"Basing headache - needing help!" Topic

Forgive me – this is a wall of text, but I need to explain :(

I'm new to Napoleonic wargaming so I have no idea of the basing conventions for said miniatures. I've settled on making Battalions of 32 models. At a 20:1 scale, this would produce a 'real' British Infantry Battalion of 640 men – a number I feel would be typical of most British Battalions of the period.

Onto the dilemma then. I should state here, my intended ruleset is Black Powder. My original plan is laid out in the 1st image.

Essentially, the 4 Line and 1 Grenadier Companies are on 40mmx40mm bases of 4 figures each. The Command party of 8 figures is split between 4 bases of 40mmx20mm and the Light Company of 4 figures are individually mounted on 20x20mm bases, magnetised to a larger 40mmx40mm base.

However, I got to thinking – how would they form square? On the current basing system, they look clumsy when forming square – as below in the 2nd image:

So I've devised a new system as follows. All 4 Line and 1 Grenadier Companies are halfed and mounted of 20mmx40mm bases of two figures each. The 8 figure command party is mounted as before in pairs of two figures on the same 40mmx20mm bases. The Light Company are again mounted individually on 20mmx20mm bases and are magnetised in pairs to two 40mmx20mm bases. This is shown below in the 3rd image.

So my questions are:

A) Is this 'Legal' by Black Powder specifically and most Napoleonic Gaming systems in general?

B) In my inexperience am I gravely over-thinking this and creating more work than is strictly necessary?

C) If time and fiddling about is no object, the is the 2nd system a 'better' system?

6 x 6 figure companies for French and 10 x 4 figure companies for the British is quite common I think.

Will you be building both armies or playing at a club or against a friend?
If so you should consider how they base their troops.

A suggestion – you need to reverse the positions of the King's and regimental colors. The King's color is always on its own right ((i.e., on your right as you are standing behind the formation looking towards the enemy) and the regimental colors are on the left.

As far as basing for Black Powder, as long as you are supplying both sides and your conventions are similar, it shouldn't matter.

Jim

Wasn't Black Powder specifically written to allow games with armies with different basing?

Basing the French and British differently is more historically accurate, at least as long as the former were using three ranks to the latter's two. Later, during the Hundred Days, and possibly some of the Peninsula Campaign, the French were also using two ranks. The problem with having different numbers of figures on the bases comes when one is using a rules system in which the casualties are taken in whole bases. In such systems, each base needs to represent the same number of troops.

The second square that you show (with 4 figures in the center) would be close in footprint and perimeter length to the actual article. The depth of your bases expands the size of the corners- leading to the change. However, the actual article would have all the muskets in the line, facing outwards. These are probably not especially important factors in the wargame, so I would go with whatever looks best and keep it consistent for the 8 and 6 peleton battalions.

Just a heads up. The basing for Napoleonic gaming varies considerably. But BP might give you some wiggle room, so you might be able to choose a "common" basing for your area.

For 28mm, a common basing I see the most is 3x2 arrangements.

Thanks for the prompt responses!

@Teppsta – At the moment, I don't know anybody who does wargaming. This is more of an exercise in building an army so I can if I want to in future.

@ColCampbell – I thought much the same of Black Powder – It seems to be designed so that a variety of basing conventions work. Also, thanks for pointing out the mistake with Colour positions – believe it or not, I did actually know where they should go, just had an unfortunate momentary lapse of reason when making this :)

@Extra Crispy – Yeah, that was my understanding of it…

@okiegamer – In the case of casualties, would it not be acceptable simply to take away 2 20x40mm bases instead of one 40mm x 40mm?

@NappyBuff – Would that be 3x2 inches? or 3x2 centimetres?

@okiegamer – In the case of casualties, would it not be acceptable simply to take away 2 20x40mm bases instead of one 40mm x 40mm?

You don't remove casualties in Black Powder.

@NappyBuff – Would that be 3x2 inches? or 3x2 centimetres?

No, he meant 3 figures by 2 figures. Two ranks, each of 3 figures.

Oh I see. Thanks MajorB.

I think I'm going to base them all on 40mmx40mm bases. I've come to the conclusion that:

A) Basing them all on 40mmx20mm bases is going to be too fiddly.

B) Basing them on a mixture of of 40mmx40mm and 40mmx20mm is just going to incur pointless extra cost.

Thanks for all the replies and help – much appreciated.

I have a similar basing system to yours for General de Brigade rules, which are also 20:1. I too base individual figures onto 20mm squared magnetic bases and then place them onto to 40 x 40 company bases for British battalions. These company bases will also fit/attracted to battalion bases (or half Bn if it is large) of magnetic material (similar to fridge magnets).

I suggest that you continue with this method as it will give you future basing flexibility for any set of rules that might want to use (i.e. just change the company/unit base). Also, it will ease the casualty recording and or avoid the unsightly (IMHO)rings or caps for permanently based companies. Again, this is matter of individual preference.

The only disadvantage with this method is that if you are using magnetic figure bases and magnetic company bases the polarity some time repels, so that it is sometimes difficult to place the figure precisely where it should be.

I have recently experimented with using thin flexible 20 x 20mm non magnetic thin metal bases and placing them onto 40 x 40mm thin magnetic company bases and it works really well with no polarity problems.

As to squares; I suggest that you keep the companies to the two rank system as some rules require it. The squares do not have to be square as they were frequently rectangles in actual combat, depending upon the number of companies etc. Also, the command group (two coys in your example) do not have to be in the center but could part of the walls of the square.

Note that modelling the command group/colours is a bit of an abstract as it was not even at company strength. So, you could confine your command group to a 40 x 40mm company base consisting of two colour bearers, one sergeant or officer and one drummer. I think it is best to have a one company colour group, particularly if the battalion is a small one to avoid the appearance of an overly large colour group compared to rank and file members.

I hope this helps and good luck.

@IronDuke596-"I have recently experimented with using thin flexible 20 x 20mm non magnetic thin metal bases and placing them onto 40 x 40mm thin magnetic company bases and it works really well with no polarity problems"

I don't think you actually meant " non-magnetic thin metal bases" if you use non magnetic metal, such as copper or zinc, the magnets on the company bases will not be attracted to the metal bases. The metal bases most of us use are steel, which is a magnetic material I.e. It is attracted to magnets.

As far as OPs original posting goes, I think you reached the right conclusion- 40mm x 40mm bases are the way to go for 28mm, perfect for Black Powder. However, I think you would find it difficult to get 2 ranks of 3 figures on such bases, as was sugested above. 2x2 is the way to go. Black Powder rules do not really distinguish national armies by basing convention, although there are some " national characteristics" built into the rules.