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Why do people rebase their models just because GW starts putting different base sizes in their boxes? It seems a bit bizarre to me, tearing apart perfectly good models because GW have decided to switch from 25mm to 32mm. As long as base sizes are consistent within a unit/army surely there should be no problem. It's strange that minor changes made by a company are treated like a royal decree by some. So why do people do this?

 Banzaimash wrote:
Why do people rebase their models just because GW starts putting different base sizes in their boxes? It seems a bit bizarre to me, tearing apart perfectly good models because GW have decided to switch from 25mm to 32mm. As long as base sizes are consistent within a unit/army surely there should be no problem. It's strange that minor changes made by a company are treated like a royal decree by some. So why do people do this?

"MoDElinG fOr AdvANtaGe"

Or something like that. I personally don't care if the new marines are on 32, if you want to play them on 24mm go ahead.

The boyz never fit that well on 25mm bases and 32mm look right nice :-)

 Kroem wrote:
The boyz never fit that well on 25mm bases and 32mm look right nice :-)

I literally have 400+ ork models. I will not be changing their bases just because GW finally figured out that issue. Any new models will get their new base but otherwise nope.

In general I don't.

I wouldn't and would even be using the old base size for newer models. I don't like the look of a bunch of sizes mixed in an army (except for units with major size differences). And besides, it would be impossible to find 32mm washers.

 Banzaimash wrote:
Why do people rebase their models just because GW starts putting different base sizes in their boxes? It seems a bit bizarre to me, tearing apart perfectly good models because GW have decided to switch from 25mm to 32mm. As long as base sizes are consistent within a unit/army surely there should be no problem. It's strange that minor changes made by a company are treated like a royal decree by some. So why do people do this?

Presumably so they can play against other people who want to use the current base sizes. Same reason why people get the 9th ed. Codex Space Marines when the 8th ed. book is still perfectly usable.

At least it's not as destructive as people cutting their battlemats.

 Dolnikan wrote:
I wouldn't and would even be using the old base size for newer models. I don't like the look of a bunch of sizes mixed in an army (except for units with major size differences). And besides, it would be impossible to find 32mm washers.

See that's what I do atm. 20 new marines get Ebay bought 25mm, makes more sense than ripping up hundreds of the already based and painted models in my army.

I play in tournaments which tend to enforce the proper base size.

Honestly, most of the new bases make things look better/ less wobbly. I rebased all my Wraiths to 50 MM and it's much better.

 Asmodai wrote:

 Banzaimash wrote:
Why do people rebase their models just because GW starts putting different base sizes in their boxes? It seems a bit bizarre to me, tearing apart perfectly good models because GW have decided to switch from 25mm to 32mm. As long as base sizes are consistent within a unit/army surely there should be no problem. It's strange that minor changes made by a company are treated like a royal decree by some. So why do people do this?

Presumably so they can play against other people who want to use the current base sizes. Same reason why people get the 9th ed. Codex Space Marines when the 8th ed. book is still perfectly usable.

At least it's not as destructive as people cutting their battlemats.

,
Whole armies ripped off their bases, cleaned up, fixed on new bases, which then need basing. A lot more work and a lot more destructive I think (also you can just not use part of a battlemat).

Also rules changes and minor model changes are really not the same, and it's disengenuous to suggest otherwise.

Traditionally, I've just left them on whatever size they came with as GW has stated that this is still legal. I know tournaments have different standards but even without Covid, work has me busy enough that tournaments aren't really a thing for me, so like I said, I haven't been worrying about it.

That said, a friend just told me you can actually get "base expanders". Essentially, "new bases" that the old basis fit into. So this way, you would theoretically be able to keep your old bases and get the correct new base size as well. I haven't had a chance to look it up yet, but if this is true, I could see myself slowly converting to the new sizes. My biggest issue has been not wanting to destroy bases I spent a ton of time on (not to mention the few completed models you're likely to wreck because they didn't separate cleanly from the old base). This would eliminate that concern for me.

SemperMortis wrote:

 Kroem wrote:
The boyz never fit that well on 25mm bases and 32mm look right nice :-)

I literally have 400+ ork models. I will not be changing their bases just because GW finally figured out that issue. Any new models will get their new base but otherwise nope.

Same.

I did put the correct oval bases under my scratch built buggies though, so they could be an acceptable conversion of the new buggies. But they didn't have any base before, it was no trouble at all, except that I had to find MDF bases on ebay because GW doesn't sell them separately.

I like having all my marines on 32mm bases, they look better that way. But, I've not had to rebase models besides that.

