Clear bases

[MaleGriffin]

For me, it depends on the type of game. Battle games with ranked miniatures, I use the traditional basing methods. For skirmish games however, I prefer clear bases to show the various terrain used. It drove me nuts when my beautifully detailed desert bases, including tufts of prarie grass, moved in the saloon! The same with any other old western buildings, but then there were the trains, paddle-wheelers, or even the stagecoach! The same for any period or location in which I wanted to play. In Mordheim, cobblestone, plank or tiled floors. In Barons War, cobblestone, dirt, finished stone, ploughed fields etc. The Silver Bayonet offers a plethora of terrain to stand on. Bolt Action, same thing, virtually any type of terrain. The same with Staegrave, Star Wars Legion, Five Parsecs from Home, you get the idea. Skirmishes can have such a wide variety of terrain that make traditional basing look... out of place. YMMV

[Hitman]

What about storing figures so they don't get damaged during transport? No magnetic bottoms means if stored upright they will slide around leading g to damaged figures. Stored flat in foam cases works but that ends up taking a ton of space...I'm thinking the foam pull out types or even the GW storage cases.

[fred]

For 28s I store stood up in boxes - but for transport to games put them in foam. I tend to only transport skirmish sized forces (of 28s) so putting a few figures in a foam case to travel is only a few minutes work. For a whole army I can see this would be challenging - but doubt anyone is thinking of basing whole armies on clear bases!

[ced1106]

While the article I mentioned doesn't use pinning, pinning would be a way to keep figures from breaking off clear bases. OTOH, You could just fix up the miniature and attach it to a new base.

I don't see how a clear based figure would require more protection than any other miniature? I certainly don't store any of my boardgame miniatures with magnets. Just cheap plano boxes.

[gweirda]

...storing figures...during transport...No magnetic bottoms...foam pull out types...

My multi-fig bases get a neodymium magnet (.030" thick - .060" or .125" dia depending on size of figs) under one of the minis to hold the base in place on a ferrous sheet.

Foam for individual figs is just sheet stock (from craft/sewing store) with rows of slices (just a knife cut) in it for the base 'edge' with the mini lying down and strips of similar stock laid over each row - doesn't require custom 'holes' or other specific accommodations, so boxes can be used for any amount/type of minis needed for a particular trip.

[Redshank]

Much food for thought here, which is exactly what I was after - thanks all.

I was actually considering clear plastic basing for big-battle 28mm!

The risk of figures coming unstuck if only attached by their boots (sometimes toes in walking poses) is concerning. I wonder about painting the puddle of metal or plastic the figures' boots are stuck to in a dark colour as if it's a shadow. It may well defeat the whole point though.

Only way to tell will be to do an experiment when time allows!

[SgtSlag]

I employed clear bases, for a short period of time.  I hated the shiny reflections they gave, which was really obnoxious, in the beginning...

I began hitting them with matte clear coat, which frosted their bases, until you set them down onto terrain -- then the terrain would show through, without the obnoxious shine!  That was the real solution I found with them.







I gave up on them, however, as I discovered that the decorated/flocked base, really took the figures up a notch, in my book, for appearance on the tabletop.  You are correct, having men standing upon dirt/grass piles, atop a stone tower or wall, or roadway, is a bit of a distraction, and out of place.  But...  I found it to be a better trade-off than what the clear bases gave me.

My clear bases showed everything:  scratches, glue globs, paint globs, or anything else I did not want on them.  It is down to personal preferences, but if they work for you, full steam ahead!  I wish you the best of luck.  Cheers!

[mikedemana]

I painted some clear bases up as wound markers - blood red splotches. I did the same thing but used a brush on clear matte. I liked the effect it gave of toning down the shine by still be transparent. I've never used them for miniatures bases, though.

Mike Demana

[ced1106]

I painted some clear bases up as wound markers - blood red splotches. I did the same thing but used a brush on clear matte. I liked the effect it gave of toning down the shine by still be transparent. I've never used them for miniatures bases, though.

Love that idea. Could you post a pic? I'd also like to see a mini "knocked down" on such a marker, to indicate, say, a recently killed body that could be looted!

Clear bases used as markers and terrain (eg. pit traps, puddles) might be a try.

[mikedemana]

As requested, here are some pictures of my clear bases that I used for wound markers. If I were to do the project again, I would use smaller size bases. You'll notice they have different numbers of blood spots on them. This is the number of wounds taken.



To make it easy to spot quickly how many wounds they'd taken, I arranged the blood splotches like the pips of a 6-sided die.



The foam circle leaning up against the building with the gang logo is how street gangs "tag" buildings as one of the ways to get victory points for the scenario. Notice also that you can "tag over" another gang's tag, which obviously doesn't win any friends...!

Mike Demana

[Mr. White]

This is a really great idea, Mike, with super execution. I like it better than tokens or beads or whatever tracking wounds. I’m going to have to try something similar after a few of my projects mature just a little more.

Love these punk models too! What are they from?

[mikedemana]

Love these punk models too! What are they from?

Casting Room Miniatures. Here's the link to my blog post which talks about how I modified some of them:
https://leadlegionaries.blogspot.com/2020/05/new-street-gang-indianola-mohawks-and.html

I do my best to have markers in my games look like scenery or otherwise enhance the look of the game. My noise markers for Zombie Rv, with a similar stones on asphalt taking the role of pips on a 6-sided die (next to the bald guy with the shotgun):



Or for Space Weirdos, the markers to show a figure has already moved this turn:



Mike Demana

[Patrice]

Interesting thread.

Personally I use bases as thin as possible, round washers or square cardboard, 2 cm wide. I don't usually put tufts on the bases of characters on foot (I do for cavalry) and if possible I have slightly different terrain colours and materials on all bases (...but I'm not very good at it).

I don't use clear bases myself I don't think it blends well with any terrain (except if they are fighting in a glass factory) but that's me, no criticism intended. When playing a game I tend to ignore when differences happen between bases and terrain underneath, I suppose that the characters have not wiped their feet when entering the house or coming aboard the pirate ship, they may have sand and grass around their boots

[SgtSlag]

...I suppose that the characters have not wiped their feet when entering the house or coming aboard the pirate ship, they may have sand and grass around their boots

   Winner of the best justification for decorated bases with the wrong/out of place terrain style!  Cheers!

[ced1106]

Great idea with the wound markers!

I made some to indicate radioactive / acid / etc. areas.

Use putty or clear glue for the medium. I mixed in a green Army Painter hobby paints to color the medium, and painted onto the base. Then I swirled in some brighter green and yellow colors. Result looked dry, so I then painted with a clear yellow gloss, although I'm sure a gloss varnish would work!