Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I want to begin working on a display base for my 40K army, and I would like it to be well done.  I've noticed a lot of display bases have stamped circles on them where the slotbases neatly fit, so the models are all standing at the same level as the terrain on the base.  I don't really know how that is done, whether these spots are carved into the base or whether the models are put on the base and then the flock is placed around them up to the same height as their bases.  I would appreciate any insight into this, thanks.

- Oaka

All you need to know:

http://us.games-workshop.com/games/40k/painting/display/default.htm

I simplified their plans and used a ready-made blank wooden frame for Waltmart.  Saved a lot of time and a ton of $$ too.  I think the total investment   in materials was less than $30, excluding the magnets.

WIP:  http://www.pbase.com/bigo/image/57345443

Finished:  http://www.pbase.com/bigo/image/57345443

The trick to the circles for bases is 2 layers of material.  The top layer is 1/4" foamboard,  glued with "liquid nails" to a 1/8" hardboard backing for strength.  Use the compass cutter to cut your circles in the foamboard first, then glue to the hardboard backing.  Hope this helps.

 

1 more thing I forgot to add.  Allow for extra room when cutting your circles.  The layers of paint and varnish on your bases and the display board will not allow a good fit if you cut the circles the exact same size as an unfinished base.

The way I do it is to take a sheet of foam core and use a circle cutter (available at any sort of craft store and many hobby stores) to make holes in it, then glue the foamcore to whatever MDF or pink-type foam I'm using for a base. Regular foam core sheets are just about the same thickness as a slottabase, so it works out just right. If I'm making something that's multiple levels, I'll carve the foam core into areas that roughly fit each area of the display board and then blend them into the board with concrete patch.

If you have access to the appropriate sorts of power tools, you could probably cut the holes straight into a sheet of MDF/hardboard, using one of the circular saw style drill bits.

You could also use something like concrete match or wall filler to sculpt up around the bases, but that would be messy and error prone.

-DaR

Thanks for the advice, guys. That was something I was thinking about doing too. And a question for tournament goers- how much do you think having a display base effects your painting scores? At all? I know I'm always more impressed with an army's looks if it has a good display base.

In my experience, a display base seems to be mandatory to win best appearance at any large tournament.  Hence why I've decided to build one.  I guess not having to pack and unpack 100+ models between games is a good bonus too.

- Oaka

I have won several painting awards with my kroot army and all I had for a base was a generic base.

In most tourneys, the base shouldn't count for or against your score, in theory.

In practice, a really great looking base is going to make any judge more favorably inclined on their first impression, and a slapdash base is going to give them a poor first impression, no matter how good or bad the models on it are.

A base doesn't have to be elaborate to look good, either.  Flat terrain with one or two army-theme appropriate features would just fine.  I recently saw a Deathwing board which was dead flat, but for the Deathwing company symbol cut out in raised plasticard on the surface.  Very neatly done and it looked good both up close and from across the room.

-DaR

The big fancy bases seem to be a big draw for Player's Choice awards. If you have to try and stand out in a room of 100-200 armies, the big base certainly helps.

Judges generally have more time to review all the armies & will/will not be impressed at their own prerogative.

Bunches of good posts, I'll try to add a little.

Having judged painting at everything from GT's to small RTT's, I can tell you that judges have a limited amount of time. This is my own PERSONAL experience, and other judges may have different takes on it. This is NOT meant to offend anybody, but to give you some blunt insight to how judging is often carried out.

The first step is to walk up and down the isles and pick out the top armies (say 10%). That means that you've got about 30 seconds to make an impression. That can be with extravagant conversions, setting the scene with a display board, or an unusual paint scheme, or simply a very crisp paint job on EVERYTHING. A display board greatly increases your chance that a judge will spend the time to look at your army more closely. So, it might make the difference between being noticed or not noticed to be an "overall" contender. In general, the checklist style of judging means that your score will be your score, regardless of any extras that you do. The biggest brainwork that a judge is generally the top 5-10 scores. Everything in the middle generally either gets a checkmark or not in the various categories. Probably the biggest decision for the lower categories is the "is this above average or not". That depends very strongly upon the judges opinion of what "average" is. Is that average from what he's seen, what he's used to, what's at the tournament?

After you make the top 10% (and that's just an approximation, it's probably the top 10 in a huge tournament, and the top 3 in a tiny tournament) then the real mini-by-mini comparisons happen. At that point, a display serves only to "justify" your basing scheme. Snow bases after all, look rather out of place on a green table. If your bases look like feeces, and your display base looks like a giant lavatory :lol: the judge might say "oh, I get it...."!

So, my impression is generally that a display base might bump you up a category, but within that category won't do much else for you than justify your bases and to show that you've put extra effort into it. It's more a "statement of intent" rather than a bump to your painting score.

Essentially it says "hey, I spent a lot of time on these, please take a closer look".

Now, having made more display trays than I care to admit (check out my sisters and Tomb Kings galleries), I can say that it's probably not the best idea to spend a lot of time and money cutting holes for your army unless you're REALLY serious about wanting to win that painting award. Remember that once you've cut those holes, your STUCK with a given army composition. Personally I end up playing with a given army selection for one season, and then the board is worthless. Consider doing an interesting board without cutouts, so that if you change your army composition

Lastly, the biggest reason that I make display bases, is so that I don't forget models or entire units while I'm playing. I can't count the number of games that I've played and halfway through the game I've thought "gee, I'd probably be doing much better if I was playing with my ENTIRE army! Arrrgh!".

Anyway, I hope that gives some insight as to what you might achieve with a display base. If you're the best painted army, you're probably goingt to with best painted with or without a display. If you've painted it with a spray-can and tissue paper, you're probably going to get low marks even with a nice display base. But it just MIGHT bump you up 2 or 4 points, which can be the difference between overall, and 2nd place!

Quick and Dirty Method:

My firend and I have done this countless times, mostly because we twiddle with our army lists between tourneys.

Start with 2" thick insulation foam (used for siding on houses, usually either pink or light blue color) $20 US will get you a giant sheet of it.

Cut it down to a manageable size, say 2' x 3'.

Place your models on said board to lay it out.

Draw circles around models with fine sharpie pen or ball point/gel pen. Remove models from board.

Use foamcutter or knife to make the side of the board look like a hillside or rocks.

Cutting the circles requires a dremel or other rotary tool and an attachment used to set the depth of the cut. The depth guide is about $20 and has other uses as well. The advantage here is that you can cut all kinds of shapes with this cutter. Measure the depth of the base in question and set the depth guide to the correct depth.

Wear a dust mask, and do this outside. You are going to produce a lot of dust. Turn on the dremel and drop the cutter into the center of the models' area on the board. Move the dremel around to remove all the material, including the outline itself - this should give you the space that might otherwise keep your models' base from fitting int he slot.

I have found that Testors military colors in the half height cans dont melt styro, so you can just shoot it right on the base. Use black as your undercoat.

Dryrush the side of the display board (rocky area) with dark grey. Mix up some watered down PVA or really thick green poster paint. Apply liberally to top and scatter flock or whatever matches your bases.

EDIT:  Don't paint inside the holes, the flock will get in there and that won't work.

Allow to dry.

Marvel at your cleverness.

Foam $20, Foam Cutter $12, Rotary Attachment $20, Poster paint $1, Spray Paint $4 = around $57 for as many boards as you like.