In searching for a 'speed painting' technique to get units to the table faster, I have done a few trial units with pre-based figures and I must say, with all of the detail harder to get to, it does keep the speed paint discipline to the fore.

I have just done a 14 horse base for dragoons and the actual painting of that unit was 1½ hours - everything else like prep and basing paste etc stays the same, but the 'per figure' paint time for me has dramatically come down, allowing for the 3' rule.

Anyway, I am guessing most people here have already learned the art of fast painting the smaller scales, but I have always struggled in giving up detail - bu t perhaps now I have cracked it. I am showing a few units on my blog if anyone is interested. Norm

LINK

https://battlefieldswarriors.blogspot.com/2026/05/10mm-napoleonic-french-bases.html

They've come out really well. 

I too struggle with obsession about detail, but like yourself have got better over time (as my eyesight worsens!). I no longer paint Zeltbahn on 10mm Germans

The 3' rule is a useful one I use it for my 28mm stuff as well

Those look terrific !!

Really nice work on those Norm!

They look great

They look great. You've done well to fit 12 infantry figures to a 40x20 base - are these older sculpts? I tend to find that newer sculpts tend to be more dynamic, and consequently take up more space.

Interesting couple of blog posts there as demonstrates you've looked at the same few dilemmas as me but come up with different solutions. I'm using 40x20 for both infantry and cavalry but 10 infantry per base. Painted some skirmishers and leaders on the base but close order stuff separate. Not got any artillery as yet but was thinking of 80x40 exactly as you have done so good to see it works well.

Thanks all.

These will be new sculpts, they dropped through the door a few weeks ago.

It is interesting to cycle through the basing options for unit and army building - though I always seem to change my mind about basing half way through the project ... when I see someone else doing something different :-)