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Sup guys, wanted to ask a quick question about potentially using polystyrene as a basing foundation for big models. I have finally planned out my Imperial Knight...

I was going to use the bottom half of a munitorum container as a trench system, sawing it to fit along the middle of the Knight's base, have guardsmen running through it etc. Obviously though this means I will need the Knight to have a leg on either side of the 'trench.' I am having a bit of trouble planning on how to best achieve this.

I want to create a land mass to fit the 'trench' in place, now would it be best to use some dense polystyrene? How is the material for actually basing the miniatures on to it? Would pins help or make no difference? I am worried it might be too unstable or something for the Knight? Anyone have any tips for alternatives or best product to buy?

Cheers fam.

Sounds really, really cool. I'd recommend glueing the container to the base, using polystyrene to fill out most of the empty space and then using milliput or air drying clay for the rest.

To do this I assume you will probably have run pins through the basing material to pin the feet so I would go with something stronger. I like using 1" cork (available in the states at general hobby stores or amazon). It's probably about the right height and gives a natural rocky/stone texture. I usually PVA a mix of small and medium railroad talus onto ledges, etc. to look like falling rock. Cork paints up real nice with just cheap craft paint too. For pinning my Knight, I used a big 10 penny nail up through the base and cut to size. A dollop of greenstuff over the nail head (underneath the base) keeps it very solid.

As a bulk material it's fine. For anchoring a large model, no. I'd strongly suggest either a wooden block, mass of hard putty (milliput) or something else pretty dense and pin into that. Expanded or extruded polystyrene, even the blue stuff, just doesn't have the shear strength needed. You can of course cover your anchor with whatever you want - but bear in mind any squishiness in that top layer will lead to problems. A thin layer of filler (polyfilla etc) then your PVA / Sand / Texture paint is about all I'd suggest.

Right, thanks everyone, really appreciate the replies. I would prefer a more rocky or mud like texture I suppose. So milliput seems to be a good go to? Perhaps then have a large build up of some good cork with a layer of milliput to pin the legs to? Suppose that would give a good 'uneven' surface for a rocky/mud layer.

I'll definitely be gluing the container to the base, probably best to do that first. I am guessing though if using something like clay putty, it would be best to pin the model down before it sets? Or is driving a pin through pretty easy after it has set? This is gonna be some challenge for me I think, mainly organising what to do first.

This is a base for a large model I made a little while back


It's made by placing the base upside down on a piece of paper then drawing around the rim using a fine pen to make a template, then using the template to cut out an oval of plasticard.

Then sketching out my plan for the base on the template and cutting where needed. Raised bits were made by propping up those parts with plasticard columns shown below.



Using a strip of thin plasticard, 0.25mm or maybe bent 0.5 (can't remember), as wide as the raised bit is high to close in the open sections before filling gaps and painting.

In your case I'd recommend doing something similar to as I describe above (to bring height) but adding some milliput inside where you are going to pin the model's feet into then going over the top with whatever you want to use to give texture. This would make it lighter and might save you using large amounts of millput to make the trench.

Edit: or on second thoughts as winterdyne suggests, whatever you find easier.

 OneManNoodles wrote:
This is a base for a large model I made a little while back

Spoiler:

It's made by placing the base upside down on a piece of paper then drawing around the rim using a fine pen to make a template, then using the template to cut out an oval of plasticard.

Then sketching out my plan for the base on the template and cutting where needed. Raised bits were made by propping up those parts with plasticard columns shown below.

Spoiler:

Using a strip of thin plasticard, 0.25mm or maybe bent 0.5 (can't remember), as wide as the raised bit is high to close in the open sections before filling gaps and painting.

In your case I'd recommend doing something similar to as I describe above (to bring height) but adding some milliput inside where you are going to pin the model's feet into then going over the top with whatever you want to use to give texture. This would make it lighter and might save you using large amounts of millput to make the trench.

Edit: or on second thoughts as winterdyne suggests, whatever you find easier.

This is great!

Do you have the gizmos and whatsits for cutting wood?

Were it me, and I were set on this design, I'd cut a bit of wood of the right depth and rough shape, screw it to the base and fill around and over it for the look and texture, then attach the knight to that.

Bear in mind with whatever method you choose, the knight is fairly heavy and if it's standing on a couple inches of something light it will be likely to tip if knocked. Heavy base is stable base.

Aaaahhh now there's an idea, I might just do that! Block of wood to get the right shape and height then cover it with milliput or something similar. Thanks a lot everyone!