Western Town Bases

[Tionas]

What would you use for a "mid west town" base insert? I've not really found anything I really like... maybe all of you could ease me on my way.

thanks!

[Borthcollective]

http://www.dragonforge.com/Painting%20service/for%20sale/store%20directory/roundlip_base_sets.htm

I like the trench boards.

[ddot]

One of two ways to go on this.

Traditionally, Western towns were clear-cut for building with little to zero roadwork. So you're basically looking at dirt, compacted by frequent foot, animal, and wagon traffic, with maybe bits of grass or tumbleweed here and there, or

You could use the wood plankings many buildings used as storefront.

http://www.dragonforge.com/Painting%20service/for%20sale/store%20directory/roundlip_base_sets.htm

I like the trench boards.

The Wasteland boards would probably be appropriate also.

[Bellygrub]

I've used a mix of the Dragon Forge trench boards

(Dragon Forge. Best bases on the market! *thumbs up*)

and Back2Basix Timber decking boards:

http://www.back2base-ix.com/index.php?_a=viewCat&catId=79

Of course both of these play off the saloon/deck porch theme.

[The Madman]

I got some wood floor Laminate samples and have done a little mix and match with some nice results

they are easy to cut with good scisors and easy to drill for pinning a fig to the base

prior to that... Dragon Forge and Micro Art Studio make stellar products

[Magius]

If you're just going for a straightforward deserty-type base, why not just go the cheapest route and use real sand? A $3 tube from the hardware store will last you for thousands of models (seriously, after handling all of my Warhammer 40k, Warmachine, Hordes (Twice!), and now Malifaux miniatures, I'm only 1/10 of the way through the bucket I filled with it), and you have a variety of things you can do with it - paint the model then use it as is; paint the model, glue on the sand, then apply a wash; glue it on with the model and paint it along with the model (what I usually do). You can find scenery pieces to add to it from a model train store (lichen for tumbleweeds, flock, static grass, etc) to give it a more varied appearance without a huge increase in price (though finding a small enough quantity for a single base may be problematic).

For an example of the effect this can have, I point you to my Santiago Ortego model: