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Sharp Practice basing for smaller scales

 

Hi all,

I'm sure some of you play Sharp Practice in the smaller scales (15mm and under) and have multi-figure bases. By this, I mean having the usual number of bases in a unit (say 8), but having more than one figure per base. So a unit of 8 line infantry might have 32 figures or whatever in it.

My question is, what do you do about firing lines? My understanding of AWI and Napoleonic combat was that a firing line was at most 3 ranks deep, correct? So if you have two ranks of 4 bases, it might look right in 28mm, but what about if each base is two or more figures deep? You would have too many ranks.

Feel free to tell me that I am being too fussy, and that I should just use marching/standing figures and apply my imagination! I am curious, though, if anyone has come up with any solutions or suggestions on this. In particular, I am curious if anyone is doing something in 10mm.?

Cheers,
Chris
 

I am playing SP in 10mm but that is to play on a smaller table at home.?

So just the regular group size of 8 figures but play using measurements in centimeters instead of inches.?


On Wed, 17 Mar 2021, 16:12 Chris Lendrum, <clendrum@...> wrote:
Hi all,

I'm sure some of you play Sharp Practice in the smaller scales (15mm and under) and have multi-figure bases. By this, I mean having the usual number of bases in a unit (say 8), but having more than one figure per base. So a unit of 8 line infantry might have 32 figures or whatever in it.

My question is, what do you do about firing lines? My understanding of AWI and Napoleonic combat was that a firing line was at most 3 ranks deep, correct? So if you have two ranks of 4 bases, it might look right in 28mm, but what about if each base is two or more figures deep? You would have too many ranks.

Feel free to tell me that I am being too fussy, and that I should just use marching/standing figures and apply my imagination! I am curious, though, if anyone has come up with any solutions or suggestions on this. In particular, I am curious if anyone is doing something in 10mm.?

Cheers,
Chris
 

My advice is not to worry about it and use the figures you have however based to play the game. The 4x2 figure firing line you will see in most 28mm games is an abstraction and not a strict reflection of the historic reality which varied across the 165 year period covered by the rules. In the early 1700s 4 ranks or more were still common, by the SYW and Napoleonic periods the norm was 3 ranks with some exceptions, by the ACW it was 2 ranks.?


I play Sharp Practice with my 15mm ACW figures which are based for other rules with 3-4 figures on a 1¡± base most in a single line. A base substitutes for a figure at 28mm scale so a Group is 24 figures and a Company in a Formation of 3-4 groups looks like a Company at 1:1 scale. It works very well.

Personally, I think the 2 figure deep firing line I can form by placing the bases in a 4x2 group looks good aesthetically for the ACW. Others have used multi figure bases where the figures are in 2 ranks which when placed in a group make it look like the unit is 4 ranks deep. You will find photos in the SP FaceBook group. I don¡¯t like the look myself but it makes absolutely no difference to play.

John?
sjwalker51
 

I agree with John¡¯s approach - like him I have a stand of 3-4 15mm figures instead of a single 28mm for my AWI stuff.

But I made the mistake of putting my Regulars in 2 ranks per base, which produces too deep line formations sometimes - as John says, there¡¯s some photos on the FB page, I think. Next time around I intend to have 4 figures in a single rank on a 40x20mm figures instead - I just can¡¯t face the idea of rebasing all those figures that I¡¯ve already done!
 

Thanks for all of the answers. I had not thought of going wide before, so I may have to experiment with that and see how it looks. I have 10mm and 15mm here to try, so I may do a few bases of each and see what I like.

Cheers!


On Thu, Mar 18, 2021 at 9:59 AM sjwalker51 via <sjwalker51=[email protected]> wrote:
I agree with John¡¯s approach - like him I have a stand of 3-4 15mm figures instead of a single 28mm for my AWI stuff.

But I made the mistake of putting my Regulars in 2 ranks per base, which produces too deep line formations sometimes - as John says, there¡¯s some photos on the FB page, I think. Next time around? I intend to have 4 figures in a single rank on a 40x20mm figures instead - I just can¡¯t face the idea of rebasing all those figures that I¡¯ve already done!





 

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Incidentally, 15mm on 40mm x 20mm is perfect for trying out huge battle sets like Horse Foot and Guns. A very different set of rules with a very different focus.

?

Cheers

?

Doug

From: [email protected] <[email protected]> on behalf of Chris Lendrum <clendrum@...>
Sent: Thursday, March 18, 2021 9:11:20 PM
To: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [TooFatLardies] Sharp Practice basing for smaller scales

?

Thanks for all of the answers. I had not thought of going wide before, so I may have to experiment with that and see how it looks. I have 10mm and 15mm here to try, so I may do a few bases of each and see what I like.

?

Cheers!

?

?

On Thu, Mar 18, 2021 at 9:59 AM sjwalker51 via <sjwalker51=[email protected]> wrote:

I agree with John¡¯s approach - like him I have a stand of 3-4 15mm figures instead of a single 28mm for my AWI stuff.

