Basing 101 - part one

Earlier this month I was asked if I would give details of how I model, paint and finish my terrain bases. In most of my magazine articles I tend to skim over how the bases are finished, preferring to spend the bulk of the time on the scratch built or modified piece of terrain. In this short series it is my intention to give a much more detailed explanation of the materials used and the techniques I employ to build my bases.

It is NOT my intention to dictate how you should finish off your own bases but more of an insight into how I do it. I can confirm that with very little variation this is the technique that I have been using for over twenty years. If you have any questions please get back in touch with me in the comment section.

To begin.....

Most of my terrain is based on 3mm or 5mm thick plastic card. The card I use is more often than not ex advertising signs, FOR SALE signs or blank plastic card used for signs or display purposes. In the image above I have shown two examples - the first a display sign picked up from a DIY store (old advertising sign) and the second a blank piece of 3mm thick plastic card picked up for free at a trade show (a damaged wall panel).

In the past I have used various thicknesses of MDF and even mounting card (used by picture framers) but for the last couple of years the 3mm or 5mm thick plastic card has been my go-to material for terrain bases.

 

The plastic card is cut with a large (18mm) snap-off bladed craft knife. I find that it is best to draw around the piece of terrain or model you intend to base and cut the plastic card slightly larger than you need - you can always trim the base later.

Please note that in this example - a small barricade (Alternative Armies resin piece - see this link) I have made the base slightly larger than I would normally to show my basing technique in greater detail.

The edges are then chamfered with the same snap-off bladed knife.

And then sanded smooth with medium sandpaper. In this example I have cut the base in to a lozenge shape but I can just as easily have shaped it in to a round or oval design.

In part two I will explain how I prepare the base for the model and the DAS modelling clay.

Once again if you have any questions, please contact me via the comment section.

Tony

Late March and early April purchases

These two packs of DAS modelling clay and sketch book were just some of the birthday presents I received last month. Thank you.

In addition Sue and I have just returned from a short trip to Disneyland Paris where we had great fun watching our two grandsons enjoy the rides. On the way back home we stopped off at Carrefour and as well as bottles of Normandy cidre, Belgian beers and lots of French crisps I picked up these essentials. Two metal set squares (I use them for marking and cutting out plastic card), a pack of wooden knives (they were much cheaper than lollipop sticks) and a pack of discounted fine sandpaper (you can never have enough sandpaper).

Happy Easter.

Tony

Charcoal Kilns - Miniature Wargames issue 516

The latest issue of Miniature Wargames (issue 516 - April 2026) features these scratch built Charcoal Kilns. The inspiration came from a YouTube video of a Narrow Gauge railway model which had similar kilns in the foreground. A further YouTube and Google search produced hundreds of kiln designs and I thought that building two would produce unique pieces of timeless wargame terrain.

My first action was to produce this pencil sketch (it really should have been a charcoal sketch!).

Blue foam cores were cut and shaped with a hot wire cutter and sanded with coarse sandpaper. Later I glued hand cut dowels of balsawood which were glued in place with superglue and then DAS modelling clay was used to fill any gaps and add texture.

The bases were cut from 3mm thick plastic card and then built up with more DAS before sieved stones and sand was glued in place with PVA glue.

Painting followed the images I had found on the internet.

After varnishing with Galleria matt varnish the bases were decorated with dyed sawdust and ground foam.

The first image (at the top of the page) shows a pair of 28mm scale Flintloque Elves or Ferach. The image below has a group of Pax Bochemannica Halfling Boche which are mounted on to 1p pieces.

The final image shows a 40mm tall barbarian on a 40mm round base.

Charcoal kilns have existed since pre-Roman times, can be built from wood, stone or earth and can be found all around the world as such they make great generic pieces for your wargame table.

I might even build a couple more.....

Tony

Jason Buck - The hare that stole the Sun Kings crown

Last night Sue and I went to see Jason Buck (again). This time the story was The hare that stole the Sun Kings crown and performed at the Temperance Bar, Leamington Spa.

