Pictish sabot bases for Dux Bellorum

[James Morris]

I've been playing some games of Dux Bellorum (the Osprey Dux) with Steve Jones prior to our demo game at Salute this year.  Steve (never one to do things by halves) has rebased his entire Romano-British collection on 120mm frontage bases - see them at:  http://paintingshed.blogspot.co.uk/  While these are miniature works of art, I wanted to retain the ability to play games such as WAB and SAGA with individually based models, so I bought a load of 120mm frontage MDF trays from Warbases and got to work.
All my models are already magnetically-based for transport/storage, so I cut matching pieces of steel paper (from Magnetic Displays) and stuck these to the MDF trays.  These were then textured with sand and grit stuck down with PVA; once dry, I sprayed the whole base with Army Painter 'Leather Brown'.  Every base has a spear stuck into the ground at the rear to hold clear plastic curtain rings as hit markers (Cohesion in Dux Bellorum.)  We've found that these don't spoil the look of the game when playing, but are the easiest way to record hits - for Dux B we simply give each unit rings equal to its Cohesion at the start (maximum 6) and just remove them as the game progresses.  The fact that the hit marker is integral to the unit base means that you don't accidentally leave the hits behind while moving - nice as that would be.  
I also added some casualty models, discarded shields etc for a little extra flavour.  Following the usual painting and drybrushing I added flock, foliage and grass tufts for a little more realism.  The figures in the pics are my Pictish army (NB I have made more bases than are usual for a Dux B army as we are planning to play a larger than average game.)
First up are the Pict Warriors.

 

[Mitch K]

Nice idea, and nice execution! I like the idea of having a cohesion marker built in - clever!

Thanks for sharing.

[Atheling]

Nice idea James- keeps things neat and tidy which is definitely what you need with a demo game of any kind.

Could work very well under a few different rules systems- possibly getting nicked! 

Darrell.

[James Morris]

Cheers.  We started doing the 'rings on a spear' thing for Hail Caesar, after finding that we had just too many hit markers trailing around after the units like so much confetti.  We've decided that we put rings ON while playing HC (starting with an empty spear), but take them OFF for playing Dux B.  Helps to remind us which system we're playing!

Here are the Pict skirmishers (these are on 120x40mm bases, unlike the Warriors who are on 120x60mm).  These are quite elderly models - Foundry and first generation Gripping Beast - and I could probably paint them better nowadays, but I like them just the way they are...

[James Morris]

And here’s my favourite, the cavalry.  These are 120x80mm bases with different arrangements of models (3 for skirmisher cavalry, 4 for ‘regular’ and 5 for comitatus.)  The comitatus base (bottom right) wasn’t quite wide enough for 5 models on 25mm bases, so I extended it with a piece of lolly stick cut to shape.  If I was really organised I’d have ordered a custom base, but I wasn’t...

The models are a mixture of old Foundry and much newer Gripping Beast.

[Christian]

Ah, was it your work I have seen using HC to re-create Y Gododdin in WI? If so: Incredible stuff!! I am sure the participants of your demo game are in for a treat!

[James Morris]

Ah, was it your work I have seen using HC to re-create Y Gododdin in WI? If so: Incredible stuff!! I am sure the participants of your demo game are in for a treat!

Yup, that was us.  Glad you enjoyed it.  Our Dux B game at Salute is going to be slightly smaller, but hopefully still good to look at!

[Ray Earle]

Please don't do that James. That last photo scared the s**t out of me!! 

Great idea with the basing though. Lovely execution. 

[Atheling]

Is the cat based on the same principles? 

Great to see some of the older mini's from your collection. I remember well seeing some of the miniatures/units at Hot Lead/Cold Steel..... Salad Days....

Darrell.

[Poiter50]

Great idea to multi rule your basing. Very nice work on the figures as well.

[Clarence Bentworth-Butts]

A very clever idea.

Clarence

[Vanvlak]

That's brilliant - very nicely done - the units look grand on this sort of basing. 

[Mr Brown]

Wonderful basing and painting all round.

Quick question though - when wargaming with cats how do you get them to roll the dice properly?
It's something I've never been able to get mine to get the hang of

[Dalauppror]

Greate work !!!

[Dr. Kevin Moon III esq.]

They look great, you'll never convince me on curtain rings though