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Wednesday 17 October 2012

Warbases ... and hexes

In answer to a query from David Crook as to what the various Warbase bases that I recently bought looked like on Hexon II hexes, I set up the following photograph.


Doing this made me wonder what the bases would look like on some of my other hexed terrain, so I set them up on one of my MEMOIR '44 terrain boards ...


... and then one from Zvezda's ART OF TACTIC: OPERATION BARAROSSA game.


I then began thinking about how some of my 15mm-scale figures would look if they were placed on the Warbase bases ...


... and I must admit that in many ways they looked better than their 20mm-scale 'bigger brothers'.

This exercise has given me some things to think about.

Firstly it is obvious that the four and three-figure Warbase bases will not 'work' on the MEMOIR '44 and ART OF TACTIC: OPERATION BARAROSSA terrain boards, although the two-figure base will.

Secondly the 15mm-scale figures seem to 'look' better on the Warbase bases than the 20mm-scale ones. This may be due to the fact that one expects World War II era infantry to be more spread out, and that 20mm-scale Colonial figures (which one expects to fight much close together) will look just as good on the bases. I don't know yet if my thinking about this is correct or incorrect ... but I hope to find out soon!

8 comments:

  1. Hi Bob,

    Many thanks for the try out! I think the other thing to consider with the bases is that the 2 x 2 base will displace any terrain in the hex whereas a couple of twins can be positioned to fit around it. Less of problem for Colonials I suppose and I certainly agree about the 15mm vs 20mm point!

    All the best,

    DC

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  2. Still it looks good and a nice way to translate those games to the tabletop.

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  3. David Crook,

    The advantage of the two-figure bases is that when doubled up they can be used for games like BATTLE CRY and MEMOIR '44 (and deployed as you suggest) and on their own they will be suitable for the PORTABLE WARGAME.

    I want to use 20mm-scale figures for my future wargame projects ... but 15mm-scale does have advantages that are difficult to ignore.

    What a quandary!

    All the best,

    Bob

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  4. Sean,

    These bases do seem to have lots of advantages over the alternatives.

    All the best,

    Bob

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  5. Perhaps the 15mm vs 20mm thing is more obvious in person? or perhaps its personal? Anyway I like the look of the 20mm better. Most WWII action photos tend to show troops clumping slightly despite training so they don't look too crowded to me.

    They do seem to fit the Hexon terrain best size wise.I do like the idea of having one base and still being able to remove figures as hits rather placing markers.

    I wonder if handling 2 x 2 figure bases is sufficiently easier to justify the extra expense and trouble compared to 4 x single figures?

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  6. Ross Mac,

    As you know yourself, you THINK that you have an answer to all your basing problems ... and then you realise that you haven't!

    Having written this blog entry, I thought I had my basing and figure strategy for the future fixed, but overnight doubts began to creep into my mind, and when I read your comment this morning it confirmed those doubts.

    I have a HUGE number of 20mm-scale figures, both painted and unpainted ... and a somewhat smaller number of painted and based 15mm-scale figures. To use the Warbases with the latter would mean rebasing more figures that I would want to, whereas using the 20-mm scale stuff would be easier in both the short and long term.

    I now don't know what to do ... so for the moment I am going to do nothing ... BUT one thing that is definitely on the horizon is the purchase of some more Warbase bases ... once I can decide which to buy!

    All the best,

    Bob

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  7. Bob

    Something to be aware of - Warbases are very open to custom requests, at very reasonable prices. If their existing selection of bases don't work for a particular ruleset/terrain style, drop them a line with the details and see if they can do it.

    I bought a ton of "penny" bases for my infantry, but wanted some simple lipped trays in a compatible size for cavalry and artillery. They knocked them up and the price was around the same as their regular bases.

    They're also open to more complex custom jobs - someone got them to make a wooden country stile, which they've since added to their regular lineup, and when I spoke to them earlier in the year about a custom modification to one of their building kits they were very helpful.

    Warbases are definitely on the "good guys to do business with" list.

    Dr V

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  8. Dr Vesuvius,

    Yet another ringing endorsement ... and some very helpful advice. Thank you very much; it will helpful when I get around to placing my order with Warbases to know that they will make them to a specific size and number of holes.

    All the best,

    Bob

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