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I have often received the question as to why I use 1/87 scale tanks instead of the 1/100 that are sold by the Battlefront gaming company. My answer is simple. Appearance.
15mm men are not 1/100 scale but are closer to 1/87 scale than anything else available.
The 1/87 scale tanks are close enough to use together with either if wanted but the 1/100 scale tanks can not be used along with the 1/72 scale very well. They don’t even look close. I have been active in the past with different groups and gaming systems in both scales and this scale works with both.
With that in mind all gaming miniatures are usable if the players agree to it and it is just a preference of mine to have the men and tanks look like they are in scale to each other.
If you look at the above photo you will see some 15mm men as sold by Battlefront along with the same version of T-26 tank in three different miniature gaming scales. The one on the left is by Battlefront and is sold along with the men to play Flames of War. The one in the middle is in 1/87 scale and is what I use. The one on the right is by a eastern European company and is in 1/72 scale. The crew to this tank is three, one driver and two in the turret. Looking at the size of the people versus the tank model you can’t fit two scale people on the turret of the 1/100 scale model and the 1/72 scale model is way to big to look right on a gaming table.
If you look at the larger tanks the difference is even more pronounced.
This is why I use a combination of 15mm and 1/87 scale in my miniatures. I use the people, smaller vehicles, crew served weapons and artillery from battlefront and other companies in 15mm and larger tanks and vehicles in 1/87 scale.
Thank you and I will now get off my soap box.
