"15/18mm figure basing" Topic

I know this is a wide topic but I need some specific examples. I started by basing 40mm frontage and 15mm depth but, I find this size tips over easily. Is using 40mm frontage and 20mm depth too much? If so how do I eliminate the falling over of figures?

If as a rule your units operate in 2 ranks, why not base your figures as such? 40mm frontage, 30mm depth, 2 ranks.

well I am trying to be flexible for different rulesets. So if I base 2x1 it allows me to arrange for many different rules.

I guess does the depth really matter as long as the frontage stays 40mm? lets say 17-18mm depth instead of 15mm. Most of the rules only discuss frontage, Lasalle does show a depth but says it is not a requirement.

The 20mm wide by 30mm deep is another option. It allows you to play Napoleon's Battles, Shako and Age of Eagles as well. Combining them allows you to do Lasalle and other 40mm wide games.

The other option is to leave them as it and magnetize them. Use a thin sheet of metal underneath to join stands when needed. Paint the metal to match if desired.

I would assume your figures are tipping because they are in firing pose? I have not had the tipping problem with the size bases you are talking about unless up a steep terrain hill….

My plan was at first to base as you have and then paint more figures over time to have the double based stand as in Lasalle. I think I might prefer my solution above with 20X30mm stands though.

The 20mm depth works too by the way….

do what your friends are doing – there is NO basing standard for napoleonics, because there is no common rules set everyone works to.

all you have is the most popular rules basing from when the first big project in your area was done, and everyone has followed that afterwards.

(in our area, its Napoleons Battles little square bases, even though no one plays those rules. it changed to 3 inch squares when some new guys took on Grand Armee, but the two gnags never seem to have merged).

I base on steel. My figures are on just 11mm depth. Steel helps pin the figures down due to this additional weight being low down. Using such a shallow depth does enable me to use a more accurate footprint for columns. Lines are of course far too deep but the visual still looks linear. ( I use single rank basing and play LFS but at 1:33.)

I can then 'bind' multiple bases together into a unit using magnetic material underneath.

@ fredloan,
if you're really putting only two 15mm figures ("2x1") on a 40x15mm base (skirmishers maybe?), then I'd second Timmo's suggestion of using steel for added weight and lowering the centre of gravity.

I can recommend Precision Wargame Supplies in the UK
link
(and no, Ian doesn't give me a rebate for it), but there probably are US suppliers closer to you, as the bases do weigh in for postage…

@ fredloan,
"if you're really putting only two 15mm figures ("2x1") on a 40x15mm base (skirmishers maybe?)"

I am placing figures 2x1 on a 20x15 base then I'll use steel to combine the 20x15 bases.

"I would assume your figures are tipping because they are in firing pose?"
No this is happening even with march attack pose.

I guess I can just special order bases at 20mm frontage and adjust the depth to maybe 17 or 18mm. 20mm seems so deep for 2x1 rank. I could use steel under the base to combine but then you need different ones for column, line, and square at 1:30 ratio

I use Precision Wargame Supplies as well – brilliant stuff. Fredloan, honestly all your problems will be solved if you base the figures on steel and then use magnetic material to bind them together, not the other way around. It's much easier and cheaper to have different bits of magnetic material for line and column than different bits of steel.

French: I get three AB shoulder to shoulder on a 24mm x 11mm. Sub bases for line 48mm x 11 (three per unit) Column two 24mm x 33mm. Can do either one company or two company frontage.

Brits 2 figures on 22mm x 11mm. Then 44mm x 11mm sub bases.

I've been basing my stuff like this for probably 10 years now – it works. Even skirmishers (two figures on 24mm x 11mm) in firing pose with bayonets attached don't tip over.

As Musketier writes you get the C of G down low – problem solved.

ok Timmo,

You sold me on trying. I have some steel like my mdf bases of 20x15. I will compare and try the steel with magnetic binders. I'd like to find some strong magnets.

Timmo, How thick are your steel bases? The ones O had on hand are pencil line thin, not much weight there.

I've never put a micrometer to them but a tad under 1mm I reckon, say 1mm +/– 0.1mm. Bits of tin etc are no good. PWS uses 18 gauge GALVANIZED sheet steel. I agree not a lot of weight but with figures enough. Here are two out of focus AB skirmishing, one firing set at almost 40 degrees on an unsteady, spongey, soft fleece blanket, any more and they'll go. The rule was dead horizontal but my picture not quite. But these are just two figures not a unit underpinned and I don't use slopes of more than about 30 degrees max. I went through all sorts of grief to get what I wanted which was as shallow a depth as I could and preferably 11mm which just worked in the end. I'm also quite careful so perhaps that helps but I'm not sure what slope you are expecting them to stand up on. To be honest something must be not right for figures to keep falling over on 15mm depth bases. I honestly couldn't come up with a better way of doing it for what I wanted. If you went to 15mm depth then they'd be even steadier.

I guess 15mm has to work, they do not tip if I base 4x2 rank on 40mm x 30mm. It also does not help they are on 2mm thick mdf with a magnet underneath.