I have a Late Imperial Roman Pacto army, for this army are there any recommendations of how many bases should be based as a close troop, loose troop or skirmish troop? Thanks in advance for any and all replies
To some extent, your basing scheme will depend on your army list. But based on a quick look at the listed contents of the pack, and without having looked at exactly what the figures look like...
The expectation (you don't HAVE to do this!) is that the legionaries and auxilia (being flexible formation) are grouped in 7s - one base of 3 and one base of 4 - so that you represent whether they are currently loose or close by which base you put in front.
24 armoured infantry (including 3 command) and 24 unarmoured infantry (including 3 command) then means 6 bases of 3, 6 bases of 4. And you can choose to include the command figures in among these, or not. The additional 3 figures from each pack could be added to the mounted Consuls and mounted Generals to make your commander bases look less lonely.
(Or instead you could choose to base legionaries and auxilia all 4 to a base, and indicate current formation with a marker)
You could mix armoured and unarmoured figures within the same unit; or use them to represent the distinction between legionaries and auxilia; or use them to represent the distinction between superior and average...or some other scheme of your own devising! Something to think about.
8 cataphracts is easy - 2 bases of 4.
8 equites sagittarii also easy - 4 bases of 2.
16 archers, you have choices. Some of these can be skirmishers, some auxilia sagittarii in loose formation. For Pacto I might suggest 12 of them as auxilia sagittarii, 4 bases of 3; and 4 as skirmishers, 2 bases of 2. But if you want more skirmishers, you can adjust those proportions.
12 equites alares is most obviously 4 bases of 3, all representing the plain "equites" troop type. Again you can use the level of armour on the figures to represent different troop types or qualities, or just mix them.
Perhaps some of these equites figures are suitable to represent the Illyricani/Dalmatae (which being flexible formation you might represent as a base of 2 and a base of 3). And at a push you could use 2 to a base to represent the skirmisher javelin cavalry. (Strictly speaking, I think Illyricani/Dalmatae and skirmishers should be represented as unarmoured, possibly have shorter spears than the equites, and larger circular shields?)
Oh, and I have just noticed that an example Pacto army list is illustrated for the pack here: https://www.theplasticsoldiercompany.co.uk/product/mortem-et-gloriam-late-imperial-roman-meg-pacto-starter-army/
(Second small image, below the large image at top left)
This list doesn't seem to fit the contents of the pack ;) But it does remind me that you could also use archer figures to represent "Integral Shooter" capability for the legionaries, based the same as skirmishers so still keeping options open.
That's a really good reminder on basing flexibles, ShrubMiK!
Not only does front/back rank basing make it easy to tell what's going on, but it also saves you about 12% to 15% on the time it takes to get everything painted!
( I wound up forgetting about this when I bought the flexible cavalry for my main army... and didn't realize my mistake until I had based too many of them for it to be worthwhile fixing it. X| )
Tell me about it!
I am painting new figures and rebasing a load of stuff from my Late Roman army and allies and enemies to cope with flexibles. And given that I have in some cases I have changed the colour scheme I use on the basing, that means I will probably not be able to resist rebasing plenty that do have the right number per base as well to keep them consistent. Oh well. keeps me busy for a while!
Well good to see so much fun being had an enthusiasm being shown.
Si
Thank you gentlemen, but your responses bring up another basing question, do all figures on the same base have to have the same weaponry i.e. all impact weapons or all short spear, long spear or sword ? Thanks again
Just go with what was historical. That varies by nation.
Gauls you wold have spearmen and swordsmen together.
Late Romans mix up the darts, galdius and short spear.
Etc.
Si