Well, after bash with Impetus Fantasy we're moving off into directions, errr, fantastic... so my recently done Italian Wars Gendarmes & mounted archers have become first victims, sorry testers, for a venture into sabot basing.

My mini's are based on 2mm MDF, and not wanting to make them massively deeper I've decided on some thin plasticard for the sabot; this then has the rough size of the smaller bases marked on top, and sand=pva mix applied to the edges. I then "squidge" the bases about to make sure they fit, let it set, pop some scatter grass on and done. If I'd ordered some dice frames beforehand I'd have added them as well...

The plasticard is too thin for properly picking up the base once there's a dozen figures plus proper bases on top, however it's sturdy enough for pushing around a table top. As it's not intended for storage I can live with that... other issues is that I might used deeper sand/modelling paste on others - whilst the sand is high enough not to look too out place, there's still a definite "lip" on the MDF base. And I need to paint the plasticard around the edges and white bits still, minimise the plastic showing through

Anyway - pics!

Well, it appears to work pretty well, and well worth it to play Impetus.

We use them as is couple of weekends ago for a "big battle" Basic Impetus Fantasy. Playing on 40mm bases reminded me just how good full size Inpetus is! Te fantasy version seems to play well, and has enthused us into banging some more armies together as well - the excellent tool box approach has seen us bash out a setting and three airs that enthuse us in a week, and we're now onto the buying figures stage!

Am afraid they're not solely Pendraken, but there'll be a fair few to show here anyway, and it does mean I'll be fleshing out the Italian Wars for a "not-Empire" style army, finishing off the Spring Court Celtic-Fae and sabot basing for that and the Winter-Court Fae as well! So there will be piccies of Pendraken Goodness aplenty.

Excellent stuff. Has the Fae anything to do with 'Lost Girl'?

More Brothers Grimm, Louhi, Wild Hunt, nature red in tooth and claw, eternal cursed winter than anything TV related I'm afraid! Although one of my groups D&D characters is a Satyr with all the carnal fun that a Succubus could only hope for

Gensdarmes are lonely without pikemen and guns to back them up! But an attractive start.

It's always very tempting to start with a glamour unit but that's often the inspiration for motivation. The measure of the true grit of a wargamer is to get stuck in to the cannon fodder units to finish an army or project. Have to admit my own Sassanids went on the back burner when it came to the drab levy infantry units.

I find it a morale-booster to begin with something flashy too.

Dross first, elite last, generals last if all (usually).

If I tried that I'd probably give up after the first three battalions of so. But it's a comfort to look up and see a spectacular line of hoplites or eagle warriors or samurai, even if these are to be a minority in your target army (yes, I know you can have an army 100% hoplites, but you'd never take it off the shelf, would you?).

Actually the pike were the main draw for me here - see previous pages with Swiss & Landsknechte blocks, halbards & handgunners! I just needed the gendarmes & cavalry to bulk out for the test fantasy game

I must admit i usually sort the interesting bits first then run out of steam for all the filler! The thought of another four pike blocks has slowed me up somewhat...

Right, I'd forgotten those. But you need lots of pikes to make it look like the real thing.

There'll be seven blocks of pike once I'm done, as I'm bath tubbing down. it's three french and four imperialist, but for "cross period" for fantasy they'll likely all be used on one side - and I may add another! Currently three blocks done, only four to go...

There's virtually nothing in a renaissance army that couldn't be used at some point in the Italian wars against any other unit.

It's a great period for switching sides Or theatre - quite a few of the troops aren't out of place at the tail end of the WoR, or the Tudor conflicts both internal and external!