How Are Toy Soldiers Made?
Over the years, companies have produced plastic, wood, and metal toy soldiers. One of the most common styles is army men, the inexpensive, unpainted, molded plastic mini figures. Composition soldiers consist of a combination of sawdust and glue. Dimestore toys are cast in iron. Hollowcast toys are formed using a molding method that uses a lead alloy and results in a hollow figure. There are even paper soldiers, which are printed images mounted on wooden blocks. Modern collectible soldiers are cast metal and painted by hand to a high standard for display purposes.
What Are The Scale Sizes For Toy Soldiers?
One of the most common toy soldier scales is 1:32, popularized by the British toymaker W. Britain. American dimestore figures, sold individually at five and dime stores from the 1920s to the 1950s, are slightly larger, at 1:24 scale. For wargamers and roleplayers, model sizes range from 20 mm (0.78 inch) to 35 mm (1.37 inch); however, it is sometimes difficult to judge the size based on the advertised scale, as different companies use different measuring methods. For example, some companies measure height from feet to eyes, rather than from feet to the top of the head. ""Heroic scale"" is a term used by gamers to describe miniatures designed for 28 mm (1.1 inch) scale, but which are larger than 28 mm and represent important figures such as heroes.
What Games Can You Play With Toy Soldiers?
Besides imaginative games, many companies produce war games and roleplaying games that allow people to use toy soldiers within a framework of rules to have epic adventures or large-scale wars on the living room floor. The idea of using toy soldiers in games dates back to 1913, when H.G. Wells published "Little Wars", a set of guidelines for playing war games. This book is the forerunner of modern wargaming.