As I wrote above the Reviresco web site was new to me and I placed an order telling John McEwan that I was going to review them in the Heliograph. I ordered a bunch of figures for use in my Victorian Sci Fi and received my order in eight days. I thought it was all quite reasonable. Since then I have had an exchange with John over his scaling. I believe that there is a bigger figure difference here than John McEwan thinks, particularly in scaled down weapons and equipment. But that is for you to decide. I know a lot of you game with Mini Figs, Frontier and Ral Partha and other standard 25mm manufacturers and these from Reviresco will fit in with them very nicely. His advertisement says 28mm and 25mm figures. To me that is not what they are and our email exchange follows:

I received the order in good order, thank you. I should note however, what appears to me to be a mistake in your scaling.

Most manufacturers measure their figures from the bottom of the figures feet to the eye, it's called the Barrett scale. So that a 25 mm figure is actually from top of head to bottom of foot closer to 28 mm.

25mm and 1/72 scale are not the same. 1/72 is 22mm. Your 28mm figures match quite nicely with Mini Figs and Ral Partha 25mm, but in no way match either Old Glory, Foundry, Essex, or Dixon 28mm figures.

Someone, like me, expecting their newly purchased and advertised 28mm figures to match their other new 28mm figures from other manufacturers is in for quite a shock. Of the nearly 100 figures I got from you only about four came close to a 28mm figure.

I offer the unasked for opinion that you might want to change your scaling in advertising to the Barrett measurement or otherwise state that you measure from the bottom of the figure base to the top on the head/headgear.

This is not to detract from the figures themselves, I think the figures you offer, scaling aside, are very nice and plan to say so in the review, but will also mention the scaling problem. The Nemo, and other divers are really outstanding as is the Martian tripod. These will garner some well deserved attention. With Ral Partha figures available again these figures of your will fit in very nicely. Unfortunately, they do not fit in with the advertised 28mm scale figures available elsewhere.

Reply

from John McEwan

Argh! You have hit my hot button!

Using the old American linear measurements:

1/1200: 1" = 100' (This is the scale in many naval wargames)
1/600: 1" = 50' (This is the scale in Soldier's Companion)
1/300: 1" = 25' (1mm = 1')
1/144: 1" = 12'
1/120: 1" = 10'
1/90: 1" = 7' 6"
1/72: 1" = 6'
1/60: 1" = 5'
1/48: 1" = 4'
1/35: 1" = 2' 11"

If your average figure is 6'(c. 180cm) tall in real life (a handy benchmark, at least for me), then since 25mm is roughly 1", 25mm equals 1/72.

20mm figures becomes 1/90th scale, or roughly HO scale.

15mm is 1/120th scale, and 6mm is roughly 1/300th scale.

The "so called" Barrett scale is nothing more than an excuse for false advertising, to cover "scale creep". Many figures today advertised as 28mms are in fact 30mms. When you go to the doctor, does he measure your height from your eyeballs? I think not! Get 'yer f***in' finger out o' me eye! Do we measure the height of a tank from its gun muzzle. Hardly! Why measure figures from the eyeball, when we measure nothing else that way? I came into Wargaming through model railroading. Those folks are uptight about scale. Wargamers can afford to be a little more relaxed. I refer you to Ian Croxal's dissertation on wargame figure scale you can find it at http://www.warflag.com/wargame/wargame.htm

I went back in my files and looked up your order. I wondered at the time why you bought both 25mm and 28mm figures. If you wish to trade the 25mm brits for 28mm brits in pith helmets I would be happy to make the trade.

As far as the rest of the stuff all the RPG items are 28mm figures or roughly 1/64th scale. They measure 1.1 inches overall which is the height of most of the older Foundry figures. I just hauled out some of the newer Foundry DARKEST AFRICA figures. Some of these measure up to 1.25 inches high. So it appears that they are afflicted with scale creep in their own lines. In 1/72nd scale that would equal a man 7.5 feet tall. Still within the range of human size. I know a Washington State Patrolman who is 7' 6". How would you like him to pull you over for speeding? In 1/64th scale 1.25 inches would be a man 6' 6". I know lots of folks that big. I have two sons that tall. If you go with 1/64 scale as your standard then a 1 inch tall figure would measure out at 5' 4" tall. I know several people that size or smaller also.

Along this line of reasoning. My KAR figures are 28mm tall. If you take the largest of the foundry figures at 30mm overall height as the size of a 6 foot man then a 28mm figure would be 5 foot 7 inches. Still well within the standards for human height. Especially considering the fact that the average British Soldier during WWI was only 5' 6". Opps! My keyboard is smoking! I guess I went off again.

