1:285 scale or 6 mm figure size is a US Army scale introduced in the late 1960s, and used for wargames and some scale model dioramas. It is used in miniature wargaming to depict large battles in a relatively small gaming area.[1] 1:300 scale (5 mm scale) is an almost identical NATO standard scale.
Both figure scales are based on the 1mm = 1ft calculation that reduces the average 1.72m height of a Caucasian male to 5.7mm tall figure. "6mm" is therefore used as a rounded-up reference to the scale.
In 1:285 scale, a typical 20 mm base can mount approximately 3-5 infantry figures; or three strips of four figures in rank-and-file formation.[2]
1:285/1:300 is a popular scale for micro armour games, or modern games emphasizing tanks and other vehicles. Games that use these scales include Battletech, Ogre miniatures[3] and Epic.[4] Other genres, such as medieval fantasy, have been catered to by specialist figure manufacturers such as Irregular Miniatures.[5]