The entire game runs to base size, if you've 25mm vs 32mm you can get more models in a specific area with 25mm bases compared to 32mm. Which means more models which can make it into close combat; or more models which can stand in a line and be in range to shoot etc.

Base size affects model performance.

Rebasing is thus a means to keeping up to date with the models development. The only issue is sometimes GW is haphazard and doesn't make it clear for 40K what size models are supposed to be on.




Otherwise rebasing isn't all you can do. As Tycho notes there are also base extenders; stick them on and the base is bigger and you've not had to pull anything off the base .

Tycho wrote:
Traditionally, I've just left them on whatever size they came with as GW has stated that this is still legal. I know tournaments have different standards but even without Covid, work has me busy enough that tournaments aren't really a thing for me, so like I said, I haven't been worrying about it.

Tournaments always have house rules, like time limitations or the requirement of having the entire army painted.

As long as the rulebook doesn't have a chart in which are stated the legal base dimensions of each unit, there is no official rule that makes older base sizes illegal.

 Overread wrote:
The entire game runs to base size, if you've 25mm vs 32mm you can get more models in a specific area with 25mm bases compared to 32mm. Which means more models which can make it into close combat; or more models which can stand in a line and be in range to shoot etc.

Base size affects model performance.

Rebasing is thus a means to keeping up to date with the models development. The only issue is sometimes GW is haphazard and doesn't make it clear for 40K what size models are supposed to be on.




Otherwise rebasing isn't all you can do. As Tycho notes there are also base extenders; stick them on and the base is bigger and you've not had to pull anything off the base .

The problem is that you can still get kits with older size bases from GW themselves. Drukhari scourge still can be found with 25mm bases even in official GW stores.

It doesn't sound like much of a difference, but you can do a fair bit more basing on a 32mm compared to a 25mm.

To be honest I don't really much care. I decided to rebase all my Marines years ago. Bought a couple of bags of bases and did it all one afternoon. If someone rocks up with an army on 25mm bases when they should be on 32mm, I really wouldn't mind, same as when my opponents don't mind that my HQs are on 40mm bases so I can really add some scenic bits.

It has always entertained that people embrace horrendous army imbalance but freak out about a couple mm on a character base "cuz the auras will give you an advantage"

It is also not modeling to advantage since its a split.

Smaller bases = more models in CC
Larger Bases = easier to spread out for area denial.

 VladimirHerzog wrote:

 Overread wrote:
The entire game runs to base size, if you've 25mm vs 32mm you can get more models in a specific area with 25mm bases compared to 32mm. Which means more models which can make it into close combat; or more models which can stand in a line and be in range to shoot etc.

Base size affects model performance.

Rebasing is thus a means to keeping up to date with the models development. The only issue is sometimes GW is haphazard and doesn't make it clear for 40K what size models are supposed to be on.




Otherwise rebasing isn't all you can do. As Tycho notes there are also base extenders; stick them on and the base is bigger and you've not had to pull anything off the base .

The problem is that you can still get kits with older size bases from GW themselves. Drukhari scourge still can be found with 25mm bases even in official GW stores.

Oh agreed, its a mess for Tyranids as well.
It's why I wish GW would release a base size chart - they CAN do it; they did it (and kept it up to date) for AoS and its a godsend for keeping things clear. It also keeps GW from random base size changes because they will get noticed. Right now 40K is a free-for-all where you could get any base in a box and be confused.

Every time this comes up I try to remind people to politely email GW and ask for a base size chart, like AoS has, for 40K. The more of us who ask the more chance GW will do it.

For me, I want there to be consistent base sizing across the whole army. If it changes then any new models I add will be on the new size, so I want the older ones to match. If the army in question is already done though and I do not plan to add to it then I will leave it as it was.

Another factor for me is that when the base size changes I almost always think it is an improvement in visuals. And for some units, like my tyranid warriors, I couldn't even fit them base to base on the smaller size to begin with!

Basing is the only thing in the hobby I don't like to do. So of course I would never rebase models as I'm happy about every model that actually has a proper base . I also couldn't care less about tournaments and GW themselves throw different base sizes into kits without any clear pattern, so who cares, really? Take your Metal Terminators on 25mm and let them fight against my power Armoured Foul Blightspawn on 40mm Base, the game won't explode.

 Overread wrote:

 VladimirHerzog wrote:

 Overread wrote:
The entire game runs to base size, if you've 25mm vs 32mm you can get more models in a specific area with 25mm bases compared to 32mm. Which means more models which can make it into close combat; or more models which can stand in a line and be in range to shoot etc.

Base size affects model performance.

