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.

The Sons of Medusa army is nearly done and they got based in a snow and ice theme, now I'm looking at my RG allies and thinking I want to do them in the same style, but I want to reflect their stealthy nature and do their bases up with much more "cover", to show the hiding out setting up an ambush. Snowy pine trees and dead snowed over logs and more rocks. The Sons bases are more codex style with just a dash of snow and some painted ice effect, and I want the RG to have more height and feeling but I don't want to lose the over all effect.

Any tips? I'm not very experienced with the basing just yet.

edit: derp, also what is the best way to get a base under an attack bike? I have some extra clear plastic flying bases, with these be suitable? And can these Attack Bikes be posed kinda crazy, they make me think of an ATV of some sort, ripping up mud. And now that I think about that... how would I model mud and snow together?

I've found that since you don't want to get paint on the snow (that would ruin the effect, even on the edges) you should do the base in layers, just like would actually happen on real terrain.

I put down earth, a few rocks, paint them black, then dry brush them as I want them to appear before I even add snow or mud.

For both, I make a paste. For mud, I use a basing earth mixture (A combination of different soils for realistic texture. Yard dirt, sand, potting soil and dried coffee grounds atm.) pva glue, and gloss brown craft paint. (The gloss makes it retain a wet mud look.)

For snow I use pva glue, fine white or light tan craft sand, and white paint.

Eon of Battle's channel is a great resourse for learning how to base; https://www.youtube.com/user/EonsOfBattle/videos

this is how my bases are turning out so far...

what do you think?

It doesn't really yell forest under that snow.

Personally would finish the base first (sand- paint, flock with grass and maybe the birch seedling leaves) then add snow to the top of it.

lol, sorry should have specified....

the pic is of a Sons of Medusa marine, I want to do a matching base set for another army, but incorporate more pine trees and mud type stuff. Boggy Man had some good tips though and thanks!

That base looks...not so awesome dude. Go with what other people are saying and work in layers. Once you've got the base exactly how you want it to look under snow, add some normal pva glue (Elmer's!) and sprinkle baking soda over top everywhere the glue is. Once you've got it sufficiently covered, flip the base over, give it two taps to the side to shake off excess, and there you go. Perfect fluffy snow. As for the model itself, you need to thin your paints out man.