Miniature Scale Converter
Convert any miniature scale (1:56, 1:72, and more) to figure height in mm, or the other way around.
Based on a 1.8 m (6 ft) reference human. Real figures vary a bit with pose and sculpt, so use this as a starting point rather than an exact match.
| Scale | Height | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 1:120 | 15 mm | 15 mm gaming |
| 1:100 | 18 mm | 18 mm / smaller wargames |
| 1:72 | 25 mm | 25 mm historicals |
| ▸ 1:56 | 32.1 mm | 28-32 mm, the tabletop standard |
| 1:48 | 37.5 mm | 38 mm+ large display |
How it works
A miniature's scale is written as a ratio, like 1:56, meaning the model is 1/56th the size of the real thing it represents. The calculator uses a 1.8 m (6 ft) tall human as the reference figure, so a 1:56 scale mini works out to 1800 mm divided by 56, which is 32.1 mm tall measured from the sole of the foot to the top of the head. Enter a scale and it gives you the height, or enter a height and it works backward to the nearest whole scale.
Worked example: you've got a box of 28mm historicals and want to know what scale that actually is. Enter 28 mm under "figure height → scale" and the calculator rounds 1800 divided by 28 to 1:64, close enough to the 1:56 line that most 25-28mm historical ranges are sold under. Flip it the other way and enter 1:72, a common historical wargaming scale, and you get 25 mm, matching the "25 mm historicals" label in the table below.
The table highlights whichever common scale sits closest to your current result, so you can see at a glance whether a mini is a small 15 mm gaming piece, a 28-32 mm tabletop standard figure, or a large 38 mm+ display piece.
FAQ
Why do my "28 mm heroic" minis look taller than 28 mm?
Heroic scale bumps up the proportions on purpose. The 28 mm measurement is usually taken to eye level rather than the top of the head, and heroic sculpts give the hands, heads, and weapons extra size so the details read clearly on a tabletop from a few feet away. Measure to eye level rather than the crown of the head if you want a number that matches the box art's claim.
What is scale creep?
Scale creep is when a game line's miniatures slowly grow larger over successive releases without the stated scale ever changing on the label. A model sold as 28 mm in an older wave can end up noticeably shorter than a 28 mm figure from a newer wave in the same range, since sculptors lean toward bigger, more heroic proportions over time.
Why does basing height matter when I mix miniature ranges?
A true-scale figure and a heroic figure of the "same" scale can differ by several millimeters in height, and that gap gets worse if one range sits on a thicker base. Matching base heights, or at least being consistent within a single unit or army, keeps everyone's eyeline even on the table even when the sculpts themselves don't perfectly agree on scale.
Does this work for vehicles and terrain too?
The ratio math is the same, but the reference height only applies to human figures. For vehicles and terrain, compare a real measurement (like a door height or wheel diameter) to the stated scale instead of using this calculator's figure-height shortcut.
For more on how figure size plays into painting choices, see choosing your first miniature to paint, tabletop standard vs. display quality, and how to base a miniature.