So you want to play games using modern era miniatures... you may ask what is available, what one needs to actually play, and most importantly where to get it. This article will attempt to answer these questions, at least as regards 1/285-1/300th scale gaming. A number of concerns manufacture models in this scale range with varying degrees of quality, at varying prices. By selecting carefully from among the different manufacturers' offerings, one can obtain almost (but not quite) all of the vehicles used by anybody since WWI! Prices vary, ranging from a low of $.40 to a high of about $.95 for an average tracked vehicle. Below is a chart summarizing cost, availability, and quality data for ranges for which I was able to obtain samples. Following the chart are notes referring to each manufacturer in elaboration. Due to the wide variety of miniatures offered by each maker, I will not attempt to address specific models available from each. The reader is referred to the address list at the end of this article; all of the manufacturers/distributors will provide price lists on request. NOTES 1. C in C Soft Metal Casting: C in C, the most prolific of the American manufacturers, has a reputation for fine casting. Their miniatures have a machined-like look to them. Smaller parts, like gun barrels, are as close to scale as any I've seen, and in fact, sometimes prove a liability, due to the resultant fragility of the models. Detailing, while not as profuse as one other manufacturer's, is clear and sharp. C in C's variety of models is quite high. Most modern and WW II subjects are covered - their modern range is especially noteworthy, though the WW II lists are extensive (C in C even makes Japanese equipment!). C in C makes aircraft and infantry as well. They are every bit as well done and varied as their ground equipment. The gamer is advised, however, that the C in C aircraft are perhaps the most breakage-prone on the market today, due to the large number of parts (upwards of 12-15 on some aircraft!) making up a given model. one gets detail at the expense of durability. The infantry, likewise, are very well done, but are the most delicate around. Due to their fineness though, I've found them to be particularly useful in detailing open-topped vehicles, etc., using them as crew. C in C's over-the- counter availability is variable... they provide a speedy mail order service, though, offering substantial price discounts on large orders. 2. GHQ: GHQ, the company that coined the term "Micro- Armour", is almost synonymous, in this country, with the 1/285th scalegaming hobby. GHQ's range is wide, covering most WW II and a variety of modern equipment. GHQ has traditionally been quite conservative in their selection of new subjects for release, though in the last couple of years there have been signs of change (1946 Germans?!). The quality of GHQ's newer releases is superb, with a profusion of detail unsurpassed by any miniatures I've seen in this scale. Some releases, several years old, are showing their age, but GHQ is remedying this with an ambitious program of complete redesign and rerelease of any models not up to their current standards of quality and detail. GHQ's aircraft range is limited relative to those of the other manufacturers, but combines lots of detail with durability. Their infantry is of two types. The older packs of individually mounted figures are dated in quality, having been originally produced during the mid-1970's. GHQ's newer infantry is produced to a high standard of quality, but consists entirely of squads standing at attention. This is nice when painting for a competition, but is a bit static for use on the battle table. The newer light weapons packs (MG's, mortars, etc.) are, however, in action poses and are quite nice. GHQ availability is universal - every dealer I've visited that sells modern miniatures carries GHQ's line. If you live far, far away, they also offer a mail order service. GHQ photo: above, under chart. 3. PMC: PMC, once known as Eisenwerk, produces a small range of WW IIvehicles and numerous aircraft (though these are not, in fact, 1/288 scale, but are 1/400 (?) scale). The line seems fairly static, no new vehicles having been produced, to my knowledge, in a couple of years. Quality is reasonable; painted, these models will hold their own in any army. The aircraft range is quite wide and the models are attractive, though accuracy is suspect on many of them. I seem to recognize these planes from somewhere, but I'm not sure where! PMC's chief bugaboo seems to be availability; nobody in the capital region seems able to obtain them regularly for stock. interested gamers should contact their local game shop; if unavailable there, contact the manufacturer at the address below. 