Why bases matter
Okay so first off this isn’t about square vs round it is about theme and basing, hobby not gaming.
Your choice of base says something about you and the army you play
Ask a programmer, if null or 0 matters, no choice is a choice
Basing is a part of the hobby that often goes overlooked, the primary reason is pretty simple. It isn’t the exciting bit, why am I even going on about it now? Well, two reasons, which I will explain later. First, let me explain that basing is a part of the hobby like it or not what you choose to do with your bases says something about you.
Unfinished bases: Lazy
Clean bases: Indecisive
Clear baes: Co-operative
Basic bases: Beginner
Advanced bases: Competitive
Scenic Bases: Hobbyist
Even not choosing is making a choice. I knew a guy who went to the Warhammer store a lot, this was well before it was known as the Warhammer store, and I believe things weren’t great in his life. Why do I mention this, well he was a competent painter and put a lot of effort into his hobbying but left his bases exact plain. The reason he gave was that I put basing on them and its an ice base and then I am fighting on a lava world then I look pretty stupid…
I think this is why a lot of people do generic (which is fine) or no basing. Because, for a lot people what motivates them is not what, they like, but what they fear. The number of discussions I have heard regarding the ‘wrong’ shoulder pads for Space Marines is frustrating. You can choose not do anything with your basing, but it does say something regardless.
Why is it important?
In simple terms, it does two things: Theme and cohesion.
Cohesion
Your army depending on what it is may be made up of dispart elements (not that is dispart not desperate). This is especially true if you have a mixed force or team made up radically different elements. Take for example something I bring up often.
Frostgrave.
I am going to present three images
Which team is which? Which are the uncontrolled monsters?
I am certain that 90% or more people would be able to answer that question no problems, even people who have no idea what this game is. Why? The bases!
What does an Elf, Rabbit person, druid, two beast people, and a thief have to do with one another?
The same thing an Orc, Spider grot, goblin, old human wizard, alchemist and young human wizard has to do with one another. They are all on the same team. How can you tell that? The basing. The basing brings both of these teams together in a way that is cohesive and not disruptive. Sure there are the people’s separate painting styles. There are the peoples choice of models. And so and so on. It is the basing that makes you immediately recognize one team, from the other.
Theme
This is one of the two reasons I have been thinking about basing. Theme, what does your base say about your story?
Take a good look at these base, even though they are pre-sculpted bases I would say the paint job tells a lot about the area. What kind of story does it tell? How would the story change depending on who is on this base?
Let’s say you have a druid looking person on this base what story does it tell, what is the theme?
Let’s say you have poor looking person on this base what kind of story does it tell?
Let’s say you have an enforcer looking person what kind of story does it tell?
Looking for pictures of bases in my achieves can be more difficult than you may think…
What does the location say about the story of where you are?
To anyone but the most felt inclined muppets you would have to know that this is a sports field of some kind. So if the people even look remotely ‘sports ball’-ish you would have to believe they are playing some kind of sport.
Those are dramatic differences. But look at the subtle ones
Very subtle differences as the main feature of both of these bases is a concreate wall with rebar coming out of it. The difference is simple but stark. One has brown ground indicating earth with a vibrant plant coming out of the ground. The other is grey and ground down, rubble with a plant struggling for life in that ground.
Both of these bases tell a story. One talks of battlefield blasted out rubble strewn everywhere but it has been long enough that life has struggled and found a way to survive. This is a place that has been on an going battlefield for sometime… if you place soldiers on there. If you say placed people in cloaks and crouching around these could be huddled survivors and the story changes. So to does the other base have a story, a story of life return after a battle but if you place soldiers on it, it is a tragedy because it’s becoming a battlefield once more.
Your base in concert with the miniature tells a story
Hobby
Regardless of its more craft based work or more painting based work, basing allows a fantastic range of hobby craft. This is the second reason. I have a WAYPN (What are you painting now?) video in the bay needing editing and back in the day this was my bugbear. Or rather I should say the thing I got excited about. The thing that revved my engine so to speak. Basing! Everyone can create a good base because there is so much out there to help you and basing isn’t treated like how painting is.
Painting is put on a pedestal, either by people making videos about it or by the people who are afraid to do it in the first place. But basing has never been tarred with the same brush (see what I did there…). Basing has always been seen as approachable and easy and it is, so is painting if people take a similar approach. You have so many tools for basing, sands, texture pasts, speckle, cork, foam, railway grasses, static grasses, tuft grass, flowers, leaf scatter, pre-made bases, pre-made basing parts, skulls, rollers for pavement, rollers for specific settings, paper cut plants and now 3D printed parts!
Believe it or not I left a lot out.
The thing is that if you want to make a base, there are so many tools to help you 1 minute 2 minute and 5 minute tutorials, where people respect your time. I loved talking about basing because it qas a quick thing that people could step up without a big gap in skill. This is why I harp on about basing because-
if you want to step up your hobby and painting game without stress, time or perceived need for talent, basing is the way to go.
If you want to become a better hobbyist, try not the latest and greatest painting techiques on your precious models but instead try out some techniques on some bases. Painting bases, be it using them for a more complex techique or simple making new and different types of bases, is very relaxing. I should say I find it very relaxing, because there is no pressure. You can just make it and you can add a bit here and there and you don’t feel as if you ‘ruined’ anything.
This is why basing is important
Basing is the entry-level into the hobby which isn’t punishing, which is extremely rewarding and which has an inverse effort to impact on your miniatures meaning, the ammount of time and energy put into a base will greatly increase the quality of the miniature without, a lot effort.
My question for you and a bit of insight into my process
So currently I am working on a commission for the Blackstone fortress. However, the basing for it remains a mystery for me. How do you create an easy and repeatable Blackstone fortress base? For all of my love of basing the thing I like the least about bases is painted pattern bases. Why? They are extremely difficult to repeat!
Take a close look at those bases, and this something I hate with a passion, where the box art cannot be completed with what they present. Those bases are super flat, flatter than most GW bases, either machined down, sanded down or printed in a different process.
How do I create a base scheme which is repeatable for my client with their other models? Because this… This is anything other than easy and repeatable.
I look forward to seeing your responses.
oh and as always.