Understanding Miniature Scales: 1/6 to 1/72 and mm Sizes

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Miniature Scales Explained: A Beginner's Reference Guide

If you've ever stared at a product listing that says "1/35 scale" or "75mm figure" and had absolutely no idea what that means in real life, you are not alone. Scale notation is one of those things the hobby takes for granted, and nobody really explains it from scratch. This guide fixes that. Whether you're buying your first kit or just trying to make sense of what size will work for a diorama you have in mind, here's everything laid out plainly.

What Does "Scale" Actually Mean?

A scale is a ratio. When a kit is described as 1/35 scale, it means the model is 35 times smaller than the real thing. So a tank that's 7 metres long in real life would be exactly 200mm long as a 1/35 kit. The same logic applies to figures: an average human being stands about 180cm tall, so a 1/35 scale figure would stand roughly 51mm from boots to the top of the head.

Millimetre figure sizes work slightly differently. When you see "28mm" or "54mm" on a figure, that number traditionally refers to the height from the bottom of the feet to the eye line — not the top of the head. This convention comes from tabletop wargaming and means a "28mm" figure is actually about 30–33mm tall overall. It's a quirk of the hobby that can trip up newcomers, so it's worth knowing upfront.

You can find a full breakdown of sizes on our scale reference page, but read on for the context behind the numbers.

Ratio Scales: 1/6 to 1/72

1/6 Scale — Approximately 300mm (12 inches)

This is the large end of the consumer figure market. At 1/6 scale, a human figure stands around 30cm tall, which is genuinely substantial — about the size of a classic action figure. Kits at this scale reward very fine detail work: facial features, fabric textures, and surface anatomy are all visible and paintable. Common subjects include military busts, pin-up figures, fantasy warriors, and sci-fi characters rendered at almost sculptural quality. These are typically display pieces that live on a shelf or in a cabinet rather than on a gaming table.

1/9 Scale — Approximately 200mm (8 inches)

Less common than 1/6 or 1/12 but well established in motorsport modelling, equestrian subjects, and sporting figures. At around 200mm for a standing human, 1/9 offers a good middle ground between the presence of a large figure and the relative economy of materials. You'll also find some high-end military figures in this scale.

1/12 Scale — Approximately 150mm (6 inches)

A popular scale for both display figures and for anime or sci-fi character kits. At 150mm, there's enough room for fine surface detail without the sheer size of 1/6. Gundam and mecha kits, fantasy characters, and some historical figures all inhabit this range. If you're new to figure painting and want a size that isn't overwhelming but gives you room to work, 1/12 is a reasonable starting point.

1/16 Scale — Approximately 112mm (4.5 inches)

A sweet spot for military modellers. At 1/16, a tank crewman or infantryman is large enough for very detailed uniform work, facial painting, and equipment, while the vehicles at this scale — particularly armour kits — are substantial display pieces. German, Soviet, and Allied World War II subjects are especially well represented at 1/16.

1/24 Scale — Approximately 75mm (3 inches)

Primarily associated with car modelling, where 1/24 is one of the most widely produced scales. Model cars at 1/24 are detailed, displayable, and numerous. Figures at this scale turn up in diorama sets and as accompaniments to vehicle kits. Aircraft modellers also use 1/24 for large-scale reproductions of famous warbirds.

1/35 Scale — Approximately 51mm (2 inches)

The dominant scale in military modelling. If you are interested in tanks, armoured personnel carriers, artillery, trucks, or World War II and modern conflict dioramas, 1/35 is almost certainly where you'll spend most of your time. The scale has been the standard since the 1960s and the range of available subjects is enormous. Figures at 1/35 are compact but still paintable with practice.

1/48 Scale — Approximately 38mm (1.5 inches)

Known as "quarter scale" in some circles, 1/48 is the dominant scale for plastic aircraft kits. A Spitfire or P-51 Mustang at 1/48 is a manageable, well-proportioned model that fits most display shelves. Figures at this scale are small but exist for crew and groundcrew dioramas.

