Basing?

[6mmwargaming]

Hi Mk1

I use Caulk all the time and apply it with a hobby knife, but it is pretty messy I like it becaase it is cheap and fills well.

I saw you mention Acrylic gel. How durable is it once it is dry?

Cheers
Kieran

[Mk 1]

How durable is it once it is dry?

Fair question. I don't have enough experience with it to give you a direct answer, so I might have to circle around it a bit...

One way to consider: if you use acrylic paints ... have you ever had a big glob of it dry out? That is dried acrylic medium.

If I judge by how hard it is to open some of my older paint jars, that's some pretty durable stuff.

Another way to consider it: several weeks back my lawnmower sucked up a hard plastic disk that was a lid for a drainage access joint. The disk was chopped into a dozen pieces, and I was not able to find them all. So I put the pieces I had back together, and filled in a gap of about 20 X 30 X 2mm with the acrylic gel (mixed with green paint reasonably matched to the original plastic).

The result has lived on the edge of my front lawn since. So far, so good. Structurally it seems sound. Not as much structural strength as hard plastic. A bit softer - more flexible and compressible. But strong enough to fill in a structural gap in an item that lives outdoors in the weather 24/7.

An interesting experimental usage and result. Not sure what it means, but there it is.

Does this apply to wargaming basing? Don't know. I have 15 years of experience with white glue on pennies. I know it has a bit of flex that protects the figures from bending/ breaking too easily. I know the figures could be removed... the glue could be pealed off the pennies, and then pealed off the figures. But over the years I had a few cases where the glue started to lift from the pennies on it's own.

I don't know if the acrylic medium will share some of these characteristics. It does not shrink when it dries like white glue does, so I expect it will be less likely to lift on it's own. My acrylic paints don't peal off over time, so I don't think the bases will either.

But I don't know how they will fair over the years. ACWBill has more experience with it, and might be able to add some insight. Otherwise I'll just have to wait and see.

[6mmwargaming]

Thanks for the info Mk1.

One more question What colour does it dry if you don't tint it?

I think i will get some and try it. I like the caulk but it suits larger scale figures better IMO. I have been trying out Tamiyas diroama texture but the colours arent quite what I want so I will try and mix some tamiya stuff and gel together.

Thanks
Kieran

[razor]

I use 1" round washers for my infantry. I fill the hole with spackle then paint the whole thing green. The guys are glued on then flocked. For the amount I was basing the washers were cheaper but filling the hole adds an extra step. I make them in big batches when the mood strikes.

[Mk 1]

Thanks for the info Mk1.

Thank YOU for posting so many great pics in other threads ... I just love seeing lots of great pics.

I can never get enough of seeing all the great work and ideas that the members of this forum are capable of.

One more question What colour does it dry if you don't tint it?

If you don't tint it it dries colorless, yet opaque. Best description would be cloudy. Not quite white. Not quite gray. You might pick up some shading from whatever is under it, but you won't be able to see through it. Kind of like petroleum jelly, but without as much green/yellow, and no shine.

It takes a suprisingly small amount of paint to tint the acrylic medium. Maybe 2 drops from a dipped paint brush (or dropper bottle if that's how your brand of paints is provided) will be enough for the medium you would use for 6 or 8 bases. That's about how much I do at one time ... just because I find it convenient to use the upturned plastic from GHQ blister packs as my paint pallettes, and one tub in a GHQ blister pack will give me enough for about that many bases.

I have learned to buy nice cheap craft paint for this role. I found a craft acrylic in a color called "mushroom", which is my current choice for plain old dirt. It is different enough from the browns and tans of my hobby paints that the boots and uniforms are visible on the "dirt".

I use 1" round washers for my infantry. ... For the amount I was basing the washers were cheaper but filling the hole adds an extra step.

I tried washers briefly. You must do a lot of basing. I was never able to find them at less than a penny each.

