Sunday 9 March 2008

Basing

I have a bit of a problem when it comes to basing. Quite simply I can never decide what looks best and when I do decide I tend to change my mind. Some of my wargame figures have been re-based many times over to which my long suffering wife can testify “Do you think the dry brushed sand with the pale green flock or the grey boulders with lichen?”

When I started this project I initially thought I should mount the infantry figures on scenic bases in groups of six and I tried this with my first batch of figures. They did actually look pretty good but I had a problem. One of the appealing characteristics of Hinton Hunt Figures is their unique square base with rounded corners. Apart from the aesthetics, the base on the figures is the best way to tell if they are genuine vintage castings or not and I didn’t want this feature to be hidden away.

The solution was to go back to basics and use simple plasti-card bases which was exactly what I ended up doing with my 1970’s army (after trying plywood cut with a blunt hacksaw!). The figures are mounted in threes with a two and a one in each unit for casualty removal. The frontage per three-figure base is 40mm with a depth of 15mm and the whole stand is painted with Humbrol matt green 80. I have gone a few steps further into the realms of the sad anorak by adding a label under each base with the figure code.

Apart from the “Old School” look achieved this system has a practical function to help me with my problem – it makes the figures very easy to remove for re-basing!

7 comments:

Snickering Corpses said...

Very nicely done. Actually, I quite like the idea of the figure code being under the bases. That's an interesting thought.

rpardo said...

A good discovery... My scale is 1/72 and plastics but aniway I like your figures.... Do you think to wargaming with these figures?... what rules?
Regards
Rafa

Stryker said...

Rafa
Thanks for the comment. I do hope to wargame with these figures eventually. I intend to try out some old style rules from the 1970's and will be posting on this soon.
Ian

rpardo said...

Ian
I remember the Bruce Quarrie's rules, the first ones I played many years ago.
Good painting and gaming!
Rafa

Anonymous said...

Hello ian you state that you base infantry on 15 x 40 mm stands, what about the cavalry. paul

Stryker said...

Hi Paul
The cavalry are based individually on 15mm x 30mm bases. I am begining to regret doing them individually because they will get knocked about more in play. I may change each squadron to one base of three plus a two and a one - I did say I am always changing my mind so thank goodness I can take them off their existing stands easily!
Ian

Paul said...

Thank you for the information
{Paul