Does anybody use (or have used) transparent bases for their pieces? (in my case, I'm thinking ships).
I got to thinking that a clear plastic base might be functional to allow you to see the terrain below the piece, and thereby avoid the necessity of having to paint it, add terrain effects (e.g., waves, grass), etc.
However, I don't have an idea for what would be a good source for such material (clear plastic that isn't too brittle, but not too floppy either), or even if it works all that well in the first place.
I tried clear plastic bases for some of my micro armor AT guns years ago.
Didn't much care for the results. The terrain beneath doesn't really show through. What shows is the reflected light.
Also, in the case of ground troops (the crews for the AT guns), the small figure bases are far to visible. No thickly-applied texture of glue, no flocking. All together, the bases, which were intended to be "low visibility" versus a painted metal base, wound up standing out and looking rather sloppy.
Might be different with ships, but that's what my experience was with ground troops (AT guns and crew).
-Mark 1 Difficile est, saturam non scribere. "It is hard NOT to write satire." - Decimus Iunius Juvenalis, 1st Century AD
Well that's the value of a forum like this; getting someone's experience to save me from a heap-o-trouble.
It might indeed be different for ships, BUT your point about reflecting light is a good one. I just bet that's exactly what would happen (to my eventual chagrin).
Funny how an idea seems like a good one, until it gets the acid test.
I'm using left over transparent flying bases from a 30mm sci fi game to mount my helicopters and jets on. The other bad thing about them (besides the glare) is they scratch easily, and super glue clouds them up real bad, so you have to use white glue. not very strong for holding the bigger models in place.. I have based & flocked every one so far.