My thinking was to use a ferrous metal washer, so that I could put magnetic tape strips in boxes to hold the bases securely. But I never actually got that far. Big ambitions, not much execution, and I'm back with pennies.

I still have some for use when I want something in a different size than a penny (~19mm diameter). For example larger artillery pieces and crews or cavalry stands really benefit from 25mm / 1 inch diameter bases, while smaller command or observer stands could benefit from smaller 13mm / 1/2 inch diameter bases. I haven't actually used any for these applications, but I am considering it. They may cost more than pennies, but my alternative if I want variety in sizes is to go to nickels, dimes and quarters, and the washers certainly ARE less expensive than those!

So also I have considered using washers for field positions (sand-bagged or piled dirt MG and gun positions) might do well with a 25mm base (so that a unit based on a penny could be placed inside the "pit"). But I haven't actually executed on that idea either, using cut styrene sheeting for my field positions to this date.

I fill the hole with spackle then paint the whole thing green. The guys are glued on then flocked.

I have a kind of fetish about trying to cover up the base that is molded to the figures when I put my squad and weapons units onto my bases. So I like the ability to add texturing to my stands to raise the ground level up to the level of the top of the molded-on bases / bottom of the figures' feet. I'm not perfect at achieving this, but as you might see in the photos above, I am at least able to make the bases on the figures far less noticeable. (The texturing also covers up the image of Abe Lincoln on the pennies!).

But for those who tend only to use paint on the stands (rather than significant amounts of texturing), you might find that the use of acrylic medium gives you 1 ) the adhesion to mount your figures to the base, 2 ) the coloring to go underneath your flocking, AND 3 ) the fill for the hole in your washer, all in one step! (And you'll get some level of texturing, even if you don't deliberately raise the ground level as I do.)

Anyways, just some of the ideas I have learned from others here on the forum, that work for me. Always open to hearing new ideas too. Particularly when they are accompanied by photos! Oooh, I luvs them piccies of micro armor!

[cabin4clw]

I use bingo chips as my base. I paint them a light tan, sprinkle some coarse and fine flock mix, leaving some of the tan showing. I then mount the figures using super glue.

They seem to hold up well for gaming.

Joe

[av8rmongo]

For all you good folks who base their infantry if you would like more work I have some GHQ modern infantry packs for sale or trade - no reasonable offer will be refused. PM me if you're interested I don't have an exact inventory right now but its mostly US/UK troops with some Soviets also. They are unpainted, unprimed but taken out of their GHQ blister pack and stored in the other guy's plastic case.

Paul

[6mmwargaming]

Cheers Mk1.

I agree about building up around the figures to hide the base edges. I just based up some 6mm figures from another manufacturer and they had fat bases which I couldn't hide completely. I also use craft paint for bases as it gets expensive using modelling paints, like some of my mates use.

I will get some of that gel next week and give it a go.

I also like the Flames of War bases as they are a good size, look good and useful for micro scale. I live in NZ so they are pretty cheap if you know the right people. The large bases are good for small dioramas and I'm planning to use them for my artillery (I have based a SA2 battery on them). The small bases are good for micro armour vehicles

Cheers
Kieran

[RFSU]

Just being a bit of an off topic nit picker here...

I have seen this photo somewhere else on this forum too.... Like the English, the Australians can have a number of confusing unit designators and lineage over the years.
It is not the "2nd Battalion, 5th regiment" it is the 2nd/5th Battalion. This is to signify that it is the 5th battalion of the 2nd AIF, rather then the 1st AIF which was of course in the First World War. The 2nd AIF units carried the same colour patch (with different borders) as their WW1 forefathers.

But it can get confusing, because many of the 'Militia' (pre war reserve) Battalions were combined, e.g. the 39th Battalion was linked with the 37th to become the 37th/39th Battalion, then delinked. It linked again with the 24th to become the 24th/39th, then raised as a stand alone unit just in time for its famous participation in the Kokoda Track battles. Pheew!!

