Custom Figure Rule Question

[AsburyGrad]

I had the idea of making a custom infantry unit on a larger-than-usual base.  Use a vehicle, biped Mech, or quad Mech base to give myself more room to work with.  Pull infantry off their regular bases, and then build a little "diorama" with many infantry on the larger unit's base.

Placing infantry on a vehicle base would seem to make that unit a vehicle; placing them on a quad base would define them as a quad, etc.  My question is, would this create any unforseen problems that you can think of?

I re-read the Rulebook last night to see how this could work out rule-wise.  The glossary at the back does not define "infantry" or "vehicle".  However, vehicles and quad Mechs are not allowed to free spin; I had the idea of giving the infantry a 360- or 270-arc to compensate.  Also, energy damage against infantry units is typically reduced to 1.  So, either my infantry unit would lose that advantage, or I would have to add some text to the base, such as "This unit is considered an infantry unit, instead of its base type."

What do you think?  Any other problems I have missed?

[truegrit]

You could just consider them somewhere between motorized and mechanized (conventional) infantry. As vehicle-based infantry, they're grouped together in trucks/APCs, causing them to take full damage from energy attacks instead of getting singled out. The whole platoon is too big to react as quickly as a smaller squadron = no free spins, but their number could explain the large firing arc.

[LordNth]

I gave some thought to this too.
I was thinking a mob on a vehicle base.  Changing the base does change how it's played.
You found some like the no free facing, & the size base determines the type of unit it is.  Also changes is how units are affected by it.  Mech could no longer just walk over the unit as it's not an infantry.  Captures would no longer work as close combat is reserved for Mechs and Infantry.  They also would no longer be effected by breakaway damage.
So there is a lot a figure would be missing by changing it's dial type.

[AsburyGrad]

Good points.  I appreciate you both for posting.

I am thinking of a battle armor Star on a Mech base with speed mode foot.  This would give the unit free spins and close combat attacks, and it would seem to be capable of making a capture attempt.  I don't mind a Mech being unable to just walk over the unit, since it's so big and "establishing control" over a larger area than a regular infantry unit.

However, without special rules, it would take full energy damage and would not take damage from breakaways.  My gut instinct is to keep those infantry features - maybe with special rules printed on the base.  (Or would the two rules effectively cancel each other?)  But I'll think more on it.

Thanks again for the comments.

[LordNth]

If you use a Mech base you can always have those advantages and drawbacks included in the cost of the pilot card.