Bolt Action Ground Scale

[Eric T Holmes]

What is the official or unofficial ground scale for Bolt Action? I can’t seem to find anything, or I’m really overlooking something in the books. I’m getting ready to develop some scenarios for our local gang and need to check table sizes.

I tend to think on a scale based upon figure size. If I need to, I’ll reduce the figure scale to come in line with the ground (table) scale.

YMMV Roll sixes! Eric

[Stuart Harrison]

There isn’t one – trying to impose one will drive you nuts as ranges are way too short for the figure scale and don’t even scale properly with each other – SMGs can reach 1/4 way across the table yet rocket artillery can land within the length of the table… just one example of a compromise to shoe-horn all sorts of units into a 28mm minis game.

[Nat]

With all tabletop games you will have 4 (at least) scales in use simultainusly

Ground – how many inchs on the table is equal to real world feet and yards

Combat – that 1 or 2″ combat area when in realworld its 1 foot from you

movement – how fast you move on the table compared to how fast you move in reality

shooting – weapon ranges.

Then as stuart has said you then get sliding scales within those areas ie between weapons or unit types… ie a tank will move faster than a walking person

[Steeljackal]

If you use 28mm miniatures (official scale for Bolt Action / Warlord), then vehicles and scenic element (ground / table) scale is +/- 1/56.

That said, the range of weapons is completely out of range (the useful range of a 36-inch sniper, scaled to reality is 51 meters?!?!?).
On the scale of the distances traveled by infantry and vehicles I do not express myself because there are too many variables.

So, the scale of miniatures and ground is +/- 1/56. The other scales (range, movements, etc.) are not homogeneous for reasons of playability (they preferred to give priority to playability rather than realism).

[Richard]

Except of course some of the Warlord ‘official’ stuff is 1:72 😉

Vehicle scale is flexible too, the motorbikes are not 1:56 for example they are closer to 1:48 and weapons are closer to 1:40 scale.

28mm is not a hard scale, it’s an aesthetic.  The infantry are not in proportion with real humans so everything is distorted

as for the ground scale being 1/56…  23ft range for a pistol.. ok, 23ft for a flamethrower… bit short but OK, 56ft for an SMG…maybe.

112ft for an aimed rifle shot.. no.  336ft range for an 88? Nope…  The ground scale is distorted and a sliding scale.

[Author]

Posts