Basing animals and NPCs

[Mr.J]

Hi All

I'm just looking for some thoughts on how people base animals, livestock, wildlife etc. and their NPCs.

Just bought a bunch yesterday at Border Reiver and not too sure what to do with them.

Thanks

[Tatanka]

I generally base larger animals as light cavalry and smaller ones, such as chickens, in groups. I have seen very nice vignettes.  I guess, subject to any rules you may be using, it is down to what you think looks good

[Cory]

Civilians I generally base singly on washers, animals I tend to base in groups of 1, 2, 3, and 4 so I can also use them as numeric markers.

[has.been]

Where there is a lot of the same animals e.g. a herd of western cattle, I base them on irregular shape with differing numbers to a base (3, 2 or 1 on a base) that way :-
movement quicker than all on individual bases;
They don't look so regimented;
I can swap the bases around (If one gets shot/ roped etc from say a group of 3)
 and it is possible to add some diorama details to the bases.
 

[tin shed gamer]

The methods mentioned are good,pretty much the best solutions.
But you need to start with what you intend to use them for,and how,once you've got your idea then your basing solution kind of presents its self.
Otherwise they'll end up part of your lead pile(we've all got the "I won't it "buys by the dozen gathering dust )
Mark

[Mr.J]

They're just to populate the table really. There's potential for them to act as objective markers - steal the sheep etc.
I think I'll base my people singly but it's the animals that I've been puzzling over.
Thanks for the suggestions.

[Daeothar]

My problem with basing animals mostly lies in the fact that most larger quadrupeds do not fit on a base corresponding to their size.

For instance; I now have a pack of wolves (Ral Partha) for use with Frostgrave. According to the game stats, they're 'normal' sized creatures (as opposed to 'small' for rats or 'large' for giants), and should be based as such.

The standard base I use for my 'normal' sized minis is 25mm, but none bar two of the wolves (one sitting and howling, the other leaping) will fit on those bases. They have the 'normal' bodymass, but are unable to fit all fours on the 25mm circular bases due to their length.

There never was a more 'First World' problem I suppose, but it irks me nevertheless...

[PhilB]

For animals that need to be used in skirmish games, often as combattants, I find individual basing is the only real solution. Anything that won't fit on a regular 24mm washer (my standard) I either use big, heavy washers or mount them on rectangular cavalry bases. Haven't got round to texturing any, but one would logically do whatever terrain you favor - grasslands, tufts & rocks, barren wasteland, snowy fields, whatever you tend to use for other figures, or whatever basic terrain would be most likely for the critters.

[Silent Invader]

I use 1mm thick washers to base my minis, so anything that won't fit onto that goes onto 1mm thick plasticard with the end radi cut the same as the washer.

[Hu Rhu]

I based mine on circular bases with a varying number of animals to the base.  An example can be found at this thread at the bottom of pages 4 and 12.

http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=72065.0

[Mr.J]

Well I have started work on a base, I've gone for multi basing but if I get more I will base them singularly so I have a nice mix.

Thanks for all your thoughts guys.