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Author Topic: Bases – Round or Square????  (Read 1192 times)

Offline JAK

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Bases – Round or Square????
« on: November 13, 2023, 10:05:07 AM »
With my enforced break from the hobby due to my RSI problem I don’t have a planned project to do, or in reality I haven’t decided which of the many I have I will start when I return to modelling.

One of my options, that I have mentioned elsewhere, is the rebasing of the Discworld inspired wargame units I made in the past that have been lost to the Warhammer-Empire Forum due to the problems with Photobucket.

These were built over a number of years, but also since Photobucket intervened I have built a few more that I’ve not shown. I also still have a number of planned units to join them, some have the figures waiting to be built while others are just paper ideas at present.

None of these units have a consistent basing style as over the years I’ve just used whatever material was to hand at the time. My intention was to rebase them to a more uniform style and to keep enough basing material and a painting formula for those yet to be built.

The plan was to use AOS round bases but with the length of time it takes me to do things my problem is that with the release of ‘The Old World’ fairly imminent from GW it may have re-established itself before I finish start this project.

So what do I use – Round or Square?

For Round AoS

The circular bases give more space for conversions than cramped ranked units on square bases.

The current ‘square’ horse sized bases used for cavalry, including Empire knights, are too narrow and figures have to be staggered due to the width at the riders legs.
 
A mini diorama to go with the unit can be as large as you want (but wont count as extra men for those who actually play the game.)

I’d probably have to buy display/movement trays as I cant cut circles very well.

For Square TOW

The larger 25mm bases for infantry will allow the extra space required for most conversions.

A pike unit looks wrong on circular bases and needs to be ranked.

Unit fillers give the scope to make that little diorama to go with the unit (and counts as extra men for those who actually play the game.)

Movement/display trays would be easier to scratchbuild.

Undecided

Putting circular based figures on set sized display/movement trays (like my City Watch) means they can be formed together quite easily into regular shapes for display.
Movement trays that vary in sizes to fit a ranked unit’s formation, be it Combat Order, Marching Column, Lance or Skirmish wont.

I don’t play the games which is why my units are the minimum 5 or 10 man size but if I ever needed to pass them on I’d like them to be game ready for the new owner.

Questions

1)  GW has suggested that the old 25x50mm cavalry bases will be replaced with bigger ones – has the new size been revealed yet?
 
2) Will TOW become the go to Fantasy game or has AoS too big a hold in the gaming world?

3) These units will eventually be forming a new thread on this Forum so do you have any preference for their basing?

Offline Zygmund

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Re: Bases – Round or Square????
« Reply #1 on: November 13, 2023, 11:48:45 AM »
Questions

1)  GW has suggested that the old 25x50mm cavalry bases will be replaced with bigger ones – has the new size been revealed yet?
 
2) Will TOW become the go to Fantasy game or has AoS too big a hold in the gaming world?

3) These units will eventually be forming a new thread on this Forum so do you have any preference for their basing?

1) No hard answer to this one yet. The general understanding among speculators is 30x60mm. But I wouldn't be surprised if it ends to be 32x65mm or 28,5x55mm. GW has lately gone creative with their base sizes.

2) I think AoS will be their flagship fantasy game, they will keep MESBG, and TOW will take the role of Horus Heresy for fantasy. Just like they've said they will do. Then of course if TOW becomes their bestselling miniature line, they might change that approach. But I doubt it.

3) For me - and it seems for you too - the models you so carefully build and paint are primarily sculpts and paintings, a joy for the eye. Unless you really really ENJOY rebasing, I wouldn't rebase them. They're a piece of art, and if you plan to sell them or pass them on, you should find somebody who appreciates them as they are. They're so special, after all, that I find it somewhat unlikely a hard-boiled gamer would buy them for gaming purposes.

-Z
Live in peace and prosper.

Offline commandant

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Re: Bases – Round or Square????
« Reply #2 on: November 13, 2023, 04:39:52 PM »
I plan on cutting out bases that fit the new base size to stick under the current bases

Offline GamesPoet

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Re: Bases – Round or Square????
« Reply #3 on: November 13, 2023, 08:00:20 PM »
As long as movement trays can work, I could see myself using those and not rebasing my current squares.

There's just so many miniatures to paint, places to take them, I can't see myself rebasing currently.
"Not all who wander are lost ... " Tolkien

"... my old suggestion is forget it, take two aspirins and go paint" steveb

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Offline JAK

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Re: Bases – Round or Square????
« Reply #4 on: November 16, 2023, 07:43:19 PM »
As always thanks for your viewings and all your comments.

I think I always knew what I will eventually be doing but not being near an active gaming club or a GW store I’ve no idea which way the Fantasy game is likely to be going.

Looking a threads on the Forum its clear that gamers are embracing both old Fantasy and AoS although the small games like Warcry with their figures specifically on round bases does add a little confusion to the issue.

I’ve 5 units so far that I’ve not based or painted; 3 you’ve seen and 2 not quite built due to the RSI, and there are others in the pipe line.

My current plan is to put this project on hold for a few months, during which time I may get round to sourcing figures and start building the remaining planed military units. I do prefer the look of ranked troops, and as there is to be a band of pikes, this is the best way for me to proceed. When fuller details of TOW are released I’ll decide on a style of bases for these newer units and then make a decision about the earlier models.

I plan on cutting out bases that fit the new base size to stick under the current bases

That seems a good idea.

Another way would be to trim the bottom off the current base and mount them on the new (this might be an idea if there is scale creep with any new figures issued), or cut the centre out of new and fit the old ones inside. If I use the same basing materials to cover the resulting bit of a border that should help to tie both old and new units together.

Offline JAK

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Re: Bases – Round or Square????
« Reply #5 on: December 05, 2023, 10:13:45 AM »
In the magic preview the Unicorn was called Monstrous Cavalry on a base size of 40 x60 mm. This would seem to be a reasonable modelling size base for normal cavalry as well, but would it be too wide for combat rules – a unit of 5 cavalry would be wrapping round infantry in 5 man ranks from the start. Might be resolved next week when they talk about the Grail Knights.

Offline GamesPoet

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Re: Bases – Round or Square????
« Reply #6 on: December 09, 2023, 04:42:29 PM »
Good questions. It'll be interesting to learn the answers.
"Not all who wander are lost ... " Tolkien

"... my old suggestion is forget it, take two aspirins and go paint" steveb

"The beauty of curiosity and creativity is so much more useful than the passion of fear." me

"Until death it is all life." Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

Offline JAK

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Re: Bases – Round or Square????
« Reply #7 on: December 11, 2023, 02:18:36 PM »
The Grail Knights have confirmed the new cavalry base size.

So we have

Infantry 25 x 25mm
Cavalry 30 x 60mm
Monstrous Cavalry 40 x 60mm

I believe they used to make a 50 x 50mm base so hope that will continue for unit fillers otherwise I’ll have to join some of the old cavalry bases together.

GW currently have no square/rectangular bases listed on their web site – hopefully they will come before the release of TOW.

Offline JAK

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Re: Bases – Round or Square????
« Reply #8 on: December 18, 2023, 05:23:32 PM »
I see they have confirmed the 50 x 50mm base for Monstrous Creatures (a Hippogryph no less) and of course unit fillers.

Offline commandant

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Re: Bases – Round or Square????
« Reply #9 on: December 18, 2023, 10:18:42 PM »
Their basing seems decent though I wonder if orcs will get a bigger base?