inch tall, soles of feet to top of head. On that basis, you want to look at Hobby Products' Spacelords (made by em-4 these days), Denizen, Johansen, and a few other niche lines. Even the old Grenadier Traveller minis will be a touch large, but within range.

 

[ShapeShifter]

I'm beginning to get the impression that 1/72 for scifi is an oddity and rarity. Well, I guess I'll have to look into larger scales, like 1/32, for instance. *shrug*
I've got 1/107 (15mm) scale Napoleonics, but their so freakin' tiny, I can't really paint them (forget about the buttons or pupils!).:rofl:

The easiest guide is that a 1/72 model of a 6' tall person should be an inch tall, soles of feet to top of head.

It's a tad more complicated than that. Being "old school" I use the standard of sole-to-eyeballs, but that is not consistently adhered to by manufacturers.

 

[Spinward Scout]

I'm beginning to get the impression that 1/72 for scifi is an oddity and rarity.

I don't think so. And there's a ton of military 1/72 scale which can always be used for lower TL mercenary, too. You just have to do the right searches.

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1...VGIqwKHblPD1MQ1QIoAHoECAsQAQ&biw=1366&bih=576

https://www.google.com/search?q=1+7...ksDkAhVHJKwKHQzeBjUQ_AUIEygC&biw=1366&bih=576

https://www.shapeways.com/marketplace/miniatures/scifi?tag=1:72

https://shop.1-72depot.com/tag/1-72-sci-fi

http://pijlieblog.blogspot.com/2013/03/sci-fi-wargaming-in-172.html

 

[GypsyComet]

It's a tad more complicated than that. Being "old school" I use the standard of sole-to-eyeballs, but that is not consistently adhered to by manufacturers.

I'm aware of the TMP attempts to standardize the vocabulary. *You* are using the terms incorrectly.

"1/72" is a scale. It represents a ratio between real life and the model. One inch of model is 72 inches of reality, or six feet. Models expressed this way should, manufacturer slippage aside, be fairly precise. That's not to say every human model will be an inch tall, but every M16 should be the same size.

"25mm" is NOT a scale in the same sense, but simply a size. Manufacturers and hobbyists who make "top of head" vs "to the eyes" arguments are thinking in mm, not ratio.

"1/72 to top of head" is a nonsensical statement.
"25mm to the eyes" is not nonsense, but is also not 1/72 unless it represents a person of about 6'6" to 6'9" height.

As you have noted, manufacturers are slippery, and this has as much to do with the cumulative drift of manufacturing methods as is does with manufacturer desire to hold a particular niche, or simply sculpting drift and outright error. Seeking some sort of scale perfection will only end in disappointment.

 

[CaptRet]

The old metal 25mm figures (e.g. Grenadier, Citadel, etc.) are much bigger than 1:72 scale plastics and really aren't compatible. And these days 28mm is more common (and larger). That said, although 1:72nd scale sci fi isn't common, it is relatively cheaper than metal or 28mm and is certainly compatible with 1:72 plastic military models, and there are numerous such figures of modern subjects (e.g. modern U.S. infantry, British, Russian, Israeli, Chinese, etc.) and civilians which conceivably could be used as mid-level sci fi.

Dark Dream Studios makes a set of sci fi soldiers

The firms to look for are Zvezda, Caesar Miniatures,

 

[CaptRet]

Important to note that 1:72nd figures are really 20mm, vice 25mm. That extra 5mm makes a huge difference. A company called Elheim does make 20mm metal figures of modern subjects and a few sci fi subjects as well:

https://www.elhiem.co.uk/

There is a firm called Dark Dream Studios that has some plastic sci fi figures. Here is a link that shows their product:

http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/ShowFeature.aspx?id=54

There are the old Airfix Astronauts (still available)

http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.aspx?id=422

There are these (hadn't previously heard of Aliexpress):

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32986203006.html

And here is a link to a blogspot that deals with the issues in using 1/72nd scale figures for sci fi gaming:

http://172minis.blogspot.com/2009/10/172-sci-fi.html

 

[ShapeShifter]

"1/72 to top of head" is a nonsensical statement.

I agree. I think I've been misquoted.

As a historical wargamer I operate on the assumption that the average adult (European-Caucasian, pre-20th c.) male is about 5'8" tall, following the TMP page on scales. Thus measuring to the eyes would be 1610mm or to the top of the head 1730mm.

If, on the other hand, we wish to assume that adult human males of the Third Imperium are 6' tall that would be 1829mm. I guess that depends on the nutritional factors and whether or not your PCs are from Terran-G or hi-G planets.

1829 (to scalp)/25mm = 1/73 scale (the Far Future!)
1730 (to scalp)/25mm = 1/69 scale (18th-19th c.), or 1610 (to eyes)/25mm= 1/64 scale.

Scale/size of minis aside, my biggest gripe is for some manufacturers to make figs very stocky as if they were on a diet of nothing but 'roids and protein powder since childhood. This seems to be true for a lot of "starship trooper"-esque, or "bug-hunting space marine"-type minis. :nonono:

 

[aramis]

1/72 scale, aka 20mm, is unusual for sci-fi.

15mm (aka 1/107 or 1/110), and 1/160 (aka 10mm) have good sci fi ranges.

6mm (1/268 or 1/300, depending upon line) and 1/285 (micro armor) have good coverage, but it's dominated by WW1, WW2, and modern microarmor, not a lot of high tech. (some, tho'.)

Ground Zero Games and Ion Age both have 15mm and 25mm lines.
Michigan Toy Company is a point of sale of a LOT of minis in unusual scales.


Here's a link to a list of scales and explanations.
http://theminiaturespage.com/ref/scales.html

 

[CaptRet]

And if the issue with 15mm is the difficulty in painting the smaller figures, you can always go up to 28mm. Reaper Miniatures has a line of plastic figures, especially in their Chronoscope range, that might fit the bill (particularly their NovaCorp figures, starting on page 2). The range also contains several alien races, some spaceship equipment, and civies. Below is a link to the plastic Chronoscope line (3 pages in total). At $3 a figure or $7 for some of the three-figures sets they are fairly reasonably priced.

https://www.reapermini.com/miniatures/chronoscopebones


If you want metal (much more expensive) you can check their Chronoscope line in metal (also has a few figures that aren't yet in plastic).

 

[Mako]

Many newer "15mm" Sci-Fi figures are actually closer to 18mm scale now.

Some used to be measured in total height, but now many people reference this scale as being measured to the figures' eyes, for more consistency, since if they are wearing hats or helmets, that throws off the total figure height measure.

18mm figs, measured to their eyes are really about 20mm in overall height (sans hats/helmets), so are really very close to 1/72nd - 1/76th scale.

You can also look at the older 25mm figs (now many companies do 28mm - 32mm ones), which some claim are "1/72" scale, but to me are closer to 1/64th, or larger, depending upon their size and heft.

28mm figs are about 1/56th according to many, again, with allowances for different sculptors, figs, heft, etc.. Some use these with 1/48th vehicles too, instead of with the 1/56th ones, especially if they are mounted on taller, thicker bases.

Confused yet?

I hope that helps some.

15mm/18mm figs are a real bargain at about 50 cents - 75 cents each, depending upon the manufacturers, and there are a very, very wide range of sculpts, vehicles, buildings, and other items to go with them, so I highly recommend this scale.

25mm/28mm are very nice too, for games with smaller numbers of forces and vehicles, and/or where you don't need/want as much room on the tabletop to maneuver as desired with the smaller minis.