28mm Bases - Go to 25mm or 32mm?

[m_r_parker]

This might be the wrong area to post, but I think there are multiple considerations to answers so this might be easiest.

 

Background: I've been building some Sisters of Battle, specifically the white boxset available before Xmas, and I'm looking at the Sisters Repentia. Technically they're on 28mm bases, but for everything else I've been using Sector Imperialis bases that don't have a 28mm option. Short of constructing my own (which I'm not going to do) I can either go one size up to 32mm (like the other Sisters and the Repentia Superior) or down to 25mm (as per the Arco-flaggelants). I'm just unsure which direction to go.

 

I know the "correct" answer is along the lines of "they're your models, you can do whatever you want", but I genuinely would like to hear peoples thoughts on this both in terms of the Repentia and any other models that fall into this category (e.g. the new plastic Howling Banshees and Incubi). In my mind I'm veering towards 32mm, as this will keep them in line with similar Sisters models as well as being more stable, but there is a question around gameplay in my head and whether this would be considered modelling for advantage - but am I even right in thinking a larger base would be better for gameplay? Smaller bases would allow more models to get into combat, which these models are meant to be.

 

So what does everyone think? I can't help but feel that 28mm will become the new 25mm, and more model releases will have these as their defined base size.

[Tyriks]

I believe GW's official stance is that you can go up a base size but not down.  Personally I like to go up base sizes more than down just because I think it tends to look silly when models are on small bases (and they tip over a little more).

[Panzer]

Technically they are on 28.5mm bases (yes, that's a thing now). Personally I'd put them on 25mm bases to emphasize them not being superhumans/wearing power armour and their stance isn't wide enough to warrant larger bases either.

On the other hand, the rest of the army will be on 32mm bases (not counting characters and such) so if you are afraid 25mm would look out of place I'd go with 32mm ... though they shouldn't look more out of place than 28.5mm bases I'd say.

Edited May 6, 2020 by Panzer

[Bryan Blaire]

I don’t recall there being an official base size commentary for general gaming, m_r_parker, so I don’t think we can fall back on that, and there is no such thing as “modeling for advantage” in the rules, so it would simply be personal preference on what someone wanted to call that (and it would most certainly be against you and never an acknowledgement of anything the accuser had done to their own models).

 

For gaming - do you generally play at home, FLGS/GW store, or in major non-GW tourneys?

 

For play at home, I’d go with 25mm as Panzer said - they are still standard humans and the 25mm still seems to be an acceptable base for that size model.

 

For play at FLGS/GW stores or at tourneys, I would definitely check with what those rules say/the TOs that run things in the area to try and find a consensus on what would be enforced. If you find folks that care about it (especially if they’d be the ones making the judgment), you’ll get a better answer for what you should do to avoid issues with judgments against you.

 

As far as base sizes, to me there are pros and cons for both 25mm and 32 mm.

[Redcomet]

32 mm. 25 mm is just such a tiny base that I find myself not liking it much any more

[Metzombie]

Have you tried to take a 32 mm Sector Imperialis base, cutting of the rim, glueing it on a 28 mm base and trimming it down till it fits?

[Lexington]

Kind of a side-thought, but I’m wondering if GW is going to start putting everything human-sized on these new bases before long - the models have definitely beefed up/scale creeped enough to warrant it.

[MARK0SIAN]

My input would be that I doubt anyone outside of a tournament would care. There’s pros and cons in terms of gameplay either way so it probably evens out and even then, the pros and cons are tiny and will be irrelevant 99% of the time.

 

If you play tournaments, ask a TO at a tournament you play to rule for you as others have suggested, if you don’t play tournaments do whatever you think looks best.

[Gederas]

Kind of a side-thought, but I’m wondering if GW is going to start putting everything human-sized on these new bases before long - the models have definitely beefed up/scale creeped enough to warrant it.

The 28.5mm bases are for models "bigger" than humans but not Superhuman/Power Armoured

 

They were introduced with Warcry for certain characters who are in-between normal human size and superhuman size. Hence why the Banshees and Incubi are on them, as well as the Repentia, but the Acro-flagellants are on 25mm

[Hfran Morkai]

It definitely used to be (4th Edition though I think) that it was acceptable to put models on a larger base than the one supplied.

 

Now I've been out of playing since 5th but I'd go that route as although the game has changed I don't see it having changed that dramatically.

 

Also why GW did you do 25mm and 40mm bases in the same box? It's going to leave me a load of 25mm bases I don't need (yes I appreciate I didn't NEED to buy the Sector Imperialis bases but they're what I'm after), might have to start another army.

