I wanted an 18-foot dragon for my tabletop army, and I wanted it to tower over my infantry the way it should — not look like a slightly annoyed lizard. The problem was nobody had given me a “how big is an 18-foot dragon in 32mm scale” chart, so I sat down at my workbench with a calculator and worked it out. This is what I did to get the numbers.
Here is the formula I ended up with:
(real_height_inches × 32) ÷ 63 = height_in_mmSo for my 18-foot monster (216 inches):
(216 × 32) ÷ 63 = 110mmMy 18-foot dragon stands approximately 110mm tall — about the height of a soda can. I printed it, set it next to a can of soda on my desk, and the proportions were spot on. That’s the moment the formula earned my trust.
Why 63?
The number 63 is the conversion constant that maps real-world inches to tabletop millimetres. It comes from the 175cm human baseline this site uses for every conversion:
- 32mm scale means a human’s eyes — at 160cm on a 175cm figure — sit 32mm above the base.
- So at 32mm scale, 160cm of real height is represented by 32mm. The scale factor is 32 ÷ 1600 = 0.02, or 20mm per real metre.
- 160cm is 63 inches (25.4mm per inch), which is why the inch version of the same formula reads (inches × 32) ÷ 63 = mm.
For practical use, just remember: (real inches × 32) ÷ 63 = mm on the tabletop at 32mm scale.
Quick Reference Chart
All values below are at 32mm scale, calculated with the formula above. These are the numbers I keep taped to the wall above my printer:
| Real Object | Height | In 32mm Scale |
|---|---|---|
| Goblin / Halfling | 4 ft | 24mm |
| Average Human | 5’9“ | 35mm |
| Power-armoured soldier (heroic) | ~7 ft | 43mm |
| Horse (to shoulder) | 5 ft | 30mm |
| Horse (to head) | 8 ft | 49mm |
| Ogre / Troll | 10 ft | 61mm |
| Giant | 14 ft | 85mm |
| Dragon (to shoulder) | 18 ft | 110mm |
| Dragon (total height) | 24 ft | 146mm |
| Barn / Shed | 12 ft | 73mm |
| Two-story building | 20 ft | 122mm |
| Church tower | 60 ft | 366mm |
Notice the average human works out to about 35mm tall — that is correct. At 32mm scale the eyes are at 32mm, so the full figure (skull and hair included) stands closer to 35mm. It matches the top-of-head values used in the reference library, and it’s what my PARKSIDE calipers read on a printed human every single time.
Converting Any Scale
The formula works for any miniature scale. For gaming scales (eye level) swap the middle number; for ratio scales divide directly by the ratio:
| Scale | Formula |
|---|---|
| 28mm true | (inches × 28) ÷ 63 |
| 32mm heroic | (inches × 32) ÷ 63 |
| 35mm (sci-fi mass-battle game) | (inches × 35) ÷ 63 |
| 1:56 | (inches ÷ 56) × 25.4 — or just (inches × 0.454) |
| 1:48 | (inches ÷ 48) × 25.4 — or (inches × 0.529) |
For 28mm scale, the same 18-foot monster becomes:
(216 × 28) ÷ 63 = 96mmNotice 28mm and 1:56 come out almost identical (96mm vs 98mm). That is no accident — 28mm eye level maps to roughly 1:56 top of head on the 175cm baseline, which is exactly why 28mm WWII platoon wargames treat the two as the same thing.
Prefer 28mm Scale?
Everything in this guide is worked out at 32mm scale because that is the modern heroic standard — the modern sci-fi epic wargame, the modern fantasy wargame (32mm heroic), and most current skirmish games. A big chunk of the hobby still runs on true 28mm though: the classic fantasy RPG, 28mm WWII platoon wargames, historical wargaming, and a lot of older sculpt ranges. The math is identical — you just swap the scale number in the formula:
(real_height_inches × 28) ÷ 63 = height_in_mmRun the same 18-foot dragon through it and it comes out at 96mm instead of 110mm. And because 28mm eye level maps to roughly 1:56 top of head, everything in this guide converts to 28mm WWII platoon wargame vehicles and terrain without re-rolling the numbers.
I built a dedicated 28mm scale guide with a full set of 28mm charts for humans, monsters, vehicles, and terrain — same formula, 28mm-specific numbers, and how to mix 28mm and 32mm armies on one table. For quick 32mm work, the “Converting Any Scale” table above has everything you need.
Why the 175cm Baseline Matters
Gaming scales like 28mm and 32mm are measured to the eye (160cm on a 175cm human), not the top of the head. If your game system uses a different baseline — some older games measure against a 6-foot human — the monster will come out slightly different.
STLACCESS uses the 175cm baseline for all conversions. You can read more about why that number was chosen and how it affects every percentage in the reference library.
Terrain and Buildings
Terrain is easier to scale than creatures because you don’t need to account for heroic proportions. A 20-foot building wall at 32mm scale:
(240 × 32) ÷ 63 = 122mmPrint a wall that is 122mm tall and place a 32mm miniature next to it — the proportions match a 20-foot wall in real life. I built my entire table’s ruined walls from this exact calculation, and they finally stopped looking like dollhouse furniture next to my minis.
To convert any real measurement to miniature millimetres on the fly, plug the numbers into the STL scale engine — it handles real-world heights and tabletop scales the same way.
Quick Answers
How do I convert a real-world height into 32mm miniature scale?
Use the formula (real height in inches x 32) divided by 63 = height in mm. An 18-foot dragon (216 inches) works out to approximately 110mm — about the height of a soda can. That's the number I printed and measured myself.
How tall should an average human be at 32mm scale?
About 35mm. At 32mm scale the eyes sit at 32mm on a 175cm human, so the full figure including the skull and hair stands closer to 35mm. My PARKSIDE caliper checks confirm this every time.
Why is 28mm scale the same as 1:56 scale?
A 28mm eye-level measurement maps to roughly 1:56 top-of-head on the same 175cm baseline, which is why 28mm WWII platoon wargames treat the two as equivalent. I use 1:48 tanks with my 28mm infantry for the same reason.
How do I scale terrain to match my miniatures?
Apply the same formula: a 20-foot building wall (240 inches) at 32mm scale is 122mm tall. Terrain needs no heroic-proportion adjustment, so the math is direct. My board's buildings are all built this way.