Basing scatter

[martin goddard]

https://entoyment.co.uk/products/kcs-91002-soil-of-sparta

Opinions and experiences?


martin

[Panzer21]

North Star have been pushing this range; it's nothing new Geek Gaming have been doing it longer:

https://www.geekgamingscenics.com/collections/base-ready

It's a mixture of sand, grit, scenic grass that you could easily do yourself, but saves you time and hopefully is consistent. It is a bit like the ready made polyfiller and paint ground effect stuff you can buy like Basetext; easy to do yourself, but quicker....

Neil

[Sean Clark]

I've used this quite a bit, or at least the version sold by Geek Gaming Scenics. It definitely saves time on basing your figures. However, I prefer the older method of sand/tetrion and static grass which in my opinion looks much nicer.

However the time saving element can't be underestimated 🙂

[Colonel Kilgore]

I'd suggest that the "scale" of this product might be better for 28mm than 15mm...?

Simon

[martin goddard]

This could lead us on to discuss what extras we add to bases.

I mostly add tufts.
I sometimes add small rocks made of eraser.

However, if the base gets too "busy" I find it harder to identify what the base represents.
Hence my big "MG" etc.  tabs/labels.
I don't need the base to match the scenery but too much identity can cause problems. eg. The brick wall or wagon wheel addition.

I am taken with the idea of splodge bases to give a spidery very random look.  Such bases could be 3D printed. I will chat with Weymouth Ben.


martin


martin

[Panzer21]

I'd suggest that the "scale" of this product might be better for 28mm than 15mm...?

Simon

Geek Gaming does mixes for smaller scales....

Neil

[Panzer21]

This could lead us on to discuss what extras we add to bases.

I mostly add tufts.
I sometimes add small rocks made of eraser.

However, if the base gets too "busy" I find it harder to identify what the base represents.
Hence my big "MG" etc.  tabs/labels.
I don't need the base to match the scenery but too much identity can cause problems. eg. The brick wall or wagon wheel addition.

I am taken with the idea of splodge bases to give a spidery very random look.  Such bases could be 3D printed. I will chat with Weymouth Ben.


martin


martin

Normally just tufts of static grass with the odd rock.
The problem with adding things like wheels and tree stumps is they follow the figure around...

More important is the colour; too dark or too light looks odd.
Do you match the ground cloth or go generic?

A nice base improves the look of a figure.

Neil

[Colonel Kilgore]

I've gone ever lighter on ground colour over the years. Texture (Vallejo currently) with a layer or two of dry-brushing.

For Europe, I'm currently using splotches of 3 different shades of green short static grass. These act as a kind of camouflage and help match a range of green mats (I hope!).

Simon

[Sean Clark]

Yes I think bases that are too fussy don't look great from gaming distance.

Two contrasting colours, one earthy colour and the other grass is best for me. A couple of tufts or a tuft and a stone are the only embellishments required.

I'm about to start a long term rebasing of my armies where I've used the Ready Base products menti9ned above. I get a bit distracted by how bases look so it'll be worth the effort. I'll start with my Spanish Civil War and update my progress on here.

[Dex13]

I've developed into two standard basing schemes. Both start with Vallejo texture but then I have one flocking scheme for temperate 'green' climate based (European and Far East) and one for more arid climate basedgames (AK47 and SciFi). The former uses good old Jarvis summer railway flock and the latter a mix of sawdust and sand.

I use tufts or terrain embellishments specifically to mark any special bases such as leaders or heavy weapons. For example, all of my AK47 RPG stands have a tuft whereas my infantry stands don't. For Chain of Command senior leaders get a red tuft, junior leaders a yellow.

It keeps the overall tuft and scatter count down but also means it has a specific use.

[Colonel Kilgore]

My VC command stands feature a little coloured bush

Simon

[Sean Clark]

I've ordered some of the tubs from the original thread. They state they are suitable for smaller scales so will give them a bash.

[NTM (Nigel)]

My standard system is
Paint base Brown
Glue small areas of Woodland Scenics Talus.
Rest of base covered with Brown ballast.
Once dry static grass applied.
Generally I've only used tufts with 28mm but have included them in the Eastern Front forces I've just started on. These are attached before the talus.