But I made the mistake of putting my Regulars in 2 ranks per base, which produces too deep line formations sometimes - as John says, there¡¯s some photos on the FB page, I think. Next time around? I intend to have 4 figures in a single rank on a 40x20mm figures instead - I just can¡¯t face the idea of rebasing all those figures that I¡¯ve already done!




 

I don't see the problem. Deploy your bases side by side as they are already two ranks deep.


El jue., 18 mar. 2021 14:59, sjwalker51 via <sjwalker51=[email protected]> escribi¨®:
I agree with John¡¯s approach - like him I have a stand of 3-4 15mm figures instead of a single 28mm for my AWI stuff.

But I made the mistake of putting my Regulars in 2 ranks per base, which produces too deep line formations sometimes - as John says, there¡¯s some photos on the FB page, I think. Next time around? I intend to have 4 figures in a single rank on a 40x20mm figures instead - I just can¡¯t face the idea of rebasing all those figures that I¡¯ve already done!





 

You've inspired me to get my 10mm AWI minis out the loft. They are currently based singly but I might do them in 2s just to make them easier to to rank and move.

Considering doing Dux at 10mm also but I've already got a fairly good collection for AWI so seems silly to discard them
 

Or, if you think the line will be too wide, us¨¦ one stand as two figures, not one.


El vie., 19 mar. 2021 12:28, Emilio Moskowich Burgo via <emosbur=[email protected]> escribi¨®:
I don't see the problem. Deploy your bases side by side as they are already two ranks deep.

El jue., 18 mar. 2021 14:59, sjwalker51 via <sjwalker51=[email protected]> escribi¨®:
I agree with John¡¯s approach - like him I have a stand of 3-4 15mm figures instead of a single 28mm for my AWI stuff.

But I made the mistake of putting my Regulars in 2 ranks per base, which produces too deep line formations sometimes - as John says, there¡¯s some photos on the FB page, I think. Next time around? I intend to have 4 figures in a single rank on a 40x20mm figures instead - I just can¡¯t face the idea of rebasing all those figures that I¡¯ve already done!





 

Richard: I think that 10mm would work beautifully for Dux. With a bit of planning, you can add more figures for visual effect without being too ahistorical. Plus, Pendraken's?late?Romans are some of the nicest 10mm around (Clibinarium is an amazing sculptor).?


On Fri, Mar 19, 2021 at 7:31 AM Richard Danziger <rdanziger85@...> wrote:
You've inspired me to get my 10mm AWI minis out the loft. They are currently based singly but I might do them in 2s just to make them easier to to rank and move.

Considering doing Dux at 10mm also but I've already got a fairly good collection for AWI so seems silly to discard them
 

I can't decide to be honest if I should rice in. My main 28mm period is medieval Japan for which I'm using Seven Spears based on Dux. It would be nice to have a sister project using the same ruleset. But I already have a decent amount of AWI for SP2 ...



On Fri, 19 Mar 2021, 13:52 Chris Lendrum, <clendrum@...> wrote:
Richard: I think that 10mm would work beautifully for Dux. With a bit of planning, you can add more figures for visual effect without being too ahistorical. Plus, Pendraken's?late?Romans are some of the nicest 10mm around (Clibinarium is an amazing sculptor).?

On Fri, Mar 19, 2021 at 7:31 AM Richard Danziger <rdanziger85@...> wrote:
You've inspired me to get my 10mm AWI minis out the loft. They are currently based singly but I might do them in 2s just to make them easier to to rank and move.

Considering doing Dux at 10mm also but I've already got a fairly good collection for AWI so seems silly to discard them
 

¿ªÔÆÌåÓý

But think of all the 28mm terrain you can re-use for Dux Arthurians¡­? Mordred crashing through paper screen houses, Merlin trying to collect Mistletoe from Cherry Trees¡­

?

From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Richard Danziger
Sent: 19 March 2021 17:10
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [TooFatLardies] Sharp Practice basing for smaller scales

?

I can't decide to be honest if I should rice in. My main 28mm period is medieval Japan for which I'm using Seven Spears based on Dux. It would be nice to have a sister project using the same ruleset. But I already have a decent amount of AWI for SP2 ...

?

?

?

On Fri, 19 Mar 2021, 13:52 Chris Lendrum, <clendrum@...> wrote:

Richard: I think that 10mm would work beautifully for Dux. With a bit of planning, you can add more figures for visual effect without being too ahistorical. Plus, Pendraken's?late?Romans are some of the nicest 10mm around (Clibinarium is an amazing sculptor).?

?

On Fri, Mar 19, 2021 at 7:31 AM Richard Danziger <rdanziger85@...> wrote:

You've inspired me to get my 10mm AWI minis out the loft. They are currently based singly but I might do them in 2s just to make them easier to to rank and move.

?

Considering doing Dux at 10mm also but I've already got a fairly good collection for AWI so seems silly to discard them

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