1/72 Scale — Approximately 25mm (1 inch)

The smallest ratio scale covered here, and one of the oldest. Aircraft at 1/72 are compact enough to build large collections or depict entire flights together. Infantry figures at 1/72 are tiny — around 25mm — which aligns them closely with the smaller end of wargaming miniatures. They work well in large diorama bases or mass-battle scenes where individual detail matters less than overall composition.

Millimetre Figure Sizes

28mm — Approximately 30–33mm Total Height

The standard of tabletop wargaming. Games like Warhammer 40,000, Age of Sigmar, Bolt Action, and countless historical systems use 28mm as their baseline. At this size you're painting at the limit of what most people can do without a magnifying aid, but the scale supports excellent results with practice. Basing and cohesive army aesthetics matter more here than individual display-level detail.

54mm — Approximately 58–62mm Total Height

A classic size with a long heritage in Napoleonic, ACW, and ancient historical figure painting. At 54mm, there's genuine room to explore blended shading, non-metallic metal, and fine uniform detail. These figures often end up as framed or cased display pieces. They're large enough for a newcomer to figure painting to learn on without feeling cramped, and small enough to remain an accessible scale for a collection.

75mm — Approximately 80–85mm Total Height

The competition-painting scale. If you look at the high-end painted figures that circulate on social media and appear on painting competition podiums, a large proportion of them are 75mm. At this size the sculptor can capture anatomy, facial structure, and costume detail that simply isn't possible at smaller sizes, and the painter has the room to execute refined techniques. Fantasy warriors, historical heroes, and sci-fi characters are all common subjects.

120mm — Approximately 128–135mm Total Height

The largest figure scale in common circulation, 120mm is where portrait-level painting lives. At over 12cm tall, these figures are essentially small sculptures. Facial likeness, skin texture, and fine fabric work are all rendered at a level that invites close inspection. Many 120mm subjects are half-busts or three-quarter busts rather than full standing figures, focusing the painter's energy on the face and upper body.

Quick Reference Table

Scale	Figure Height (approx.)	Primary Use	Common Subjects
1/6	300mm / 12 in	Display, collector figures	Military, fantasy, pin-up, sci-fi
1/9	200mm / 8 in	Display figures, motorsport	Racing drivers, equestrian, military
1/12	150mm / 6 in	Display, anime, sci-fi	Mecha, anime characters, historical
1/16	112mm / 4.5 in	Military figures & armour	WW2 / modern armour, crewmen
1/24	75mm / 3 in	Car models, aircraft, dioramas	Model cars, warbirds, diorama figures
1/35	51mm / 2 in	Military modelling standard	Tanks, APCs, infantry, dioramas
1/48	38mm / 1.5 in	Aircraft modelling standard	WW2 aircraft, crew dioramas
1/72	25mm / 1 in	Aircraft, mass-battle wargaming	Aircraft, historical infantry
28mm	30–33mm total	Tabletop wargaming	Fantasy, sci-fi, historical armies
54mm	58–62mm total	Display, competition entry	Napoleonics, historical, fantasy
75mm	80–85mm total	Competition and display painting	Fantasy, historical heroes, sci-fi
120mm	128–135mm total	Master-class display, portrait work	Busts, portrait figures, full figures

Which Scale Should You Start With?

There's no correct answer, and the hobby has no gatekeeping on this front. That said, a few practical pointers: if you want to paint figures and learn blending and highlighting, 54mm or 75mm give you the most forgiving surface area to work on. If vehicles are your interest, 1/35 gives you the deepest catalogue to choose from. If you play tabletop games, 28mm is almost certainly what your rulebook expects. And if you simply want something that looks impressive on a shelf with minimal fuss about scale matching, 1/16 figures and 1/24 vehicle kits both photograph and display beautifully.

All the kits in the CastForge catalogue are unpainted grey resin, which means you start with a clean, primed-ready surface and full control over the result. Browse the full range at our complete collection and filter by scale to find what fits your current project. If you want to go deeper on scale comparisons and how different sizes relate to each other visually, the scales reference page has side-by-side size comparisons to help you visualise before you buy.

Whatever scale catches your interest, the main thing is to get started. The rest follows from there.