First Born SM and IG basing query?

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**Beaker07**

Hi - do first born Space Marines and Imperial Guard models need to be rebased on 32mm bases instead of the original 25mm bases to be "legal" to use in games in GW stores?

**Backspacehacker**

IG are still 25mm
SM on 32mm
So the answer would be yes for the SM.

**Nevelon**

Check with the store for the SMs. While I think a lot of places would prefer the modern sized bases, the ones they came with is often acceptable for older minis.

**ccs**

Beaker07 wrote:
Hi - do first born Space Marines and Imperial Guard models need to be rebased on 32mm bases instead of the original 25mm bases to be "legal" to use in games in GW stores?

Why don't you cut to the chase & just ask your local GW store what their rules are?

**godardc**

All models are legal if based as they came IIRC. Nobody needs to rebase anything

**Grimtuff**

ccs wrote:
Beaker07 wrote:
Hi - do first born Space Marines and Imperial Guard models need to be rebased on 32mm bases instead of the original 25mm bases to be "legal" to use in games in GW stores?

Why don't you cut to the chase & just ask your local GW store what their rules are?

Because they’re aren’t any beyond “Don’t take the piss”.

There are no basing rules for 40k, with units being wildly inconsistent on their “proper” bases (Carnifexes and Nid Warriors being two standout examples) some even within the unit itself like the Skitarii. You cannot say the jezzail guy is on that oval base for balance reasons, other than to maintain his balance so the mini doesn’t fall down…

**tneva82**

Beaker07 wrote:
Hi - do first born Space Marines and Imperial Guard models need to be rebased on 32mm bases instead of the original 25mm bases to be "legal" to use in games in GW stores?

Depends. Officially no. How the store house rules is another thing

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Backspacehacker wrote:
IG are still 25mm
SM on 32mm
So the answer would be yes for the SM.

Only to satisfy house rules. OFFICIAL rule is no need.

**ccs**

Grimtuff wrote:
ccs wrote:
Beaker07 wrote:
Hi - do first born Space Marines and Imperial Guard models need to be rebased on 32mm bases instead of the original 25mm bases to be "legal" to use in games in GW stores?

Why don't you cut to the chase & just ask your local GW store what their rules are?

Because they’re aren’t any beyond “Don’t take the piss”.

There are no basing rules for 40k, with units being wildly inconsistent on their “proper” bases (Carnifexes and Nid Warriors being two standout examples) some even within the unit itself like the Skitarii. You cannot say the jezzail guy is on that oval base for balance reasons, other than to maintain his balance so the mini doesn’t fall down…

That doesn't answer the question I asked the OP.

**beast_gts**

Depends on how you define 'official'. The rule for Warhammer World 40k events is:

A Note on Basing: Many models are no longer produced on the bases they originally came with. Wherever possible, base your models according to their current boxed kit. As with other exceptions, if you wish to have a model reviewed, please email whworldevents@gwplc.com for approval.

**stroller**

Nope. I use the bases they came with irrespective of age or current base size. Never had an issue in 20+ years.

**Gitdakka**

There are no rules for basing. Only common sense. Hell i still base marines om 25mm,even if they are new. I want a consistent look

**Irbis**

Gitdakka wrote:
There are no rules for basing

There are rules for AoS so if you expect 40K remain without them for long (hell, 'official' 40k games already have them) I have a bridge on Terra for sale...

Gitdakka wrote:
Hell i still base marines om 25mm,even if they are new. I want a consistent look

Seeing even old squat models look ugly and stupid on 25 mm base with 2/3 of the boot off the edge, I have no idea how you managed that. Did you pin the half of mm of the feet of new models that still fit on 25? Or is one boot completely in the air?

Also, I hope you won't complain once the rules drop or say "who could have seen it coming". I can understand people who are too lazy to rebase, but wasting extra money to make models look worse (never mind stupid posing, there is so little space on 25s you can't base them nicely)? What?

**Grimtuff**

Irbis wrote:
Gitdakka wrote:
There are no rules for basing

There are rules for AoS so if you expect 40K remain without them for long (hell, 'official' 40k games already have them) I have a bridge on Terra for sale...

No they don't. If you think that woolly "official" ruling above is anything concrete you're wrong.

Tell me, what bases should Nid Warriors be on following those rules, when the GW site themselves shows them (and sells them depending on the box) on both 40mm and 50mm bases?

Same goes for Carnifexes.

Hell, even in 8th- when these alleged "official" base sizes came in, GW went and released two Lords of Contagion- a unit brand new to that edition, on both 40mm and 50mm bases. So, yeah...

**Ghaz**

Irbis wrote:
There are rules for AoS...

From the Warhammer Age of Sigmar - Base Sizes document:

Don’t worry – you don’t have to rebase your model if it is not on the suggested base unless you want to (that’s why these are suggested base sizes rather than mandatory ones). If you prefer not to rebase your models, just assume that the model is mounted on a base of the appropriate size when setting the model up, moving it, or measuring any distances in a matched play game. For example, if you are a veteran player using an old unit that is mounted on 25mm square bases instead of the suggested 32mm round bases, you should set the unit up, make any moves, and measure all distances as if they were mounted on the larger 32mm round bases when you play matched play games. Although this may sound a bit complicated, in practice it is actually very easy to do.

**ccs**

Ghaz wrote:
Irbis wrote:
There are rules for AoS...

