Leadjunky | 02 Jul 2014 2:24 p.m. PST |
I haven't played ancients in years and what little I have finished was based singly for WAB (28s). Don't know what all the cool kids are playing but wanted to base so as to play as many as possible. Want multiple fig bases but don't want to cram them on DBA sized bases. What would be the mos usable configuration for today's more popular rules? Thanks. |
ancientsgamer | 02 Jul 2014 2:34 p.m. PST |
DBA style is the most common in use.. :-) Generally, people would base on 80mm wide bases to accommodate 28mm large figures. Depth, I am not sure of but most rules allow deeper bases to accommodate the figures. You will find that this conforms to the WAB 20mm square type individual bases quite nicely for close order foot :-)
DBX type rules were written with 25mm figures in mind and smaller 25mm figures at that. Modern 28mm figures are essentially beefy 30mm sized figures. |
passiveaggressive | 02 Jul 2014 2:59 p.m. PST |
Base them in fours on 40x40mm stands. That will work for pretty much anything. |
Zargon | 02 Jul 2014 4:20 p.m. PST |
Have a look at Impetus basing, a lot of the newer game systems for Ancients/Medievals don't do individual figure removal but use fatigue/moral and the actual fighting footprint and not the amount of figures is emphasised. Cheers |
TKindred | 02 Jul 2014 4:40 p.m. PST |
I am basing all of my ancients now for Impetus/Dux Bellorum. The bases are 120mm wide by whatever you like. More or less. If you go with the 40mm X 40mm squares, you can just slide 3 side by side to play Impetus, Dux Bellorum or some similar systems, as well as most ancients rules sets. |
Tarantella | 02 Jul 2014 4:56 p.m. PST |
Rather than rebasing I would suggest generously sized movement trays home made or custom bought. 60mm frontage basing is mean for the larger 28's in anything other than a standing bolt upright, weapon vertical pose so I'd recommend 80mm minimum frontage which would also allow 3 figures to a base for cavalry. |
MH Dee | 02 Jul 2014 5:17 p.m. PST |
I'm basing 40mmx40mm for 28s, with 4 or so in each unit on 20mmx20mm for casualties, in case I use something like WAB or Clash of Empires that use single figure removal. I sort of like the aesthetics of the 4 figs on 40mmx40mm. All my 15mm stuff is on DBM standard though. |
sillypoint | 02 Jul 2014 6:02 p.m. PST |
Research your local area- do you play tornament games? |
RelliK | 02 Jul 2014 6:15 p.m. PST |
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Leadjunky | 02 Jul 2014 6:24 p.m. PST |
Thanks for the suggestions. No touneys ever and will probably field both sides but would like to combine with others for possible big con games. |
elsyrsyn | 02 Jul 2014 6:49 p.m. PST |
Sheet metal bases and flexible magnet (like the fridge magnet ads for ambulance chasers that clutter the covers of phone books) under-base "movement trays" seem to me to be the most versatile solution. Doug |
Marshal Mark | 03 Jul 2014 3:48 a.m. PST |
If you base individually it is flexible and you can use movement trays or sabot bases for element or unit based games. There are examples of individually based figures, bith round and square, on sabot bases in a game report I wrote last week here: TMP link The downside is that they are in a little bit looser order than would be ideal IMO. I'd prefer 12 infantry figures making up a 120mm frontage unit rather than 8. If you base on 40mm by 40mm bases per the suggestions above, you will find it difficult to get cavalry based on matching frontages. |
Dexter Ward | 03 Jul 2014 6:20 a.m. PST |
If you want to play with others, you need to use 60mm frontages. I've never found sabots very good for individual figures; they tend to come off when you least expect it. Remember you don't need to fit 4 figures on; number of figures is only an aide-memoire anyway. You can always base less (same with mounted, you could have 2 heavies or 1 light on a base) If you are supplying both side, do whatever pleases you. |
Leadjunky | 03 Jul 2014 7:08 a.m. PST |
Yeah I see what you mean. The individual sabots do look a little loose order on the base. They do allow for skirmish rules though. I like the idea of 3 on 60mm but am a little worried about basing the cavalry. May give it a try and add depth to the cav base. |
madaxeman | 03 Jul 2014 7:38 a.m. PST |
The "DBx" default for 25-8mm is 60mm wide, so if you multi-base and want to bel flexible on rules, thats probably the best bet. It works for DBx, FOG, Impetus (2 oor 4 bases together and (sort of) Hail Caesar, which covers most non-single figure rulesets out there Depth is less important in pretty much all rulesets, but usually around 30mm for foot and 40-50mm for mounted. |
Ashurman | 03 Jul 2014 10:25 a.m. PST |
Lately, with 28mm I've found that the standard ex-WRG/DBx 20mm depth for close ordered foot (4 to a base) is at the boundaries of physically fitting many figures
