Single basing per formation

[Norm]

I am in something of a quandary, trying to decide whether to go to single large basing or having smaller multiple bases per unit and would be interested in the thoughts of others ... Particularly those who have done it.

My ACW is based up to 40mm x 20mm, using two bases per units, so in some respects I can show formations, but things like column still look a bit strange. I am thinking of going to 60mm or more likely 80mm x 30 or 40mm as a single base solution.

This thought is also extended to my Pendraken napoleonics, which I will start painting this year.

I will be using Kallistra 4" hexes for the most part, so in some ways, their cellular terrain lends will 'contain' one unit or two units with one behind the other, and really needs to see units at around 80mm wide, but I will also be using some open terrain mats.

I have just bought the Black powder rules, not sure if this will be my 'go to' set yet, but since so many rules come out anyway, while basing should be a one off event, I just want a practical and aesthetically pleasing basing system.

All figures will be 10mm or 12mm.

thanks in advance - norm

[Chris Pringle]

Hi Norm,

If you haven't yet decided what your go-to rules will be, then multiple smaller bases give you more flexibility. It's easier to group small bases together (either temporarily on a sabot, or glued together) than to chop up a large base.

I speak as the owner of a collection that started out as elements of 4 figures, which then got rebased into single-base 20-figure units (easy), then cut up again into smaller bases (tricky).

Chris
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[petercooman]

I use 40 X 20 for my ACW troops. with the number of bases between 3 and 6, to show varying number/strength of the unit.

I like single bases for the way they look, but find them better suited for things like impetus or fantasy units.  That said, why not use both? Make 40x15 bases and make a sabot for 4 of them  

[Chad]

It often depends on the rules you use and how you want to represent your units.

For example, do you want to represent your Naploeonic Voltigeurs as deployed in skirmish order or are you happy to simply represent the unit as skirmish capable. Similarly do you want to represent the half battalions of late 19C Prussians.

It is certainly easier to go for small bases which can be combined to represent larger scale units and in that context sabots are useful.

Unfortunately time and economics often determine how my figures are based and I then look at adjusting game scales to fit.

Chad

[fred.]

Its a pain.

Big bases look better - you can arrange the figures in pleasing ways, and add scenic elements. But they are much more limited in which rules you can use them for, and it is hard to represent different formations.

Small bases offer more flexibility - and sabot bases can really help with switch from one rules to another. For example my 40x20mm based Warmaster stuff looks really good on 100x50mm Warband sabot bases, the extra few mm on each side gives a frame to hold the figures, without making the base oversized. But you sabot bases need to be good, to keep the figures together and allow easy movement - it quickly gets tedious to have to keep rearranging the figures each time they move if they come loose from the base.

As you go smaller it becomes harder to make more interesting groupings of figures - you tend to end up with rows and columns - which may be absolutely fine for Naps.

Of course you can just arrange the stands together to form a bigger unit, but this causes even more problems of movement of loads of individual stands.

[Leman]

I have some 28mm and 15mm armies based on big bases for Impetus, which are one of my favourite sets, plus 28mm early Dark Ages for Dux Bellorum. In 6mm I have ACW based on 60mmx30mm for Altar of Freedom. My Ancients in 10mm are on 60x30, again mainly for Impetus, but also work very well for DBA. All other periods I use smaller bases, between 25mm and 40mm frontage, as I prefer rules for those which have multiple bases for these troops, e.g.. Honours of War, BBB, Fire and Fury, Field of Battle, Warfare in the Age of Discovery, FoGR.

[Rob]

I tried a new approach with my Napoleonics. I base figures onto company/division sized bases on magnetic tape. I provide each unit with a metal movement tray for the size of the unit in column. I also provide nearly one per unit metal movement tray for the size of the unit in line.

This method allows me to represent all of the units formations and to move whole units quickly, plus I am not touching the figures when I move them. The whole system is complemented by A4 sized magnetic sheet which fit into the storage boxes to keep them secure.

Cheers, Rob 

[Ithoriel]

I'm increasingly drawn to rules where a unit is a single base.

I want to be a general, I don't care if the units are in line, column, square or dancing a mazurka. That's what majors and colonels (or if things are going badly captains and sergeants) are for!

A unit that has taken losses large enough to warrant the removal of more than a handful of figures is likely either routed or huddled somewhere trying to stay alive but otherwise not taking too much part in proceedings.

More and more I have an idea of what I want a unit to look like. I get some figures, paint some sample units and if I'm happy with the result buy the rest of the army and only then start to look for rules.

There again, if there aren't rules out there that suit I'll write my own or chainsaw a commercial set to fit  

[d_Guy]

All things considered, single bases look the best but if you are doing a period that requires constantly shifting ratios of weapon types in the same unit (Musket&Pike is the prime enable) then multiple small bases is probably best. I use 1"x1" (25mm x 25mm, more or less) bases where units vary wildly from 1 to 9 bases. Some rules I can use sabots some I can't.  and yes - moving dozens of small bases is sometimes a pain.