MINIATURES REFERENCE:
Basing

We all mount our micro stuff on bases. For some it's the doll house shingles available at crafty stores (cheap), and others use clear plastic bases. For those of us who use the shingles, we generally use a black magic marker on the edge to make in blend in to the table, (really, it works! Don't know why, but it does.) and then we grass or sand the surface around the vehicle. Weapons and infantry are typically mounted on something smaller. One advantage of this is it allows us to pick up the stand without actually touching the model. Keeps 'em looking fresher, longer. Plus, if you're a real sadist, you can add little touches that give it a diorama effect on an itsy bitsy scale.

This base allows us to put a label behind the vehicle/gun/etc to identify the organization. For example, my British 1942 armour will say something like, A/9th Lancers. If it is a command vehicle, I simply take a pen and put a dot following the name. These usually have to be reduced on a xerox by the way. But that allows you to use green or tan paper to print on. We find the labels to be easy to read if you're running them, and very difficult if someone wants to get gamey. (Upside down, don't you know.) My Italians are similar with examples being 1/III 132nd, for 1st company, third battalion, 132nd regiment; or maybe 3/I 8th Bersag. For all, the regimental/brigade formations will all say 8th Bersag., 22nd Brigade, or Motor X (=brigade symbol). Dots still denote command vehicles/stands. Germans are probably the easiest since they are numbered consequetively by regiment. Examples might be 3rd Fljr for Regimental company, 3rd Falschrimjager; 111 3rd for first platoon, first company, first battalion (by inference), 3rd regiment. 912 3rd is second platoon, ninth company, third battalion (requires some thought), 3rd regiment. Use those dots to denote command, and you're all set. Since we all like to paint up specific formations, it makes it easier.

We mostly use the GHQ infantry blocks, but the addition of some C in C singles can make a useful difference. For the German weapons stands, I use the six man casting with a C in C MG34 figure slapped on one end, and a Panzerschreck figure on the other end. Although anyone can easily ID the weapons stand, in our group we don't have to worry about gamey direct HE fire on people who haven't shot yet. For things like engineers, a label seems to suffice. You can use anything you want to designate flamethrower capablility. We don't seem to have much trouble with the enemy doing an unofficial reconaissance via the 200' General mode, looking for command stuff. But then we've been gaming together for some time and simply don't tolerate that nonsense. At a convention, well, that's another story I suppose.

Well that's it in a nutshell(?), hope it helps. Good gaming.