Basing the Trays

[lokicaprion 1]

I've gotten some good progress on my army, and I just started basing for the first time. I'm pretty satisfied with how the bases are looking for my individual models, and so I have some idea to base the trays themselves.

I've never done any basing before, so I worry about the basing material staying on the trays during transport. Do you matt varnish spray over the top of the basing after it's all done? If so, would that make the interlocking trays even harder to pull apart during gameplay?

[CaribbeanNinja 6,207]

On 5/20/2017 at 10:52 AM, lokicaprion said:

If so, would that make the interlocking trays even harder to pull apart during gameplay?

This is my biggest concern (and the absolute hardest thing to do) with the game right now!

Love the game!  Love the models and cannot wait to paint them!

However...

When a tray needs to be pulled off...wow.  It is a challenge.  I was just thinking last night as we played...what happens when there is grass and pebbles and **** all over the bases?

Thoughts?

 

[Uthoroc 383]

It's certainly a challenge and my mine gripe with the design: pulling the trays out during the game, especially if they have been decorated can be a pain. The sand on my trays is coming off in a few small places after the first game. The figure bases themselves are not so bad, they come off the trays quite easily, reducing the wear and tear so much I haven't had any problems crop up.

My advice would be to keep the base decoration as simple as you can (while still looking good enough for you of course), and especially keep it away from the edges, so the trays can interlock without base material interfering. Coating the basing material (before putting any grass on) with a good soaking of PVA is a must!

[lokicaprion 1]

12 hours ago, Uthoroc said:

Coating the basing material (before putting any grass on) with a good soaking of PVA is a must!

So I did some basing on my models with PVA glue and kitty litter (clean kitty litter! Mostly...) and it came out with an appearance I really liked. Then I watered down some more PVA glue until it was milkish consistency and tried to brush that over the kitty litter, but it ended up just brushing it around more and knocking a good bit of it off.

 

I also tried applying matt varnish to the figures with the basing material glued on, hoping that would help seal it down, but it still falls off with minimal handling - what am I doing wrong?

[flightmaster101 1,568]

I use texture instead of pva and sand, but after everything dries I usually do a test fit with other bases and models.  Whenever I get to something that doesn't fit right I just file it out, sand it Dow or cut it out with a hobby knife.  Or a combo of the three.

 

 

Edited May 27, 2017 by flightmaster101

[Warpedstorm 101]

11 hours ago, lokicaprion said:

So I did some basing on my models with PVA glue and kitty litter (clean kitty litter! Mostly...) and it came out with an appearance I really liked. Then I watered down some more PVA glue until it was milkish consistency and tried to brush that over the kitty litter, but it ended up just brushing it around more and knocking a good bit of it off.

 

I also tried applying matt varnish to the figures with the basing material glued on, hoping that would help seal it down, but it still falls off with minimal handling - what am I doing wrong?

I had the same issue , painting over the sand would dislodge all the sand that appeared stuck. I changed to the army painter battlefields basing glue and it's much improved but you do have to leave it to dry for considerable time (I leave a day) 

[Jukey 1,257]

I did my trays with elmers glue and eggshells. Works great and haven't had much of an issue with it coming off. The first tray the glue broke off in a few spots so I superglued it back down. After that I started scoring my trays with a file before putting glue on them. Gives the glue a little more to grab onto. Plus the light amount of filing on the edges makes the trays easier to pull apart.

[Mep 2,291]

20 hours ago, lokicaprion said:

So I did some basing on my models with PVA glue and kitty litter (clean kitty litter! Mostly...) and it came out with an appearance I really liked. Then I watered down some more PVA glue until it was milkish consistency and tried to brush that over the kitty litter, but it ended up just brushing it around more and knocking a good bit of it off.

 

I also tried applying matt varnish to the figures with the basing material glued on, hoping that would help seal it down, but it still falls off with minimal handling - what am I doing wrong?

