Pendraken Miniatures Forum

Wider Wargaming => General Discussion => Topic started by: acctingman on 26 August 2016, 05:29:52 PM

Title: Hard time picking a scale
Post by: acctingman on 26 August 2016, 05:29:52 PM
So, I'm going to be giving Chain of Command a go. I'm building a 4x8 table set in the post D-Day country side, but I'm having a hard time deciding what scale I want to use. Originally, I thought 6mm, but after buying a pack of M4's and painting them up there was just no way that would work for me. Just too small.

I thought about buying a Zzezda 1/100 kit and putting it on my table to see how it looks.

Can anyone here post some pics of their similar sized tables with either 10mm or 15mm or send me some links? Be nice to visualize before I plunk down $$

I'll take a look at some photos here on the site too.

Thanks
Title: Re: Hard time picking a scale
Post by: Norm on 26 August 2016, 06:11:06 PM
4 x 8 is massive by the standards of many gamers - especially for the sort of things you have discussed doing, With a table that size, I think you could just pick any scale, just pick the one that you think looks the nicest. There isn't a 'right anser' to your question.
Title: Re: Hard time picking a scale
Post by: Ithoriel on 26 August 2016, 06:19:38 PM
For Chain of Command I've gone with 15mm scale. Mainly Peter Pig but I have some Zvezda kits too.

For me it was a good balance of detail, affordability and space requirements.

I play on an 1800mm x 1200mm table (roughly 6' x 4') which has been plenty of space.

I tried 10mm initially as I use them for BKC (which I play much more often) but my fat, fumbling old fingers found the individual 10mm figures a trifle hard to handle.

Title: Re: Hard time picking a scale
Post by: Leman on 26 August 2016, 06:37:22 PM
Here's a 6'x4' with 10mm figures (SYW) and terrain:

(http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g440/dourpuritan/10mm%20SYW/IMG_1344_zpsbfad55e7.jpg)
Title: Re: Hard time picking a scale
Post by: acctingman on 26 August 2016, 06:50:53 PM
Since I'm doing skirmish then 15mm might be the best route.

I've seen a few images of 15mm on a similar size table as mine and it looks good.

I'll paint up a 1/100 kit and try and pick up a cheap 1/144th scale somewhere and put them on the table.

Thanks for the picture Leman
Title: Re: Hard time picking a scale
Post by: lentulus on 26 August 2016, 07:23:40 PM
A 6x4 table here, and some images in other posts arranged on 8.5x11 sheets of paper and the like that might help your planning..

http://10mmpatrioticwar.blogspot.ca/2011/10/game.html
Title: Re: Hard time picking a scale
Post by: petercooman on 26 August 2016, 07:26:48 PM
This is 10 mm skirmish on a 3' by 3'

(http://i1236.photobucket.com/albums/ff441/petercooman123/DSC03823_zpsussaw0we.jpg) (http://s1236.photobucket.com/user/petercooman123/media/DSC03823_zpsussaw0we.jpg.html)

some more pictures here:

http://www.pendrakenforum.co.uk/index.php/topic,14635.0.html
Title: Re: Hard time picking a scale
Post by: Subedai on 26 August 2016, 07:27:49 PM
Mt table is about 5' by 3' 3" (1.50 x 1.00m and this is an example of my WWII layout. Would work with 10mm up to a point.

(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xqm2nuEvpL8/Vh0skF-8VtI/AAAAAAAAA_4/hLgXs0B8MFs/s320/PA110073.JPG)

MickS
Title: Re: Hard time picking a scale
Post by: petercooman on 26 August 2016, 07:31:26 PM
For some forces on a 3' by 6' , check this battle report by me. No skirmish though!

http://www.pendrakenforum.co.uk/index.php/topic,8283.0.html

PS: nice layout S!!!
Title: Re: Hard time picking a scale
Post by: acctingman on 26 August 2016, 08:26:31 PM
Quote from: petercooman on 26 August 2016, 07:31:26 PM
For some forces on a 3' by 6' , check this battle report by me. No skirmish though!

http://www.pendrakenforum.co.uk/index.php/topic,8283.0.html

PS: nice layout S!!!

