"6mm basing dilemma" Topic

I need to make a decision soon on how to base my 6mm napoleonics.

I had originally planned to do the "standard" 60x30 because I think these look good and play to the strengths of the scale. On the other hand there are only a few rules that I know of that really support this basing style:

Polemos (my club has given up on it)
Grand Armee (using 2 bases)
V&B (using 2 bases)
Snappy Nappy (using 2 bases)

All of these, with the exception of Polemos GdD are brigade based games, and someone at the club already has a vast number of 60x60 squares based up so I was thinking of doing something different that would support smaller battles.

Do any other rulesets work well with 60x30mm basing that I've missed?

Are there any alternatives? I am also thinking about 40x20.

I'd welcome any insights on this perennial question.

All my 6mm Napoleonics are based on 20x20. That way I can make units of 2 bases, 4 bases etc. to suit whatever rules I want to use. I even have a set of rules where one of those 20x20 bases represents a battalion!

Any DBx derivative can use 60x30 or 40x20. Drums and Shakos Large Battles can use those base sizes, as can any other rules that use Base Widths as the unit of measure. The problem, I think you will find, is that these rules expect different numbers of stands to represent a unit.

So, it is more about what you are trying to represent. Is a unit supposed to be a battalion, regiment, brigade, what? Do you want to show formations (and thus require more than one base per unit)?

I went with 3" by 1.5" for awhile (a little more room than 60x30, and thus the figures where not getting bent by picking up bases that had wall-to-wall figures, which happens with 60x30 and standard Baccus unit sizes), with one base per battalion. I did not want to show formations and used the base size to represent the battalion area of operations.

Lately I have been dabbling with rules that want to model battalions as multi-stand units, so I have re-based some on 40x20 with two bases per unit. For Baccus, that is not a convenient basing scheme as their infantry strips are about 20mm wide by 5mm deep, with six strips per unit. Two 40x20 bases is eight strips, so I end up with some units without command stands, which is okay, and I tend to have spare strips until my purchases align on numbers divisible by six and eight.

At this scale, I think I like the "single base as unit" better. You can make dioramic bases, which really looks good. Some people don't like the effect of having one base has on rules though. That is why you should buy MORE 6mm in order to have more than one basing scheme!

If you base on 20x20mm steel bases, it is very easy to cut sheet magnet and re-base for every game. So go 60x60 when playing with your friend, 60x30 for Polemos, or use the individual bases for General de brigade.

I use 4 figures on 10x10 but then each of these bases is a 1:60 figure as I use Empire V which is based on size of unit not specific number of bases as such.

Thanks guys. As I said I like the look of Polemos basing far more than the actual game. Another downside of 60x30 is that if you try and "zoom in" to play anything with multiple bases per unit you end up with quite a large footprint, and need a bigger playing area defeating some of the point of 6mm.

I think I might be leaning towards 40x20 with a couple of 20x20 made up to mix in as well if circumstances require…

20X20 for sure. You can build anything you want almost from this size. Sabot magnetic stands help too.

I use 40x20. Two bases for an infantry battalion and one base for a cavalry squadron.

An artillery battery is represented by two 40x40 bases, one with two guns and crews the other with two limbers and teams.

I find I can make this basing scheme fit most rules….

You can show all napoleonic formations with two 60*30mm bases.

You can always play one big base is 2 or 3 smaller bases for other rulesets, that use smaller bases. If they have base removal use casualty markers.

So why not use the base size you like?

i do use two 30x40 bases to a regiment, 18 fog+2 skirm each base. I have some space to handle the bases.
i have 4-6 bases for a brigade and around 8-12 for a division.

(I can also change into anothe scale, 2 bases=one batallon, 4 bases a regiment and 8-12 bases a brigade…)

Cavalry two 30x30 bases the regiment, 4 bases a brigade

Some infantry link

and cavalry

link

link

As you say 60x30 is the "standard" base size and looks great. Most rule sets will work with this base size as is and some simply require some minor adjustments. Changing your base size will put you out of the mainstream and make it difficult to find fellow players or sell your bases. Not to mention take a lot of time and effort.

I think making the rules fit your basing is a much better idea then changing your basing to fit the rules.

Was there any particular reason that your club gave up on Polemos?

You can make 60x30 work with most rules, Black Powcer and FOG Nap included just need casualty markers.

Big bases do allow you to make some nice dioramas

I based my on 75mm square bases for Grand Armee and they look great IMHO

Cheers
Kieran