From the Warhammer Age of Sigmar - Base Sizes document:

Don’t worry – you don’t have to rebase your model if it is not on the suggested base unless you want to (that’s why these are suggested base sizes rather than mandatory ones). If you prefer not to rebase your models, just assume that the model is mounted on a base of the appropriate size when setting the model up, moving it, or measuring any distances in a matched play game. For example, if you are a veteran player using an old unit that is mounted on 25mm square bases instead of the suggested 32mm round bases, you should set the unit up, make any moves, and measure all distances as if they were mounted on the larger 32mm round bases when you play matched play games. Although this may sound a bit complicated, in practice it is actually very easy to do.

And then in practice? Outside of Tourney play? We just skip that bit about measuring as if the base was actually x size vs whatever it really is. Because nobodies interested in such fiddliness. It's not worth the time & effort to rebase things because of random changes from GW, it's not worth trying to remember what size base a model comes with today, & it's certainly not worth the debates over wether someone measured correctly from a bit of non-existent base.

**Ghaz**

You can clearly see what statement I was replying to in my post and that was the assertion that there are rules for base sizes in Age of Sigmar. There are not.

**AnomanderRake**

The official answer from GW has always been "use the base the model shipped with". You've never needed to rebase any 40k models for them to remain legal. If you have metal Terminators on 25mm bases you're still completely fine.

**Gitdakka**

Irbis wrote:

Gitdakka wrote:
Hell i still base marines om 25mm,even if they are new. I want a consistent look

Seeing even old squat models look ugly and stupid on 25 mm base with 2/3 of the boot off the edge, I have no idea how you managed that. Did you pin the half of mm of the feet of new models that still fit on 25? Or is one boot completely in the air?

Also, I hope you won't complain once the rules drop or say "who could have seen it coming". I can understand people who are too lazy to rebase, but wasting extra money to make models look worse (never mind stupid posing, there is so little space on 25s you can't base them nicely)? What?

Wash that mouth mr! I dont know why you felt it necessary to spread such hate and vitrol. I did not write with malice, yet you call out my minis as ugly. They are marines, not squats. Here are some of my minis. Look at them and call them ugly again you scallywag!

**tneva82**

Irbis wrote:
Gitdakka wrote:
There are no rules for basing

There are rules for AoS so if you expect 40K remain without them for long (hell, 'official' 40k games already have them) I have a bridge on Terra for sale...

Ummm...No. There's absolutely no RULE for it. It's same as 40k. Use what model came with and you are fine.

Officially you can still play with square bases for that matter...

But of course you can put your head in sand and claim there's rule where there's no rule just because you want. Suits your style perfectly.

**Beaker07**

Was in my local store today - "house rules" SM !st Born Tacrical etc org 25mm now to be 32mm IG still 25mm

**Strg Alt**

Beaker07 wrote:
Was in my local store today - "house rules" SM !st Born Tacrical etc org 25mm now to be 32mm IG still 25mm

Muhaha! If this is REALLY true (I have my doubts) then tell ´em this next time you are in store:

"F*** yourselves!" and don´t go back there.

**Gitdakka**

Strg Alt wrote:
Beaker07 wrote:
Was in my local store today - "house rules" SM !st Born Tacrical etc org 25mm now to be 32mm IG still 25mm

Muhaha! If this is REALLY true (I have my doubts) then tell ´em this next time you are in store:

"F*** yourselves!" and don´t go back there.

Words off wisdom! And if this is what gw has become, if they gak on 30 years of wargaming legacy, then send them my greetings: "gw, go to hell!"

**Strg Alt**

AnomanderRake wrote:
The official answer from GW has always been "use the base the model shipped with". You've never needed to rebase any 40k models for them to remain legal. If you have metal Terminators on 25mm bases you're still completely fine.

I still own Chaos Terminators from RT (models without spikes) delivered on 25 mm bases. However I considered it was worthwhile to rebase them on 40 mm because they were ONLY five models and it is suitable for bulky Terminators. In contrast to that SM in power armour are perfectly fine on 25 mm. I just imagined what a pain in the butt it has to be to rebase my 200 Zombies or 100 Night Goblins. Anybody trying to enforce such nonsense should be ridiculed without restraint.

**Nevelon**

“I haven’t got around to rebasing everything yet, mind if I just play with the old bases?”

Odds are, regardless of official policy (barring tournaments) the answer will be “yes” for anyone you want to play with.

If it’s the store policy, and you are a good customer who buys things, they should be willing to bend things to keep you there and spending money.

**solkan**

This all makes me want to take up traveling from store to store with my Chaos Demon models on square bases, just to see how many people gasp and/or recoil in horror.

"Son, this model is older than you are. Why do you think I'm going to rebase it?"

**Nevelon**

solkan wrote:
This all makes me want to take up traveling from store to store with my Chaos Demon models on square bases, just to see how many people gasp and/or recoil in horror.

"Son, this model is older than you are. Why do you think I'm going to rebase it?"

Always fun to pull the “this mini is older than you” card.

Hit the local GW today for the first game not in my home vs. an opponent who wasn’t my son of 9th edition. Never actually played a game at this store before, so I needed to have my squad of RTB01 beekies hit the table. As they have in every other store I’ve played in. On their small 25mm bases. Lead by a terminator captain, also on a 25mm base. Rounding out the 25PL crusade army was a metal dreadnought, who wasn’t even on a base!

Youngest thing painted in the early 90’s, which had seniority over a good number of the people in the store. No complaints about the bases. We all had fun.