"What size base to use with Italeri 20mm WWII minis?" Topic

As the title states, whats the best size base to use with Italeri 20mm WWII minis?

Also sell me on your preference between rounded and squared bases.

Thanks!

20mm round or square bases, assuming you are using single based figures.

Yes they are single units… thanks

I used a bunch of small washers from the local hardware store.

I use pennies for 20mm soft plastic figures.

Pennies and 20mm round bases are very close in size so I use both. I used to use washers. I think the 1/4 SAE washers or similar.

I use a half inch dia round hole punch and magnetic business cards….

I prefer the washers over pennies. The washers are magnetic. For storage I lined one of those plastic scrap booking boxes from Michaels with magnetic sheet. The figures are light enough that they dont come off on their own.

20mm round MDF bases. Round because you can fit the figures in more tightly than when they are based on square bases.

Single based, I use pennies. Multi based 20s I put on 40x40 for WW2 (30x30 for WW1).

I use Litko 20mm Round w/Magnetic Bottoms for single figures.

Any reason to not use square bases?

Have you decided which rules to use? If so do they suggest any base sizes?

I started out with pennies and ended up with 3/4" magnets. I wish I'd started with washers, because you can use them with a magnetic base for unit stands or singly.

"Have you decided which rules to use? If so do they suggest any base sizes?"

I think I will be using Nuts! Final Edition.

I use different size washes as they are magnetic and a few square bases for teams with magnetic sheeting underneath

I play Rapid Fire

Any reason to not use square bases?

None whatsoever. Plastic card or compressed cardboard both work fine.

For single based miniatures I use 3/4" washers and I far prefer round bases. But that is just a personal esthetic preference-- there's no practical reason for it.

I use the small FOW plastic rectangular basis and mount two figures per base (but I use a platoon atomic unit system).

The stands fit nicely in the back of 20mm halftracks (you can get 2 in a truck), so its easy to show a platoon in transport.

Thomas J. Thomas
Fame and Glory Games

I'm in the washers camp – 4 sizes – playing Rapid Fire

Small – with single figures as change.
Medium – two figures infantry units.
Normal 9 figure company 4 medium and 1 small.
Large – three man weapon teams.
Very large – crew served wheeled guns.

UK pennies have a steel core ( cheaper than copper ) which means they stick to magnetic vinyl.
I use 1p for individual figures, 2p for some crews and biscuit "tin" or base of pringle packets cut with snips for awkward shaped crew served weapons.
I don't base most atg.
Tanks have black plasticard sized to just under the width of the tracks and a bit shorter than the ground contact area. On the bottom of which I stick strips of steel paper.
That gives me reasonably unobtrusive basing.
Most of my wheeled vehicles aren't based.

I use Renedra's 25mm rounds for every WW2 1:72 minis, moderns as well. Works for me, they look nice, I have enough room for some clutter on the base, and compensate the squat some of the minis do – the Soviets from the Anti-Tank teams are a notorious example.

I have decided to buy precut, round 20mm MDF bases from ebay. $10 USD for 100 bases.

My question now is this:

When I attach the minis to the MDF base, should the plastic figure be attached to the plastic base and then attached to the MDF base? Or should I disregard the plastic base and just attach the figures feet directly to the MDF base?

The Italeri figures I have seen (with the odd exception) have the plastic base as an integral part of the figure. Are you proposing cutting the base off and then sticking those resulting tiny areas of contact to the MDF?

If they were my figures I would leave the plastic base on, glue that to the MDF and then cover the resulting 'step' with groundwork to blend it in.

deephorse, yes. That was the questions I was asking. Thank you for your input on gluing the plastic base to the MDF and then stepping up the groundwork

Easy way to do that – glue the figure and its integral base to the mdf using PVA (woodworking glue). When dry, spread pva over the figure's base and the mdf, the cover in fine sand. Let dry, shake off excess, then paint to suit – brown or sand depending on theatre. Add some static grass, small "rocks" etc and done

The pva/sand will disguise the step, and anything that remains obvious can be neatly hidden with the static grass

I use 1p coins. The coins made after 1993 are magnetic. I superglue magnetic tape to the bottom of those boxes used for storing nails, screws etc and then the figures on the 1ps are held in place.