Names on bases...Bad idea?

[Galland]

I think its really cool with names on the bases. I usually use standard GW round 25mm for quite a few wargaming systems and miniatures, and they are perfect for that purpose, since they look so much better than crappy washers or coins, its like a little display base all on its own.
Names on bases make the miniatures more personal and yields a feeling of a more detailed gaming enviroment on all accounts, with that in mind, go ahead and use the names!

[Mindenbrush]

An alternative I have seen used is to have a picture of the figure on a card with boxes for attributes and then clear laminate the card. The figure is easily identified and the card it re-useable each game if you have removeable marker pens.

[Clearco]

I thought today that it could be a good idea to make cards with the names and fotos of the carachters and now I realise I wasn´t the first one 

As a possible alternative: what about writing the names NOT in the bases but on items on the bases (like a wood sign)? It would be a bit comic-style, but maybe it looks to bizarre that there is so many signs in that town

[grubman]

As a possible alternative: what about writing the names NOT in the bases but on items on the bases (like a wood sign)? It would be a bit comic-style, but maybe it looks to bizarre that there is so many signs in that town

Yeah...I don't think so 

[YIU]

3 options :

1/ painting the name on the base but it's hard and if you change your mind it's not the good oprtion

2/ use tranfer numbers or letters like Letraset transfer (use a pencil to apply them)

3/ the best option : type the names in Winword in a small font. Print the page, cut the names and glue the names on the base using car-paper glue (like UHU glue stick) so you could remove it easily without damaging the base and the paint. I did it for some games and it works very well.

You could also print names on white stickers : easier and faster to remove.

[Galland]

The card thing isnt new, but its a good solution and something I will draw some inspiration from and absolutely use for our Old West campaign. However, I still think that names on the bases are cool, for any type of skirmish game really. I have seen large armies with this as well, and it still looked cool, and gave the miniatures some sort of personality and made them more interesting.

[Brian Smaller]

We use RWNN and every character I have painted has a corresponding character card complete with a picture on it. If we are not sure who Honest Abe is, a quick glance at the pic on the card is all it takes.

[Brian Smaller]

In my experience the fastest way to get charaters killed is to paint their name on the base.

Ha ha. So true. The second fastest way is to have me playing that character.

[Conquistador]

Ha ha. So true. The second fastest way is to have me playing that character.

Sooooo... if you are playing with figures with the name on the base - do they die before the game starts?

Gracias,

Glenn

[Cherno]

One solution would be to make the names temporary, for example by using scotch tape or similar.

What I did to differentiate my ATZ characters is to have a small 1 inch-counter with the figure's photo on it on a seperate "modular character sheet" that also has room for inventory items, name, stats, attributes, etc.

I will write a project report on this "invention" of mine in the near future.

[grubman]

Well, I've made one decision...I am going to paint the bases different colors, but I've decided to go with mo subdued colors.  Instead of colors like red, blue, yellow, ect.  I'm going to go with black, grey, brown, tan, mustard, and rust for the 6 factions I'm working on.  That way they will be distinct, but the color won't look so jarring on the table.

Still haven't decided on the names on the bases yet.  I'm going to see how the bases of the first couple factions look first.

[grubman]

OK...so I’ve finally finished the first two factions.

After a lot of debate, I decided to do the bases of each faction in a different color to distinguish them easier on the game table.

My biggest debate was weather to put names on the bases or not.  It’s something I had never done before and I was afraid it would look tacky.  Still, I wanted the characters in this game to gain personality and history as the various scenarios played out over time.  I really wanted the town of Westwood to start to come alive with continued play.

There was a lot of contemplation, and I got all kinds of great advice here on lettering and everything...In the end, I decided to be plain old boring and just paint the names on the back.

This is how they look.  At first I was worried, but now that I’ve done it, I’m actually very happy with the way it looks and the feel it gives.  Opinions are going to vary, but I’m happy.

I present, Colonel Jack’s Law Posse and The Ringo James Outlaw Gang!

[Brian Smaller]

@grubman - I may have missed it but can you identify the various Westwind sets you have painted up there please?  I have quite a few but not those ones.

Cheers
Brian

[grubman]

@grubman - I may have missed it but can you identify the various Westwind sets you have painted up there please?  I have quite a few but not those ones.

Cheers
Brian

They were called Train Robbers (set 1&2) and Marshall's and Deputies (set 1&2).

[richarDISNEY]

Yup.
I did it all the time for my Necromunda gangs.  When they were killed off, a quick brushing of black, and more white names, and off I went.