The soldier figure is 1/18, the sailor about 1/32. Side by side, the size difference is conspicuous.
Placing the sailor in front of the soldier further reveals the glaring difference in size.
Placing the sailor several inches behind the soldier creates an illusion of perspective and distance.
We again see the size difference exaggerated.
By placing the sailor to the rear and the side increases the feelings of depth and causes a better forced perspective. The soldier need not be place as far behind the soldier when there is lateral distance. Figures work better to force perspective when you combine rearward and lateral positioning.
As you can see, our conductor is too big for the station.
Placing him to the front and side helps create an illusion of distance and perspective.
Moving him further forward works better. To a viewer, he seems more in place with the smaller-scale building. Use distance to create the illusion of perspective whenever you place two differently-scales pieces in the same scene.