I've just finished painting 16 Late Roman cataphracts in 15mm, intending to follow the preferred rules standard of 4 to a base. The problem is that they are rather wide and the only way I can fit them on is by staggering them so they can overlap and are touching which looks OKish from the front but silly from above.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50838252146_2b7865027a_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50838252016_98962cce6a_b.jpg)
On the other hand 3 to a base looks too open from the front and is just the same as my normal loose order heavy cavalry. On the plus size, for painting 2 more figures, I could then have a 6 base unit.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50838251846_af26642e23_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50838252296_da5d52641a_b.jpg)
Have others had this issue and what would you advise?
4 to a base has a certain "heft" which can be nice, but if you're going to think they look a bit silly every time you look at them will you be happy?
Figures are clearly catafracts so there should be no confusion if you base them 3 to a base and as you say you end up with more bases for your money 8) Personally I do mine 3 to a base retty much for that reason.
Lovely paint job BTW - which figure manufacturer?
nice paintwork!
like Nick said: "no basing problem, they are cataphracts! no confusion ;)
mine are also 3 per base.
(https://i.imgur.com/s5FkHjPh.jpg)
PUNCH
Thanks very much for the replies.
I do like the massed effect of 4 to a base but with these figures it just looks too crowded. I was leaning towards 3 to a base and it is good to hear that others are doing that without any problems.
The figures are a mix. The riders are the old Asgard / Table Top Games / Alternative Armies figures. I bought most of them back in the very early 80s from Bob at TTG and they languished at the back of a cupboard since then. Unfortunately the Asgard horses have ludicrously short legs so I mostly used Minifigs with a couple from Gladiator. I've replaced the lances with brass rod and foil and (to get more variety) filed some of the cloaks to different shapes; removed the helmet plumes off a couple of riders; bent some horse necks to the side and re-shaped or replaced some tails.
My only problem now is that one of those two spare figures has gone AWOL! I suspect the cat.
The cat has your cat :o
FWIW Nathan I prefer your four to a base option. Your figures look great either way but four to a base gives a real sense of mass and I don't think they look silly from above at all. After all they are horses not robots.
I totally agree with SteveO.
But they are yours and you need to be happy with them!
Lance.
Very nice mini and wonderfully painted.
I would opt for 3 mini per base as their is no doubt they are cat.
You can base then unevenly so they could look more « packed ».
Hi
Choose what you like more. Personally I prefer cataphracts go 4 on each base, but is a matter of tastes as long this will not create game problems, and I think this is not the case.
Rgds
Lorenzo
Thanks very much for all the feedback.
In the end I've gone with 4 to a base with the figures staggered a bit more front to back so they don't seem quite so crowded. I'll post up some pictures of the finished article once I've finished painting the bases.
I've finished the basing for these now and written them up with some more pictures on my blog.
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HDojT77nzoU/YAiTQbHUPrI/AAAAAAAABI4/0TNFwKy1880XKZw1UZ92f8g9UQtjDCiIwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1200/Finished%2Bfront.jpg)
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x3zorrnzA4U/YAiTRkuSksI/AAAAAAAABJE/ApPhCKVgOogUMhg_HUdN1cl3zb4-sB70QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1200/Finished%2Bquarter.jpg)
Thanks again for the helpful advice.
https://smallitalianwars.blogspot.com/2021/01/late-roman-cataphracts.html
Awesome!
congratulations!
PUNCH
They look great!
Wow these look great.
I like the 4/base.
Really there is 3 ways you could do it:
i) 4/base (my preference but I get they dont always fit).
ii) 3/base - If doing this, while they are clearly equipped as Cats, I would advocate having a Close marker and plonk that down with the unit so your opponent always knows and its transparent throughout the game, since they ideally should be 4/base as Close.
iii) mix - mostly 3/base but do the front as 4/base. That makes it clear it is Close but saves on figures/cramming for the rest of the bases. Wouldnt need a marker then.