Rebasing is thus a means to keeping up to date with the models development. The only issue is sometimes GW is haphazard and doesn't make it clear for 40K what size models are supposed to be on.




Otherwise rebasing isn't all you can do. As Tycho notes there are also base extenders; stick them on and the base is bigger and you've not had to pull anything off the base .

The problem is that you can still get kits with older size bases from GW themselves. Drukhari scourge still can be found with 25mm bases even in official GW stores.

Oh agreed, its a mess for Tyranids as well.
It's why I wish GW would release a base size chart - they CAN do it; they did it (and kept it up to date) for AoS and its a godsend for keeping things clear. It also keeps GW from random base size changes because they will get noticed. Right now 40K is a free-for-all where you could get any base in a box and be confused.

Every time this comes up I try to remind people to politely email GW and ask for a base size chart, like AoS has, for 40K. The more of us who ask the more chance GW will do it.

Heh. I'm working against you here in that I send them Emails asking for no base size chart & arguing for its removal from AoS.

As a tournament judge, please don't :(

My marines look a lot better on a 32mil. I even rebase my old metal minis, just snip off the planck in the middle and glue onto the new base.

Also, If you're going to mix Primaris with firstborn, having both on same size bases makes the size difference easier to stomach somehow.

Still keeping my scouts on 28mil. Makes them look smaller, which I find fitting!

I finally re-based my Dark Vengeance Chosen like a month-and-a-half ago. I did it becuase I had long since refreshed my CSM army to the new scuplts that those models weren't very likely to see play being miss-matched and looking even smaller than the new marines. I have small pile of 32mm bases now. So I took the opportunity to re-base them. Even managed to keep enough of the slotta piece to give them a lift making them appear like they are the same size as the new marines. Now I am flushed with Aspiring Champions and the ability to run Chosen with way too many different weapons in them.

I couldn't remove the base from the Chaos Lord from Dark Vengeance. So I just glued the old base to 32mm and stuck some bits on the lower bench. It doesn't look great, but I think it is serviceable with the cape doing a lot of lifting to conceal how lazy I was. It also has the added benefit of really hiding that the lord is shorter than the new models to the point that unless scrutinizing the model, it actually looks bigger because of the biggest, flattest, roundest tactical rock.

I started 40k just slightly before the marine change from 25mm to 32mm. I definitely had the ability to go to 32mm with minimal re-basing early in my collection. I held out as the smaller bases required less basing. Which I don't much care for. Other than my Fallen and Vrosh Tattersoul (Exaulted Champion), I have either given away or re-based my collection to current base-sizes. However, I didn't have all that many models to change. So few, I didn't buy bases specifically to do it. I don't know if I would have bothered if I had a bigger collection.

That said, 32mm look and work so much better than 25mm. I would have preferred that Genestealers would have gone to 32mm way back when. That way a lot less of the model would over-hang the base.

 Banzaimash wrote:
Why do people rebase their models just because GW starts putting different base sizes in their boxes? It seems a bit bizarre to me, tearing apart perfectly good models because GW have decided to switch from 25mm to 32mm. As long as base sizes are consistent within a unit/army surely there should be no problem. It's strange that minor changes made by a company are treated like a royal decree by some. So why do people do this?

It doesn't take tearing them apart. I just put adapter rings on all my Sisters.

As for bases sizes, yes, it is a problem. The size of the base determines how densely the unit can be packed, where models and fit, and how much the unit can spread out. In fact, the model can be basically anything, as long as the base size is proper, because for the most part it's the base that plays the game by defining the model's position, volume, etc. and the model itself is decorative.

ccs wrote:
In general I don't.

This.

 Inquisitor Lord Katherine wrote:

 Banzaimash wrote:
Why do people rebase their models just because GW starts putting different base sizes in their boxes? It seems a bit bizarre to me, tearing apart perfectly good models because GW have decided to switch from 25mm to 32mm. As long as base sizes are consistent within a unit/army surely there should be no problem. It's strange that minor changes made by a company are treated like a royal decree by some. So why do people do this?

It doesn't take tearing them apart. I just put adapter rings on all my Sisters.

As for bases sizes, yes, it is a problem. The size of the base determines how densely the unit can be packed, where models and fit, and how much the unit can spread out. In fact, the model can be basically anything, as long as the base size is proper, because for the most part it's the base that plays the game by defining the model's position, volume, etc. and the model itself is decorative.

There's pros and cons to smaller or bigger bases. If a few mm of base were really such an issue, why hasn't GW made it a rule?

Because GW takes a casual approach to their rules.