Lead Adventure Forum
Other Stuff => General Wargames and Hobby Discussion => Topic started by: Basementboy on February 05, 2024, 11:45:28 PM
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Just what it says in the title. I often see lavishly painted miniatures sitting on a completely plain base, and speed-painted equivalents on gorgeous diorama bases. Just wanted to know how important basing is to y’all, and how you do your bases if so :D
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“Faces and Bases make models look Aces”
As human animals, our eyes are instantly drawn to a model’s face. An incomplete or subpar base can make any model look unfinished.
No matter how good the rest of the model is, if either of these two are looking sketch, it takes down the look of any paint job.
For these reason, I don’t paint eyes (my models would looks worse than they already do!), and I always do some sort of textured base.
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I almost never have a plain base except for my zombies and those are at least painted. Some are just textured others have grass, flowers and rocks depending on their use and my whims. I used to paint eyes but I just don't have the vision or control myself now days.
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Faces, bases... and FLAGS! 🙂
As said above I rarely paint eyes now. Once in a while, for characters, I'll make an attempt. Some come out better than others.
Bases. Plain can look good. Depends on the 'style' of the project. I've got shiny old school stuff on plain bases. But they have to be neatly done. All my other stuff is based in the same style and colours so it all fits with my terrain. Use of tufts varies depending on scale. And neat edges. Flock and basing material stuck to the edges looks awful. My C18th 28mm stuff is all black edges. I decided it was the look I wanted 12 years ago and have stuck with it. But that is the only army I use it on.
But as ever, it's all personal taste and opinion.
A
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Very.
1) It draws some attention away from my amateurish daubings.
2) It sets a scene.
3) It ties a unit together. Especially important of you are using figures from different manufacturers.
4) It's a visual hobby.
The exception to the above are 'old school', high gloss, toy soldier type figures or flats. These do look best on plain bases.
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Absolutely essential for me. I don't paint mins for gaming, purely for display, so I pick a suitable theme and use it to frame the min as well as possible for the aesthetic.
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I try for the opposite: my bases are meant to blend in as much as possible with my tabletops. To this end, I use the same basecoat on them that I also use on my tables, and use this straight as the base rim colour for all of my miniatures.
The only differentiation between genres is that I use greenish flock on my fantasy bases and dead/dry grass on my scifi ones.
Of course there is the occasional display miniature that I paint just for fun, with no particular game in mind, or as a specific RPG character, and on those bases, I really go to town. There, I want the base to tell a bit of a story. But admittedly, apart from sketching the direct surroundings, this is still fairly limited...
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My bases are simply sand, but they are always painted. It would feel strange to spend weeks painting a figure, only to leave it on an unpainted base o_o
I've gone through various approaches over the years, including scenic bases for my spaceport workers and some post apocalyptic figures. However, sand and Vallejo Flat Earth is my current standard, and I'm generally happy with it.
I do admire people who spend time flocking and telling stories with their bases, but it's not for me
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I also think that a plain base just makes the figure look unfinished, I wouldn't table a figure without "finishing it off", but that said for me it's more like speedpaint on an adequate base than on a lavish diorama lol.
From when I started my challenge project of six factions for AoM, you can see I've had a common process for my bases so that the whole lot has a consistent look, but some of the 3D prints I'm getting now have a printed base that integrates with the figure and trying to base them the same won't work or they'll end up with a leg in mid-air for no reason, for example, so that's making me deviate in those cases, but I do try to still coordinate the look back to the rest.
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"...what it says in the title."
I'm likely an outlier in that I consider bases to be very important in doing what they should be doing to aid in the playing of the game: Keeping the figs upright and -if the rules require it- indicating facing/spacing/identity and/or movement angles/ranges. Any aspect of a base (be it size, shape, or decoration) that detracts from -or worse: interferes with or prohibits- the use of the figure in the game is a mark against it.
As a lifelong modeler (lucky enough to have been paid to do it for a dozen years) there would be few, if any, in front of me in a line to look closely at a well-done base/figure and remark on how great it looks, but...when on the table it's a gaming piece and should be made/judged by how well it does (or doesn't) fill that role, and no amount of flocking artistry can make up for a base that mucks up the play of the game.
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Very important! Even on WIP images, un-based models look 'wrong' to my eyes. It's absolutely not a finished model until the base is done and when viewing photos I automatically assume the paint job is not finished if the base isn't.
That is distinct from the style of the base as others have noted. A base can be plain and simple and still be sufficient to finish off the model :)
(Or even in some cases just a transparent disk, that counts too lol )
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Another vote for VERY important! And the good news is that is does not take much to make it look reasonably good. I use metal washers for most of my 28mm. Add some wall filler to integrate the miniature base. My standard recipe is wood glue and sand for texture and then 4 layers of dry brushed wall paint (brown+beige+sand+white). An example:
(https://i.postimg.cc/8PGFytNV/Test-1.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/fkHTy7VH)
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To answer the original question, not very. I'll quite happily field figures with a plain base.
Personally, I find basing to be a chore and tend to leave it for as long as possible until I do it. Then I'll do 40 - 50 figures in one go.
Also, I find it depends on the genre of the figures. I will base my historical and fantasy figures. However, my sci-fi figures will either have a black or grey plain base - after all, not a lot shrubbery in a starship corridor.
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I love a beautiful base. They help unify the force, to be sure, and can help give the figure/unit a mini-diorama effect. Even only 'okay' basing can help elevate a figure that's only painted so-so. I'm 'omnivorous' in terms of what good basing can be and I find it's more about 'committing to the bit', as it were. So Malifaux and Privateer Press style more cartoonish bases can be awesome, 'goblin green' old-school 40k bases can be awesome, steel washers with 'realistic' basing can be awesome, etc. I'll even paint plain bases for D&D figures as if they're standing on a dungeon floor (so a painted slate/flagstone effect). Having said that, I get folks who find it tedious, and understand the whole 'clear' base thing so that the figure always matches the terrain.
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I'm in the opposite camp from most here it seems.
While I 100% require a painted and finished base (i.e. some form of uniform texture), I despise overly ornate basing. A base should be simple, look decent, and not upstage the model. It should also be as a relatively flexible as possible. I generally dislike GW style diorama bases on almost anything. There is nothing more I hate than a miniature which is diving off a rock, screaming...
I generally want my bases to be simple enough to blend into the gaming surface. I don't like clear basing (I have tried it and it always ends up glaring or scratching or yellowing), so I keep them simple, attractive, clean.
I hate black rimmed bases, as to me that just separates a miniature from the table itself - though I know it's very much in vogue with gamers at the moment.
I despise volcano basing or snow basing for models that will spend 95% of their time on basic grass/dirt mats, etc.
I also don't find it a chore to do basing, though I have friends who will - much to my chagrin - paint up miniatures for a game, and all of them are unfinished because the bases are done, but they consider them "painted". To me a miniature is not painted/complete until it has a base - no matter how simple.
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Hot Take: Basing is a scam to sell us more stuff. lol
I don't worry too much about basing and for a long time didn't even bother to base anything. They were always fighting on different tabletops with different terrain and colors anyway. Regular black helped me at least find the minis at the end of the game.
Now, I do a little bit more work but keep it very basic. I am usually pretty happy with a simple coat of brown and a black rim now. I do find basing more important the larger the base is compared to the miniatures presented on the base.
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I do not like over-large, highly elaborate, bases which almost dwarf the model which is balancing precariously and fancily on top; and I hate bases showing victims of the model - especially if said model is engaged fighting a completely different force from the cadavers! Although I guess the fussier chaos types would keep a few space marine corpses handy to decorate the landscape when fighting off an ork horde or tyranids or someone else.
That said, I like a nicely finished base, with some small decorative elements, and would not consider a model finished if the base is not. For most models I prefer a simple base, with the occasional one or two per unit with something a little more noticeable to set the scene.
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I tend to keep the bases relatively simple. In my 'umble opinion, seeing six bloke's advancing through a municipal council's best flower beds, looks daft.
Having said that, I went a bit daft on my Undead Skelly Legions. The ground turning brownish black wherever they march. To highlight this the front of the base was proper grass to provide contrast. So we'll does this work that...
it doesn't show up in the piccys!
:'(
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My bases are fairly simple as well. I paint the rim in a color that ties the individual units together, and paint the bases a shade of green and apply a grassy flock to the wet paint. I keep the bases simple due to the various mats I use on which to game. Their neutral looks tend to not look out of place on any of my mats.
