"Clear bases for my vehicles?" Topic

I have a lot of 1/285 vehicles and a thought occurred to me. When gaming, nothing irritates me more than seeing a vehicle on a green flocked base traveling down a gray or brown road. Seems to me I could mount my vehicles on thin, clear bases and then they'd be good to go on any terrain. I can easily get glue that doesn't fog clear plastic. The only drawbacks I see are 1) No matter how thin the base, the vehicle will still seem to be "floating" just above the surface and 2) I'd have to cut all the infantry loose from their own integral bases and they'd be glued to the clear base only by their tiny feet. Seems none too sturdy.

Has anyone tried this? If so, I'd love to hear your opinions/experience. Thanks!!

Tried it. Hated it. Nothing irritates me more than seeing a vehicle standing on a shiny clear plastic base.

Search the archives a bit, as there are some threads about this. As I recall, while it sounds like a good idea, the consensus of those who've tried it is that clear bases actually are MORE intrusive then the wrong color flock.

The only thing clear bases seem to work for are aircraft stands.

Looks bad in my opinion.
You get reflections, fingerprints, scratches and bits of loose flock on the clear base making it stand out more than a regular base.
I put a fair bit of mud/dirt/soil on my vehicle bases, mud gets everywhere, roads, fields, tracks, camps, etc.
Plus my bases are not that much bigger than my vehicles:

I love bases on vehicles (6mm to 15mm) but I'd do without before I used clear plastic. As said above they are incredibly intrusive and don't blend in with anything.

A shot of Dullcoat should cure the shiny problem, no?

I tried this and I didn't like it. Test out one or 2 vehicles and see what YOU think about it as it is YOUR army.

I see no need to base tracked or 4-wheel vehicles at all, since they are stable on their own. I did put a clear plastic base under a 2-wheeled motorcycle and it worked at least as well as a colored base would. As for putting clear bases under men, if you use super/krazy glue they should be stable enough, but cutting away the metal or plastic bases they were molded with would be a lot of work!

I see no need to base tracked or 4-wheel vehicles at all, since they are stable on their own.

I think they should be based for the following reason but am aware many do not base.

In this scale when troops are on a 2mm thick base not basing vehicles can result in 'people' standing taller than a tank.
So by basing vehicles you increase their height by the same thickness as the infantry have been increased and maintain the illusion of scale / same heightness.

Not basing just makes vehicles look less tall than they should be to me.

I've based infantry on clear plastic, dullcoat takes the shine off. I tend not to base vehicles unless it is to protect the vehicle somehow, or would make the vehicle easier to handle….although I haven't based my jeeps.

I get the feeling that it's a personal preference, kind of like do you source 1/285 models from different manufacturers?

I probably would have based my 1/285 scale models, except our "go to modeller" in the club disapproves. I remember when slotta bases came out, I hated them, figures dragging a foot of soil underneath them, spent a lot of time and effort trying to convert the models. Now I'm over it and deal with the figures the best I can.

"I've based infantry on clear plastic, dullcoat takes the shine off"

Paint and varnish the mini on a temporary base then glue it to the clear one. That's what I do.

I've tried hovercraft on clear bases, one problem is that the clear bases slide down slopes!

Wouldn't any base, regardless of material, slide down a slope? Even a magnetic "sticker" on the bottom of the base is fairly slick.

Tried it many years ago and found out why few people do it! Vehicles look like entrants for AFV's on ice! Card bases grip best on slopes, especially if roughened.

I use clear bases for 25-28mm figures. I paint the molded base black (justify it as the figure's shadow -- they're small, so they don't bother me, personally), and I wait to matte coat the figure until it is mounted on the clear plastic. The matte clear coat gives the clear plastic a frosted appearance, which, when placed on top of terrain, will show the underlying surface rather well. It is not perfect, but it sure looks better than men standing in the midst of turf, rocks, whatever, while standing on a parapet, stone bridge, wooden drawbridge, or any other surface.

Bottom line is to experiment, and see what you like. If you like the appearance, then full speed ahead! If not, look elsewhere, for an alternative, or get used to disappointment. Cheers!

David,

I use non-glare acrylic sheets to mount our ironclads on and it works great. A 12" x12" sheet of non-glare acrylic plastic is $1.99 USD at Home Depot or Loewe's. To cut it score it with a sharp hobby blade and then snap.

And a Very Merry Christmas to all!

Dave

I forgot to mention that the motorcycle I based was 1/76-20mm scale. A British scout/courier. It won't stand up on its on.

Fourth photo down:
link

StoneMtnMinis: I'll be giving you some of my Christmas money shortly….

I've never based any of my armor. Never saw the need.