Basing question

[Wiccus]

I finally have gotten around to actually playing Malifaux after having a few of the models for months and months.

The problem I am running into right now is my basing. I want to have a unified basing theme within my faction but I think it would look a bit boring if every model I had from every master had the same forest type basing I am going for with Rasputina and Marcus at the moment. Even within arcanists I think that both Ramos and Collette would look weird with a forest theme not to mention that I wouldn't want my mercenaries having the same type of basing in case I decided to start them as a legitimate faction.

I'm just thinking it might look weird to have some forest based models with clockwork based models with desert based models in the instance that I would be mixing the different beasts and minions from the different masters.

How do you guys do your basing? Do you have a unified theme? Or do you mix it up dependent on the master you are playing? If you do mix it up is it aesthetically pleasing, or does it look as chaotic and unpleasant as I imagine it would look?

[Daniele]

I actually base most of my miniatures (even from different games) mostly the same fashion. Starting with malifaux i started some different base styles. My Guild will be based in a desert look while my rasputina crew has a forest style. I see your problem, that and woodland scheme would kinda bite with a clockwork scheme, but maybe you can think of something where they all might end up? The city of Malifaux actually should attract all the masters with their crews.

But then again you would have them all based about alike.

Anyway I guess mixing base styles looks odd, but on the table this might just be negligible.

[Ratty]

Consider matching the colour palette across the bases.

Forest, greenery (green), soil (brown) and wood (brown)

Marsh lands, mud (brown), moss (green) reeds (brown).

Industrial, rusted metal (redish brown), toxic waste (green)

Malifaux streets, paving (grey, but add mud and brownish washes), moss green.

From a distance on a board it wont jar, but in the cabinet they will look individual.

[Omenbringer]

Malifaux does present a problem for unified basing (even across the same faction). So far I have just painted my regular crews in a unified fashion and haven't really worried much about it.

[poulpox]

I have the same issue particularly since I use mercenaries either with Neverborn or with Guild. I have decided to base them all in the similar style: foresty-marshy-grassy style, which I feel will be the safest on green grass tables

[Chev Chelios]

When I do a crew out of the box I will base them alike.When I build one without the box,I tend to base them individually but,along some theme.

[AvatarForm]

Go to:

www.fiendishfabrications.com.au

and check out their rolled-shoulder base inserts... Victorian Cobblestone streets or Wild West would be perfect to unify your Malifaux crews on... even if you only did a unified theme per faction.

Eg. Guild = Wild West; Neverborn/Rezzers = Victorian Streets...

I use the Victorian Streets for my Seamus Crew...

[druchii]

I had a lot of anxiety about the same issue, so I feel your pain.

The way I finally solved it was to have transition bases. Like, my Convict Gunslinger (who has recently been yanked off his old base) has been given a new "victorian" base from Wyrd. I then used the same technique to add snow to the corner of it.

The Colette crew I'm painting up for the girlfriend (as well as my neverborn) are all on victorian bases, while my rasputina crew (including Ice Rattler!) are all on snow/icicle bases.

What this allows me to do is include him in all of my crews, with his base holding elements from the "edges" of each of the other factions.

I tend to add little details on the base that match colors from each of the crews. His street lamp has the same colors as I'm planning for the trellises (is that the word I'm looking for?) on the Colette crew, while the leaves on his street are the same color as the drab green featured in Rasputina's crew. His skintone already matches the neverborn...

d

[AvatarForm]

The Colette crew I'm painting up for the girlfriend

*Whip-crack!*:lilitu

Ahem, as you were...

[Wiccus]

Thank you for all of your suggestions. Maybe I will have to try out doing different basing styles but using a few elements and colors to tie them to each other. I plan on doing all of the arcanist masters. I could try out Rasputina and Marcus as the same forest type of basing only with Tina having snow on her bases. I want a mechanical/clockwork/steampunk/metal basing for Ramos but If I have some organic bits to go with it then it might go well. Collette I want to have more cobblestone but If I have some vines or moss on it and maybe a few metal details and accessories then it could tie together.

Getting my mercs to mesh would be a bit more difficult as I want a desert theme but I'm sure I could figure it out. Once I get some paint on my models and some basing done then I will try and post pics and see what you guys think.