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Basing is very important as most people have said, but they can be done simply.
A base should be simple, look decent, and not upstage the model. It should also be as a relatively flexible as possible. I generally dislike GW style diorama bases on almost anything. There is nothing more I hate than a miniature which is diving off a rock, screaming...
I agree completely.
The magic solution for me is TUFTS! They really are a wonderful invention.
I don't personally like colourful flowers and things, just some good natural looking static grass and tufts.
I have a very simple method - textured with sand (unpainted!), mostly covered with static grass, and then lots of tufts of three colours - green, dry green and brown. Edges painted black.
I feel they don't distract from the unit but help complete it.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga9kiy2Ci9EULHOY8t1PjianyvZv_iIP7AfsBIO_twf_wDBH7DW9xsNbMj-jHf9xecMkYESwl4z6CougpydRPtZGEgk74njOL2RyFackqrbA6mm9fFsTcDclF4MnQJXprnc0kKoIvML0uH54W4OUwtsc0yVZpi2VkQP_jAkLn4sSKrcN-sbKe4cbVb/s760/399.JPG)
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH3WhN-ZS6Yyo8RUiHiKXzjMSKO55UFli439NbSHGCCZs4ZaQNcFkWR-0kwp1gfMrI86p53VY3L_hSP_4uGmJNPr4xLZps0gjI80ND2SrsuFLUvEFG33tx71MuCyWvWFtt92i9kFVyHuvoLMxAvOg7l4aqTz6W80ZEmo22elkYcsvhzIqqw4PdHLPR/s856/369.JPG)
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikkp09PC8PmX87e-tHNmTHSj4ZSPNAfI9N5l2eHJi4SBz9GBnc3PnbY9yd9eGDXe7OdyqXwkg5tFe1jE0uFZTMNlwpxU-Q8iPzlqcK-JN_PNEgwMxORzuqPZJtaGDZMFtYnSbGhrBnyupzEL-wMgnxRQzjt7IjiL4maHUkpGLJttuEWb_03tKjM1WhpF4/s966/528.JPG)
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Hot tip. If you base at the end, so the the sand remains unpainted, rather than mixed into some slurry of glue and paint you can use the capillary effect of the sand with watered down paint to avoid splashes of paint on boot, legs etc.
As I (mostly) base on washers I will often use cheap superglue to bring the sand to the level of the figure's integral base. This also helps if it's a small base and there' a gap caused by the washer's hole. Generally but not always I'll then coat the base with a PVA and sand. Paint the rim, paint the larger parts of the textured base and then use a thinned version of the paint to do around the feet of the miniature. Finally dressing it with whatever I've themed that bae with, be it greenery or rubble etc. It all gets matte varnished at this point.
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Fairly important for me. But I do not do elaborate bases. Sand base painted and flocked to match the majority of my terrain boards. I like the bases to match the surface they are fighting on, and since all of my battles occur in my own house with my terrain boards, it isn't hard to manage.
For larger bases (an ogre, for example), I usually throw in a tuft or maybe two.
-Michael
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For me the base connects the figure to its environment, so as far as is practicably possible I like my bases to blend with the terrain. Though I will make an effort with bases, I like them to set-off the figure rather than overwhelm it, thus flowers are not for me though I don’t dislike it when other people use them. Though it’s not been raised by the OP, I can find movement trays to be more jarring than bases, so I finish them in much the same way. One of my biggest dislikes is clear movement trays, even more so than clear bases.
Some examples of my basing:
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/60/2031-291023151339-604872111.jpeg)
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/57/2031-050123205944-577871111.jpeg)
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/52/2031-061021111103-528962361.jpeg)
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/59/2031-280723143903-5943162.jpeg)
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/59/2031-280723143904-59434229.jpeg)
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/60/2031-091123072901-606302482.jpeg)
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/41/2031-131019083502.jpeg)
Figures that will cover multiple terrain types, such as rural and urban, usually get a bit of both, such as these FPW Bavarians who have grass and cobbles:
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/60/2031-101123091702-60664599.jpeg)
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I've had the same two schemes for about 15 years now. Marshland for fantasy, urban grey for sci-fi. I'm fairly happy with both, but I've wasted time and miniatures changing my mind a couple of times and going back to the usual styles!
