"Clear bases, yes or no?" Topic

What is the general opinion on clear bases for minis? I've gone back and forth, based a lot of pulp era figures on clear bases, and starting to do some sf minis the same way. Seems like it is really only doable with figures meant for slotta bases.

I tried that years ago & didn't like the result, went back to regular bases.

Don't look natural to me because of the glare. I will not use them.

no look wrong

I don't care for them. I like the idea but, in practice, the figs look like they are standing on plastic bases.

Might be OK for sci-fi (like figs that fly) but I like regular bases for all my historical figs

Love them

If I were starting from scratch, I could be tempted--especially in 28mm, and if I found a way to kill the glare. But I'd never complete a rebasing on that scale. And as you say, they're a lot more work if the figure wasn't intended for a slottabase.

I like them, though haven't done any yet.

Glare is an issue, but it should be possible to remove much of that with Dullcoat.

My issues are removing the bases from their feet, which is no mean feat (pun intended), as well as pinning to ensure stability, especially on smaller figs, without damaging the figures feet/legs.

This is the one project where slot-a-bases are an advantage.

Fine for flight stands, look a bit silly on anything else.

Coopman +1

I get the idea but I find the reality jarring, but that might just be because I'm not used to it.

Dreadful looking things. Like NMM painting, looks good in one view, from one angle and in studio lighting. Rest of the time the surface glare and resulting thick white rim look awful.

I've seen them done on thinner plastic rather than the thick, commercial offerings and they look really good – no glare and no thick white rim.

Far too much work for me to think of converting to them now but they can look very good. Mind you, as an old reactionary, I've never liked the over-decorated, diorama look that has become the norm. Plain thick card base, painted with Humbrol gloss emerald green – now that's a proper base.
😊

DBDD

I do my pulp this way--nice way to rebase old Heroclix figures.

I like how they look on other people's figures.

Not sure I'd go for it on my own, even if a team arrived at the door and in one day changed all my figures.

andy

Darrell B D Day +1

This is one of those things that comes up every so often. It sounds like a good idea but usually doesn't work out so well. The only pics of clear bases that I've seen that worked, were ones made from thin blister pack material. I have to wonder, though, if the pics were from the only angle that looked good.

Tried them, with a matte clear coat. It did not work as well as I had hoped. I used Plexi-Glass, around 2mm thick. The edges were not the issue, it was the whole base just didn't look proper. I did this with 28mm figures, by the way.

I went to regular bases, using a colored sand mixture, to create a little diorama for each figure. I very much prefer to have "grassy" bases in a dungeon, or on a stone bridge, to the translucent, clear bases. They just never looked right, to me.

Make a few samples, as best you are able, then play with them for a while, in your games. It is the only way to be certain they will/will not work for you, personally. Cheers!

There are a couple of tutorials on these boards on how to attach metal figures to the bases (I don't bother trimming them) and even how to make your own bases.

The problem I was having was that the figures kept coming off the clear bases.

I had a couple of problems with that, but they held for the most part. Some bases came off when I was transporting my miniatures. I am looking into storage cases, including making my own, to solve that problem.

I bought some for a pulp figure force but have not got around to using them. I assumed I would have to pin at least one foot for stability. Removing the bases and pining are definite drawbacks to using them.

I've never been a fan, but once in a while they work well in a particular application. My CY6 group plays on clear acrylic flight stands that let our expensive photograph-print hex mats show through, and once in a while I see a naval gaming setup with clear bases that really works.

- Ix

I use them for individual figures who will spend time on surfaces that are not open fields – I find a figure on a grassy mound inside a building much more annoying than some of the noted downsides of clear bases.

Remember not to use superglue as this "fogs" the acetate and a good pair of side cutters will take the base off enough to base pretty much any figure this way.

Miniatures made for slotta bases are easiest to modify.

If you don't apply too much superglue, you may be able to avoid fogging up the base. Just be sure you use enough for a strong bond.