Looking at starting a Sharpe's Practice ACW project in 1/72, advice needed...

[mcfonz]

Hi folks,

So following my father's passing last year I have come to a decision when it comes to some of the things I have been holding onto since childhood and would like to move on if I am not going to use them. Part of this is a large-ish collection of 1/72 ACW. This collection started with my dad buying me a couple of sets as a kids which we started to paint and then went on to me finding Fire and Fury which I started basing them for before losing the rules and the models languishing in a box ever since. So at the very least 15 years.

I wanted to do a smallish project with them so at least they are useable for a set of rules and looking around, Sharpe's Practice seems to fit the bill. However, I like the idea of using circular basing and multi-basing them. So I wondered what people might advise. I asked on twitter (and the chap may well be active on here too) as I saw a chap who had done double bases to make it easier and quicker to move units and troops about but also gave the opportunity for some nice little vignettes.

My instant thought was working with a base ratio, so a standard base size of 25mm.
1model = officer
2models = skirmisher base/dismounted cav base/mounted cav
3models= infantry unit.

40mm base seems to work well for artillery although 5 crew might be a squeeze 3-4 is ok. As said before, using them as a focal point for a unit also seems to work. I took a couple of pics to demonstrate what I mean.

This is a possible configuration for an infantry unit.


And what the configuration for other bases for units could look like.


So what do experienced Sharpe's Practice players feel?

[vodkafan]

I like your basing but am not very familiar with Sharpe's Practice so don't know how that would fit in with those rules

[fred]

Good that you are getting old figures back out on the table.

One style of basing that works well for large skirmish games, is the 3, 2, 1 style. Which is bases of decreasing sizes with 3, 2 or 1 figure on them. This gives you fewer elements to move around, lets you make some little vignettes, but also allows you to take off any number of figure to represent casualties.

On your first photo a few of the bases look a bit crowded - I’d suggest 2 figures on the bases with 3, and the ones with 6 infantry on drop that to 3 or 4

[v_lazy_dragon]

No clue I'm afraid - I guess as long as you treat a base of 1/72nd chappies as a single 28mm figure I can't foresee any problems?

(where as something like  Rebels & Patriots, which actively encourages multibasing  28mm figures in 1/2/3 figure bases to make up 6 or 12 figure units, may get very confusing... unless you did multiples such as 3/6/9 in a 36 figure unit or some such)

[mcfonz]

Good that you are getting old figures back out on the table.

One style of basing that works well for large skirmish games, is the 3, 2, 1 style. Which is bases of decreasing sizes with 3, 2 or 1 figure on them. This gives you fewer elements to move around, lets you make some little vignettes, but also allows you to take off any number of figure to represent casualties.

On your first photo a few of the bases look a bit crowded - I’d suggest 2 figures on the bases with 3, and the ones with 6 infantry on drop that to 3 or 4

They are a little crowded - I tend to trim the bases down as they are large, but I also wanted to give the impression of how tightly ranked the Infantry units could be drilled to be. Most of the time it's finding and mixing poses that are more complimentary than anything else. The command stand has buckets of space so I think is fine. Especially if they are to be integral to a unit. Sort of reminisce of artwork that has a unit forming closely around the 'colours' and their commanding officer.

I could drop to two figures per base for infantry but I fear it will be hard to differentiate between them and skirmishers who in many cases will look no different in terms of uniform.

No clue I'm afraid - I guess as long as you treat a base of 1/72nd chappies as a single 28mm figure I can't foresee any problems?

Yeah, that was the idea. Without being too snobby about it, 1/72 are nice, they are cheap, a compact scale, but the detail isn't always the best. By far the cheapest option is to base them singularly but I don't think enough of them are quality enough to look good like that. Multibasing has that effect of smaller scales in that you are looking for the look of a unit so multiple figures fighting closely together as per battlefield drill. It helps people to look at them as such.

I could move to square bases but my eyes have always preferred round. I know, I know... heathen etc 

I had a very quick stab at painting a union soldier the other evening. Turned out like this:


I think en masse they should look pretty fine. The main concern I had was being able to have them represent the different formations and if I say, did four of the large bases counting as two each, this may be more difficult to represent.

[vodkafan]

Round bases are the in thing, I think square lined up bases should stop for anything after Napoleonics...splendid work on that little man! Follow your instincts, I think it will look great

[fred]

I’d suggest doing one of the two approaches, not both together, otherwise it is likely to be confusing so either

A) use 28mm size bases with multiple figures on. Count each base as 1 figure in the rules

B) use slightly smaller bases than 28mm and go for the 3, 2, 1 style basing. Count each figure as 1 figure in the rules.

[mcfonz]

A little update.



I'm thinking I will stick with these bases and not mix in the same unit. So just another 5 of them to go. I'll make one a command stand just to give it a focal look. Once this unit is done I might take a look at an artillery piece and then a few bases of Confederate mounted Cavalry.

[fred]

They work well!

[vodkafan]

Really brings those old plastics up to the minute, very good indeed.