The 3x3 base

[mellis1644]

OK I am a rarity here it seems. I'm doing old WRG/DBA basing still for most of the pre-modern models I paint. I play a lot of DBA and ALDG so 3x3 does not work for those rules which are less flexible on their basing - especially width. Yes, wry smiles are allowed on that.

For ACW I do 1 inch squares which I hope to use for those rules when they finally get to me.

I means I do end up with a lot more toys to paint, but living here in the frozen north mail order means I often have to provide both sides for more unusual games (read non GW/warmahordes/skirmish games).

So that does make for large painting projects for me.   

Mark

[Lluis of Minairons]

I use to conform to what seems the most acceptable base sizes for each period, with little exceptions if any - and what's most significant, regardless of the trendy ruleset of the day.

For instance, I always place my Ancient figures using the 4 cm wide stand system, quite universally established by the WRG group several decades ago.



Also, my ACW proud rebels are always based on 2.5 cm wide bases (square if infantry), following what become customary among my gaming mates when playing Fire & Fury; no reason to change basings now, after most of the new rulesets I've learnt about do accept such basing system.



Again, all my 20th cent. armies, either 15mm WWII or 20mm SCW, are using the FoW stand system; the only noticeable difference there is that, while a medium FoW stand can hold up to five 15mm figures, you'd better place no more than three 20mm figures on there. Using that basing system, my only difficulty was at basing heavy artillery; for FoW's large stand was clearly insufficent to hold such models, so I had to use custom stands for these.



Otherwise, 3 cm wide bases have become my choice of preference for both 18th cent. and Napoleonics. I must admit to have adopted it after some short, not lasting "Principles of War fever" caught on my gaming group. After time I've come to like it enough to spread its use wider and wider, as you can see - so that I wouldn't even consider changing it...



...and all of you who share an interest on Napeleonic period do know how oddly difficult has historically been for Napo gamers to agree on anything! - either rulesets, or unit sizes, or troop qualities, or (naturally) basing system - with not less than three competing stand sets there!! Fortunately enough, some clever mind came to the Common Man's rescue with a techno piece called "movement tray"! 

Lluís

[mellis1644]

I use to conform to what seems the most acceptable base sizes for each period, with little exceptions if any - and what's most significant, regardless of the trendy ruleset of the day.

Those look great models and I do the same. 3 x 3 is nice if you are just using the figs for PP rules, but (Heresy I know) I want to play with other games as well. Some area's of the hobby have 'de facto' standard basing - especially for me Ancients and renaissance periods, which still focus on the old WRG base sizes (or a multiple of them).

[Colonel Kilgore]

My Ancients are on WRG bases. I quite like the look for that type of game.

Simon

[owaincaesarius]

Almost all my 15mm's are on 30mm square bases or 30 x 40 if mounted. Pretty much adopted when playing 15mm Crossfire and Spearhead which used 1 1/4 inch bases which we metricated as 30mm. Happily also used by RCFM too I later found.

Like many others the only stuff I have not based this way is most of my medieval and Ancients who remain based to DBM standards or Impetus big bases. Only the Wars of the Roses were redone on 30's to facilitate use in Bloody Barons (v1). They do look better based this way but having many armies and a desire to stick with the standard format 'll keep them on the 40's for now.

I like this size for all the aforementioned reasons and like others I round off the corners on many of them, simply snip across the corner and then a quick rub on a taped down sheet of sandpaper and they are done. As others have mentioned a more irregular look may look better for modern(ish) troops who shouldn't be in ranks but until some enterprising base maker does something suitable I'll stick with this.

[simmo2]

Yes because of Crossfire (Which my group no longer play) it seemed OK to use 30mm when PBI came along. So my WW2 armies are all on this base size. Which is also fine for when I play other rules systems...I just use the plastic rings of death.

However I do think the 40mm wide base seems to be a standard for many other period rule sets but happily with PPs grid base rules it's not a problem 

[Leslie BT]

Great base size, works for two figures, works for three figures and even big enough for most team crewed weapons as well.

[Brian Cameron]

I like the 3 x 3 base for the reasons Martin has mentioned.  I round the corners of my bases as I think they better.  I use 1mm thick foamed PVC as its easy to cut and strong despite being only 1mm thick.  And pretty cheap.

I really don't like thick bases but that's just personal preference.

Brian