Basing 28mm Napoleonic Figures

Recently I have been asked how I base up my rank-n-file 28mm Napoleonic figures, so instead of repeating myself the below is our groups basing scheme for rank and file napoleonics. About a decade ago, my gaming group came to a conesus for the below basing system and we have been using it since our heavy Black Powder gaming days. We now game General d'Armee and the basing has remained the same. The "system" was a compromise on aesthetics, cost and legacy basing for game systems like General de Brigade. For the most part we are all still pleased with the results this standard has given us, though I've noted a couple of alternative ideas that I might have used knowing what I know now! All the bases I use are from Litko and are the 3mm thick and at the end of the post, I summarize the bases used and the Litko code for each of them.

Infantry Battalion - 40mm Square Base

Each infantry battalion is comprised of twenty four figures, with four figures on each of the six 40mm square bases. I tend to have one command base with the flag(s), two "elite" company bases and three center company bases for almost all nations.

Alternate Basing - It can be time consuming moving six bases and if I had to do it again I might be open to using four bases of six figures instead. You can show most formations normally and it is slightly quickier moving four bases ithan six.

Cavalry Regiment - 50mm x 60mm Rectangle Base

We use twelve figures for each cavalry regiment, with three figures on each of the four 50mm deep by 60mm wide bases. It can be a tight squeeze sometimes but I have not had to adjust the base size to fit a brand of figures yet.

Artillery Battery - 60mm by 80mm Rectangle Base

An artillery battery is comprised of two gun models and eight to ten figures on three bases, one of which is a spacer base in between the two gun bases. A single gun and four crew are attached to a 60mm wide by 80mm deep base. For the spacer base, we use zero to three figures, extra equipment and large scenic items added to the same sized base, and is used to increase the width of a deployed battery.

Alternate Basing - well not really alternate base, but I have been thinking about making a left and right gun base and tighten each gun to the appropriate side, perhaps even moving a figure or two from the gun base to the spacer base. The idea is to get the guns a little closer together and add space to the "outside" of each battery. I might try this on the next battery I paint up.

Skirmish Screen - 30mm x 60mm Rectangle Base.

For brigade skirmish screens of two to nine bases, we use two figures on a 30mm deep by 60mm wide base. We also substitute four infantry bases with an equal number of skirmish screen bases to indicated that a light battalion has deployed into skirmish formation.

Alternate Basing - instead of a rectangle base I think I'd base my skirmishers on an oval base. I'd most likely use 35mm by 60mm oval bases (GMB731). The rectangle base seems to "orderly" for skirmishers and an oval base would look more "natural" when bending the skirmish line.

Brigade Leader - 60mm Round base.

Most brigadiers are represented by one mounted figure on a 60mm round base.

Division Leader - 3" Round Base

Divisional or higher level leaders typically have two or more figures on a 3" round base.

Casualties and Disorder Markers

To show if a unit is Disorder we use "wounded" figures mounted on 25mm or 30mm round bases. To mark casualties suffered during the games, we use a 40mm square with a dead figure or horse, with each side being marked from 1 to 4 to show the number of "hits" the unit has suffered.

Alternate Basing - Some of the guys have been using the micro dice holders on the causality bases. They typically use a double d6 "tray" so as to mark 1 to 12 hits per unit. I myself am not super keen on the dice, and have been thinking about making hit markers as above with out the figure and double sided and making a smaller 2nd set to mark hits 9 to 16. I'd also color code the hits number to show the effects of losses for General d'Armee.

Base Summery - Litko 3mm Wood Bases.

Below is the list of bases I use from Litko.

Type	Size	Litko Part #
Infantry	40mm x 40mm	GMB061
Cavalry	50mm x 60mm	GMB497
Artillery	60mm x 80mm	GMB081
Skirmish	30mm x 60mm	GMB073
Brigade Leader	60mm Round	GMB245
Division Leader	3” Round	GMB605

I hope some of you found this helpful.

RAF - Daily Log

I have been playing RAF by Decision Games of late and pretty much have the rules down now. I am using all the optional and advanced rules and have started to play the entire campaign as the British player (Lion). I thought I might log each raid day down with the number of raids and their effect. While I would have liked to have the squadron and gruppe names/number that is just too much detail for me to right down with my poor eyesight!

Below are the definitions of each of the abbreviations I use. I may take pics of the counters so you can see the stats as well. I might even add in a few pics of the game play, but honestly just a stack of cardboard does not make for very interesting pictures.

