Miniature
Scales in Other Hobbies

Tabletop gaming is by no means the only hobby where accurate scale models
are appreciated. The most notable hobbies that revolve around scale models,
other than tabletop gaming, are model railroading, automotive and aviation
modeling, and dollhouse making. By learning a little bit more about these
hobbies and their terminology, tabletop gamers can more easily find appropriately
scaled miniatures to dress up a HeroClix combat diorama. Various hobbies
use different ways of referring to scale. Once you learn how these references
work, you can easily determine whether a particular set of, say, dollhouse
furniture might be appropriate for your 3D supervillain hideout.

1/48 or 1:48 - Some hobby modelers use the notation
"1/48" or "1:48" to denote the appropriate scale for
HeroClix miniatures. This notation means exactly what the fraction seems
to suggest. Items in 1/48 scale are modeled at 1/48 of their "actual"
size. HeroClix miniatures depict people about 6' or 72" tall as figures
1.5" tall; notice that 72"/48 = 1.5". The "1/48"
or "1:48" notation is often seen used for automotive and aviation
models. (Note: Many automobile models are also made in 1/43 scale. In
1/48 scale, 1.5" represents 72"; in 1/43 scale, 1.5" represents
64.5". If you can live with that very small difference, you can use
1/43 scale automobile models in your HeroClix settings. Note that standard
Matchbox and Hot Wheels cars are in a smaller scale and can vary quite
a bit. On my shelf are a Ford Mustang in 1/61 scale and a TV news van
in 1/73 scale, for example. These are too small to be realistic in HeroClix
settings.)

O gauge or O scale - Model railroad scales are usually
indicated by letters. Most people have heard of HO-scale trains. There
is also an O scale in which items are modeled at 1/48 of their "real-world"
size. Thus O-scale (or O-gauge) miniatures from the model railroading
industry work very well in HeroClix settings. (However, most model railroading
accessories are rather expensive.)

1/4" scale - In dollhouse modeling terminology,
scale is usually indicated by citing the number of inches need to represent
one real-world foot. Thus, to dollhouse hobbyists, 1/4" scale uses
1/4" to represent 1'. This is exactly the HeroClix-appropriate scale
of 1.5" (6/4") = 6'. Most dollhouses are built in a larger scale,
1/2" = 1' or 1" = 1', but there are products and resources available
for 1/4" dollhouse modeling that could also be used for dressing
up HeroClix scenes.