With BLB2 imminent I have gone big into refreshing my Grand Allaince collection.
That means many of the units that have fought with me for 20 years have either marched off into the sunset and enlisted in other gamer's armies or have changed sides (new flags) or had a 'facings' repaint to make a new unit.
Gone for ever:
Sjaellandske
Schomberg's Grenadiers
Regiment Orlean
Soon to go: Oxford's and Prinds Georg.

Changing sides: Gardes Suisses (soon to be 1st Footguards.. ouch), Montcashel.. this is painful.. becoming Balfour's Scots with a facing change.

Here is the real dilemma... I have rebased 6 battalions on 60mm frontage by 50mm depth effectively spacing out the musketeers somewhat. This has created elbow room for lots of the bigger or more space hungry figures. The pikes I have put on the same bases but kept the 15mm per man frontage.
I must admit they look lovely but.. I just lined up 3 battalions of Dutch which I have based on 60 x 60mm but kept the 15mm frontage per figure alongside the newly based stuff and I cannot decide which looks best.
The tight groupings on 15mm frontage per model is something I really love for close order Horse and musket infantry but I feel very indecisive about the way forward... aaaaaaaaaagggggggghhhhhh!

Don't worry folks... it doesn't affect BLB in any way so exhale gently and put your Barry Voodoo Doll back in its white coffin.

I guess photos will help.. coming shortly

Barry,

Does it really matter if base sizes are off by a bit? Historical units didn't all match up exactly (even with the same number of men).

When I wrote some rules for SYW for our local group, I gave my players a flexible choice for their basing . . . i.e., within a range for the frontage. Tighter frontage allows more flexibility in turning, but may shorten your line to expose flanks . . . thus units tended to leave bigger gaps between them (which meant that the larger frontage units still matched up. On the other hand, the larger frontage units weren't as flexible, but did cover a greater frontage.

Anyway it worked out fine for us . . . would it really make that big a difference for BLB2? I must admit that I don't forsee manufacturers "shrinking" the size of figures . . . but at times I like the "close-order look of figures; and at other times the more open look that tends to show off the figures a bit better.

Why not give the option and let each player decide which basing he likes best?


-- Jeff

Of course it doesn't really affect anyone else Jeff as the rules are not prescriptive about base sizes.. it's just me.. I used to be indecisive.. now I'm not so sure

And just why would all of your units need to be based the same way? Surely the commanders of various battalions had different ideas of how tightly their troops should be.


-- Jeff

So on a 60mm square base does this mean you have 8 pikemen? That would give a more visual impression of a pike block.

Joe

No Joe. Between 4 - 6. Will take some pix tonight and post

Hah Hah!

got my solution... the Engish & Dutch on 60 x 50mm

The French and many others on 60 x 60 but with 15mm frontage per model and some scenic space at the flanks. This will give the French units a shorter, clumpier look without resorting the the 3 deep line.

So the French will have the same look as my Reiver Castings Gard te Voet.

As we begin our painting of figures for this period (using Lily Banners) next month, I would like pictures to visualise.

Thanks and Greetings
Jan

THEY ARE COMING JAN... honest !

Hi Barry,

I had my marlburian british infantry bases cut to a 50mm x 50mm size as the 45mm frontage in BLB1 was to small for my large 28mm Front Rank figures otherwise they'd have been touching each other.
The 50mm square base is ideal and gives it a more dressed look for the british regiments.If I were doing highlanders or tribal infantry I'd go with a 60mm x 60mm and space the figures out more to show a charging battle mad mob that they were e.g. more open order and not so dressed ranks.
I'm about to start the cavalry and again the 60mm x 50mm of BLB1 won't be big enough for my Front Rank giants.
The 28mm napoleonic cavalry which I've just had painted for me are on 50mm x 60mm bases, but these are two figures to a base.If I want to base them as three figures, I'll have to increase the size by 25mm making this a 75mm frontage by 60mm depth.This gives me good spacing for a charging horse with tails upright and enough room between the figures for grass and other base flora.
The base sizes shouldn't really matter so much as at the end of the day it's how many bases are firing or in melee that count.

Ray.

Just an historical note during the period covered by BLB, over time the men started to form up closer and closer to each other. In the beginning more spread out due to matchlock weapons and needing the room for safety and manipulating the larger guns. Then progressing to a more true close order formation with the flintlocks.

What this equates to for basing is that its a moot point. Do what looks and feels right to you because theres an historical argument for either way.

Joe