Clearly the size of the base you want depends on how much disposable income you have, and whether you plan on lugging such a huge model around with you, or use it at home only. The most versitile option being the 1/8th of scale, requireing less material, less painting time, less production and purchase cost, while also being fairly transportable and still big enough to represent the thing on the table.
Your preferred size for a Star Base miniature?
- Thread starter JohnDW
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I went with 7" because I think that's about the size of the one I have by Ravenstar studios. It's also the same size as the BATS we used in this battle report. http://www.goingaming.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-assault-on-bats-13.html
The only difference is that the Starbase version has a ring linking the 3 arms and extra spokes.
The only difference is that the Starbase version has a ring linking the 3 arms and extra spokes.
How was the resin casting quality? Lots of bubbles/massive prep time?Well, if you look at the pictures (I don't recall if there's any real closeups) you can see for yourself. I'll tell you that what you see there is about 5 min of prep, and about 10 min of attaching the few pieces that are separate, followed immediately by painting.
In a nutshell...Ravenstar makes beautiful casts. I have several of his minis, and the only places I recall having any cleaning was around non detail edges (you know the "flat" part of a resin 2 pc cast). I'd highly recommend him. And...he's having a 30% off sale this weekend IIRC. I know you are also on SCN, Bill. Look in the news section there for details.
In a nutshell...Ravenstar makes beautiful casts. I have several of his minis, and the only places I recall having any cleaning was around non detail edges (you know the "flat" part of a resin 2 pc cast). I'd highly recommend him. And...he's having a 30% off sale this weekend IIRC. I know you are also on SCN, Bill. Look in the news section there for details.
billclo said:
Unless you're pitching ideas to the makers of Attack Wing*, perhaps you mean a Star Fleet starbase instead...
*Actually, I recall some news about WizKids doing a special Deep Space 9 figure; but I don't know if it was (or is or will be) a regular release, or used as a promotion piece only. But whether or not ADB and Mongoose would have the same kind of leeway as WizKids do to match whatever that kind of miniature ended up costing is quite another matter.
Its going to be out of sync so I'd prefer to keep it under 3" diameter. I know that doesnt fit with the vessels, so I'd go for 1/10 scale and put it about 2.8" as a maximum size.
I'd suggest a fixed size for all bases actually - and just differentiate them by modules and shape.
Since they scale is going to have to be out compared to the ships then make the base item designed for playabilty - in scale more with the planets and scenery and with a higher pin to let ships get close to them without clunking them about the table.
I'd suggest a fixed size for all bases actually - and just differentiate them by modules and shape.
Since they scale is going to have to be out compared to the ships then make the base item designed for playabilty - in scale more with the planets and scenery and with a higher pin to let ships get close to them without clunking them about the table.
Interesting. Planets are way out of scale too, obviously. 
I can see your point though, but a 2.8" base doesn't have the visual appeal of a larger one. But yes, putting a 6"+ base next to a planet is going to look weird, unless you make the planet much larger than the base. Which will do weird things to the game scale.
That would be one of the times I might consider changing the game scale and increasing ranges and movement by 50% (ie, ships move 18", phaser-1 has a range of 27", etc), to help with the wonky base vs planet scale plus it should help reduce the parking lot effect you see in larger games. But of course you need a larger table and map for that...
I can see your point though, but a 2.8" base doesn't have the visual appeal of a larger one. But yes, putting a 6"+ base next to a planet is going to look weird, unless you make the planet much larger than the base. Which will do weird things to the game scale.
That would be one of the times I might consider changing the game scale and increasing ranges and movement by 50% (ie, ships move 18", phaser-1 has a range of 27", etc), to help with the wonky base vs planet scale plus it should help reduce the parking lot effect you see in larger games. But of course you need a larger table and map for that...
Oh yes planets being out of scale with the miniatures is really a big part of the issue here.
I know the base is a static ship and all but being put on the table at game start and not moving, it feels more like a terrain piece for me than a ship. So it is terrain that I would want to visually balance bases against.
I know the base is a static ship and all but being put on the table at game start and not moving, it feels more like a terrain piece for me than a ship. So it is terrain that I would want to visually balance bases against.
I was curious how a 1/2 scale and 1/4 scale base would look alongside a Fed CA, so I scrounged up some household items and took some pictures.
14" Base (1/2 scale), using 9" foam plates, and 2 1/2" foam balls (too large but close):
7" base (1/4 scale), using a substitute body and 1.75" foam balls:
Personally, I think the 14" base looks about right. I always thought the Star Base was excessively large for the number of system boxes on the Star Base SSD. But there's one pesky thing: According to canon (via the Star Trek Technical Manual), a CA is supposed to be able to dock inside one of those round pods.
I suspect that it would not be acceptable to change the design to better accommodate the miniatures. But if it were my own miniature, I could almost see making those circular pods cylinders 4" long, such that they stick out of the center hub like spokes on a bike. They then would be long enough to put a cruiser inside and service/repair it while it's enclosed. (shirtsleeves environment is easier on the service/repair crews than having to be in spacesuits).
Certainly I could see other Empires having different variations on the basic theme, allowing one to kitbash different style Star Bases. I doubt that it would be a viable project, making Empire-specific Star Bases with different construction styles...unless one was a skilled kitbasher with lots of time on his hands. Which I am not skilled enough.
14" Base (1/2 scale), using 9" foam plates, and 2 1/2" foam balls (too large but close):
7" base (1/4 scale), using a substitute body and 1.75" foam balls:
Personally, I think the 14" base looks about right. I always thought the Star Base was excessively large for the number of system boxes on the Star Base SSD. But there's one pesky thing: According to canon (via the Star Trek Technical Manual), a CA is supposed to be able to dock inside one of those round pods.
I suspect that it would not be acceptable to change the design to better accommodate the miniatures. But if it were my own miniature, I could almost see making those circular pods cylinders 4" long, such that they stick out of the center hub like spokes on a bike. They then would be long enough to put a cruiser inside and service/repair it while it's enclosed. (shirtsleeves environment is easier on the service/repair crews than having to be in spacesuits).
Certainly I could see other Empires having different variations on the basic theme, allowing one to kitbash different style Star Bases. I doubt that it would be a viable project, making Empire-specific Star Bases with different construction styles...unless one was a skilled kitbasher with lots of time on his hands. Which I am not skilled enough.
