General thoughts - Numbers of figures on a base in 28mm

Hi to all,

I know this is a very subjective topic and the reasoning for numbers etc. are determined by many factors - finances, availability of figures etc.

However...

Lets assume figures are in abundance and not an issue.

How many figures do fellow iMPETUS gamers use to represent their units on te table?

For exampole I like teh idea of using 12 Legionairres on a base of FP but how many Auxilia should I use?

T ARCHERS to support Late Romans - 12 as well or a lesser nymber.

Any help, advice and pictures appreciated.

Cheers and thanks in advance

Carlo (who is getting a ltlle excited about his basing this weekend!!!)

All I can say is don't cheap out. The mass of figures on a base makes the extra painting worth it. I usually put 16 figures for pike, 12-14 for other FP, 12 or so for T troops and 10-12 for FL with S getting 4. With cavalry I usually put 6-8 for CP, 6 for CM and 3-4 for CL.

You can see examples in my Magnesia game at Cold Wars in 2013. The dense pike block looks especially impressive to my eyes.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/41830992@N05/sets/72157632999304502/

With CL I tend to have three figures for 3/1, four figures for 4/1 and if they're 3/0 I'll have two figures. It makes it easy to spot

Jim

I've based my 28s in a compromise of looking fairly full / identifying types / being lazy as follows:

FP: 8 figs (double 1st base for Pikes to make them look a bit more impressive)
T & FL : 6 figs
S: 3 figs
CP: 6 figs
CM: 5 figs
CL: 3 figs
Chariots: 1 + a couple of men running alongside

As I hate painting it seems to work okay

Cheers

For FP, with regulars I tend to do about 10, FL 8, but with irregulars I vary the numbers a bit.

A lot of my 15mm are actually DBx bases on Sabot bases, so the heavy infantry can have 16 figures on an Impetus base, and they do look solid

Jim

Most of my armies have been rebased from earlier DBx bases, so I have tended to go for the higher numbers on the base. Although I have taken the opportunity to reduce the numbers a bit as DBx often required the figures to be squashed in. So a typical FP base will be 12, 14 or even 16 figures. To save figures in large units, for the second base (or third in a pike phalanx) I use half the number of the front base in a single rank + extra officer / herald / musicians to represent the supernumaries in the rear of the formation.

For my old "mini-fig" armies (the early true 25mm figures!) I place 4 figures on an S base. The more modern 28/30mm figures look best with 3 figures to an S base.

The beauty of the Impetus rules is that you have the space to be creative on the bases.

TD

I use 12 - 16 for FP depending on figure size and weaponry. 8 - 10 for FL and T and about 4 for S.
I use a little less figures for Cavalry so I can use the depth of the base for a more dynamic representation.
CP is usually 6 - 8, CM 4 - 5 and CL 3.
Not sure about elephants and chariots so far. 2 of them make the base a little to cramped, one of them makes it look too empty :shrug:

I moved this topic to the General Discussion forum. I think it fits in better there.

Agreed, don't be stingy with figs.   The base sizes makes it a good way to fit figs on a base without the spears, tails, wheels, etc hanging out the front or back and make great little dioramas.   It looks good with FP as a tight formation, FL a few less figs and S as even less but spread out over the base. CP as close formation, CM tight but with less figs and CL spread over the base. All personal preference though.


Dennis

S 4
FL 8
T 10
FP 12
CL 4
CM 5
CP 6
EL CH ART 2
..... I also drop a figure here and there sometimes to make it a little less uniformed.

I am new to Impetus, and only have the Basic Rules (Which are, of course, not with me right now). I recall a 12cm frontage for 28mm and no fixed depth. The entries after that "Heavy Infantry" 4-6cm: Does this refer to the depth? I assume so but want to verify

Yes it is - for 28mm all frontage is 12cm, depth varies according to troop type.

Frontage for all 28mm units is 12cm.
Depth is then:
Cavalry (mounted) - 8cm
Heavy Infantry (FP) - 4 or 6cm
Light Inf / Missile Troops (FL & T) - 6cm
Skirmishers (S) - 3 or 4cm
Chariots, Arty, Elephants - 6 or 8cm
Wagonberg - 16cm or larger as required.

Cheers,

Dennis

Thanks all!  So I have a question.  I use Warlord plastic figures on 25mm slotta bases (IIRC).  Five figures wide would be 12.5cm.  Would it be a problem to stretch the formation to 12.5 or 13cm?  (I would have to accommodate the edges of the movement tray.)

Alternatively, I could build 12cm wide and have a four figure frontage, with a little space left.

Nobody else in my area plays Impetus, so I am trying to get some interest going.  Since re-basing is a pain, I am trying to think of easiest case scenarios.   Apologies for the rambling thought process.

I see no problem a all. As long as both armies use the same Basewith no problem should arise and if you play against people with "correct" base sizes there should be only few situations where some problems could arise but nothing you couldn't solve with a bid of common sense and goodwill.
On the other extreme I once played a game of Saga with figures based for Impetus

Easiest option would be to use a 4 figure frontage and have the base size correct.   Saves any dramas and is easier to adapt.   There are correct size bases available to suit (I make my own bases out of MDF to suit 15mm and 25mm figs).

Cheers,

Dennis

Thank you Dennis Maximus - that is what I had decided also.

Glad to help .

Dennis