[Toxichobbit]

Technically they are on 28.5mm bases (yes, that's a thing now). Personally I'd put them on 25mm bases to emphasize them not being superhumans/wearing power armour and their stance isn't wide enough to warrant larger bases either.

On the other hand, the rest of the army will be on 32mm bases (not counting characters and such) so if you are afraid 25mm would look out of place I'd go with 32mm ... though they shouldn't look more out of place than 28.5mm bases I'd say.

There's a decent chunk in the Sororitas Codex on 25mm bases. All the Ministorum units (barring Pentitent Engines, for obvious reasons) are on 25mm. So that's Missionaries, Preachers, Crusaders, Deat Cult Assassins and Arco-Flagellants. The Sororitas stuff, except for the Repentia, is the stuff on 32mm + bases. So 25mm would fit in as although the Repentia are Sororitas, they're also non-power armoured humans. And all the other non-power armoured humans in the army are on 25mm.

[Fajita Fan]

Have you tried to take a 32 mm Sector Imperialis base, cutting of the rim, glueing it on a 28 mm base and trimming it down till it fits?

This, or get 28mm discs and just glue your 25mm molded bases onto them.  The footprint will be correct either way. 

 

I feel you on the fancy molded bases, I bought those for my GSC and Deathwatch - since I'm repainting my Deathwing a third time I might as well base them on the fancy bases too.  

[MegaVolt87]

I was a 25mm base holdout myself. Once you put the infantry on 32mm bases, you won't regret it. 40mm for HQ's/ characters and you are set. 

[DanPesci]

I use 32mm for my old power armour space wolves (which used to be on 25s), and 25mm for my skitarii.

 

For me it gives a nice feel of the power armour models being chunkier/more elite units (even though they are the same size model wise).

 

 

From a gameplay point of view, smaller bases let you hide a unit easier and potentially get more into combat (although in a 10 model unit this comes into play way less than say a 30 boy orc mob)

 

However larger bases let a unit cover more area for the purpose of screening/holding objectives (10 models on 32s can cover an extra 2.7 inches over 25s)

 

 

If i was playing you I really wouldn't mind you going either way as the effects are minimal, but id imagine a TO ruling would be to use the base the model is supplied with.

Edited May 11, 2020 by DanPesci

[Raven1]

Let me just get this out of the way real quick. They are your models...that being said.

 

25mm is more for the regular human with 32mm being a bit more power armor or larger model. These 28.5 is like an in between thing and its wierd.

 

Depending on where you play it may or may not matter. The old repentia on slotted bases are 25mm. However if it does matter than Front Line Gaming put out a base requirement for models for their tournaments so that might be a good place to look.

 

You can also try some base extenders. There are a lot of people making them since so much stuff has changed bases recently.

[Halandaar]

Personally, I put both my Repentia and Arco-Flagellants on 32mm bases to keep it consistent across the entire force (and my Howling Banshees and Incubi, for what it's worth)

[Marshal Rohr]

I wasn’t able to find 28mm on GWs site for individual purchase yesterday, so I don’t know if they’re available for purchase yet. After seeing Tyrannicide build them on smaller bases I’m considering doing 28mm for all SoB and 25 for all non PA humans.

[m_r_parker]

I wasn’t able to find 28mm on GWs site for individual purchase yesterday, so I don’t know if they’re available for purchase yet. After seeing Tyrannicide build them on smaller bases I’m considering doing 28mm for all SoB and 25 for all non PA humans.

 

They're there, they might be out of stock until the factory gets going again, here's the link - https://www.games-workshop.com/en-GB/Citadel-28-5mm-Round-Bases-2020

 

For my Repentia I went with the 32mm in the end. 25mm felt a bit too small for them, especially with the large eviscerators they felt quite top-heavy. It's the same I did for the new Incubi and Banshee models from Blood of the Phoenix; the Incubi had such a wide stance they looked better suited to 32mm than 28mm anyway, and the Banshees had the top-heavy/narrow-bottom that made me think 25mm was unworkable. 

 

Tournament gaming isn't really a big deal for me, I prefer to keep things casual with a small group who I enjoy gaming with and they're not the type of people to get bent out of shape over basing issues like that. 

[Marshal Rohr]

You’re my hero today, Parker

[Zephaniah Adriyen]

I'm a bit late, but I'm of the opinion that the only things that should be on 25-28.5mm "small" bases are Guardsmen and equivalent/smaller in physical model size. For example, I'm reasonably sure that in my current collection, the only things I have on 25-28.5mm bases are my Spiritseer, my Cultists, Makari and some helper grots. I am of the opinion that physical model size more than anything should be the dictator of base size.