Truth be told, I'm never quite happy with my bases. It became almost an obsession with my 10mm models, almost souring the whole project!
Oddly, I'm really digging plain colour bases, especially old school models. I'm thinking for my next fantasy project I'll keep it really simple. A big part of it is seeing the armies in Battlesystem 2nd Ed rulebook. Part of me used to hate this look, now I "unironically" like it!
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I think the bases need doing, and I like seeing elaborate bases on minis, but for my own stuff, I always try to make the base simple and neutral, so that it'll fit in with as many different terrain boards as possible.
As a result, I stick to a grey/tan/brown mix over a lightly textured sand base, maybe with a rock or too or a bit of nondescript rubble on the bigger bases, across every thing I paint, be it fantasy, scifi, old west or modern.
I hate seeing figures on grassy bases fighing in starship corridors, or figures with flagstone bases fighting in a desert. As such I generally avoid grass tufts or bits of obvious tech, unless I'm pretty sure that figure is only going to get used in one particular theatre.
It's a compromise, but it's one I've come to terms with. I did toy with the idea of clear bases, but they generally give off shine, which I find worse than all the other drawbacks.
As for rims, black all the way, pretty much for all the reasons stated above. Plus, you're never going to completely hide the fact that the figure is standing on a 4mm bin lid, so the black base is just a recogntiton of the fact.
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The best way to off set a brilliant paint job is to base it poorly .
Consistent basing colour/style / foliage etc , tidy edges , really enhance the finished collective . Time spent on basing is never wasted . Not a fan of flower beds as someone else has said - though appreciate it can have a use to identify units .
Oh and a good face (don’t necessarily need eyes etc) and a smart flag …
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Thanks for all the responses so far! Always very interesting to get a sense of the community’s opinions :D
Personally I find basing very important, since I think it’s necessary to unify a project, and just to stop them looking like crap lol
I also do agree that huge diorama bases for less huge miniatures look a little silly when used for gaming though, and rather upstage the mini, which should obviously be the focus.
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Slightly off topic, but I consider good consistent matt varnishing important in the same way.
When I finish painting a batch of 6-8 figures, they always look unpleasant to my eyes - messy and glossy. Then the matt varnish goes on and... Voila! It all gets tied together, and the rabbit is pulled out of the hat. Then they get based up as a unit, and all doubts are vanquished.
Painting is like making a pie. Good consistent varnishing and basing is putting it in the oven. You don't want it under or overcooked, but if done right, you will end up with a fantastic final product!
Perhaps the third essential finishing touch is good and suitable photography, assuming you're sharing pics of online.
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Great points Charlie
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Very important. Bad basing can break anotherwise decent model.
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Very important. Bad basing can break anotherwise decent model.
I was hoping this was the moment you would reveal yourself as a member of the original line up of Swedish pop one hit wonders superstars 'Ace of Base'. :D
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on 28s more than 15s, but in most cases, i just paint them muddy greens and browns, diluted glue and flock em with foam dust. Occasionally a tuft, or a pebble. I usually don’t leave a black rim but occasionally paint a white placard there on the back for labeling in black. My 19th c sailors get just painted a beach white color and a figure who stays inside or scifi just painted grey.
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The critical consideration for me is that the basing match the cloth or mat one is playing on. Little rectangles of pampas grass on a surface of yellow ochre sand emphasise the bases instead of concealing them. Better not to flock, frond, and pebble at all if playing on a plain cloth.
Since getting a good games mat a few years ago, however, I've seriously upgraded all my bases, and the appearance is certainly improved.
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The critical consideration for me is that the basing match the cloth or mat one is playing on. Little rectangles of pampas grass on a surface of yellow ochre sand emphasise the bases instead of concealing them. Better not to flock, frond, and pebble at all if playing on a plain cloth.
Since getting a good games mat a few years ago, however, I've seriously upgraded all my bases, and the appearance is certainly improved.
Too strong a standard for me. It borders on not using an 1815 shako on a fig playing in a 1807 scenario. If my gaming was exclusively on one mat with 2 armies pairnted just for it my gaming would be too limited, or too expensive.
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The critical consideration for me is that the basing match the cloth or mat one is playing on. Little rectangles of pampas grass on a surface of yellow ochre sand emphasise the bases instead of concealing them. Better not to flock, frond, and pebble at all if playing on a plain cloth.
