Smaller bases

[RStrickland]

I've just built my first three Malifaux sets (Vengeful Spirits, Claw and Fang, and The Plague Commeth) and I've hit a dilemma. I'm not partial to the "DS" or "chamfer" style bases and prefer less height and more top surface area so I'm going with Proxie Models bases. I anticipate playing with my models inside buildings and other interior spaces and with a game style leaning more toward roleplaying, and from my experience with Dwarven Forge and similar terrain I know figures on large bases can be hard to maneuver in the environment, and all bases no matter what the size take up an unnaturally large footprint. For example a dozen or more people could comfortably stand in an empty 10 x 10' room in real life but you couldn't fit more than 4 30mm bases in a scale model room.

In addition to the 30, 40 and 50mm bases sizes common to Malifaux, Proxie Models offer 20 and 25mm sizes among others, and the dliemma is nearly all the figures aside from the large monsters in these sets could do fine, and arguably look better, on smaller bases. Most humans on 25mm figures, small creatures like the jackalope and rats on 20mm bases, Nix the dog on a 30mm base, etc.

I tend to play with a group of old friends and have a pretty relaxed style where we like to incorporate narrative elements, make house rules and generally do things our way, but at conventions and at local game shops I've encountered a more rigid style and takes its queues from the tournament style of gaming. I'm going to be moving to a new town and making new gaming friends.

So what do you folks think? My main question is, how important to the game is base size in your opinion? What is your sense of people using smaller bases? What would you do if we were playing a game? Any others here disregard the designated base sizes? Should I just go with the flow and use the designated base sizes, and just deal with any tight fit situations in interior terrain as they come?

If the other player thought base size was important I'd have a couple options. One, we could just eyeball the space the figure "should" take up. Two, I would have blank bases of the "right" size handy to put under the figures before the game if someone insisted or I played in a tournament. This would negate the advantage of the visual appeal (for me) of the slimmer bases but allow me to fully "play by the rules."

 

 

[Nathan Caroland]

Base size is important. 

 

[lusciousmccabe]

34 minutes ago, RStrickland said:

If the other player thought base size was important I'd have a couple options. One, we could just eyeball the space the figure "should" take up. Two, I would have blank bases of the "right" size handy to put under the figures before the game if someone insisted or I played in a tournament. This would negate the advantage of the visual appeal (for me) of the slimmer bases but allow me to fully "play by the rules."

I would do this. You can come up with work around and that for casual play if everyone is up for it but if you want to play at a tournament you should use the standard base sizes. Temporarily sticking a blank base under your smaller bases makes them function exactly as per the rules and once you take them off they go back to being the way you like them. 

Edit: For a more permanent (and time-consuming) solution you could magnetize your figures feet and make two bases for each model. 

[RStrickland]

Thanks, both. Still debating. Magnetizing the figure itself is a little much for me, and only possible on a select number of figures. In a perfect world though!

[RStrickland]

21 minutes ago, RStrickland said:

 

Double post

 

 

[Bengt]

2 hours ago, RStrickland said:

Thanks, both. Still debating. Magnetizing the figure itself is a little much for me, and only possible on a select number of figures. In a perfect world though!

You could magnet a thin base under your own small bases. You could use plastic with a magnetic film on it, the kind that is used for some movement trays, or washers I guess, dunno how common 50 mm washers are though. It would be less visible putting a normal base under your own.

Do your friends also want to use smaller bases? Because most of the time it's an advantage to have a smaller base as it lets you move through gaps (and not just gaps in terrain, but also between other models) easier.

[Paddywhack]

Maybe look at using these as your smaller bases:

http://www.amazingmagnets.com/search.aspx?SearchTerm=steel+disc

They are just steel discs in various sizes. Then, if you plan it right, you can stick a magnet in each correct size base and just place the steel disc on top of the correct base for official games. For instance, if you base standard models on the 3/4" disc, they should fit easily inside the standard 30mm base lip edges for regular games. Hope that makes sense. 

