Scales
Wargaming scales explained
Scales are written two ways: a figure height in millimetres (28mm, 15mm) or a ratio (1/56, 1/100). Both describe how big the models are compared to the real thing.
Common scales
| Scale | Typical use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 28mm (about 1/56) | Skirmish and platoon games; most detail | Bolt Action |
| 15mm (1:100) | Company games; more vehicles on the table | Flames of War |
| Epic Battles scale | Very large battles with lots of figures | Pike & Shotte Epic Battles |
| 1/200 | Aircraft, on a 4×4 ft table | Blood Red Skies |
| 1/300 | Small fast boats | Cruel Seas |
| 1/1800 | Whole fleets of warships | Victory at Sea |
Why different games use different scales
Warlord Games explains that it picks a scale for each game so the models and the table fit together: aircraft at 1/200 suit a 4×4 ft table, and small boats at 1/300. A naval game at 1/1800 lets you put a fleet on the table; the Victory at Sea Battle for the Pacific starter contains 15 ships, according to Warlord.
Can you mix scales?
Not in one game: everything on the table should be the same scale. But you can play different games at different scales. Some rules, like Hail Caesar and Chain of Command, work at several scales, so pick whatever your group uses.
Sources
- Warlord Games: A question of scale — Warlord's scales for Bolt Action, Blood Red Skies, Cruel Seas
- Battlefront: Flames of War — Flames of War 15mm
- Warlord Games: Victory at Sea, Battle of the Komandorski Islands — Victory at Sea 1/1800 and starter contents
- Warlord Games: Hail Caesar, Rick speaks — Hail Caesar scales
Sources checked October 25, 2026. Figures are quoted as the source gives them; where sources differ we say so.