BattleTech - The Board Game of Armored Combat
BattleTech Miniatures and Terrain => Hobby Tips and Tricks => Topic started by: Tyler Jorgensson on 05 June 2019, 19:04:43
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So the plastic mini's from the boxed sets are excellent: they all come with bases already mounted: However all the IWM minis don't! Every time I look for them they are bloody expensive! And now I've got a probably sixty odd minis to assemble, base, and paint.
So two questions (and if it violates rules: sorry please delete the post: or I will edit my question appropriately).
First: what alternatives are their for basing?
Second: anyone know a place to get them in mass quantities cheaply?
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Chessex used to sell a large bag of recessed plastic hex bases for under $5. I got mine at a con, but I've heard of people ordering them direct. Thier website is really lacking though, so I have no idea how you'd order it from them.
Reaper also has hex bases. There's a flat with only a very slight lip around the outside edge. They're available on their website. 20 for $6 They've also got a slotted base and a clear slotted base option.
Corvus belli also has flat hex bases for their Aristeia game.
Finally, I'm pretty sure Litko makes some acrylic ones.
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I use a fair number of MDF hex bases (from Gale Force 9 when they come to Origins, and from Sally 4th in the UK, shipped to the US), usually around 21 cents per base. Also Chessex.
I should point out that IWM's cost in raw pewter alone for a hex base is around $1, so they're barely making any money on them at all...
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Depends on your need for bases - stability? Hexless gaming? High quality display?
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Proxie Models sells a set of 32 30 mm bases for $5. These are what I use for minis that don't have integral bases or those whose bases I've removed (e.g. some of the plastic minis from the lance packs or some of the newer Clan OmniMechs).
I have some Reaper 30 mm hex bases as well but I haven't used them much. The bases are hollow on the underside so they don't have a lot of heft. I filled the bottom of one with sand and CA glue and then put a fender washer on the bottom but I haven't come back to it since I did that.
Since I already have a collection of pewter bases, I tend to use those for minis with integral bases I don't feel like chopping off.
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Cannot stress enough the Proxie Bases. I think I still have two bags unopened as, much Like Frank Red Hot:
(https://www.franksredhot.com/-/media/franksus18/recipe-teaser-banner-images/161003_wings-red-background.ashx?h=240&la=en&w=480&hash=6C8D01FC3D5D72AD3D3D1B376F51C2A03E0627FB)
I put that **** on everything!
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I bought some of the Litko, you can see my thread about it in this subforum, and I scored the top so it would have more surface area. I am not sure that was needed, it held the Wolverine pretty well. I have not got around to basing everything that was missing on one the collection I got yet. I also bought some of their wooden ones to test out, but I think the acrylic has a bit more weight, so I will use that for heavier mechs.
With the acrylic Litko I am thinking about just leaving them alone so the 'base' looks like what is underneath.
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If you use superglue to glue the mini to the base, you may see some fogging on the transparent acrylic - it's the solvent evaporating, I think.
Plastic bases work pretty well for heavy minis - just put forward-leaning minis futher back on the base, and vice versa.
W.
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Wow thanks for all the replies: time to go shopping!
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Before you go shopping... Something else to consider.
Cache has a tutorial about Custom Bases (http://brianscache.com/builds/bases.html)... Sure, it is meant for double bases, but it can easily work for singles. And if you want something a little more fancy, Dave Fanjoy's Mech Gallery (https://www.heavygauss.com/) has a tutorial for making them look like rock. Just follow the "How-To" link on the left hand side, then click the third one down "(Dec 2002) Making rock-like hex bases"... Either way I would also consider gluing a large washer to the bottom for some added weight, but this is a cheap alternative to buying...
Caz
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Before you go shopping... Something else to consider.
Cache has a tutorial about Custom Bases (http://brianscache.com/builds/bases.html)... Sure, it is meant for double bases, but it can easily work for singles. And if you want something a little more fancy, Dave Fanjoy's Mech Gallery (https://www.heavygauss.com/) has a tutorial for making them look like rock. Just follow the "How-To" link on the left hand side, then click the third one down "(Dec 2002) Making rock-like hex bases"... Either way I would also consider gluing a large washer to the bottom for some added weight, but this is a cheap alternative to buying...