You're using kitty litter, basically clay, rather than cork. The clay is breaking down and becoming brittle when glued. Cork will absorb the glue without breaking down. They do make kitty little out of corncob which should work similarly to cork if your cat only likes wine with the screw caps.

[Vineheart01 6,403]

honestly im not even bothering basing the trays because the way i usually base models either 1) doesnt stick very well to the slick black or 2) messes with the puzzle pieces fitting.

Also, when basing never use materials that crumble. Cork, sand, flock, heck even actual rocks work wonders but stay away from things like kitty litter or paper/cardboard

[Polda 4,281]

I've tried PVA and sand which I did not like as it is easy to scrape off. Vallejo texture pastes work. The texture is not as gritty as modeling sand/baking soda or kitty litter but if you drybrush it with a contrasting color the texture stands out and doesn't come off.

It is however more expensive than PVA and Sand/sodium bicarbonate. 

Here's an interesting note - if you can get CA glue in bulk, you can use that and sprinkle baking soda on top instead of the PVA/Sand combo. Baking soda acts as a kicker for the CA glue, making it set almost instantly. Baking soda also has a finer texture. 
Perhaps test it on an empty blister first to see if you like the effect. And work in a well ventilated area. 

Of course you can just use PVA and baking soda. This does not have a specific interaction. (Just don't use it for snow, it yellows over time).

Edit: uh and talcum powder works too and apparently does not have the yellowing problem that baking soda does (haven't been painting long enough to have soda liquify into a yellow sludge, which I hear can happen after a couple of years)

Edited May 31, 2017 by Polda

[Warpedstorm 101]

On 27/05/2017 at 5:37 AM, flightmaster101 said:

I use texture instead of pva and sand, but after everything dries I usually do a test fit with other bases and models.  Whenever I get to something that doesn't fit right I just file it out, sand it Dow or cut it out with a hobby knife.  Or a combo of the three.

 

 

Yup, exactly the same for me, works a treate.

[eilif 135]

I based the top of my trays (glue, ballast, paint, flock, light spray of matte varnish) and then went around the edges with a hobby knife to cut/scrape away any paint, or basing material that had collected on or overhanging the edge.  My trays aren't any harder to pull apart than the unpainted trays my store has. Unfortunately they're still pretty hard to pull apart.  I'm seriously considering trimming the puzzle piece corners a bit on all my trays to make them lock and unlock easier. 

[Vineheart01 6,403]

ive thought about hacking off one of the puzzle pieces so only one is connecting at all.

I find that unless you remove them perfectly straight, which is really hard to do on the table without bumping things, one of the pegs gets twisted and refuses to let go.

Its not like we need them to be uber rigid or anything, just solid enough so they dont fling apart when we move/rotate them.

[Darthain 1,747]

3 minutes ago, Vineheart01 said:

ive thought about hacking off one of the puzzle pieces so only one is connecting at all.

I find that unless you remove them perfectly straight, which is really hard to do on the table without bumping things, one of the pegs gets twisted and refuses to let go.

Its not like we need them to be uber rigid or anything, just solid enough so they dont fling apart when we move/rotate them.

Pegs count for ranged attacks so you cannot remove them.

[Ywingscum 842]

I'm finding wear and tear brings them to a nice place, same with the pegs holding the figures

[eilif 135]

2 hours ago, Vineheart01 said:

ive thought about hacking off one of the puzzle pieces so only one is connecting at all.

I find that unless you remove them perfectly straight, which is really hard to do on the table without bumping things, one of the pegs gets twisted and refuses to let go.

Its not like we need them to be uber rigid or anything, just solid enough so they dont fling apart when we move/rotate them.

A slightly less drastic solution might be to trim off the rear (or perhaps right?) facing tooth on each puzzle piece protrusion.  A fellow at the game shop has cut jsut the rear-facing tooth (on the sides only) of his trays. Still functions to hold the trays together but they slide apart easily.