I have used pennies, little wood disks, and a few other things . . . I play hex-based 3D maps and while the hexes are larger, using something that size still makes it easier to put it in a hex with a mech or armor. I use a single trooper on the base, even before IWM started selling them by the single . . . with all of my unprocessed IWM Elementals and MWDA BA, I cannot tell you how much that would make for a total. But I am pretty sure I have a regiment of MWDA Cavalier suits- most of which came from the Steel Wolves.
I quite stripping off the MWDA stuff- and sort of regret it now with some of the MWDA vehicles- because I will be using that game to start off with my toddler. But considering I still have the dial bases, I can temporarily re-attach the vehicles to the base while he learns to play. Lol, teaching the kid math by TH numbers! Kid, its 4+2+2+2- what is that? Ok, roll.