Caz
Thanks.... and you know now that I consider it I do work at a hardware store... maybe I'll just mount them all on a bunch of washers lol
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Thanks.... and you know now that I consider it I do work at a hardware store... maybe I'll just mount them all on a bunch of washers lol
I had problems getting the washers to bond with some of the plastic and other materials I was attempting to use- b/c I am cheap I was cutting up old gift cards for bases on lighter and plastic mechs. I use the ones I have to spend on to help hold down the heavier mechs or ones that due to pose are not the most stable. I use some of the sprue metal to help weight the bases- along with fishing weights, which fit under the Lance Pack bases easily.
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I should point out that IWM's cost in raw pewter alone for a hex base is around $1, so they're barely making any money on them at all...
With few exceptions, I've based all of my Mechs on IWM bases. I made the tutorial on my site long before they offered anything other than hex bases and flight bases. Their bases look good and, as an accessory, don't cost too much in my opinion. Why buy anything of value to display it on cheap and crappy accessories? I horde miniatures but I only buy bases as I've needed them when assembling--keeps the upfront costs down a bit. Infantry is a slightly different story, as I put them on Reaper bases due to the larger inside dimensions. Vehicles go on proportionally-sized hexbases: e.g. IWM flight bases work nice for single Savannah Masters or similar sized vehicles.
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Is there any chance of going back to simple lead, now that the panic over kids eating the stuff by the kilogram is over? ::)
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I had problems getting the washers to bond with some of the plastic and other materials I was attempting to use- b/c I am cheap I was cutting up old gift cards for bases on lighter and plastic mechs. I use the ones I have to spend on to help hold down the heavier mechs or ones that due to pose are not the most stable. I use some of the sprue metal to help weight the bases- along with fishing weights, which fit under the Lance Pack bases easily.
If you have access to casting resin, you could cast your own hex bases and put the washer inside the mold before you cast it. Then the washer is embedded in the hex base and you don't have to worry about it.
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I have thought about getting those little kits to play with, but that is good idea since I would take one or two of my unused IWM bases as the model it would also give me a lip.
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I've played with those resin casting kits and have even made several bases with them. Problem is that for every base I use, there's 6 more I threw away. The resin they come with cures way too fast. They give you no time to take care of air bubbles or making sure the bottoms are flat. My mold only made 6 bases and sometimes the resin would be hard before I finished pouring the last base!
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I found 36mm hex bases (high wear bathroom tiles) at LOWES hardware! Very great price.
I posted it to Reddit a few months ago; but I guess I totally forgot to post it here.... sorry.
https://www.reddit.com/r/battletech/comments/bfge7u/discount_15_36mm_hex_bases_lowes_4_for_49_bases/
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I found 36mm hex bases (high wear bathroom tiles) at LOWES hardware! Very great price.
I posted it to Reddit a few months ago; but I guess I totally forgot to post it here.... sorry.
https://www.reddit.com/r/battletech/comments/bfge7u/discount_15_36mm_hex_bases_lowes_4_for_49_bases/
That's brilliant: I approve.
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I like to use 2mm thick black acrylic bases, laser cut to size...
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I've played with those resin casting kits and have even made several bases with them. Problem is that for every base I use, there's 6 more I threw away. The resin they come with cures way too fast. They give you no time to take care of air bubbles or making sure the bottoms are flat. My mold only made 6 bases and sometimes the resin would be hard before I finished pouring the last base!
Yeah, until you get more comfortable with using smaller amounts of resin, it is kind of a pain. But on the upside, at least you're throwing away a botched hex base, not a botched 'Mech part. :)
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+1 for proxie miniatures bases. i've been using them almost exclusively for 4+ years
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Checking in late, I want to throw out one other option I use: Super Sculpey clay.
Basically I make a rough shape that will display the mini at one of its best poses, place a cardboard template on top, use a razor or a similar sharp knife to cut the hex shape perfectly vertically, make one more cut slightly inward from the base so it has that nice angle, and then bake in the toaster oven.
I'll post pics later if I can get a chance.
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I had a friend of mine with a 3D printer make me some. He said they were really easy on the machine. I don't know the exact plans he used, but I'm using them to base a Society force and so far they're adhering well and there's no deleterious effects from the primer on them.
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I used originals to mark and score 2 layers of cardboard and used that. Add some PVA glue and it is going to be hard as a rock. Also you can 3D print the bases, they take around 17 minutes to finish, so it would be cheaper than anything else.