Base Sizes?

[ObsidianCrane]

Ok Standard bases are 25mm squares and cav are 25x50mm but what are the sizes for Large and Giant bases?

 

Incidentally for a skirmish game square bases are a problem because they don't have a consistent size, but I guess it's square or bust now.

[sentinel]

According to page 8 of the Savage North book, a Large base is 1.5" (40mm) square, and a Giant base is 2" (50mm) square.

[ObsidianCrane]

Thanks. :)

[Metalchaos]

Personally, when I base my minis I try to respect the space/reach described in D&D Monsters books. So for the Fire, Frost and Hill Giant I would use a 2 inches (50mm) square base since the space/reach is 10ft./10ft. Then, for the Cloud and Storm Giant I would build a 3 inches (75mm) square base because their space/reach is 15ft./15ft.

 

To continue with the same philosophy, Dragon could be based according to their size; Wyrmling on Tiny 3/8 inch (10mm) square base; Very young Dragon on Small 5/8 inch (15mm) square base; Young Dragon and Juvenile Dragon on Medium 1 inch (25mm) square bases; Young adult and Adult Dragon on Large 2 inches (50mm) square base; Mature adult, Old, Very Old and Ancient Dragons on Hudge 3 to 4 inches (75 to 100mm) square bases, And finally, Wyrm and Great Wyrm on Great 4 to 5 inches (100 to 125mm) square bases.

 

It's sometimes hard to respect this "rule of thumb". So sometimes, I adjust the size of the base according to the model posture.

[ObsidianCrane]

I was asking mostly because of the frpgames.com sale; seemed like a good chance to pick up some resin bases at a reasonable price.

 

Now I prefer round bases, and I prefer to match the DnD sizes though anything smaller than 25mm just goes on 25mm as it makes no practical difference. Actually the difficulty in getting 25mm, 50mm, 75mm and 100mm bases all with the same basic look is one of my current frustrations.

 

The fact that I expect at least 1 of the Reaper minis I'm looking at getting which is described as using a Giant Base for Warlord will not actually fit on a 50mm base just makes the whole situation worse.

 

Anyway with basic info in hand I'm off to investigate bases.

[TGP]

Base Sizes for Miniatures Games†

                                                                        

 

(based on recollection; so PM me about omissions or post any edits I ought to make...)

 

In no particular order; including only games:

• I happen to have heard of
• where figures are based individually rather than on multi-figure stands.

 

Warhammer Fantasy (metric)

20mm square - infantry

25mm square - infantry

40mm square - ogres etc.

50mm square - monstrous cavalry, beasts

24x50mm rectangle - horse cavalry††

40x60mm rectangle - monsters

50x75mm rectangle - monsters, some giants

50x100mm rectangle - chariots, some monsters

 

Warlord (SAE e.g: inches; metric bases allowed)

1.0" square - infantry (or 25mm)

1.5" square - ogres etc. (or 40mm)

1.0 x 2.0" rectangle - horse and other cavalry (or 25x50mm)

2.0" square - giants etc.(or 50mm)

 

Dungeons & Dragons ('squares' / SAE e.g: inches)

0.75" circle - Smalls ---  e.g: kobolds, brownies

1.0" circle - Medium -- e.g: orcs, men, elves

2.0" circle - Large -- bigger monsters, ogres

3.0" circle - Huge -- giants and similar monsters

4.0" square - Gargantuan --- very large dragons

6.0" square[?] - Colossal --- legendary dragons, Smaug, Glaurung, ..?... Dinosaurs?

 

Warhammer 40K (metric)

25mm circle - ordinary infantry, e.g: Imperial Guard

32mm circle - newer or larger infantry, e.g: space marines

40mm circle - big infantry, e.g: terminators

60mm circle - dreadnoughts, etc.

25x50mm pill/oval - cavalry/bikes etc.

 

Malifaux, Warmachine/Hordes, Dystopian Legions, Chronoscope (metric)

30mm circle - infantry, ordinary foot

40mm circle - small warjacks, minor monsters, DL officers

50mm circle - medium monsters, warjacks

60mm circle - larger monsters, warjacks

 

†(There is probably already a list like this somewhere, but I don't know where to find it. If there isn't one, there needs to be one.)

 

††(Little known fact: the WFB cavalry base is 24mm wide not 25. Five cavalry bases exactly match the frontage of six 20mm squares but are overlapped a bit by five 25mm squares.)

Edited December 29, 2014 by TGP

[Gaming Glen]

I'm looking (again, been putting it off for years) to paint my dragonewt (lizardmen from Glorantha/Runequest) miniatures, and use them as a substitute for Reptus for casual play. Some of the miniatures have a wide stance so their base is larger than would fit on a 1" base, so I'm thinking to put those few on a the 1.5" base. Those particular figures would probably be used for leaders and elites. Is there a big effect in play with the increase in base size? Right now it looks to be two figures out of 12.

 

[Inarah]

Base size in Warlord plays a couple of roles and could be quite critical. Off the top of my head, if I am surrounding one of your leaders on a 1.5" base, I'm going to be able to get more of my guys into base contact with him, meaning you're going to take more hits than if he was on a 1" base. Also there are some Special Abilities, like Trample, that take base size into account when determining which models take damage.

 

It's ok if the model's feet go over the edge a little bit. Most of the time they are not going to be ranked up side by side when they are in play. Also you can pose some models on the diagonal for a better fit.

Edited January 9, 2013 by Inarah

[Gaming Glen]

I did try the diagonal, and it still spills over a bit.

 

Since corner to corner counts as base to base contact, you cannot get more figures against 1.5" than 1". Both can have a maximum of 8 figures in base contact.