In fact, the Australians did not really deal in Regiments. The Brigades were the main manoeuvre force at the high end of the scale, with the common soldiers allegiance more to his Battalion than anything else, the Division being more of an administration/supply organisation.

The term "Regiment" still exists in the army, but only in naming Army Reserve Battalions according to their state and of course the SASR. For example, I know of someone who may have been in the 51st "Far North Queensland Regiment", but it is the 51st Battalion of the Far North Queensland Regiment. Yet it is also the only battalion of that 'Regiment'.

Ahhhh History, we love it so!!

[opsctr]

RFSU... Thanks for the information. Got to admit I followed a modified OB that did not make the distinction you note. It's interesting, and funny, how some organizations seem to work hard to make their unit designations next to impossible for outsiders to understand. Will

[RFSU]

all that just because of a forward slash!!!



Good to see some Australians running around on peoples tabletops!! Get 'em into bayonet range and the battle is as good as over......

[voltigeur]

I'll send this in a new direction.

I'm working on a basing system using steel and magnetic sheets. The idea was to base the infantry on the steel sheets and place those on magnetic sheets so I could move 2 or 3 stands at a time.

The reason for this is that I want to do more infantry intensive games and this would allow seperating a point man, putting out OP's and LP's with out "creating" extra people to fill those rolls who have to magically disappear when I rejoin the units.

Good news found the magnetic sheeting that will work, got the hobby steel and scissors that will cut it nice and square. Bad news magnets are so strong that I will destroy the infantry trying to move them around because the steel is such a thin gauge.

I have a stick of Locktight 2 part epoxy that I think I can use to put a "lip" on the stands so they can be handled. I know it will bond and I know it is strong. When I used it at work though it dries really fast and I'm not sure I can work it before it turns rock hard.

Has any one else worked with this and do you have a suggestion of how to keep it soft a little longer?

[piersyf]

Just to continue some info on Australian unit designations;
There are no maneuver 'regiments' as such as has been said; Australian infantry battalions ALL belong to the Royal Australian Regiment (hence 6 battalion RAR in Vietnam). Because our artillery was named along British lines our battalion sized units of artillery ARE maneuver regiments and their Corps is RAA (Royal Australian Artillery). My unit was 23 Field Regiment, pronounced 'Two Three Field' NOT 'twenty three field' because our unit was originally 2/3 anti tank regiment (3rd AT regiment, 2nd AIF). Our HQ battery lines still had one of our old 6pdrs in the gun bays. We then became 2/3 AA (so we had 2 bofors guns at the front gates) then we went to field artillery.

To add to the confusion, during Vietnam we obtained Royal assent to form a different infantry battalion by mixing rifle companies from Australia and New Zealand (so they could not properly be called either RAR or RNZR). These were often overstrength battalions with 2 HW companies and 4 or 5 rifle companies.
It does kinda make sense if you know the history.

[RFSU]

MK1,
I am officially stealing your idea. But don't worry, I am going to pay royalties.

I'm going to use Australian 5 c coins, of course they are much more expensive (although with the exchange rate...) but unfortunately we got rid of lower denominations quite a few years ago.
They are 19.41 mm in diameter, while your penny is 19.05mm. They are slightly heavier, but I think it will work quite well with my ruleset as they call for about a 15mm frontage for infantry bases, but thats square, so I think the round bases will work well and look better too.
But don't worry, I won't be going so broke from basing that I won't be able to afford anymore miniatures, I already have a massive "change jar" (an Australian 81mm mortar round case, for manpacking individual mortar rounds). I haven't even opened it yet, I already have over 100 "bases" and I haven't even raided my car ash tray either!!

I am just about to attack painting my Vichy French and Aussie Infantry, then I will get into the basing. I plan to use builders putty (another stolen idea off this fine forum), push the figures into it, add a bit of sand/texture paint and flock. I will see how it goes!!

I am trying to get some photos going but have not made a really solid effort at it yet, maybe soon.

Thanks in advance for the idea, what a resource this forum is!!