Problems with slotted bases and 1 contact point Tyranids

[Hive Bahamut]

So I have been slowly trying to get the ball rolling on finishing my hordes. As I really despise painting them, and I hate the piss poor stances that break every time you touch the model. Genestealers and Hormagaunts or "converted into Devogants" being the worst offenders.

Do you guys have any methods for stabilizing the model itself? I have weighted many of them and it is only the tip of the iceberg. The slot gets in the way, but in cutting it you leave even LESS surface area to adhere too, if that's possible. I was contemplating looking into pinning some of the buggers but that's a huge time sink for puds.

[zookie]

One thing I have seen (and I am going to do myself when I am done painting) is to get 1 inch washers and glue it flat to the bottom. It is not perfect but it works well enough. Another method I have seen is to take plaster (or clay that dries hard) and fill the bottom of the base. When it dries seal it and it will add a little weight for support.

[forteh]

If it's purely for model stability, just glue a large diameter washer underneath the base, I've used 2 pence pieces underneath hormagaunts ever since they were introduced in 2nd ed.

If it's repairing broken single contact point models then not a lot works short of pinning the broken limb and copious amounts of cyanoacrylate

[Epiales]

I saw a painting blog somewhere (think it might be buried somewhere on this site) where the guy glued magnets onto the bottom of the base. This could work as well (and provided a nice way to stick your models to something while painting etc), but just be sure you counter balance the weight. I've done it on a few of my hormies and it works well.

[commandersasha]

Unless your gaming board has screws holding it together... Gaunts moving on their own!

[gloomfang]

I handle mine with basing. I make a bunch of rocks when I have left over green stuff and place them on the base as a counter balance.

[coredump]

Why not just use real rocks...??

[infornography]

I have base weights. Little lead weights shaped to fill in the bottom of slotted bases. I got them off of ebay years ago, but they definitely do the trick. Others I know of have used pennies. Just cut them to fit and glue them in. I think that is technically illegal but nobody cares.

[guns]

Dec 18, 2013 7:50:07 GMT infornography said:

I have base weights. Little lead weights shaped to fill in the bottom of slotted bases. I got them off of ebay years ago, but they definitely do the trick. Others I know of have used pennies. Just cut them to fit and glue them in. I think that is technically illegal but nobody cares.

These work well. If you're cheap you can also make your own, by buying some lead fishing weights, pounding them semi-flat with a hammer, and then gluing them to the underside of bases.

Most fishing weights consist of two bisected hemispheres of lead, so if you clip them at the middle, then pound each separated hemisphere, you will get a rough circular shape that is really easy to clip in half and fit into the semi-circles underneath a slotted base.

[yoritomo]

Save yourself some time and just buy lead shot. It's just as heavy as the fishing weights but small enough to literally pour into the base. You should be able to get it at any good gun store or place that sells reloading supplies. Five pounds of any birdshot should be more than enough for the rest of your gaming days.

[gloomfang]

Dec 18, 2013 7:08:36 GMT coredump said:

Why not just use real rocks...??

Not all of us live in places where rocks are easy to find. When I lived in Boston proper it was pretty hard to find ones that were the right size and I wasn't going to spend the money to get gravel.

[stoiss]

I picked up a bunch of used gaunts cheaply, most of them snapped at that tiny stupid contact point.

I ended up drilling/gluing a round nail through the base and into the torso of the critter.



It kind of looks like they are leaping and it's pretty stable too.

[gman25639]

those hormies look amazing! I think I'l ltry that with my nerxt brood, or maybe use flying stems...

[infornography]

Dec 18, 2013 22:05:10 GMT stoiss said:

I picked up a bunch of used gaunts cheaply, most of them snapped at that tiny stupid contact point.

I ended up drilling/gluing a round nail through the base and into the torso of the critter.



It kind of looks like they are leaping and it's pretty stable too.

I love the effect there! If I end up getting more hormies in the future that is absolutely how I will mount them.

[omnipotence]

Dec 18, 2013 22:05:10 GMT stoiss said:

I picked up a bunch of used gaunts cheaply, most of them snapped at that tiny stupid contact point.

I ended up drilling/gluing a round nail through the base and into the torso of the critter.

It kind of looks like they are leaping and it's pretty stable too.

You... are brilliant.