Agree to Disagree

from Richard Brooks

I hope we can at least agree to disagree. I see your point to a point. I can agree about measuring to the eyes. I still would not measure a man from his feet to the top of his helmet and say he was then six foot. But I do see scale creep with the larger figures. And I have no problem mixing sizes.

I hope you will allow me to use what you wrote as a rebuttal and final word.

As to the exchange, yeah OK.

The Review

As you can see by the ad, next page, and the figure scans that Reviresco has some nice figures that I plan to use regardless of scale, they will just be shorter people. My favorite figures are the Captain Nemo divers and the Deep Sea Divers with their air pumps and surface command--very cool. These will definitely be part of my Vic Sci Fi World.

I also received some troops that John sent along with my order for review. They include German Schutztruppen Mixed Officers, KAR Machine Gun Team and 12lb quick fire. There is a very nice selection of German Colonial troops but no native enemies. Of course you could just stick to WWI action with the Brits and Kings African Rifles. For native opponents look to Ral Partha or others of the standard 25mm scale figures.

The overall design quality of the figures reminds me of the production quality of Old Glory -- nice. Animation is lacking in some figures but overwhelmingly great in many others. However, most of those that lack animation can be posed and animated to your own liking. Which I find useful.

Sorry about the print, somehow after the copier started the labels moved?

I really like the attached ad and when I get further along in my Vic Sci Fi World gaming I may ad one or two Martian Tripods.

Gunboats Set 708, 12lb Quick firing gun ($5.00): Assembly is required, but the color photo on the package indicates how the pieces go together. Other than a lack of rivets on the optional gun shield this is a very nice scaled model. This set free for postage. Gunboats Set 709, Bridge Set($5.00): Comes with wheel and housing, binnacle (compass thingy), searchlight and speed control thing (sorry I don't know the technical nautical terms). The color photo on the package gives an idea for painting and assembly is required for all pieces but the binnacle. This set is a must for anyone modeling a steamer or gunboat, should fit with any 25 to 30mm figures. This set free for postage.

German Schutztruppe Mixed Officers ($5.00): True 25mm scale, not 28 as advertised. All are in pith helmets except the Askari standard bearer. In all my research on the German colonial uniforms in Africa I have not to my memory seen any German in one of these oversized pith helmets. The British Officers in the King's African Rifles wore this style. The rest of the uniform looks pretty good. The one officer not firing a rifle has open hands to accept a rifle, but no pistol only a rifle. Too bad the Germans are in the wrong pith helmet and three of the four are firing rifles. Not only will you have to trim flash but the helmets to make them correct. This set free for postage.

British East Africa King's African Rifles (28mm, 30 figures for $25.00): These are true 25mm figures. I have a sample of the bag shown in the scan. While the KAR have no neck cloths the remainder of the uniform looks good. Some of the men have pose able arms and open hands to receive weapons. The bag contained one officer. This set free for postage. KAR Machine Gun Team ($4.00): assembly required, attached the arm in most any position, very nice set. This set free for postage.

Captain Nemo Fantasy Divers Set 1 ($5.00) 28mm: Four of the five figures have the same helmet, two carry guns, while the other three have open hands for the air gun. All very nice.

Captain Nemo Fantasy Divers Set 2 ($5.00) 28mm: Each of the five divers comes with a separate helmet and there is some variety in the helmets. As you can see there are a variety of weapons and tools for the open hands of the figures. All the arms are pose able. I really like these figures even if there are true 25s they will still go with my Vic Sci Fi games.

Sailors and Nautical Types Set 610 ($5.00): Five figures all are different sizes and shapes wearing different clothes, figures are not well animated, but are pose able. Great figures for any steamboat crew. This set free for postage.

Deep Sea Divers and Dive Crew ($10.00): Some assembly required. 28mm figures that are closer to true 25s but with lots of height variety. Seven figures--1 in full suit, 1 sitting in suit without helmet, 1 standing in suit without helmet, 2 manning air pump, one holding helmet, and 1 with radio head set. WOW, Very nice!

Safari Set, Set 616: Two men, three women--one is mounted. The hats on two women make them look pretty ridiculous, (sorry ladies I have seen you try wearing men's hats and most cannot wear them without pushing them back on your heads to allow your hairdo to show and not be mussed) so this is not the fault, I think, of the manufacturer. Overall the figures do not show much animation. The pith helmet on one woman looks pretty odd, but they are useful for the more modern Victorian woman on safari in trousers. This set free for postage.