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So, I've heard a few horror stories from people about being refused the privilege of playing in a store because their minis weren't based. I'm not saying these things are true, I know people sometimes obfuscate the truth to make themselves look better, but I'm just wondering how widespread the feeling is. Do you think that minis aren't complete without basing?

To me basing is optional. If the model is painted and 'complete' then I really am not going to worry about if anything is on the base ... but I do like a clean looking base (i usually paint my bases after i paint the model .. messy like that...)

It depends on what you define as basing.

Does merely painting it count?

Or do you have to put something on it (flock/rubble etc.)?

That is the real question, as a plain base with nothing done to it looks a little silly.

I don't care what condition it's in to play, but painting a model up and not basing it is like buying an oil painting and then thumb-tacking it to the wall like a college dorm room poster. Sure its the same painting, but what a shame not to have it framed.

Jimsolo wrote:So, I've heard a few horror stories from people about being refused the privilege of playing in a store because their minis weren't based. I'm not saying these things are true, I know people sometimes obfuscate the truth to make themselves look better, but I'm just wondering how widespread the feeling is. Do you think that minis aren't complete without basing?

For game play I don't care. To be considered "done" for table top or tourney play then a simple painted base is fine by me.

For friendly play I would accept a simple green or brown painted base.

For tournament play I would at least want to see sand on it painted. Flock and all the extra bits are just a bonus.

With that said I only base an army when the whole thing is painted....

powerclaw wrote:I don't care what condition it's in to play, but painting a model up and not basing it is like buying an oil painting and then thumb-tacking it to the wall like a college dorm room poster. Sure its the same painting, but what a shame not to have it framed.

Meh. Some of my lines have extensive basing (demons), some moderate (eldar - city ruins) and some focus on the mini with the base just painted green. Basing can help, but it can also take away from the mini itself.

For me, a model that has been painted and not based isn't completed. I mean if you're going to paint a miniature, why not go the extra mile and base it?

Of course, it's not like I would refuse to play unbased or unpainted miniatures, I just think that basing a miniature makes it look more complete.

I dont understand why you wouldnt base your models if you painted them?

Snarky wrote:For me, a model that has been painted and not based isn't completed. I mean if you're going to paint a miniature, why not go the extra mile and base it?

Of course, it's not like I would refuse to play unbased or unpainted miniatures, I just think that basing a miniature makes it look more complete.

There it is. Painted figures are just incomplete without basing.

Why would you refuse to play someone who hasn't painted/based? Does it somehow magically change the way the units function on the board? Yeah if the player never intends to paint them it can get annoying, but if someone just assembled a brand new unit and wanted to test it out, are you going to say no just because it isn't painted/based? I wouldn't.

For me a base is something that stops my model from falling over, not a picture of scenery from whatever world I feel like displaying. My bases are all black and I see no reason to change that. IMO it also looks less stupid then when you have your guys based on desert bases and play on a snow board or something.

By based, do you mean painted base, flocked, or what?

I've never heard of someone being not allowed to play at a FLGS because of basing. Saddly, At my FLGS, only about 10-25% of WM and 40k models have anything more than primer on them, so basing isn't even a consideration for most folks.

For my personal standards, a model isn't finished until it's based. I still occasionally play with some of my old models that have only a painted base, but for anything from the past 6 years, it never saw the table until it had been at least painted, flocked and drybrushed.

I used to be in the no basing crowd until I realized you can base a entire army in one night. It is so simple there is no reason not to do it

I paint all of my bases green.

I also shop where I play.

If a store doesn't want to allow me to use my green painted bases, then they can do without my business.

I base all of my models, and wouldn't call them complete without a painted base.

How you paint and base your models is your business.

I'll still play you. For a GW store to say you can't play without a painted base is more than a little silly, IMHO.

I base most of my models and I've always found it to be easy, but to me the basing is optional. Its because the basing doesnt always match the board you're playing on, and just plain non based black looks alright on any board, but grass flock base on a city board looks a little funny.

