How many times have you heard a great base makes any figure, and that's relativeley true. There is, however, a time when a base can spoil your game and sadly become a figure with a piece of dragged around scenery. In the future, and probably sooner than we know, Wargames Atlantic are going to release even more magnificently diverse figures, in the Death Field range, World at War and others. Wouldn't it be nice if at some time, you could use these figures together on one board, in one game.
Well you can! Fenris Games are one of the best figure base manufacturers in the business. You are spoilt for choice. I use their clear bases as I like to role-playing game as well as war-game. One thing they specify on any bases that you buy is drill and pin the figure to the base. A friend of mine, who modelled in all scales, took this one step further, he bought whatever base he fancied at the time for his figure, changing them to suit his board or his cupboard. This is an ideal way of mixing figures for different games or for different terrains or locations.
I've taken the step one step further with just clear bases, as whatever my figure is, he doesn't carry any scenery from game to game or desert to ice. It's not perfect for everyone but it works well for me. I've used Daleks with Scooby Doo along with Star Wars and Zombies, all under the prefix of a carnival or some type of show. Thinking in terms of what's to come from Wargames Atlantic alone, I hope I have given some of you food for thought in how to enjoy your gaming. Cheers Geoff.
That's tho route I've gone with all my wargaming, whether it takes place in the past, present, future, reality, fantasy, or sci-fi.
Basing minis looks good for display purposes, but my OCD kicks in when a model with a grassy base is walking around in the desert, or one on a magma base is in an Arctic setting. Clear acrylic solves all that in my book.
This problem can be averted by buying more models and base them on any conceivable type of base. No rebasing needed.
Jest aside, I began with the hobby last summer and it has been something I have given much thought. I personally don't like the look of clear bases, so I just need to think really well on the types of terrain I am going to make. Keeping that limited to a few settings would help.
I love the grimdark and one of the first games I am trying to get into is Turnip28, which plays off in a swamp. My grimdark fantasy, sci-fi and ww1 miniatures will get nomanlands theme. My historicals are probably going to get a base inspired by Paul Ward* I feel, depending on the amount of flock they can work well for both temperate and desert regions. Perhaps darker or dead flock might work for a cold setting like Frostgrave, yet still, work somewhat in a temperate region (Those miniatures wouldn't be suitable for in a desert anyways, as they would probably all sub come to heatstrokes in the first three turns). My Stargrave, or rather Cybergrave as I going to play it in a cyberpunk setting, uses Necromunda bases.
And there are also cases where you can't get away without a decorated base.
Really looking forward to Wargames Atlantic bases.
*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sM3kQuCuTT8
