I have been mulling over the size of bases to use for my units for some time now (primarily as it relates to cavalry and unlimbered artillery). Muskets and Marshals has cavalry based on a 30mm x 30mm base, see below:
This size base is barely big enough to fit the troopers on, and their carbines get in the way of each other. In fact, if they are not positioned carefully and then assembled in line in the same way each time, their bases do not quite fit together.
The alternative is to use 40mm x 30mm bases, which fits the troopers much better, but does leave a couple of extra millimeters of separation between them (for purposes of illustration, I have set them on two 40mm x 15mm bases butted together), see below:
The other advantage of the slightly larger bases, is that the scale distances work out slightly more "realistic."
Here they are from the front, first 30mm x 30mm:
Then 40mm x 30mm:
As always, your comments are appreciated.
My first unit of Prussian (Silesian) Landwehr Lancers are about half done. They will be the next squadron to be completed.
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Having spent (wasted) many hours agonizing over basing and base sizes and trying to squeeze as many figures into as small a space as possible, my conclusion is that base sizes are artificial trivia and that what fits easily and looks good should rule. If it can be consistent then better yet but real life is not consistent and discrepancies in a game can be over come. (This hasn't stopped the basing demon from returning from time to time.)
ReplyDeleteThank you for the comment. So I take it that you like the 40mm bases better?
DeleteI'd be tempted to say 1 1/4" :), 1/2 way between.
DeletePartly it depends on who you are playing against ( if anyone), are they easy to get along with for fudging or are they nitpicky on details? And how are they based?
Another issue is how big is your table? Will having wider cavalry units mean you run out of room?
Another is are the rest of your figures the same width? Used to drive me crazy, my 40mm S&S Hussars were twice the width of all my other cavalry, esp the heavies. I ended up retiring them.
I believe that 1 1/4" is 31 1/4 mm, not much bigger than 30mm.
DeleteI will likely provide both armies. I plan to use about a 4' x 6' table. Even at 40mm, the cavalry units are only 3/4 the width of an infantry battalion, so that should not present a problem.
Visually, it seems there is a fine line between too cramped and too loose. In your example 40's look better, though before deciding, I would also try a 50mm base with 3 figures on, since that falls between the 15mm and 20mm frontages that you are presently looking at .... just to see what suits best, though columns do end up looking a bit 'chunkier'!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the suggestion.
DeleteBasing is also about compatibility. I too think 30 by 30 is a bit tight, but Ian had based on it so I worked to that. If you are trying to play someone else then basing matters quite a bit because it matters who is in range to shoot, how many units can be in contact with an opposing unit, how fast a unt in line takes to wheel to a new facing and so on. So, f you are only going to play solo , or provide both armies then base as you choose. Adjusting for two sides using different widths is actually rather a curse!
DeleteIncidentally, the 30mm and 40mm base widths always seemed a bit strange as being truly retro would surely have meant working to half an inch and three quarters of an inch frontages ?
I will be providing both armies. You make a good point regarding inches, though 40mm is just over 1 1/2 inch.
DeleteOne considerstion I can offer is to try out the basing of a unit using the Hintin Hunt single casting figures.
ReplyDeleteThese are thinner than the later 2 piece castings. I feel these will liok a bit lost in 40mm frontage bases.
I prefer my cavalry tightly packed so would go with the 30mm frontage.
Thank you for the comment. See my comment below (under WM).
DeleteHave you tried to base your elite hussars yet? What was the result?
I'm with Ross. The main thing is to go with what looks right for you. As most of my cavalry are very skinny Der Kriegspielers this hasn't been an issue!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the comment. I think you are right. When I get the HH Prussian Landwehr Lancers finished I will see how they look on a 30mm base vs a 40mm base and go from there.
DeleteI would firstly say go with what you prefer, but for what it's worth my thought process would be one, what fits best with the rest of my basing,and two, what would they look like on the 30mm bases offset.. ie. one back one forward... ?
ReplyDeleteThank you for the comment. I tried the offset. Because there is so little room from front to back (as well as side to side), it didn't help the carbine problem much, and it made the "line" of cavalry look a bit untidy for my tastes.
DeleteI'm with Ross. It's whatever feels best for you that matters!
ReplyDeleteIt hasn't been an issue for me yet as most of my cavalry have been rather skinny Der Kriegspielers. Even 15mm per figure seems rather a lot for some of them!
I haven't had this problem myself (but to be fair I don't have any 2-piece hussars). How about trying 35mm x 30mm? Frontage doesn't really matter too much however as long as you are consistent.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of consistency. Thank you for the comment.
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