Well, as been said a number of times already, a model isn't complete till the basing is done.
I really don't care how expertly it's based, but FFS, do SOMETHING.
Paint it black, brown, or green. Sand flock it and paint or wash it. Go crazy with every single model and add grass, rubble, weeds, skulls, helmets, weapons, vehicle and building dibris, grots, what have you...
Just do SOMETHING.
I'll still play with someone who hasn't based their models, but I sure wont give them any points for the lack of effort.

For what my opinion is worth, I don't really care. My problem is that I don't feel comfortable enough with my basing skills to add any flock to mine. I paint the base black, but beyond that I don't want to do anything more with it. My problem comes when someone insists that my mini is therefore 'not complete.'

A) If I don't want to glue dirt to my mini, I shouldn't have to.
B) If the mini has to have flocking material on it to be 'completed,' then why didn't they include the flock in the kit I bought?
C) But Jim, they don't include your paints, and you still have to put THOSE on your model to have it be done. Touche. However, the back of the little box told me I needed paints. It didn't tell me I have to flock the things.

I don't object to the practice of basing, or the preference for it. I have an issue with people telling me that I have to do it in order to play in the store. That seems like it's crossing a line. Has anyone had any experience with this? As I've said, I've heard stories, here on Dakka, about this happening, but no one has ever corroborated them, or managed to provide specific details. Is this just an urban legend, or are there stores that actually deny you the ability to play there because you won't glue schmutz to your model?

Basing is entirely esthetic, the idea of not letting someone play if they don't base their models is ridiculous. It would be like telling someone they're not a good enough painter to be able to play. There's no in-game reason to make a fancy base, or even to paint your models if that's your preference.

I can see a GW store wanting to have painted models on the table as a showcase-type situation, but not letting someone play because they like their bases just fine how they are is ridiculous.

In my opinion, it just ain't complete. In friendly games unbased is fine though.

i never used to base my models but when i completed a recent assault squad i decide to try basing them and see how i liked the look. they were awesome hence now the everything will eventually be based. but not til they are finished being painted

For the most part, my bases don't have any flock, or sand, or anything on them, I've done them all in a dark grey with drybrushed lighter greys, because I'm doing it as concrete / tarmac, and when I make my game board it'll be a ruined city to match.

I voted "Yes. If it isn't based, it isn't finished.", but that's only because I think basing is part of the entire process. An unbased mini is an unfinished mini.

That being said, being denied a game because your minis are unfinished is just mean.

I'm of the feeling that basing is optional. I'll say that basing does look really nice on a model, but I'm not going to fault anyone for not doing it. Some people just prefer the look of the black base, and on one hand, models based for one terrain setting look a bit out of place on an entirely different one. I know one guy at my FLGS who had a lot of beautifully done snow-based models, but they were completely out of place on the majority of players' grass mats.

Jimsolo wrote:So, I've heard a few horror stories from people about being refused the privilege of playing in a store because their minis weren't based. I'm not saying these things are true, I know people sometimes obfuscate the truth to make themselves look better, but I'm just wondering how widespread the feeling is. Do you think that minis aren't complete without basing?

You pretty much answered the question for yourself, in my opinion.

No basing is just fine for regular games with your friendly group and the like. But if you're playing in a tournament or other form of organized play(escalation league, etc) where there are guidelines set forth and one of them is "models must be based"--then you shouldn't expect any kind of leeway.

I think ultimately, the biggest confusion would be as to what exactly counts as 'based'

Every game system that I know of has the bulk of its mechanics work off of the base for the overwhelming majority of its models.

Yes, absolutely, the base it required.

oni wrote:Every game system that I know of has the bulk of its mechanics work off of the base for the overwhelming majority of its models.

Yes, absolutely, the base it required.

were talking about a decorated base.

You should only need the model assembled and on it's base. The requirements that armies be painted and base be decorated is BS IMO.

I like basing my models. Makes them look cooler to me. If you don't want to base yours then I get a +1 to BS when shooting and +1 to WS when in hand to hand....=P