My 30mm bevel bases are great, but I am having issues with them. Let's talk about that, shall we?
Yes. We shall.
So first problem is that some early minis look just swamped by their bases. True 25mm scale need so much decoration to fill the void, it is eating into painty sculpty time. So that is a concern, but only on some figures.
Problem numero two is that I am running short on display and storage space. Space is a hard thing these days. Also the bases do not fit doorways easily so my city scenery is cramped and tricky to use.
Third problem is I am running low on 30mm multibases and money is getting tight.
So the obvious solution was to downsize to 25mm bases for figures that need it... stick to 30mm for the rest. Basically use the bevel as the constant. This also means some models can have hex bases (Talisman) and so long as the topping i similar it all looks unified. I did some tests and liked the result.
80's Skeletons and zombies looked particularly swamped. This test warband nails it for me- they can swarm together suitably Harryhausen style.
I also like the black edge as it is what I grew up with. Renedra is great for gaming minis because of the low profile, and is the next best thing to washers (but the paint sticks nicely). I will still ship my minis with Renedra by default.
Another thing that ha been bugging me with my standard system is that it does not quite conjure the mossy, burn scrub from John Blanches paintings. Tufts also look out of place.
So to that end upgraded my dirt mix from beach sand to a special blend of flock (sawdust), wood chips and pet store shellsand, to give a more John Blanchey scrub feel to the base when tinted with scorched brown and olives. The goal is to have that rotten, mossy feel where you are like 'what the hell is that? Feel. I want to hide details in the base and have people go 'hey look..'
Welp, I will have to sleep on it. Comments welcome. :)
How many bases would require rebasing if you did this?
ReplyDeleteIf I rebased EVERY mini? Around two thousand.
DeleteThat is the nice thing about this, I don't have to rebase everything. Just those that look wrong. I can do a unit, having lunging models with 30mm, maybe the champion and the standard too- the rest on 25mm except a familliar on 20mm.
Oh and another reason is these are commonly available.
I hear you on the availability. It just seems like to much of an undertaking to me. I had a wild idea to change all my 25mm square bases to 30mm squares about a year back. I'm glad I talked myself out of it. Just my opinion of course. If it is something that is going to gnaw at you, I say go for it. I would just leave everything the same if it was me. :)
DeleteI will gently bleed over to a healthy mix of rounds with the occasional square and hex if it feels right. I have a big bag of bases from ebay that I can use for free, plus plenty of left over hexes.
DeleteWord! Also just noticed the new banner up top. Lovely!
DeleteLol, you and your bases.
ReplyDeleteThey do look good though.
I'm sticking to my 1" and 1.5" fender washers come hell or high steel prices.
Shame you are not in Sydney, I have huge boxes of them you could have!
DeleteHave you ever considered re-naming this blog "King's Bases?" :)
ReplyDeleteThey look great, Delaney. Guy-With-Beergut-and-Hookhand, especially.
The banner must spend a period with that title!
DeleteThe bevel bases always look great for skirmish games but they can be very big for old school minis, they suit the newer 28-38????? Minis much better, but I do prefer the 25mm angled bases and like you prefer the edge in black. Some of my favourite mordheim minis and articles did it this way and nostalgia gets the better of me each time.
ReplyDeleteBy bevel you mean DS lipped bases - with the rounded ends.
DeleteThese are technically bevel bases as they have a slight bevel and are not straight at the sides (like dnd minis).
Jus' sayin'
Nostalgia is king around here (I am queen). He is a cruel Joffrey of a king though.
DeleteI love Fraser Gray and McVeys black rimmed bases with dark toppings. Ansel's goblin green basing makes me physically sick. I wanna rebase his whole collection... And you KNOW I would!
Yep you are right, lipped etc etc, but rebase them alllllll argh, the bane of gamers the world over. Done it too often and well not pedantic enough ( or a good enough painter) to bother. But heh would you prefer to paint mins or base? Your call!
DeleteI just stick to 25mm slotta bases - works fine!
ReplyDeleteYour models with the new bases look great. I like the (elf?) ranger.
Warburton
He is actually from the Paladin range, sculpted by Jes Goodwin and appearing also in Dungeonquest bozed set.
DeleteHe is ranger to me. :)
*shakes head* I don't know anyone else who thinks this much about bases. I had a stage that everything had to be based according to size in D&D. But most manufacturers don't make small creatures tiny enough in 25mm or 30mm scale so the miniatures don't have enough space around them. And certainly look really wrong on smaller bases, saying that 15mm Splintered Light Kobolds do fit smaller bases and look correct. Now medium creatures and smaller all go on regular bases, large and up get correct size bases. Usually Spotlight cup placemates. All must be round and never lipped!
ReplyDelete... Ok maybe I think about it quite a bit too. But I'd leave them as is. Rebasing just cuts into painting time and stops progress on the lead mountain.
All my old stuff is based on square 20mm gw bases, and when I first got back into the hobby I just kept the squares. Recently (mostly after having browsed LAF ) I switched to the round low profile Renedra. Now I'm having second thoughts though, those round bases you use appeal to my nostalgia with those black edges while still being round (and everyone knows round = infinitely better) . Tabbed figures are sooo much less of a hassle basing with slottas although minis with integral bases look better with Renedras/washers. Decisions decisions...
ReplyDeleteWhere do you get your bases? I've been toying with renedra, myself. But, like you, I like to be able to pick up my minis by the base.
ReplyDelete