Thanks Peter

This shows me, at least to my eyes, that a 4x8 table is more than enough for 15mm platoon+ each side
Title: Re: Hard time picking a scale
Post by: petercooman on 26 August 2016, 09:22:33 PM
Quote from: acctingman on 26 August 2016, 08:26:31 PM
Thanks Peter

This shows me, at least to my eyes, that a 4x8 table is more than enough for 15mm platoon+ each side

Yes, a 4 X 8 is definately big enough for that. You'll have lots of maneouvering space on that!
Title: Re: Hard time picking a scale
Post by: Duke Speedy of Leighton on 26 August 2016, 09:56:21 PM
My flames of war armies fight on 6' X 4' tables, company strength.
You will need a lot of terrain.
Title: Re: Hard time picking a scale
Post by: Leman on 26 August 2016, 10:23:05 PM
Ok, here's a close up of some WWI 15mm PP Belgians, which I use in company level games. This includes 15mm scenic items:

(http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g440/dourpuritan/15mm%20ITLSU/IMG_1685_zps4rk9aqji.jpg)
Title: Re: Hard time picking a scale
Post by: acctingman on 27 August 2016, 12:05:09 AM
Quote from: Leman on 26 August 2016, 10:23:05 PM
Ok, here's a close up of some WWI 15mm PP Belgians, which I use in company level games. This includes 15mm scenic items:

(http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g440/dourpuritan/15mm%20ITLSU/IMG_1685_zps4rk9aqji.jpg)

Nice looking stuff there Leman, Thanks!
Title: Re: Hard time picking a scale
Post by: NTM on 27 August 2016, 06:33:29 AM
Do you already have a lot of terrain and scenic in one scale or another? If so I would suggest selecting one of those as it is a considerable investment in time as well as money to get that from scratch especially considering that CoC can be very terrain heavy. You'll need a boatload for a 8x4 table.
Title: Re: Hard time picking a scale
Post by: FierceKitty on 27 August 2016, 06:38:48 AM
"So..."?
Title: Re: Hard time picking a scale
Post by: sunjester on 27 August 2016, 07:14:09 AM
At the Tring Club we play Chain of Command in 10mm, 20mm and 28mm. I believe the ground scale for the rules is pretty close to 15mm and my personal opinion is that it looks and feels better in 10mm or 15mm. In 28mm everything seems too cramped together, with no space to operate properly. Strangely i don't feel that way when we play early 20th century games in 28mm, perhaps because we aren't using tanks or much by way of heavy support weapons.

But you will need a lot (LOT) of terrain, particularly for NW Europe.
Title: Re: Hard time picking a scale
Post by: petercooman on 27 August 2016, 07:16:12 AM
Quote from: Leman on 26 August 2016, 10:23:05 PM
Ok, here's a close up of some WWI 15mm PP Belgians, which I use in company level games. This includes 15mm scenic items:

(http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g440/dourpuritan/15mm%20ITLSU/IMG_1685_zps4rk9aqji.jpg)


Very nice! Where did you get the cobblestone?
Title: Re: Hard time picking a scale
Post by: Leman on 27 August 2016, 07:52:37 AM
Cobblestone road is from Total System Scenic. They also do square setts. Acctingman, not knowing your age, I think I ought to admit that I have built up my collection of stuff over 50 years, so I do have access to a lot of terrain items. In the last twelve months I have been able to create a wargames room at home, as well as having access to the Liverpool club's tables and terrain. Incidentally the main building in the photo is by Hovels, the other red brick building is by Peter Pig and the stone building was a present from my brother, ready painted and sold as a Normandy school, by a company which I don't think exists any more.
Title: Re: Hard time picking a scale
Post by: petercooman on 27 August 2016, 08:09:47 AM
Thanks!
Title: Re: Hard time picking a scale
Post by: acctingman on 27 August 2016, 01:50:32 PM
I WANT a boat load of scenery. I'm finding it therapeutic making bocage and trees  :D
Title: Re: Hard time picking a scale
Post by: Subedai on 27 August 2016, 04:29:23 PM
Quote from: acctingman on 27 August 2016, 01:50:32 PM
I WANT a boat load of scenery. I'm finding it therapeutic making bocage and trees  :D

