"How do you base a 4Kn stand?" Topic

for 15mm, 4 cavalry in a 40x30mm base
for 1:72, 4 cavalry in a 60x40mm base
for 28mm, 4 cavalry in a 80x50mm base

I tried 15mm and 28mm, but just can't….
There is no way to put 4 cavalry figures into such a small base, so how did you make that possible?
I really would like to know. Thank you!

Frank

I don't base 4Kn in a straight line but stagger the models.
See photo 6 of 13.
There are two elements of 4Kn, one which has a draco standard.
link

I do not have 28mm, but I imagine the solution would be the same.

Robert

Just put three figures on the base. It's not as if cataphracts can be mistaken for anything else.

It's jsut about possible to put cataphracts on a 20mm frontage, but they do need to be staggered and the base depth often needs to be increased.

Just put three figures on. As Dexter says, it is pretty hard to miss a cataphract. The generate much the same excitement as Tigers do amongst WW2 gamers.

From a different angle here is a look at Timurilank's Armenian cats -

And his Parthians -

Those are Old Glory miniatures and so on the large size for 15s.

Photobucket got obnoxious so I can't show my Viking Forge or OG15 Palmyrans.

But as can be seen from the above as Timurilank states with a bit of a stagger you can get 4 cats to a base.

I get a chance I'll upload some pics of my Essex Armenians – more 4KN. And Essex has pretty healthy horses as well.

I tried basing Xyston Parthian and Seleucid cataphracts (4k) two days without success. It probably helps to test base them before painting. Lance and arm position are important. In most cases it helps to have the arm bent towards the body and the bottom of the lance resting behind the foot. This narrows the footprint of the cataphract. I have based both Old Glory 15 and Essex 4 per base, and I have seen pictures of Xyston cataphracts 4 per.

I think you can forget about putting modern 28mm cataphracts 4 per on a 60mm base. Recently I based Perry plastic knights and had to use 60 x 60 in order to fit 3 per base. I think it's possible some old 25s, such as Newline, can fit 4 per 60mm base.

I think DBA is one of the few rules that still specifies 4 per base. Although they often look good, I am not sure why it is still needed.

Depends on the figures, obviously. I got four of Khurasan's 15mm Tibetans on a 40mm base OK – see link, though the trumpet obviously had to overlap a bit! (I think that thread's open to the public?)

@Hans Gruber,
There is a subtle difference in how the two react in close combat (DBA 3.0).
The 4kn destroying its opponent or send it recoiling does not pursue, whereas the 3Kn must.
The 4Kn in close combat with the 3kn will recoil on even scores

Timurlank, I do understand the difference in DBA between 4Kn and 3Kn. There is also a difference between between 3Ax, 3Bd, and 3Wb – yet they are all based the same and can look the same. Hopefully, your opponent will inform you what the correct troop type is during or before the game.

I have loads of 15mm 4Kn on 40x30 bases. Try doing 1 up (slightly moved towards the front of the base), 1 back (a bit towards the rear of the base). Same for the next two figs. On occasion I've had to shave down a foot to make them fit.

Well, here are those Viking Forge Palmyrans -

And the OG15s -

Don't have a picture of them, but I also have done a base of Miniature Wars – Strategia Nova cats as well. Another of the larger ranges.

ok got it, thank you all. I think just base 3 of them is fine. Just note the opponent while playing.

But wait, the best part of putting three on a base is painting less of the little b'stards. And it's good gameship to give your opponent a rundown of the army on the table.

If you base them fore and aft it works fine. Figures 1 and 3 forward, figures 2 and 4 back. Legs of riders 2 and 4 behind the legs of riders 1 and 3. It also helps if the don't have their elbows sticking out.

Well, Bevartok, with that in mind – Why not just put one on the base?

After cataphracts, as noted, are pretty distinctive in appearance.

You would then have room for a numeral on the base that would immediately let your opponent know what they were and would not require him to remember what they were during the game. In a BBDBA game there might be a couple of different flavors of KN on the board leading to potential confusion.

A number of DBA armies have both and noting whether the figure has leg armor or not or whether the horse is full armored, half armored, or not armored at all to differentiate could lead to error.

It is not just 4KN – I had to fiddle a bit with some OG15 Normans to ensure that the 3KN didn't have any overhangs on the sides. And the general was worse.

If you base them fore and aft it works fine. Figures 1 and 3 forward, figures 2 and 4 back. Legs of riders 2 and 4 behind the legs of riders 1 and 3. It also helps if the don't have their elbows sticking out.

Pretty much although with some figures you can do two forward and two back – generally two forward in the center as it gives a wedge look to the element.

A bit of judicious arm bending and, as noted above, care in lance/kontos positioning also helps.