the 60mm width is tight but usually doable. The 30mm depth for looser formation troops generally gives plenty of room (but not always). I long ago went to 45mm depth for cavalry
even with many of the 25-28mm transitional period figures or smaller 28's the horses would just hang over, leading to difficulties on the table and more figure damage. 3 on a base generally works for "ordered" cavalry in width, but in 28mm any 4 figure per base cavalry types (cataphracts) generally need to be offset in depth to fit
leading to 60x60 stands. That said, these sizes do match more rules than any others
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BigRedBat | 03 Jul 2014 10:44 a.m. PST |
I use the WRG system, but, like Ashurman, usually with increased depths (infantry 25mm or 30mm, cavalry 60mm). Impetus bases look great to me, although sometimes a little sparse. OTOH I've always felt that sabot's are the Devil's Work. ;-) |
Marshal Mark | 03 Jul 2014 3:49 p.m. PST |
Lately, with 28mm I've found that the standard ex-WRG/DBx 20mm depth for close ordered foot (4 to a base)
. But why try to fit four figures on ? Three figures on a 60mm frontage looks fine for close order foot, and you can fit them on comfortably. |
Henry Martini | 03 Jul 2014 6:22 p.m. PST |
I don't know that conforming to DBX standards is all that relevant anymore for 28mm. My impression is that DBX and FoG are mostly played in 15mm, with 28mm used for everything else. At the moment I'm working on 28mm Picts for Dux Bellorum, and my group has opted for 10cm by 5cm bases with eight figures per base. It just happens that my assorted plastic purchases have left me with 24 50mm square bases. That's enough for twelve DB units: four warrior or two skirmisher infantry arranged irregularly, or two rider or one skirmisher cavalry figures per base. This also works for WAB (Picts being light troops), and Impetus, should we decide to expand into the continental wars of the late Roman Empire at some point. Unlike my friends, for shieldwall units I'll be using up my stock of 60mm X 40mm and 40mm square bases to make ten figure units, with one of each size per unit. They'll look more convincingly closely deployed, and will work for the 20mm square per figure required for WAB. Also, having each unit on two smaller bases rather than one large one should make it easier for them to conform to terrain; no see-sawing on top of hills or levitating above depressions. And I have enough figures to base a few individually for WAB casualties. |
Dexter Ward | 04 Jul 2014 2:09 a.m. PST |
Henry Martini wrote: I don't know that conforming to DBX standards is all that relevant anymore for 28mm. My impression is that DBX and FoG are mostly played in 15mm, with 28mm used for everything else. ------------- I play DBx and FoG with 28mm figures, and it seems quite a few others do as well. |
BigRedBat | 04 Jul 2014 2:23 a.m. PST |
Henry Martini wrote: I don't know that conforming to DBX standards is all that relevant anymore for 28mm. My impression is that DBX and FoG are mostly played in 15mm, with 28mm used for everything else. _____________
I have 5000 28mm figures based to the DBx standard, and I know at least one person with more than that! I've not played WRG rules for some years, but DBx is a convenient basing standard. The 15mm frontage gives an excellent impression of close order foot, especially pikemen, who IMHO don't look as good on 20mm per mini frontage.
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Tarantella | 04 Jul 2014 4:47 a.m. PST |
Those Foundry pike men would look equally fine 5 figures to an 80mm frontage but as mentioned previously regular foot posing with vertically held weapons are not the problem. |
BigRedBat | 04 Jul 2014 7:42 a.m. PST |
It's a subjective thing; 5 figures to an 80mm frontage wouldn't look fine to me. I'd be reaching straight for my craft knife and box of spare bases
I am yet to find any figures that I want to use, that I can't successfully base on a 60mm frontage. |
Henry Martini | 04 Jul 2014 5:50 p.m. PST |
Note that I typed '
mostly played in 15mm,
'. Yes, if your rules give you the option, for any close order 28mm ancients 15mm per figure is more realistic and aesthetically effective; and as the photo demonstrates, for pikemen with vertical pikes it works perfectly. But you need more room for dark ages types with spears and other weapons projecting to varying degrees in all directions. I'm constrained to using the unit frontage the group had already selected, but I think my 20mm per figure frontage for shieldwall types is an aesthetic improvement on my friends' 25mm frontages. |
BigRedBat | 05 Jul 2014 2:43 a.m. PST |
15mm frontage celts (60mm base depth). Triple width 180mm base. The irregulars can't be ranked, and I certainly wouldn't try this with Warlord poses, though! |