The Relative Size of Things

Several times each week on wargaming forums or blogs the question gets asked about the sizing and proportions of various manufacturer's models by those building armies. You see, one of the nice "quirks" of this hobby is that each manufacturer sculpts their figures based on their own idea of what 28mm means and how they can get the human form molded to fit that vision. Really, all 28mm means these days is that the miniature is bigger than the 15mm models.

Since I am using three manufacturers for my Punic War project, I thought I would do a quick comparison that might prove useful to others looking to go down this same road with their own projects. To me, there are four important factors when comparing models:

• Height: How tall is the figure, especially compared to other figures?
• Weight: Is the figure chunky, bulky or thin?
• Proportions: Is the sizing of things like feet, head, arms, and hands well balanced and natural?
• Detail: Is the figure well detailed not only in equipment but also in the body?

The clickable image below is a photo comparison of Aventine, Gripping Beast and Relic miniatures. I have also charted the four criteria listed above for each manufacturer based on my judgement and experience.