I'm going to use my Crusades town for the Sudan - thoughts

[armchairgeneral]

Think I would want to keep it simple and have everything on 50 x 50 bases so cavalry based in pairs. Might look better for columns?

Can’t you start with 4 bases per unit then go big when you have more painted? The smaller units will mean you can start having games sooner?

Not sure about round bases for the Mahdists. Wouldn’t they still be better on 50 x 50 bases as well, but irregularly spaced?

[olicana]

The round bases for Mahdists was suggested to me by Kevin Calder who uses them when playing his Up The Nile rules (as a matter of interest to this subject, I don't have these rules yet but his Bonnie Blue Flag rules use the four stand per unit formula and I understand these rules have very similar mechanisms).

I was sceptical about round bases at first but, knowing Kevin quite well (we are both members of the League of Gentlemen Wargamers) and trusting his judgement, I mocked up six 50mm rounds with 5-6 figures on each to see how it looked. It's actually quite remarkable in the difference it makes to the overall look: When fielded together higgledy-piggledy the bases blend into each other so that you lose track of where one base starts and another begins and the whole looks like a singularly based 'masse' - something that doesn't happen with square bases no matter how they are arranged. Obviously, the more bases put together the better - I mocked up 6.

I will do the cavalry in threes (if I go for 6 figs to 100 men) because, firstly it works well with British squadron numbers (they seem to be either around 100 or 150 strong, 6 or 9 figures) and secondly because the figures come in packs of three and there will be no wastage. Historical cavalry numbers, being so low, are a good reason to go for the high 6:100 figure scale - especially as cavalry often fought by the squadron.

Choosing the figure to man scale is now my biggest issue. The option being to go for historically based units or a simple gaming fudge for ease. Obviously, the lead pile to use is decided.

THE SUDAN LEAD PILE (As yet unsullied by a single drop of paint).