What sized basing for Mahdists?

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

There is no right answer to this, but I need advice
I'm coming to the stage where I've nearly finished my Egyptian forces, and am considering the Sudanse irregulars they will be fighting.

Egyptians are five bases, 40x20mm per unit, 15 figures.
 This allows some flexibility formation, skirmishers etc

But what of the Mahdists?
I am tempted by the old Principles of War idea of big solid bases for infantry, c200mm wide, 40 deep, but I could also go square bases and more diorama based.

Also, the cavalry, as they were more elite, thinking same basing as Egyptian (40mm x 5) to allow some flexibility but more figures on bases.

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Would depend on the rules you are using Will...

[DecemDave]

Has to be your rules and aesthetics which answers that, but my tuppence worth is

The larger base could be made to look spectacular and probably reflects the reality of their tactical movement.

BUT

the 200*40 base would be relatively heavy (I'm getting old!) and might need massive rule fudging in that future must have ruleset which demands 40/80/120/160 wide bases.
40x40s will almost always work and you can put them in/on 200 movement trays if shifting them on the table is a pain.
80 wide is the biggest I have ever gone with 10mm (and sometimes that has to fudge into representing 2 or 4 40 wide bases) 

end of teaching grandma to suck eggs commentary.

[fred.]

What size figures are these? I think you are saying 3 figures on a 40x20mm base for the Egyptians. 

But I concur with Dave - 40x40 allows some diorama (especially with smaller scale figures) but gives flexibility for future rules. 

I've done some big bases in the past - and they do become very limited to which rules they work for. Whereas smaller bases can always be saboted together. You could always do some centre and flank bases so when on a sabot they have a coherent look?

[Big Insect]

I'd suggest, that whatever basing you have used for the Egyptians will dictate the Mahdist basing, along with your casualty removal system (if your set of rules has such a thing).

It's probably more about frontage than depth - so if you are saying your Egyptians are based on 5 bases, I assume they are being deployed in a single rank (of bases)? Far be it for me to try and understand why you've gone for an odd number of bases (especially for a regular unit type) but I am sure you have your reasons.

So as long as your Mahdist unit matches your Egyptian frontage (5 x 40mm) you can probably split the Mahdist basing up to either match that of the Egyptians (e.g. 5 x 40mm frontage - but maybe 40mm deep as others have suggested) or, if the rules need you to take casualties off, then split the frontage across the bases accordingly. So if the Mahdists will take 50% casualties before they break (which is actually historically a fairly high percentage) then you could base them up as 2 frontages of 100mm - or 4 x 50mm if there is an lower 25% casualty step (if that makes sense).
However, if your rules set doesn't require casualty removal (I prefer markers myself) then the old Principles of War style diorama basing would be my favored option for the likes of Mahdists, Zulus, or similar 'tribal' colonials.
Just my 3pence worth, for what it is worth.
Well, not much at all these days, as 3 pence actually buys you pretty much nothing, what with the effects of decimalization, inflation, skrink-flation, global tarrifs, VAT etc.etc.etc.etc. (I must get out more!)
Cheers
Mark

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Mark,
The Egyptians chaps are on 40mm frontage x 5, because that's what the units I bought came on! 

Thanks all, good suggestions. Think 40x40 may be a good base for future basing.

[Dazza]

If I recall I did mine on 100mm frontage, I think my British frontage was 25mm , but tbh, they are your figures, and they were massed so anything goes

Photos are here :
https://www.pendrakenforum.co.uk/index.php/topic,17670.msg261425.html#msg261425

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Now I remember them Dazza! Awesome