Go to the smaller scale, you can make bocage and trees till the cows come home and still not have enough.  :) :)

MickS
Title: Re: Hard time picking a scale
Post by: acctingman on 27 August 2016, 04:34:14 PM
Quote from: Subedai on 27 August 2016, 04:29:23 PM
Go to the smaller scale, you can make bocage and trees till the cows come home and still not have enough.  :) :)

MickS

Very true, but I'll stick with 15mm. In two weeks I've already made 80 pieces of bocage and 50+ trees, so I'm making good progress  :D
Title: Re: Hard time picking a scale
Post by: petercooman on 27 August 2016, 06:40:25 PM
Quote from: acctingman on 27 August 2016, 04:34:14 PM
Very true, but I'll stick with 15mm. In two weeks I've already made 80 pieces of bocage and 50+ trees, so I'm making good progress  :D

any pictures?  :D :D
Title: Re: Hard time picking a scale
Post by: acctingman on 27 August 2016, 07:09:32 PM
First attempt at making terrain so go easy on me....I'm fragile  :P

http://i.imgur.com/LzOFLni.jpg
Title: Re: Hard time picking a scale
Post by: Ithoriel on 27 August 2016, 07:16:50 PM
Looks extremely good to me! First time or no.
Title: Re: Hard time picking a scale
Post by: acctingman on 27 August 2016, 08:06:44 PM
Quote from: Ithoriel on 27 August 2016, 07:16:50 PM
Looks extremely good to me! First time or no.

Thank you Ithoriel

I need to work on variety though. Vegetation never looks the exact same.
Title: Re: Hard time picking a scale
Post by: petercooman on 27 August 2016, 08:18:24 PM
Nice!!

What diid you use as a basis for your bocage? I've seen bent chicken wire to good effect!
Title: Re: Hard time picking a scale
Post by: paulr on 27 August 2016, 08:46:36 PM
 :-bd =D> :-bd

For variation a light dry brush in various light greens / almost yellows works well
Title: Re: Hard time picking a scale
Post by: acctingman on 27 August 2016, 09:01:13 PM
Quote from: petercooman on 27 August 2016, 08:18:24 PM
Nice!!

What diid you use as a basis for your bocage? I've seen bent cicken wire to good effect!

Popsicle stick painted with cheap acrylic paint (brown). Let dry overnight
PVA glue and then lay down some small potting rocks or kitty litter (which is what I should have done....rocks are a bit smaller)
Let dry over night.
Scrap off any rocks that didn't set.
Paint the rocks with above brown acrylic paint. Let dry
Adhesive spray it and I added lichen.

I bought the lichen for trees, but I didn't like the look of it so I decided to use it for bocage. It looks crappy by itself, so I sprayed more adhesive on it and added some custom made flock (sawdust method flock).

That's it

I do want to try a flock mix and take heed of paulrs advice.....some mixed shading whether paint or different shades of flock.

I've made nearly 80 pieces now in two weeks and I can't stop making them. So therapeutic!!

*** should note that some of the bocage was made with Woodland Scenic clump foliage flocked with a finer WS flock.
Title: Re: Hard time picking a scale
Post by: Leman on 28 August 2016, 08:33:32 AM
so far that terrain is looking very good. Why not take some of the car off that money woman to get even more scenic items?
Title: Re: Hard time picking a scale
Post by: Orcs on 28 August 2016, 05:21:09 PM
I Play Chain of command in 20mm for post D-day stuff, and you need loads of terrain.  I think are more buildings around for 20mm skirmish gaming as many of the smaller scales do not allow you to put figures actually in the building which is desirable for Chain of Command as you need to know were the figures are inside the building

Bocage fields would often be very small - sometimes only 40 yards across.  Chain of command gives a ground scale of 12" =40 yards.

Don't forget roads/lanes were lined with bocage so if you have two roads forming a cross over a 6 x 4 table that's 10 feet of road needing hedges on both sides - so 20 feet of hedging

You will then need hedging to form fields. So with 12" square fields that's approx. another 20 or more feet of hedge

So on the table you are proposing you will need around 80 feet of hedging.  So I suggest you aim to stat on a 6 x 4 table and build your collection up.