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I've just started up this topic to take a gander at what people think about 'scenic basing', or a themed force. Most often, the look can be achieved via a set of resin bases you can buy, scaled between the different base sizes. The idea is to give the models flavour and a little more presence by lifting them a little higher off the battlefield - at least that's what I see in them.

I rather like the look that scenic basing gives a model - it lifts it some and helps to blend together the range of models you're using.

The downside is that it can quickly get expensive (as things tend to in this hobby).

The other thing I wanted to ask about was if people mind playing against someone with scenic bases. Is it annoying to you? Garish? Too busy, aesthetics-wise? Or does the rule of cool supersede all the negatives of playing against a force like that?

I want to base my Legion of Everblight with a ruined rock and masonry theme ( the Micro Art Studio 'Temple' bases ) - but before I go spending money, I want to hear about whether people actually like the whole deal or would just prefer the classic PVA + Sand + Paint + Flock.

Opinions?

The only problem I have with them is when they are being played on a board that has been terrain-ed with a theme in polar opposition to the basing theme. Ie urban bases on a grass field board, snow bases on an urban board, just a matter of taste really.

I have no problem fighting people who scenic base the models they have, they can do anything they like after all, if a urban scenic base doesn't suite a grassland board well its no different than someone bringing a winter base to a desert board, you can't expect people to base the models to match the board they play on each and every game, or have several copies of the same army all based different.

the only thing I would ask though of somebody basing an army on cast scenic bases is why did you waste your money on cast bases when you could of made them for allot less at home?

tiles on a base can be done with card which comes with your models
rocky bases can be done with stones/slate which you can get from your garden
urban bases can be done with clock pieces from a £1 shop

seems really stupid to me

I bought Back to base-ix resin bases recently, and they were well priced and saved me the pain and time of making my own, 40 bases 5 termi bases just a wash and some paint and presto, all done! looks good ties everything in together and if i need more i just jump on the web and grab some more! easy, Oh and yes i like the scenic bases, :-)

Stella Cadente wrote:
the only thing I would ask though of somebody basing an army on cast scenic bases is why did you waste your money on cast bases when you could of made them for allot less at home?

seems really stupid to me

The same reason some people pay others to paint their armies for them: they have the money, but not the time to do it themselves. Or they don't think they'll be able to achieve the results they're after.

I like them, I used them on probably a quarter of my armies.

There are a couple of problems with them.

1. You have to always have some on hand to match if you want to expand your army. This somtimes prevents spur of the moment additions

2. Jackholes want to shoot the tops of your heads with all this true line of sight bs since you're a quarter or sometimes half inch taller than using a standard base.

Vandil wrote:The only problem I have with them is when they are being played on a board that has been terrain-ed with a theme in polar opposition to the basing theme. Ie urban bases on a grass field board, snow bases on an urban board

Which is an issue with ALL basing, and not particular to resin cast themed bases...

bushido wrote:they don't think they'll be able to achieve the results they're after.

This over and over. I picked up some "ruined temple" bases for my Menoth army, and I did it because I felt that it would look cool if my army was trying to defend a Menoth temple, and it was getting destroyed (thus the ruined aspect). I admire the work people do to create scenic bases, but I don't have the time, or the skill to achieve some of the level of detail that you find with some of these bases.

Use your imagination. You aren't a general, you are a summoner, and you bring things from alternate dimensions that take a piece of their homeworld with them...or something like that. Success!

Farthest I've gone so far is cobblestone bases out of GS. I mean, cobblestone can be found everywhere. It's like bamboo.

I’m a big fan of basing and it doesn’t have to be expensive…. I’m currently basing my Black Templar with diamond plate… I bought HO scale diamond plate from Plastruct for $9.00 and there’s enough in the package for tons of bases…. I also raided my bits box for hatches and odds and ends and now I have base that are unique and kind of tell their own story plus all my bases are weighted because I like the feel of a sturdier piece and they don’t topple over easy.
Sure I’ve done “themed” bases but with my Templar I went in a different direction. I don’t think you’ll ever be able to theme your bases to an actual gaming table… it would be cool and very nice to look at but at least in my group our tables change a lot.
There are guys out there that do make a stink about LOS and what not but most are pretty cool about it because they are just as creative with their bases and just want to have a good time…
Currently making plans for a personal table at home then my home team can match my table…
Here are a couple “in the works” pictures.

