Base Size

[Excubitor]

Hi all, I'm having a problem with a guy at the club I go to. He says that you cannot change a miniatures base size larger or smaller than what it came with, and says it's official rules, refuses to play me etc.

 

What's the official ruling on this? I thought you just couldn't go smaller (I'm basing my techmarines on 40mm bases because they stand easier, and same with a couple of my Captain/Chapter master WIP).

 

I'm not new to the collecting/painting part of the hobby, but new to this "official competition rules" stuff the guys pulling on me.

 

Thanks in advance

[lord gunthar]

this is fine but in game the smaller the base the better as it can denie your opponents changes by having a smaller base

[Frosty the Pyro]

The offical stance is they must be mounted on the base they come with, or they require oponent concent. But unless you do something rediculous I dont think anyone will complain.

[avatar8481]

Except apparently the guy who the OP is playing, who's making a scene out of 15mm. Some people.

[igotsmeakabob!!]

I'd think it something that requires opponent's consent, but it doesn't seem at all unreasonable or "cheating."

 

The Techmarine's an IC, you're screwing yourself by giving him a bigger base. More things can attack him... I don't know why the guy would have a problem with that.

[nighthawks]

tactics are not of much importance here. suffice it to say that the base size rules are on p3 of the BRB and that "cheating" is a stretch...

[Excubitor]

Thanks for the answers everyone, it looks like I'll be fixing up my bases for my techmarines then back to standard <_<

 

Just another quick one that's come up with him ;) can Thunderfire Cannons and Attack Bikes be mounted on 50mm bases since they don't come with a base as such? For me it's both for the scenic possibilities and to protect them a little on the table, but the guys making noises about the same stuff again <_<

 

thanks again

[Isiah]

If models don't come with bases then you shouldn't generally base them. Having said that I know of people who mount their bikes and attack bikes on bases and have no comments other than how good they look on bases.

 

The rules on bases is that you can put them on 'scenic bases' or different sized bases [to normal] but that if this intereferes with game mechanics rules in any way then you'll need to make sure your opponnent(s) are OK with it.

 

I mount a Techmarine on a 40mm base so he can visually fit in with my Deathhwing army – never had a problem.

 

Cheers

I

[DevianID]

Complaining about base size differences is kind of like complaining about models being wysiwyg. Basicly, as long as it is clear what the models are and where they are, I personally have no problem.

 

However, the rule is there to prevent extreme situations that unhinge the game. Example, mounting your bikes on horse shoes, that way you can completely surround the 3 access points on a rhino with a single bike, forcing the squad either to die or emergency disembark.

 

Another extreme example, using necron warriors to represent necron warriors, necron immortals, and (with the inclusion of a flying base) necron destroyers and heavy destroyers, and mixing all the units together so your opponent has no idea what is what (well maybe the flying bases are distinguishable from non flying bases). This causes you to have no idea what is what, causing constant checking and questioning, confusion, and the inability to accurately determine things like true line of sight, even if you wanted to.

 

Thus, if your opponent is giving you a hard time about a very slight increase on 3 models, your opponent is less concerned with playing the game and more concerned with beating you on the head with the rule book--he has lost sight of playing the game in favor of having some kind of rule enforcing power over you. People with this kind of power trip issues need the judge to sort them out.

 

Basicly, as others on this topic have done, he should ask 'How do these 3 characters on slightly bigger bases impact my game.' If the communicated impact is very detrimental to him, then it can be seen as an unfair advantage for you to have the larger base. If the communicated impact to him is not detrimental, then him crying foul 'on the principal of the matter' means he is having a power trip. No offense if he is a nice guy otherwise, but he seems to be missing the point--especially after you communicated that the larger base keeps the otherwise expensive, fragile and wobbly model stable.