Like the earlier story Slain - The Horned God that we had seen in Ludlow Assembly Rooms back in February this performance was fantastic. A much smaller audience but just as enthralling and we are even talking about a third visit later in the year.

For more information about this tale see this link.

Or for more about Jason see this link.

Tony

Glastonbury Chapel - revisited

Sue and I have recently returned from a visit back 'home' to Swansea. While visiting my mother, uncle and aunt I was telling them about the model of a Glastonbury Chapel that had appeared in Miniature Wargames issue 509 - for more information see this link. I was asked how I went about modelling the chapel and in particular where I got the inspiration from. Although a lot of this information can be found in MW issue 509 I thought that some additional information and images might be worth posting.

The chapel is based on St Patrick's chapel which is situated just within the walls of Glastonbury Abbey but before you enter the Abbey through the main charged-for entrance.

Here are some photographs I took while visiting.

Always try to include at least one image with something to scale up the building, in this case a couple of innocent passers-by.....

From these images and some on-site sketches I produced these detailed drawings.

The core of the model chapel was constructed from corrugated cardboard, foamboard and modelling foam. I have used a mixture of PVA glue and my hot glue gun to construct the model.

DAS modelling clay, ready-mixed filler and more foam were used to both refine the shape and build up the groundwork which was built over a rough oval of 3mm thick plastic card. Note how I have 'blended' the base of the walls into the groundwork.

Moving on quite a bit I have added both texture and detail to the base and constructed the bell tower and cross from foam and plastic card. In this image I have begun to paint the walls a dull putty colour as seen in the original images.

The roof is a combination of WILL's tiles plastic roof sheets (designed for HO-OO model railways) and card (the lower edges).

More detail painting and the chapel is nearing completion. Note how the damp discolouration is climbing the lower wall base and the strong contrast between the tiled and slated roof materials.

The final two images show the finished chapel with dyed sawdust and ground foam added to the groundwork.

This is the first time I have added such a detailed description and included additional images of a model that has appeared in MW and if it proves of interest to my readers and followers I will try to produce more.

Miniature Wargames issue 509 is still available to order from the MW web pages.

Tony

Slaine The Horned God - with storyteller Jason Buck

Last night Sue and I accompanied by our daughter Holly were privileged to see the fantastic storyteller Jason Buck re-tell the tales and mythology behind Slaine - The Horned God at The Assembly Rooms , Ludlow.

I had seen this performance highlighted on Facebook earlier this year and suggested that I might like to go and see it. Holly and Sue bought the tickets for me as an early birthday present and even though I had seen reviews of this one-man on stage performance and was looking forward to seeing Jason for the first time, I was 'blown away' by the storytelling and enjoyed every minute of the two hour performance.

One man claiming a huge cinemas stage and without any props holding the audience of over two hundred in the palm of his hands - true traditional storytelling at its very best 10 out of 10.

Just days before at my grandsons birthday party, we were asked by Finley and Charlie 'who are you going to see?' Jason Buck - the storyteller. 'Oh' said Charlie, 'we've seen him, he's performed at our school and he lives not far away from us in Leamington Spa!'

So this confirms our belief that Finley aged 11 and Charlie aged just 8 are true connoisseurs of classic comics and traditional storytelling!

For more information about Jason, see this Facebook page.

Finally. I am aware that Jason is planning an on-line performance for March 22. For details see this link. If you can not see him in person, I guarantee that this will be a very special performance.

Tony

Magazine article inspiration?

I'm hoping for a little help. As many readers and followers will know I have been scratch building models for the wargame table for some time and then writing tutorials or articles in various magazines but I am now looking for some new and fresh inspiration as to what I should model next. I already have a number of articles with the editor or Miniature Wargames but am looking to produce something original for later in the year. Have you got any suggestions?

The more original or 'off the wall' the better as I am looking for a challenge.

Thank you in advance

Tony