Wow Rhich those bases are really cool. Great ideas.

Yes the LOS is the only issue I have. I'm going to put my long fangs with las cannons on 4" tall rock bases so I can shoot everything. lol Not really, but if someone tried something like that I'd smack them.

Thanks Lion Fire
Note to self...
Base long fangs on 4" high...

Like the holes in the floor Rhich. Nice idea.
Could you have a fox hole in the base and say your man is hunkering down and get a cover save?

Tend to do the big bases for characters and Skirmish figures. May make a couple and gat them using Oyamaru for some units.

CT GAMER wrote:

Vandil wrote:The only problem I have with them is when they are being played on a board that has been terrain-ed with a theme in polar opposition to the basing theme. Ie urban bases on a grass field board, snow bases on an urban board

Which is an issue with ALL basing, and not particular to resin cast themed bases...

Sure, they'd look just as off if they were based using snow flock or tinted water effect for magma instead of a cast resin bases. I have an equal dislike of those non cast resin basing styles when they clash with the game board. I'd say 85+% of the game boards I've play on are either Rock, Grass, or Urban so why not base to match what you'll most likely play on?

Vandil wrote:

CT GAMER wrote:
Which is an issue with ALL basing, and not particular to resin cast themed bases...

Sure, they'd look just as off if they were based using snow flock or tinted water effect for magma instead of a cast resin bases. I have an equal dislike of those non cast resin basing styles when they clash with the game board. I'd say 85+% of the game boards I've play on are either Rock, Grass, or Urban so why not base to match what you'll most likely play on?

Do you plan on playing on one table for the rest of that army's career?

I play on a variety of tables at a few different locations and have two different board types at my house. And I only get to play a couple days out of a month. Now compare that to the guys who hit GT's all the time. How are they supposed to know what the 'most likely' board type is?

Now if you can develop some sort of affordable chameleonic covering for bases, I'm all for it, but other than that you just have to base them and hope for the best.

The more scenic the base, the better for the hobby it is.

I fully approve of scenic bases.

pretre wrote:
..... you just have to base them and hope for the best.

What is the most common board type? Well there's 120+ pages of battle reports right on Dakka Dakka. A quick scan of it is fairly telling on what the most common board types are. Urban, Grass, and Rock.


Aside from that what do you care (OP) if I like your bases or not? So what if I don't think they blend in or match. If you really like skull piles and magma, base them in that and to hell with the opponents opinion.

Vandil wrote:
Aside from that what do you care (OP) if I like your bases or not? So what if I don't think they blend in or match. If you really like skull piles and magma, base them in that and to hell with the opponents opinion.

I don't think anyone 'cares' but I am responding to your earlier assertion that you should just know to base your models based on where you will play.

I'd say 85+% of the game boards I've play on are either Rock, Grass, or Urban so why not base to match what you'll most likely play on?

pretre wrote:

Vandil wrote:
Aside from that what do you care (OP) if I like your bases or not? So what if I don't think they blend in or match. If you really like skull piles and magma, base them in that and to hell with the opponents opinion.

I don't think anyone 'cares' but I am responding to your earlier assertion that you should just know to base your models based on where you will play.

The (OP) asked (Original Poster).
"The other thing I wanted to ask about was if people mind playing against someone with scenic bases. Is it annoying to you? Garish? Too busy, aesthetics-wise?"


If we're off to another juvenile DD pissing match about peoples artistic opinions I'll be in off topic where juvenile pissing matches are the topic of choice...out!

Vandil wrote:If we're off to another juvenile DD pissing match about peoples artistic opinions I'll be in off topic where juvenile pissing matches are the topic of choice...out!

Umm. Okay then. Thanks for stopping by!

Is anyone else wondering who the first person to suggest magnetising bases will be?