British Fighters	German Fighters	German Bombers
Sp = Spitfire Hu = Hurricane Bl = Blenheim	Me = ME-109 Bf = BF-110 CP = Coastal Patrol	He = He-111 Ju = Ju-88	Do = Do-17 St = Ju-87 ‘Stuka’

I have finished two raid days and below is the first raid day results. I think this is the outline I’ll use for each day but open to suggestions if you think more information would be useful. I may fudge the time of the raids by 15 minutes give or take just so it does seem like "perfect" hour timing each day.

 

Raid Day One (-3VP)
August 11th		Luftflotte 2 has Clear Skies					Luftflotte 3 has Clear Skies
0800hrs	Major raid on Biggins Hill Airfield
Interceptors				Fighters		Escorts			Bombers
3Sp/1Hu				4Me(CP)		1Bf			1Ju/2St
Interception Dogfight sees German fighters driven off, with light losses to a gruppe of 109’s.										+1VP
Over Target Several dozen Spitfires get through the fighters and escorts and inflict heavy losses on the German bombers.										+7VP
Raid Assessment No bombing damage.										+0VP
1200hrs			Minor raid on the Radar Net at Worth
Interceptors				Fighters		Escorts			Bombers
1Sp/3Hu				1Me		1Bf			1Ju
Interception Several Hurricane squadrons bypass the German fighter group to engage the bombers. The remaining fighters cause few losses to either side.										+0VP
Over Target The British fighters easily slip past the escorts and inflict heavy damage on the JU-88’s before they can reach their target.										+2VP
Raid Assessment No bombing.										+0VP
1400hrs			Fighter Sweep over Tangmere Airfield
Interceptors				Fighters		Escorts			Bombers
1Sp/1Bl				5Me		-			-
Interception A couple of Squadrons engaged the small horde of ME-109’s suffering light losses.										-1VP
Over Target With so many 109’s a couple dozen of them pressed onto the Airfield.										+0VP
Raid Assessment A couple dozen ME-109’s strafed the airfield destroying a few planes on the Ground.										-1VP
1800hrs			Major raid over the Airfield at Hornchurch
Interceptors				Fighters		Escorts			Bombers
3Sp/5Hu/2Bl				4Me(CP)		1Bf			2Do/1Ju
Interception While the bulk of the Spitfires and Hurricanes intercepted the ME-109’s, both Blenheim Squadrons and A hurricane Squadron broke off and headed directly to the bombers. The swirling dogfight saw several light losses on the spits and ME-109’s										-2VP/+1VP
Over Target One of the Hurricane squadrons raced towards the bombers joining the other three as they engaged the bombers and close escorts over the airfield. The machine gun fire from the bombers and escorts was highly accurate, with all four British squadrons suffering losses! Though they were able to inflict losses on two of the bomber gruppen.										-4VP/+2VP
Raid Assessment Several of the bombers were able to drop their bombs and inflicted some damage on the airfield, and destroying a few planes on the ground.										-1VP
1800hrs			Major raid over Biggin airfield
Interceptors				Fighters		Escorts			Bombers
1S/2H				4ME(CP)		4Bf			3He/2Do
Interception The three squadrons fight through thru the German fighter cover losing several planes before they get to the large formation of bombers and escorts.										-1VP
Over Target Flak from the Airfield scatters a couple of the gruppe, before a reduced squadron of Hurricane dives upon them. Both sides suffer light losses from air combat and flak, but many of the bombers are untouched as they release their load of bombs.										+1VP/-1VP
Raid Assessment The German bombers were very accurate and caused extensive damage to the airfield, its facilities and planes on the ground. Light Damage to Airfield.										-3VP
1800hrs			Follow up raid on the Biggin airfield
Interceptors				Fighters		Escorts			Bombers
-				-		3Bf			2He
Interception Air command had no squadrons to respond with.										-1VP
Over Target Radio confusion amongst the German bombers saw one on the Heinkel Gruppe not form up and return to base.										-
Raid Assessment Several of the bombers were able to drop their bombs and inflicted some damage on the airfield, as well as destroying a few planes on the ground.										-2VP
1800hrs			False raid on London
Interceptors				Fighters		Escorts			Bombers
-				-		-			-
Raid Assessment Reports of German planes heading towards London turned out to be false.										-
2400hrs			Night Raids
Interceptors					LF2			LF3
2Bl					2He			1He
Interception None										-
Raid Assessment Bombing was ineffectual.										-0VP