Hey, I live in the UK and have been uhming and ahing about maybe starting a bog standard Space Marine army to use as an introductory force both for myself and to pull others into Epic.

What is the current thinking? Are the 25mm round ones the best or are 40mm by 20mm rectangle ones the best for ease of painting?

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Ben Sibbald

Personal & Wargaming Blog: http://www.theancienttrack.blogspot.co.uk

EPIC WIP: Grey Knights, Space Wolves, Eldar

Why THESE ONES of course!

Are you primarily playing EA and generally (or often) in UK tournaments? If so then rectangular bases sometimes may confer a play advantage as you can sometimes slot an extra stand into B2B by turning them sideways. That being said, strips, depending on how you orientate them, sometimes open yourself into being easier to be clipped. A round base by nature has no corners to be vulnerable to clipping more from one direction over another.

If you have an equal and or greater desire for these to also have a modeling for pleasure aspect and you're into the whole "scenic mini-diorama" base concept then the rounds do allow that to happen more / easier. Also some figures are larger than others and they can get a bit more room on rounds than strips while still not looking "odd" if you go with 4 vs 3 figures in he existing plinth holes (YMMV). I think it's "fair" to state the Iron Warriors stand is more aesthetically pleasing (I mean come on, cesspit! ) than the guard.


As to which is easier to paint, I'd try and advise you to think of that to be a nonsequiter. STRONGLY consider instead using Popsicle sticks (or the like) to glue your infantry to (just use elmer's school glue as it comes right off) and paint them first, then base them. NOTHING worse to do than glue them to a base and then can't easily get a brush in there to hit details. (I'm a shittttty enough painter already to not need to make it harder on myself )

There's a cost question as well. The OG strip bases are becoming slowly more expensive and rare over time. There are good equivalents but mixing them will probably be noticeable (though you might not be super overreacting OCD man like I am). The rounds are obviously in production still and in theory would be easier to deal with without worrying about hoarding enough for the future just in case. Of course there's always the whole approach of making your own/buying 3rd party equivalents from the get go and only using those.

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As you have cheap access to 2p pieces, you might find the answer is already in your pocket.

Any solid, flat object you can get a ton of very cheaply is excellent - just buy yourself a 6.2mm (1/4 inch) hand holepunch, such as those used for leather work or other hobby stuff and add thin-ish sheets of card right on top of whatever solid objects you get to act as a kind of sabot for the model plinths. You get the added advantages of no excess holes, custom placement and probably MUCH cheaper prices per base for not a whole lot of extra work.

somewhat apropos I Just noticed Boneshop has started selling 2nd edition-esque and 3/4th style bases
http://www.boneshop.de/en/6mm-scale/acc ... ment-tray/

not recommending, not not recommending. just putting options out there.

_________________
He's a lawyer and a super-villian. That's like having a shark with a bazooka!

-I HAVE NO POINT
-Penal Legion-Fan list
-Help me make Whitescars not suck!

Hi Stormwind,

I use 40 x 15 steel for a long look or 30 x 20mm steel for more grouped look. Check me out at Partizan if you are along.

Mike