I think (my personal opinion only) that basing makes that mini that much more realistic, not to mention it shows that the person who did it cares that much more about his finished mini…. Sure there are tons of different tables out there and you could base your bases on the most common but I feel there’s more to it then that…. I did gravel/snow for my Tau like an nuclear winter type theme and I was very happy with it….but I also caught myself explaining the theme to others who inquired….
I like the resin bases that you can buy too but there are maybe a dozen different ones in a set…. So you have some mini’s on the same base which wasn’t my goal with my Templar… maybe with my High Elves when the time comes but for now I feel the creative energies flowing not to mention just getting laid off from work have given me two things…. No money and lots of free time….
I just wanted to be different…. And my bases for the most part are one off’s… I did borrow the idea of the base with the manhole cover from some resin bases I saw on line… but mine is “scratch built” and allows me a glimmer of self-satisfaction….
I'm not here to for the lack of a better word "de-base" anyone for their choice on “base or not to base” I thinks it’s the individuals choice…. I know guys that don’t base at all…. Or just a quick brush of PVA and some texture and their happy….
I personaly like playing against armys that are painted and based..... there I said it....

Depends on the models also
Am currently painting the BFSP Dwarves.
They will have to settle for being flocked, as they aren't worth wasting a lot of time or resin on the bases.

Chibi Bodge-Battle wrote:Depends on the models also
Am currently painting the BFSP Dwarves.
They will have to settle for being flocked, as they aren't worth wasting a lot of time or resin on the bases.

Yes... I agree, point well put too.....

I am in favor of basing, I like the way it looks. It gives them a more finished appearance and allows you to give more personality to the individual piece, even if it is just a warrior clone of the guy standing beside him.

I personally enjoy seeing scenically based minis,even if it's just rocks and flock,it gives the army a nice uniformed look.
As far as the bases not matching the "game field"...I can't imagine anyone except the most nit picky sort taking issue with it.

I should get a couple pics of my friend's fantasy army. He's actually built unit fillers that are trees and other terrain into his lizardman ranks so it's like this huge forest coming after you.

It's pretty cool.

But as far as scenic bases in W40k. I like the fact that someone has gone to the lengths they did to make their army 'theirs' ya know. Some people have money and no time, some have time and little money. But each of us gets their own fun out of doing what we do.

The truth is this though....there is nothing else in this game that is more exciting than seeing two well-done and completely painted/based/sceniced armies facing off against one another.

I am very much a believer in that a badly painted army is 100% better than a plain gray army.

AbraVolta wrote:I should get a couple pics of my friend's fantasy army. He's actually built unit fillers that are trees and other terrain into his lizardman ranks so it's like this huge forest coming after you.

It's pretty cool.

But as far as scenic bases in W40k. I like the fact that someone has gone to the lengths they did to make their army 'theirs' ya know. Some people have money and no time, some have time and little money. But each of us gets their own fun out of doing what we do.

The truth is this though....there is nothing else in this game that is more exciting than seeing two well-done and completely painted/based/sceniced armies facing off against one another.

I am very much a believer in that a badly painted army is 100% better than a plain gray army.

I'd like to see those... post some pics when you get a chance....

Stella Cadente wrote:the only thing I would ask though of somebody basing an army on cast scenic bases is why did you waste your money on cast bases when you could of made them for allot less at home?

tiles on a base can be done with card which comes with your models
rocky bases can be done with stones/slate which you can get from your garden
urban bases can be done with clock pieces from a £1 shop

seems really stupid to me

Gravel and stuff you can do yourself, but a lot of resin bases are quite complex.

I got these for my sanguinary guard, I doubt I could reproduce them without serious effort, I probably couldn't at all actually.

I look at the resin bases as a way to help highlight a mini or conversion you are really proud of. Again it helps them stand out, but hey if you have the money go for it. I grabbed 10 for 6 bucks the other day online. Will I do 100 minis on them, probably not, but it will be fun to use them none the less.

pretre wrote:

Vandil wrote:If we're off to another juvenile DD pissing match about peoples artistic opinions I'll be in off topic where juvenile pissing matches are the topic of choice...out!

Umm. Okay then. Thanks for stopping by!