MY BIG DILEMMA

[barr7430]

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

[Bluebear]

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

[barr7430]

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

[Bluebear]

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

[flick40]

The pikes I have put on the same bases but kept the 15mm per man frontage.

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

[barr7430]

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

[barr7430]

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.

[janbruinen]

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

[barr7430]

THEY ARE COMING JAN... honest !

[Churchill]

Ray.

[flick40]

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