Infantry basing

Started by Daniele, 06 June 2022, 07:47:39 PM

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Daniele

Hello everybody, it's Daniele from Italy.
I decided to start my new 6mm. cold war project using Cold War Commander rules and I'm totally new to the period and the ruleset.
I read on other topics that bases dimensions aren't so important but that a 40x20 mm. basing for infantry is widely diffused.
I would like to play at a level in which a single miniature or vehicle represents a single man/vehicle.
Do you think to put 3-5 miniatures on 40x20 mm. bases can be a good way to base my troops? I can't understand if this basing sistem may have consequence on gameplay because I'm new to the game.
For example, knowing that a soviet BMP-BTR APC has inside 7 soldiers, amongst which one carries a light MG and one an RPG 7 anti tank rockets launcher, may it be a good way for basing to put the LMG on a base with 4 total miniatures and the RPG 7 in another one with three miniatures? Alternatively I could put all seven miniatures on a bigger base but I don't like so much this solution and I think, after giving a look at army lists, that special weapon such RPG 7 should have their own base.
Can anyone help me to understand the best way to base my troops?
Thank very much
Daniele

Big Insect

06 June 2022, 08:00:43 PM #1 Last Edit: 07 June 2022, 10:54:10 AM by Big Insect
Quote from: Daniele on 06 June 2022, 07:47:39 PMHello everybody, it's Daniele from Italy.
I decided to start my new 6mm. cold war project using Cold War Commander rules and I'm totally new to the period and the ruleset.
I read on other topics that bases dimensions aren't so important but that a 40x20 mm. basing for infantry is widely diffused.
I would like to play at a level in which a single miniature or vehicle represents a single man/vehicle.
Do you think to put 3-5 miniatures on 40x20 mm. bases can be a good way to base my troops? I can't understand if this basing sistem may have consequence on gameplay because I'm new to the game.
For example, knowing that a soviet BMP-BTR APC has inside 7 soldiers, amongst which one carries a light MG and one an RPG 7 anti tank rockets launcher, may it be a good way for basing to put the LMG on a base with 4 total miniatures and the RPG 7 in another one with three miniatures? Alternatively I could put all seven miniatures on a bigger base but I don't like so much this solution and I think, after giving a look at army lists, that special weapon such RPG 7 should have their own base.
Can anyone help me to understand the best way to base my troops?
Thank very much
Daniele

Firstly - welcome Daniele  :)

One of the things to consider about basing is that when infantry units dismount from IFVs/APCs/Transports it might be  a good idea to have the width of their bases match the width of their transports bases - so that they can dismount in front of them and be supported by them.
I started off basing my 6mm infantry on 40 x 20 but found they ended up looked wrong - too much like C19th line infantry. So I moved over to 30mm square basing and then match my transport units to the same 30mm square formula. It works well for me and you can get c.8 figures quite easily on the base.
I still keep 'special' units, such as Engineers or Special Forces on 20mm deep bases, with fewer figures but they are also 30mm wide.

With your Soviet/Warsaw Pact MRR units - the LMG is considered as already being counted within the infantry units factors. The RPG 7 anti tank rockets launcher, is an Infantry Upgrade (IATW) - so technically you don't need to represent it specifically - just remember that you have (or have not) bought the upgrade. I tend to depict all my infantry that have an upgrade with a specific figure on the front right-hand corner of the base. It's easy for me and my opponent, to remember that way.

My tank bases tend to be 20mm wide by 40cm deep for Main Battle Tanks - as that helps to protect the barrels from damage (a bit).

But as you so rightly state, in the rules there are no mandated base sizes - but having them too far small is probably a bit 'gamey' IMHO  :D

Great to have you on-board

Mark
'He could have lived a risk-free, moneyed life, but he preferred to whittle away his fortune on warfare.' Xenophon, The Anabasis

This communication has been written by a dyslexic person. If you have any trouble with the meaning of any of the sentences or words, please do not be afraid to ask for clarification. Remember that dyslexics are often high-level conceptualisers who provide "out of the box" thinking.

mrkev

This may not be too helpful if you're in Italy, but I base all of my 6mm minis on 2P coins. They're a nice size for 6mm gaming, magnetic, and very cheap - 2P each!  I typically put 3 minis on my bases for infantry, or 1 vehicle.

I need to invest in some base trays - with 2Ps I think 2 bases in a tray would be good for an infantry unit, and if you make bases with support weapons on them you can easily customise things.

Daniele

Thank you all for your tips....do you think my idea to put two infantry bases into an APC may cause some problem to game dinamics? May be too much infantry bases if confronted with vehicles models, or too much points spent for infantry? I really would like to put 4-5 miniatures on a common infantry base and 3 miniatures on special weapon bases, so a squad of 7-8 people should be divided in two bases representing two teams (something similar to FOW basing).

Lord Kermit of Birkenhead

First Welcome
There is no set size - I use 30x20 for 4 6mm figures although some are 30x30. 30x30 for vehicles. Larger square bases for RHQ and Div HQ. Also have more than 1 vehicle on an HQ base. If using round bases Minibits sell ones the same size as Sterling 1p and 2p coins. The Euro 1 cent is almost the same size as a 1p coin, and I suspect that the 2 cent coin is similar to the 2p.

Transport capacity is tricky. General play is that battle taxis and IFV carry 1 base with some exceptions - the BTR152 and LVTP5 and 7 being the obvious one having 2, 3 and 2 respectivly to reflect their tactical use.

Hope thyat helps

FOG IN CHANNEL - EUROPE CUT OFF
Lord Kermit of Birkenhead
Muppet of the year 2019, 2020 and 2021

Big Insect

Quote from: Daniele on 07 June 2022, 08:03:08 AMThank you all for your tips....do you think my idea to put two infantry bases into an APC may cause some problem to game dinamics? May be too much infantry bases if confronted with vehicles models, or too much points spent for infantry? I really would like to put 4-5 miniatures on a common infantry base and 3 miniatures on special weapon bases, so a squad of 7-8 people should be divided in two bases representing two teams (something similar to FOW basing).

Not at all - most APCs are standard as Transport (2)
IFVs (like BMPs for example) are however Transport (1) and that is a deliberate game mechanism.
But ultimately that is your own personal choice. If I was going to do that for IFVs I might just deploy support units as the 2nd passenger bases.

Hope that helps
Mark
'He could have lived a risk-free, moneyed life, but he preferred to whittle away his fortune on warfare.' Xenophon, The Anabasis

This communication has been written by a dyslexic person. If you have any trouble with the meaning of any of the sentences or words, please do not be afraid to ask for clarification. Remember that dyslexics are often high-level conceptualisers who provide "out of the box" thinking.

Steve J

I'm trying to remember what base sizes we used with CWC I. I'm pretty sure they were 50mm x 25mm or possible 40mm x 20mm, which allowed for all options for basing, bar HQs etc that were on 25mm/20mm square bases. However I like the idea of 30mm squares for nearly all units, bar MBT's. IIRC one of the issues was that the Soviet tanks tended to have longer barrels and so needed to have a longer base to help protect them. I really need to try and find out rough sizes for Chieftains and T-64's in 6mm. Off to do some searching...

Raider4


QuoteI really need to try and find out rough sizes for Chieftains and T-64's in 6mm.
H&R models, incl. gun barrel:

Chieftain: 38mm x 11mm
T-55: 31mm x 10mm

Don't have T-64

Steve J

Thanks for those sizes, much appreciated :) !