Sunday, 10 July 2022

Base fellows

 It is fortunate that I have time to think..

I just heard that there are four units, that is 142 figures, completed by my painters , awaiting  orders to march over to the Duchy of Tradgardland . Excellent news but leaves me with that perennial issue- basing! Looking back at collections I have l have based , unbased , rebased, single, element, flock  , no flock and so on! Ideas change with fashions, rules and just the need for a change! So quo vadis regarding 1790s Tradgardland? I have decided to go down the felt route as with my Jacobites. Secondly the game will be set in winter so white felt basing to match the white felt cloth to use on the table. That much is true, so far.

However I am pondering sizes. The Jacobites look great six on a 40mm (?) square base. Currently  I am thinking of six on a 60mm base for the Tradgardlanders. Too big, not sure. Would 50mm be a compromise? Will be using Jim Purky’s one page rules for the game. I really want to get the basing right and first time . Need to have a think, scribble down sketches and eventually just try or size when the figures come. Next issue skirmishers- single , double, element, size and so on.

As ever I would value your ideas and suggestions. Thanks in anticipation.

P.S Tradgardland reenactors enjoying a day out in Tradgardstadt .


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19 comments:

  1. Anonymous10 July 2022 at 02:19

    At the risk of suggesting the obvious, have you tried cutting out different sized pieces of card and sticking your soldiers on with Blutack to see what they look like?
    Chris/Nundanket

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    1. Anonymous12 July 2022 at 08:27

      A plan indeed.
      Alan Tradgardland

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  2. rross10 July 2022 at 03:33

    Lol...I was thinking exactly the same....and my suggestion would be 60mm frontage but only 25-30mm depth, rather than squares. Six figures two deep would look good on that size/shape, I imagine.....

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    1. Anonymous12 July 2022 at 08:28

      Thanks l will try this with card.
      Alan Tradgardland

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  3. ronniec10 July 2022 at 10:13

    Back in the day, a frontage of 15mm and depth of 20mm per figure seemed pretty standard. Not far off what we're using for Jacobites. Just don't have your close order infantry looking like skirmishers.
    Ronnie

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    1. Anonymous12 July 2022 at 08:29

      I will try not to Ronnie, honestly.
      Alan Tradgardland

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  4. Andy McMaster10 July 2022 at 11:10

    I originally did all mine on 50mm square. I liked the extra space for tufts and stuff. Less of an issue for your felt though. However, last year I rebased everything on 45mm square as I think that gives a better close order look.

    But get some card and play and go with what you like the look of best.

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    1. Anonymous12 July 2022 at 08:30

      Lots of interesting card ideas re sizes.Looking forward to trying this out…
      Alan Tradgardland

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  5. Donnie McGibbon10 July 2022 at 12:45

    A lot of my 18th stuff is on 50mm squares but my new Prussian and Austrians are going on 40mm ones. I would also go with the cardboard idea, cut out a whole host of sizes and see what fits best for your needs,

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    1. Anonymous12 July 2022 at 08:31

      I’m thinking 50mm or 45mm currently but we will see. Not 40mm l think for this collection.
      Alan Tradgardland

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  6. ronniec10 July 2022 at 13:01

    Actually Alan, don't even bother with the card. Line up the figures the way you want them to look and just measure the occupied area. Worst case scenario, Warbases will make them up to your requirements.
    Ronnie

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    1. Anonymous12 July 2022 at 08:32

      Another cunning plan…
      Alan Tradgardland

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  7. RogerB10 July 2022 at 14:05

    I have to agree with the first two posts. Cut some of your own samples. I don't know where you get your bases but most companies will make to your needs. Any also has a point, you're going to want to extra room perhaps for your choice of basing aesthetics.

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    1. Anonymous12 July 2022 at 08:32

      Simple basing is the way so size seems even more important.
      Alan Tradgardland

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  8. Brian C10 July 2022 at 22:52

    For close order 18th century infantryI usually base figures as quite tightly packed: a frontage of 12 6mm figures on a base 50mm wide. I mount 2 ranks and the basei s the minimum I can make it (10mm I think). For ACW they are less densely packed, 4 on a 20mm base. In each case I'm after the right visual impression though the size of the base is down to the ground scale I'm using (frontage anyway). The number of figures on the base is irrelevant as I use bases for any combat calculations. But yes, play around with some bits of card and blu-tac / double sided tape some figures on to see how you feel moving them about the battlefield and against some scenery.

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    1. Anonymous12 July 2022 at 08:33

      Interesting to read of your base sizes for smaller scales Brian.
      Alan Tradgardland

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  9. Tiberian general11 July 2022 at 09:16

    Alan I base my infantry 4 figures on 40mm x 40mm, cavalry 2 figures on 50mm x 50mm and artillery 50mm x 80 / 100mm. Light infantry 2 figures on 40mm x 40mm base. Used as these sizes fit neatly into my really useful boxes.

    Willz.

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  10. Anonymous12 July 2022 at 08:34

    Thanks, could to have your input too.
    Alan Tradgardland

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  11. Mark24 December 2022 at 16:00

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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