Since getting a good games mat a few years ago, however, I've seriously upgraded all my bases, and the appearance is certainly improved.
Agreeing with Mick there, don’t love the idea of limiting my army to one specific mat with which I can game. Admire your dedication at matching everything up though, I’m sure it looks fantastic!
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Time issues and computer access issues so I haven't read the whole thread and hope this isn't duplicative:
Where a textured base, however simply, shines the best is when bringing together disparate collections of figures with varying painting styles/levels of ability (within reason, of course). It makes a huge difference it making it look more like a cohesive collection.
Personally, I usually go for fairly simple - use acrylic paint as my 'adhesive' and then add some sort of flocking or sand. Might sometimes add a bit of dry brushing, more rarely add a bit of tufting. 15 mm is probably more forgiving than larger figures.
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I seem to have given the wrong impression. I have a single two-sided mat for all my non-naval battles: meadow grass, obverse, semi-desert, reverse. It's no sweat to use sandy bases for one, grassy for t'other, and I have based some 80 or 90 armies accordingly (hail 10mm).
My point was rather that before I got the mat, I used a pretty simple cloth, and avoided fancy bases because the contrast would have made them look more like toy soldiers, less like real ones.
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There's also the issue of 'keeping up with base size changes or shapes' (GW, looking at you!) which used to be a bugbear - no longer, I refuse to rebase, at least unless the old base is really bad and the model deserves an improved base.
I also had problems for a while with the vehicle basing issue - do you or don't you?
This is normally worse form 15 mm or less, where you get fantastic models from more than one range, some based, some not; in which case I generally prefer to keep them uniform and thus all based (removing a base from caterpillar tracks integral to it is not something I would enjoy). It's also a presentation dilemma, as vehicles without bases can be placed on a board more easily, but bases for vehicles can be spectacular even when they are not over the top. The problem is that the contrast between base and a different setting board is even bigger for a vehicle base than for a single person-sized model: a Sherman wading through hedgerows is grand, but it would look a bit silly in the middle of a firefight in a town square, although you could always say the crew were out shopping for the knights who say Ni.
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I seem to have given the wrong impression. I have a single two-sided mat for all my non-naval battles: meadow grass, obverse, semi-desert, reverse. It's no sweat to use sandy bases for one, grassy for t'other, and I have based some 80 or 90 armies accordingly (hail 10mm).
My point was rather that before I got the mat, I used a pretty simple cloth, and avoided fancy bases because the contrast would have made them look more like toy soldiers, less like real ones.
I clearly misunderstood you then, sincere apologies lol
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My mouth was full of toast with mackerel pate - probably distorted my speech.
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My mouth was full of toast with mackerel pate - probably distorted my speech.
Never heard that one before… lol lol lol
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Accursed mackerels! Always distorting those speeches! And the occasional diatribe!
I bet it depends on historicals vs. indoor / outdoor figures. Frex, with generic fantasy miniatures, you'll use the same miniature in a dungeon encounter as you would wilderness. And, even with outdoors, you can have different terrains. With historicals, you typically fought on a specific terrain, so could match the miniature base to the play area. I figure generic fantasy painters pretty much gave up and went the diorama-ish route, even if it's just sand and a tuft or skull.
I've seen clear acrylic bases, which I like for sf. Looks too techie for generic fantasy for me, though.
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"frex" - Thanks, that's a fun new word for my vocabulary! I'll remember it.
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lol
I was hoping this was the moment you would reveal yourself as a member of the original line up of Swedish pop one hit wonders superstars 'Ace of Base'. :D
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I think basing is very important, to me. And I really enjoy making them. I’ve dabbled in diorama building and I’ve painted large scale figures for many years where basing is very important but I don’t judge other people for having different views about it.
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Very important. I rarely play with plain based figures as the years have gone by, I've increasingly used plastic and resin scenic bases. I like the way basing can bring unity and narrative to a figure or faction. Most often I try to base to represent the figures home, or usual location of operation.
For some reason it doesn't bother me at all if the figures basing doesn't match the table. My Sci Fi figures often have industrial bases but frequently seem to also play on desert planets, just as my Chaos waste based figures frequently battle on verdant fields. For me, the base is part of the figures story, not necessarily the battle of the moment.