The Commander Series Forum

Hi all,

I'm getting keen to start basing my growing number of 6mm minis.

Here is what I'm thinking.

Infantry - 30x20 or 30x30?
Infantry Support- 20x20
Vehicles - 20x30 and (20x40 for bigger AFV's)
Guns (all types unless being used for INF support) - 20x30
CO/HQ/(FAO/FAC) - 40/30/25 rounds I think.

I really don't want to start basing and then find a hurdle down the track..so that's why I'm up for any stumbling blocks that on the above.

Not sure about the rectangular over the square for INF? I want to avoid having bigger than necessary bases for practicality when trying to fit bases amongst terrain.

My 6mm infantry and tanks are on 25mmx12mm. My engineers are on 25x18. My guns are on 25x25 stands. My recce infantry are on 25x12 but with very rounded corners. My command stands are on circular bases of various sizes with the CO on the largest.

I choose these sizes mainly to fit in my carrying case but they also take up minimal space behind fences and in built up areas.

The only possible problem with square stands for infantry is instantly recognizing from a distance which side is the front of the unit.

I used 50mm bases. WW2 platoons averaged about 100m frontage when attacking http://balagan.org.uk/war/ww2/snippet/infantry-... and occupied a larger frontage when defending, so I used 50mm to keep the units from crowding too close together.

I use 30 x 20 for all, except OP's. Some people have a prefrance for as small as possible. As to facing - no problems, since I

a) Use the rear edge to indicate units

b) Paint faces unrealistically bright (peach pink) so they show up.

IanS

All my stands are 25mm by 25mm so i can cut out a whole bunch on plexi glass or card stock quickly.My CO is on 35mm by 35mm.

atbillb

Thanks for the link, this is very interesting. When you depict the defensive formation on your bases and assume they would contract to attack, bases of 40mm width seem okay for an infantry section. Bases depicting a defending platoon, however, should be 100-250mm wide!!

Yes, it was a good link, wasn't it.

In the end we went with 30x20 for everything except for the odd longer armour at 40x20. All CO's were round 50/40/25 for CO/HQ/(FAO/FAC).

At 6mm this has worked spot on for us.

We are basing everything as well. Having come from 15mm where armour just didn't look right based, we were a bit dubious but it only took a minute to be convinced that basing 6mm is the way to go. It really ties it all together.

I'm about to embark on a 6mm collection and I was thinking of using Bacchus-style 60mm x 30mm bases.

For a 1:1 ration this appears to present a more credible ground coverage per unit (as suggested above by bilb).

As for commands, I'm undecided, but I was thinking of going for 60x60 for COs, 30x30 for HQs, and 20x20 for FAOs/FACs. Might these be too big?

60 x 30 is rather large. Although there is no specific ground scale 30x20 is about the right area for a platoon moving forward.

IanS

I've got a small 1/285 collection. Tried one basing system, forget exactly what -- but then switched everything over to 1" x 1". With this, units can turn to face sideways on bridges, etc.

--Mo