"How best to base Romans in (Basic) Impetus" Topic

Hello folks,

I've got a bunch of excess Polybian era Romans that I'm making into a Basic Impetus army to give to a friend. The problem is that I can't get the basing arrangements to look good. I'm using 15mm figures on 80mm x 30mm bases and with the scheme I'm using so far they look pretty awful. Part of the reason for this is that I only have 9 figures to put on each base, though I could use command figures to up those to 12 if that seems to be the best way to go.

Any suggestions or links to photographs on how to make the bases look suitably manipular?

Currently I'm alternating three men forward, three men back across all four heavy infantry bases, but it isn't ideal.

I could alternatively just plonk them in the centre of each base in two lines, or else spread them all out across each base in a single line. Any thoughts or advice?

Cheers,
Aaron

I would suggest 2 discrete blocks of 6 on 40mm depth bases with a single figure gap between the two blocks and half figure gap at the ends\front\rear will give an orderly regular appearance when all the elements are in a continuous line or column. This may involve buying a few more packets but give the spare unpainted legionaries and unused command figures unbased to your friend if they are new to ancients.

if someone reminds me how to post pics I can show some basing for Polybian Romans.

just paste the link in your thread, magic happens, and it will appear.

ok, thank you

in the first 2 pics I show my Polybian Romans. They are Old Glory and I put them about 11 figs per base (6 in the front and 5 in the rear). Bases are 8x4cm.
For Triaii I choosed 8x3cm bases, one row (6 figures)

My friend Luca opted for a 8x3cm base for all his legionaries putting just 6 figures (Warmodelling) per base. And it looks nice (saving a lot of figs).

I think that for 8x3cm bases one row is probably better than 2.

I think 4 figures on a 40x15 base, then Sabot four of those to Impetus' 80x30.

You'd need to buy 4 more figures to boost the 12 to 16

If you start giving your friend figures on 40 x 15 bases they might go off and start playing DBA and whatnot.

Lorenzo's 12 to a base looks great!

Thanks very much, gents! Those photos from Lorenzo are particularly inspirational, though I like Tarentella's idea as well. Hmm…

Cheers!

You end up needing bunches of figures if you want to go 4xDBx bases for a whole army. I would not do that, unless you very mcuh intend to also play DBx games

Time we had a proper Impetus section on this board!

Generally you could do a DBA army and an Impetus army with less figures than a 4DBA base per unit to get an Impetus army.

"Time we had a proper Impetus section on this board!"

Indeed. I play in 28mm scale. I've been painting up armies for Basic Impetus, and then expanding them for Impetus as money and time permit. So far in the que are Caesarian Romans, Britons, Germans, Imperial Romans, Classical Greeks and Late Romans.

I must be doing something VERY wrong….or VERY right!

My legions have 33 figures per base!…only 22 for the Triari thought!

KevanG – that sounds very right to me!

I just wanted to thank you all again for your input, and to let those interested know that I decided to use 9 figures for each hastati/principes base – five in the first rank and four in the second – following Lorenzo's idea for uneven numbers in the ranks. For the triarii I went for 5 figures in a single line, on the basis of Luca's fine efforts. Mine aren't top line figures and the paint jobs are average, but I think they will serve their purpose :)

Again, thanks very much to you all!

Now it's on to the Gauls to oppose them…

Cheers,
Aaron

Oh, I almost forgot: @ Tarentella, I am going to take your advice and pick up more figs, but Carthaginians instead ;-) In for a penny, in for a pound…

Cheers!