League Of Augsburg - Fighting Talk

Can anybody give me some pointers on the method used to base 25/28mm figures? I am aiming for the same type of look that Barry has on his which look superb.

My method is to use stout card, as i have ready supply from a picture framer, they let me have all the off cuts when they make picture mounts. Some people I know use plywood but my carpentry is not good! I use evostick to hold the figures in place, then after 24hrs, I use ready mixed polyfilla from B+Q and push it into place with a metal probe around the feet and texture the surface at the same time with ruts etc. I also find its easier if you use a spatula to spread a small amount of polyfilla all around the edge of the base before you start filling in the centre of the base. Small rocks can be added later if you wish with PVA glue , kitty litter is great, and a few bits of tall grass , oldfashioned carpet mat cut up, can be pushed in whilst the polyfilla is still -. I only do this on officer command stands as its a bit of a fiddle. I then paint mine with humbrol green 80 and earth 119, then dry brush with dessert yellow.

I used to use PVA only and then drop on a mixture of warhammer flocks buts it doesnt give such a nice result and the card tended to bend up at the edges.

Good Luck

Thanks for your help - much appreciated

Hi, Keith.

I use precut bases from Litko (http://www.litkoaero.com/) because I am too lazy to make my own. These are laser cut so they are 99% perfect when you line them against each other. They are also very resistant to warping.

After arranging the models on the base, I paint the base brown (I use GW's Beastial Brown or Foundry's Spearshaft Shade). After that's dry, I paint the base with watered down white glue and dip the base into a tin of fine brown flocking (actually I think it's called ballast - it's from Woodland Scenics). I usually let this dry overnight and highlight it the next day with Foundry's Spearshaft C.

My last step is to add random patches of static grass. I don't usually bother with filler to hide the metal miniature bases as the ballast does a fair job and the static grass can be strategically placed to hide the most obvious spots the ballast doesn't cover (a reminder: I am lazy).

I also add extra bits on some bases - a broken wagon wheel here, a stunted tree there - but I usually only go all out for command stands.

Here are shots of my ECW army: http://www.quindia.com/studiogalleryecw.htm

Hope that helps!

Hi quindia -thanks for the tips. By the way the ECW army looks fantastic!

Keith,

I use several different basing methods so if there are particular figures which take your interest please let me know which they are and I'll be as detailed as I can with my answer.

cheers

Barry

Hi Barry

I particularly like the 28mm figures for Sedgemoor and your WWII figures.

I will be basing 28mm ACW and ECW.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Keith

Keith,

I'm off on my travels again for a week. This is when I get my writing done! I'll do a quck n'dirty guide on basing and post it up when I come back.

cheers

Barry

Hi Barry
Thanks, that would be great.
Cheers
Keith

Building merchants are good for sand & ballast. Apols I don't know the technical terms. You have to buy a lifetimes supply, but it's cheap. the stuff for mixing concrete seems coarse enough for 28mms. Sharp sand is a bit fine. You can use cat litter (unused is best) for the rocks or the gravel sold for fish tanks. Model shops sell bags of grass to cut up as the taller stuff. Otherwise brush bristles give a cheap supply. Craft shops often sell bags of coconut hair(?) which makes good scrub as does rubberised horsehair. In the UK Squires do a free cataloge & have free delivery if you spend £7.50. Call on 01243 842424 to order your catalogue. Some useful bits in there, paint too!


Cheers
Dave

http://www.woodlandscenics.com/
http://www.armorama.com
look here for all you miniture landscpe needs. I hvae one bag of ballast from woodland scenics I have used for three years. Regards Lindsay

Hello All,
Sorry about the delay on the QND guide to basing. It is now half written but turning out to be longer and more involved than I expected! Will be uploaded when completed.

B

Greetings,

Okay . . . I have a different philosophy regarding basing than most of those who've posted previously. This doesn't mean that they are wrong -- certainly many of their based troops look great.

But, for myself, I don't want too much on my bases besides the figures and some simple flocking. The reason is that I want the focus to be on my troops and not the base they are on.

Too often I've seen basing that over-powers the figures on it. This can be a particular problem if some of the terrain on the base is of similar colors to those of the figures. (note that this is a greater problem with the smaller scales).

I also heartily suggest that even if you are going to do some "fancy terrain work", first paint the EDGES of your bases a consistent color (you choose -- I use a similar green to that of my terrain boards -- but a friend uses a walnut brown that looks great too).

But, above all, realize that you've based your figures for yourself -- don't let any "paint Nazi" tell you that you're wrong -- if they want to give you painted and based figures, fine -- they can do so; but as long as you are doing your own, YOU ARE RIGHT as long as you're pleased with what you've chosen to do.


-- Jeff "Bluebear" Hudelson

..

How right you are Bluebear. My wife and I use a system that has entire units on one base (ACW and we do, admiitedly, want to fight enormous battles in short periods of time). The usual criticism made is 'you can't fight with other people...you don't have a commonly-accepted base size or figure ratio'. Stricly speaking we don't have a figure ratio at al The point is, what we do suits us, suits the rules we use, suits our picture and understanding of big battles in the ACW.