[Stubbdog]

Glen,

 

Need to answer this from a couple of different angles...

 

First off, yes you can put your models on 40 mm bases and proxy them for any Reptus (or any other faction) models that use the 40mm base. The game does not associate rank with base size tho so that part is not necessarily equivolant. As for playing models that are suppose to be on 25 mm bases on 40 mm bases, I guess that is your choice since you will most likely just be playing with people in your local area and might not be a big deal. But, if you were to play against more experienced players, there actually are several significant differences in how they play in the game that your opponents would take advantage of.

 

Now, having said that, 90% of the Reptus faction uses 25mm bases. I believe only the trolls and brood riders use the 40mm bases. So, if you were intending to proxy for Reptus those would be your options with that base size.

 

Another option that I have seen used (including myself) is building up a base a little. that is, I tend to make my basing texture out of cork board. so I can put a piece of cork board that will match my model's stance so as to still be able to use the smaller base. i will see if i can post a picture of an example later tonight.

[Shakandara]

I did try the diagonal, and it still spills over a bit.

 

Since corner to corner counts as base to base contact, you cannot get more figures against 1.5" than 1". Both can have a maximum of 8 figures in base contact.

 

This is true, however, with a 40, it is easier to achieve multiple base contacts both offensively and defensively. Packing more than a few around a 25 requires careful planning, while a 40mm has a much easier time basing multiple models in a spread defensive formation. Also, while the same number of maximum contacts for 25's is not different between 25s and 40s, it does change the number of 40's that can base it.

 

Base size also dictates model height in Warlord, which affects LOS, Cover, and Movement (when changing elevations).

 

That being said, none of these are likely to break your average friendly game. I'd personally avoid it, but that's me.

 

~v

[Gaming Glen]

I did say the Reptus would be for casual play, as I want to use the non-Reaper figures for something besides the rare RPG encounter*. I have an elven army for official play, if I ever get to do that. But before I based them, I wanted to hear what the repurcussions might be for putting a couple on the slightly larger bases. If I could manage to put them on standard sized bases I would; they'd also fit better in the miniatures cases I have.

 

 

* I suppose if I actually ran RPG campaigns I could use them more... but that requires me to be a game master.

[TaleSpinner]

Interesting, I was just coming on here with this same question. In my case, i am about to paint the Reptus Hydra and it barely fits the giant base. I am painting this for the ReaperCon painting contest and want the base to look good, and frankly, the 2" base just looks silly under the huge hydra. Would I still be able to play the Hydra at an official game (i.e., ReaperCon) if I put it on a slightly larger base, say 60mm x 80mm? The Hydra sticks so far out of the 2" base that is already enacts the if-you-can't-get-to-the-base-get-close rule from all sides.

 

Andy

[TGP]

...[snip].... to be on 25 mm bases on 40 mm bases, I guess that is your choice since you will most likely just be playing with people in your local area and might not be a big deal. But, if you were to play against more experienced players, there actually are several significant differences in how they play in the game that your opponents would take advantage of....[snip]....

 

@Stubbdog: In Warlord, being on an incorrect, but larger, base size is nearly always a disadvantage to the figure on the over-sized base, T/F?

 

Does it ever give advantages to the figure on the over-sized base?

 

 

...[snip]....This is true, however, with a 40, it is easier to achieve multiple base contacts both offensively and defensively. Packing more than a few around a 25 requires careful planning, while a 40mm has a much easier time basing multiple models in a spread defensive formation. Also, while the same number of maximum contacts for 25's is not different between 25s and 40s, it does change the number of 40's that can base it....[snip]....

 

25s and 40s? Do I need to revise that chart I made?

 

Are the Warlord figures supplied with Metric 25mm and 40mm bases or are they denominated in inches? Is Warlord specified as imperial or metric? (Has it morphed over the years from one to the other?)

 

Biggest difference is/would be between a 38mm base (1.5inches) and a 40mm base. The other sizes are much closer.

 

 

Interesting, I was just coming on here with this same question. In my case, i am about to paint the Reptus Hydra and it barely fits the giant base. I am painting this for the ReaperCon painting contest and want the base to look good, and frankly, the 2" base just looks silly under the huge hydra. Would I still be able to play the Hydra at an official game (i.e., ReaperCon) if I put it on a slightly larger base, say 60mm x 80mm? The Hydra sticks so far out of the 2" base that is already enacts the if-you-can't-get-to-the-base-get-close rule from all sides.

 

Andy

 

There might be an 'engineering' solution for this: a 60mm x 80mm display base which has very flat outer edges, but inside that it has a raised area right under the Hydra's feet that is a regulation 2x2 inch (51mm ?) Warlord base.

 

For display purposes it has a 60 x 80mm base with an (hopefully) award winning paint job.

For gaming purposes other figures get to stand on the deliberately flat outer verges of the base (and that part of the nice paint job) right up to the raised bit that marks the official, regulation base.

 

Maybe that would satisfy all requirements?

[ObsidianCrane]

Warlord is indeed 25mm, 40mm and 50mm (see the second post) which is still very close to 1", 1.5" and 2" ;)

 

Even with metric bases, Imperial measurement for wargames is stil the default.

 

Because targeting is from "base to base" you can get an advantage out of having a larger base when targeting for LOS effects, this is however outweighed by the disadvantage aspect of the same situation - a larger base means more things will be able to draw LOS to you as well.

 

If the models have Lock Shields a larger base is also an advantage here if you want to spread your "line" out more for some reason (eg the enemy has a lot of AoE effects so a wider line reduces the models you have in the AoE).

 

Other benefits will need to be illustrated by people who know the game (rather than working on notes cribbed together from forum discussion here).