I've got some 1" ones at home - I'll try and get a photo of what I mean tonight, as I think it could work for you. 

[RStrickland]

On 7/31/2016 at 10:48 PM, Bengt said:

You could magnet a thin base under your own small bases. You could use plastic with a magnetic film on it, the kind that is used for some movement trays, or washers I guess, dunno how common 50 mm washers are though. It would be less visible putting a normal base under your own.

Do your friends also want to use smaller bases? Because most of the time it's an advantage to have a smaller base as it lets you move through gaps (and not just gaps in terrain, but also between other models) easier.

Yeah, that's true, I don't need the larger base to have much height. You, they could be paper with a touch of rubber cement even. That plastic/magnet combo stuff can't be cut into circles. I actually use square and rectangular ones for historical figures rom Shogun Miniatures and they are great for that application but not Malifaux figures, which demand a base with precision/perfect finish to match that of the figures themselves.

A couple friends have some Malifaux figures but don't actively play. I'm moving next month and will be playing with new folks.

On 8/1/2016 at 8:16 AM, Paddywhack said:

Maybe look at using these as your smaller bases:

http://www.amazingmagnets.com/search.aspx?SearchTerm=steel+disc

They are just steel discs in various sizes. Then, if you plan it right, you can stick a magnet in each correct size base and just place the steel disc on top of the correct base for official games. For instance, if you base standard models on the 3/4" disc, they should fit easily inside the standard 30mm base lip edges for regular games. Hope that makes sense. 

I've got some 1" ones at home - I'll try and get a photo of what I mean tonight, as I think it could work for you. 

Hey, really nice find! I remember searching for steel discs some years ago and not finding anything. Yeah, that would work, I think, but most figures I'd use a 25mm base and they fit inside the lip of a 30mm Proxie base. How smooth are the edges compared to a washer?

Yeah, so there are lots of options to do a 2-bases method but still hard to say whether it's worth the fuss and a good part of me still wants to just go with the flow.

 

[RStrickland]

On 7/31/2016 at 10:48 PM, Bengt said:

You could magnet a thin base under your own small bases. You could use plastic with a magnetic film on it, the kind that is used for some movement trays, or washers I guess, dunno how common 50 mm washers are though. It would be less visible putting a normal base under your own.

Do your friends also want to use smaller bases? Because most of the time it's an advantage to have a smaller base as it lets you move through gaps (and not just gaps in terrain, but also between other models) easier.

Yeah, that's true, I don't need the larger base to have much height. You, they could be paper with a touch of rubber cement even. That plastic/magnet combo stuff can't be cut into circles. I actually use square and rectangular ones for historical figures rom Shogun Miniatures and they are great for that application but not Malifaux figures, which demand a base with precision/perfect finish to match that of the figures themselves.

A couple friends have some Malifaux figures but don't actively play. I'm moving next month and will be playing with new folks.

On 8/1/2016 at 8:16 AM, Paddywhack said:

Maybe look at using these as your smaller bases:

http://www.amazingmagnets.com/search.aspx?SearchTerm=steel+disc

They are just steel discs in various sizes. Then, if you plan it right, you can stick a magnet in each correct size base and just place the steel disc on top of the correct base for official games. For instance, if you base standard models on the 3/4" disc, they should fit easily inside the standard 30mm base lip edges for regular games. Hope that makes sense. 

I've got some 1" ones at home - I'll try and get a photo of what I mean tonight, as I think it could work for you. 

Hey, really nice find! I remember searching for steel discs some years ago and not finding anything. Yeah, that would work, I think, but most figures I'd use a 25mm base and they fit inside the lip of a 30mm Proxie base. How smooth are the edges compared to a washer?

Yeah, so there are lots of options to do a 2-bases method but still hard to say whether it's worth the fuss and a good part of me still wants to just go with the flow.