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Miniatures Adventure => Future Wars => Topic started by: Conquistador on July 04, 2011, 04:50:40 PM

Title: Bases with meaning Rambling thoughts
Post by: Conquistador on July 04, 2011, 04:50:40 PM
An odd rambling thought about basing 1/300th (hopefully someday 1/600th) SF AFVS.

Besides the size to fit the miniatures I had a thought that the shape of the base might tell something about the unit.

Specifically, the shape of the base might tell the mode of movement for the vehicles.

Now I know this is not viable at first cut (pun intended) because there are not (that I have found) pre-cut bases in the appropriate sizes and shapes.  Short of cutting my own bases or custom ordering from Litko, Ren Ink, or some other base manufacturer there are gaps in the available bases for such a scheme.

I have begun moving to movement bases with either metal, flex-steel, or magnetic basing material on top with individually based (on Litko plywood basing) figures with Litko magnetic bases adhered to the wooden bases to hold onto the movement trays. 

Time will tell which works best - ease of construction, durability, aesthetics. 

Litko Flex-Steel and Magnetic basing (adheres to the top of the base with no glue and no clothes pinning of the metal to the wood/glue overnight) has the edge for ease and speed in base assembly.  The Ren Ink metal "bases" on top have both white glue (Elmer's) and Super Glue versions to attach to the Litko wood trays (40 mm x 40 mm, and 60 mm x 60 mm in the main with some 60 mm x 120 mm, 80 mm x 80 mm, and 120 mm x 120 mm versions.)

Leaving that fact of base size availability aside, here was my initial thoughts:

Until I get FWC in the mail, the bases will be stated in Dirtside 2 terms.  Movement trays of the appropriate size for Command Horizon games already exist.

Wheeled and Infantry, Square bases.

Tracked and half-tracked, Rectangle bases

GEV, Circle bases

GRAV, Hexagon bases

Walker, Octagon bases.


Oval, Pill, Double Hexagon, and Triangular bases, etc. are possible alternates.

Possible sizes:

Size class 1 - 15 mm, 15 mm x 20/25 mm for rectangles.

Size class 2 - 20 mm, 20 mm x 30/35/40 mm for rectangles.

Size class 3 - 25 mm, 25 mm x 40/45/50 mm for rectangles.

Size class 4 - 30 mm, 30 mm x 45/50 mm for rectangles.

Class 5 - 40, 45, 50 mm width bases as appropriate, length as appropriate.


I might need to use symbology for weapon types as per Command Horizon since shape and dimensions are already in use for other aspects. 

I would almost certainly lean towards repeating the Litko wood bases, (Ren Ink would work well too,) with adhering Litko magnetic base material underneath the plywood bases for all the bases that would be suitable for movement trays for FWC and Command Horizon games (IIRC they both use bases along the lines of 60 mm x 60 mm??)


Gracias,

Glenn