4. ROS Heroics: ROS' line is, in a word, prodigious! They make full lines of Ancients, 7YW, ECW, Napoleonics, ACW, Colonials, and several other eras in 1/300th scale that are exquisite, but these are outside the scope of this article, so I will address only their Twentieth Century miniatures. There used to be a dictum that ROS infantry and smaller vehicles were great, but the larger ones were of a lower standard than anything American-made. Over the past several years, they've been busy rectifying this - their newer models, while not, in my opinion, the equal of the newest GHQ, are good! They, too, have revised and reissued several of their older models to bring them up to current standards. ROS makes a wide variety of modern and WW II subjects, including many not likely to be produced by anyone else for sometime (e.g., Soviet and German WW II armoured trains!). What sets ROS apart is their infantry and infantry equipment. They make five types of modern infantry alone, in nine different packs; their WW II infantry lists are endless (Italians and French are even included) - and they are superb! The purist could argue that they're a bit chunky, but when painted, they look good, and they are the most durable troops of this scale one could find. ROS manufactures a line of aircraft as well. it is reasonably extensive, with models consisting of a minimum number of parts, durability being preferred to accuracy when necessary. ROS is generally available in game shops; they are also available from Enola Games (see below), the U.S. importer. 5. Scotia: Scotia is a newcomer to the miniatures scene. Their line is limited relative to most of the other manufacturers, but makes up for this by being positively bizarre in makeup! Their lines cover such topics as modern Chinese, Argentines, and South Africans, WW II Japanese, numerous lesser known/unknown German and French WW II vehicles, and, as far as I know, the only line in this scale anywhere, of WW I tanks! The quality and detailing of the models is basic; they look fine when painted. The only aircraft from Scotia that I've seen is their Morane Sulnier 406; the quality struck me as being about the same as the ROS aircraft. To my knowledge, nobody else makes this plane. Scotia's models should prove very useful to the gamer; they are of very acceptable quality, fit in well, size-wise, with most other manufacturers' models, and fill in the odd little gaps in everybody eke's lines... They are beginning to show up in game stores over here, and are available from SimTac, the importer, listed below. 6. Skytrex: Skytrex makes a very varied line of miniatures, which, while not the largest, does cover areas untouched by anybody else. Until Scotia entered the scene, Skytrex was the only manufacturer of modern Chinese equipment. Their range of modern Soviet engineer equipment is only now being challenged by the other manufacturers. Skytrex's aircraft line probably never will be challenged... if it flew, Skytrex probably makes it. The quality of the models is very variable; redo/reissue does not seem to be a policy here, so some of the older parts of the line are very dated in appearance; most of the line, though, is quite acceptable, and in many instances, is not available from any other manufacturer. With local gamers, Skytrex seems to fill the niche of providing that weird vehicle that you must have to complete your army. Skytrex availability in game shops seems variable; as usual, if a local shop won't carry it, the importer, S & G Simulations, listed below, is quite happy to sell directly to the customer. 7. Viking Forge: This company, a relatively new concern, produces a portion of the ROS line in this country, as well as manufacturing numerous models of their own. The major area of concentration for original models seems to be in the modern era; many of the newer releases are produced solely by Viking Forge. Model quality is variable many of the ROS line are a bit less crisp than the English originals, though Viking Forge's own work shows promise. Viking Forge models' availability is variable; they can be ordered direct from Viking Forge if unavailable at the local game shop. MANUFACTURERS C in C Soft Metal Casting 8090 University Ave. NE Fridley, MN 55432 GHQ 2634 Bryant Ave. So. Minneapolis, MN 55408 PMC Box 1134 Jackson, NJ 08527 Enola Games POB 1900 Brooklyn, NY 11201 SimTac 20 Attawan Rd. Niantic, CT 06357 S&G Simulations 760 N. Indian Rocks Rd. Clearwater, FL 33575 Viking Forge 1727 Theresa Lane Powatan, VA 23139 A fair amount of mixing and matching occurs when building armies, especially in this scale, when a force may include models from several mutually exclusive lines of miniatures. A follow-up article will provide sample armies built using models from the above manufacturers. Back to Table of Contents -- Courier Vol. VII #6 To Courier List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1987 by The Courier Publishing Company. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com