"To Sabot or not to Sabot" Topic

I've always been intrigued by Sabot bases. I'm going to get into some IABSM in 15mm.

Warbases seems to be the goto place for sabot basing. Anyone use these bases in 15mm (WW2) and what's been your experience with it.

Are sabot bases better used for skirmish games? Would IABSM be a tad too big a game for bases like these?

I play IABSM in 15mm on multi-figure bases, usually of two or three figures, and have never had a problem. I do base singly for 28mm skirmish games but, even there, at least for Sharp Practice, I have some regular troops on multi-figure bases. My Dux figures are all singles.

I do use sabots for single figures, based mainly on pennies, but have introduced one change: I get all my sabots from Warbases but I ask them not to glue the tops (with the holes) to the solid base. Instead of using the supplied MDF base – which I use for other basing – I replace it with a very thin piece of black plasticard which means the figures in the sabots are not noticably taller than their comrades. Otherwise this difference in height bothers me but may not bother you.

So, in answer to your original question, you can use sabots for IABSM – particularly if you're using the same figures with another set of rules such as Chain of Command – but you don't need to.

I hope this is useful.

How wide are the slots you use on the sabot bases?

Thanks for the info

I base my figures (28mm rank & file and 15mm singles) on UK pennies so I just order the various penny bases from Warbases. I started out with bases with eight, ten or twelve slots but have settled on multiple four-figure bases (2x2) for regulars and the irregular bases for others.

I don't know how you base your leaders in skirmish games but I put a 28mm Big Man/Leader on a two pence piece so I got a few bases with a 2p (1.02") shaped hole and a couple of 1p (0.8") shaped holes on the same sized square as the four figures so you can put a leader with an ensign and/or a musician together. The 2p base is probably too big for a 15mm figure.

My 15mm IABSM forces are based two figures to a 1" square – you can fit more if you choose – with, as I mentioned, Big Men on pennies. This has never been an issue and only requires you to mark one dead as well as shock. That said, in the future, I do plan to use 15mm figures in some periods for Chain of Command and this will require a different style of basing which allows weapons to be more easily identified. I have started basing Cold War 15mm for Sabre Squadron in pairs on 1" circles with a slightly larger circle for a weapons team and I'll probably do something similar for IABSM/CoC forces.

Do try the thin sabot base technique though, I find it makes a huge difference although I know a lot of people don't bother.

Also, I read your post elsewhere about your available table space. Have you considered 10mm from Pendraken or similar rather than 15mm? There are also quite a few people who do IABSM in 6mm. If you did go smaller, you will probably find anything other than fixed multi-figure basing is too fiddly.

Best of luck with it,

Jon

Thanks for the response. Very informative!

My pleasure. Whereabouts are you located? I noticed from your other post that you said you were in a condo so my 1p and 2p comments may not be very useful – I'm in the US and always insist visitors bring bags of coins with them. You can easily replicate with US pennies – which are a bit smaller but perfect for 15mm or smaller – or the appropriately sized fender washers.

Cheers,

Jon

US here

To me a sabot the plastic part that holds my 50mm bullet for my muzzleloader. What is a miniatures wargame sabot? Another name for a slotta base?

@TSG

Read about sabots here:

link

I'm actually going to play on a 6x4 table so I'm for sure going 15mm.

I'm still a little confused on how many slots I should get, lets say for a German Squad. Would you want 8? Or do people go 3 figs to "simulate" a full squad and Big Men on single bases?

I'm guessing MG teams in a single base…maybe a 2 slotter?

Thanks again for the info

On reflection, if you're only going to use them for IABSM, I really wouldn't bother with sabots. Too fiddly in 15mm and a regular spacing wouldn't be appropriate for WW2 . You just need a good way to mark casualties and shock. Some use micro dice but I use colour coded disks fron Litko – black for casualties and transparent dark red for shock.

Those litko disks are nice but $6 USD a pop!

Mine are 3/8" in diameter and weren't expensive in bags of 100.

Hmmm….have a link to them or a name of the item? I'm not seeing them.

Thanks 22ndFoot for all your input

Drop them a line next week – they're very helpful. 1.5mm clear acetate circles are what you're after.

I'm in Westchester, New York and there are a few of us who play most of the TFL games. If it is any way practical, depending on where you are, you'd be welcome for a game.

Seattle to New York might be a tad difficult, but that you for the invite!!

I have a local group of guys and we meet weekly (mostly) and play CoC, but I'm looking for some solo games of IABSM at home.

Thanks again for all your help.

The acrylic circles are here – they are a bit thicker than I thought. I use translucent dark red for shock and black for kills.

litko.net/pages/litko-basemaker

Good luck with it.

You can see some sabots in use here in 15mm IABSM. As I said, I don't do it, but some – including Star of Lardie Gaming, Robert Avery – do:

link

Thanks for all the comments and links. After much thought I've decided to NOT go the sabot basing route for IABSM, however, I am for my CoC games.