Advice needed on a basing problem, please

[chirine ba kal]

I have an odd problem that I could use some advice on. I have been asked to run a game at a major convention next year, as part of a memorial display for a miniatures game author who is sadly no longer with us; I've been asked to use a set of rules that he did, as well as my vintage figures from the late 1970s. So far, so good; the issue to hand is the basing system the author used - he used a unique system similar to the later DBm / DBx 'element' system, and I don't use anything like it. (My figures are based more along the lines of the WRG system.) I'm looking at doing new bases for about 500 figures to put this particular game on, and I'm wondering if:

1) Should I un-base the the figures, do new bases for this game, and then restore the bases back to the original format?

2) Should I drill the current based figures to take a magnet or glue on some magnetic sheeting, and then do steel 'sabot' bases?

3) Should I just make new bases, and stick the old ones with their figures onto them with a non-permanent adhesive?

About the only condition that I have to worry about is that these figures are a little on the fragile side, being cast from the very soft alloy that was the norm back in Ye Olden Dayes, so I want to use as delicate a process as possible.

Comments? Thoughts? Thanks!

[Westfalia Chris]

Personally, I would tend to using the sabot approach, with or without magnets (more likely photo fixing strip, if that stuff is still around). Furthermore, if there is sufficient space on the sabot, you could add a strip detailing the stats of the figures, which might come in useful if the rules in question are obscure or unlikely to be well-known to the players. Needless to say that these strips should look the part and not like they were added as an afterthought.

[julesav]

Options 2&3 sound best to me! However I am in the process of rebasing all my 28mm armies to sabot basing so I'm a tad biased really!

If your bases are also 'old skool' - simply painted card then option 1 might not be as onerous as it would be for my textured, flocked (and sometimes even tufted!) bases.

Whatever you choose it would be nice to see pics of classics!

[chirine ba kal]

Thank you both for your advice! The set or rules, "Legions of the Petal Throne", has been out of print for some thirty-five years, so doing the data on the bases is a particularly appropriate idea. The figures used will be my vintage Tekumel figures; this is a commemoration of the late Dave Sutherland. So, there's a bunch of practical issues in play...

I will see about pictures; I have a Photobucket page, but posting those photos seems to be a bit of an involved process.

Thank you! Any more ideas welcome, too!

[jthomlin]

How about sabot bases made of clear acrylic with the figures blu-tack'ed on?

If I remember correctly from your blog, you once said have a table saw so making the sabots should be no problem, then all you need to do is stick the appropriate number of figures to a base. Once it's over, off they come and normality is restored.

I have done the same for Warhammer based figures for Chipco Fantasy Rules! ...



Cheers!
Joe Thomlinson

[chirine ba kal]

How about sabot bases made of clear acrylic with the figures blu-tack'ed on?

If I remember correctly from your blog, you once said have a table saw so making the sabots should be no problem, then all you need to do is stick the appropriate number of figures to a base. Once it's over, off they come and normality is restored.

I have done the same for Warhammer based figures for Chipco Fantasy Rules! ...

Oooo! I like that!

Yep, cutting stuff is not an issue. I think the clear acrylic would be cool; I have a nagging suspicion that the people I am doing this game for will want the game to look as 'retro' / 'old-school' / 'vintage' as possible, so I have a feeling that the bases will be painted - steel, wood, or card. "Legions" is a little odd in that all bases are the same size, with one figure to a base to indicate what the unit is supposed to be. (Does the DBM / DBx systems do this?) I don't know if the Blu-tak would hold up to a game environment - I have some in stock, from a trip to the UK, and I will give it a try in a 'trial run'.

At the moment, my gut feeling is that I'll wind up cutting sabot bases and using a water-based adhesive to stick the figures to them - after the game, I can soak the troops' feet in warm water, and get them unstuck pretty quickly and easily. I hope...

[jthomlin]

Oooo! I like that!

Yep, cutting stuff is not an issue. I think the clear acrylic would be cool; I have a nagging suspicion that the people I am doing this game for will want the game to look as 'retro' / 'old-school' / 'vintage' as possible, so I have a feeling that the bases will be painted - steel, wood, or card. "Legions" is a little odd in that all bases are the same size, with one figure to a base to indicate what the unit is supposed to be. (Does the DBM / DBx systems do this?) I don't know if the Blu-tak would hold up to a game environment - I have some in stock, from a trip to the UK, and I will give it a try in a 'trial run'.

At the moment, my gut feeling is that I'll wind up cutting sabot bases and using a water-based adhesive to stick the figures to them - after the game, I can soak the troops' feet in warm water, and get them unstuck pretty quickly and easily. I hope...

DBx are 2/3/4 figures in a single rank per base. I have had no problem with Blu-tack in games, it will easily hold figures even when the base is upside down. You can always do a test base or three before committing to any method.

Cheers!
Joe Thomlinson

[julesav]

Great to hear of Tekumel getting some love!

I really like the clear acrylic bases!

Beware! BlueTak is temperature sensitive - sticky in the warm, less so in the cold.

For temporary basing you could try 'Copydex' glue, it's latex based and easily peels off from plastic.

Good luck!

Cheers

Jules

[Peithetairos]

Say, would it be possible to just slightly alter the base size requirements in the original rules or are they absolutely necessary to appreciate the rule system fully?

[chirine ba kal]

Great to hear of Tekumel getting some love!

I really like the clear acrylic bases!

Beware! BlueTak is temperature sensitive - sticky in the warm, less so in the cold.

For temporary basing you could try 'Copydex' glue, it's latex based and easily peels off from plastic.

Good luck!

Cheers

Jules

Thank you for the suggestion! I've been using the various 'Elmer's' brands of water-based glues, but I'll see about sourcing some of the 'Copydex' - always willing to try new things!

And thank you for the kind words about Tekumel, too. It's all I really do, these days, and it's still a lot of fun for me.

[chirine ba kal]

Say, would it be possible to just slightly alter the base size requirements in the original rules or are they absolutely necessary to appreciate the rule system fully?

You know, I'm going back and reading the rules for the first time in literally decades, and I have the feeling that the exact base sizes are not that important to the rules mechanics. I'll have to try this out on the table, and see what happens. I'll get back to you on this...

[Peithetairos]

I just thought if you can spare yourself the task to rebase all your miniatures you can rather spend that time painting them etc. .