28 mm, 32 mm and heroic scale
"28 mm" is a figure height, not a ratio. Turning it into a ratio needs two assumptions: how tall the person is, and where the figure is measured from and to. Different makers assume different things, which is why you'll see 1:56, 1:60 and 1:64 all quoted for the same figures.
Work out the ratio your figures imply
Eye level is taken as about 93.5% of standing height. That's an illustrative anthropometric approximation, not a standard, and it varies between people. If your figures are measured to the top of the head, choose that option and no adjustment is applied.
Why makers' numbers disagree
- The measuring convention differs. Some measure sole to eye, some sole to top of head, and some include the base.
- The reference person differs. A 1.7 m person and a 1.9 m person give ratios about 12% apart for the same figure.
- Scale creep. Figure ranges have tended to get taller over the decades, so older and newer "28 mm" figures can differ visibly.
What "heroic" means
Heroic is a style, not a size. Heads, hands, weapons and feet are sculpted larger than true proportion so they read clearly at arm's length on a table and are easier to paint. That causes two practical problems:
- A true-scale doorway or vehicle hatch can be too small for a heroic figure even when the figure's height matches. Many terrain builders deliberately make doors and interior spaces larger than the strict ratio calls for.
- Figure height alone underestimates how big a heroic figure looks, which is one reason some players prefer vehicles a size larger, such as 1:48 instead of 1:56.
Common wargaming sizes as a guide
Using an 1,800 mm person measured to eye level (about 1,683 mm), and only as a rough guide: 15 mm → about 1:112, 20 mm → about 1:84, 28 mm → about 1:60, 32 mm → about 1:53. Change the assumption and the answers move, which is the point.