I’ve always wanted a nice command base for Napoleon and his staff using 18mm miniatures. I had the painted AB figures, thanks to Old Guard Painters, but I lacked the right size base. Fortunately, my wife bought a can of peanuts from the Lion’s Club, and the lid was just the right size!
Photo 1 shows the lid, which is about 4.5 inches in diameter. The metal is attracted to magnets, which is helpful, and the rolled rim is study enough to resist warping. When flipped over, the edge of the lid has a nice bevel making a slightly raised base. This will be quite a large command stand on the wargame table, but it will look good, and it won’t be moved around much. Also, the figures will be attached with magnets, so they can be removed and used with smaller command bases.
Photo 2 shows the underside of the lid, sprayed with flat green paint. Although the base will be covered by acrylic paste, undercoating the lid with paint will help hide any future nicks, and it also will give the paste a rougher surface to grip onto. On the base are the figures that will be attached. I usually base individual command figures on 3/4″ X 1″ metal bases so they can stand up when used alone, or be stuck to larger bases using magnets. I played around with different groupings of figures to find a combination that I liked.
Photo 3 shows General Nansouty attached with a magnet to a larger round base (this is an Old Glory figure painted by me over 20 years ago). This photo shows the general concept for the larger base under construction.
Photo 4 shows the materials I used. Magnetic tape, acrylic paste, acrylic artist’s paint (burnt umber), acrylic hobby paint, matte medium, and blended flock.
To make the base, I marked the positions of the figures with a pencil, then set the figures aside Cut strips of magnetic tape to fit under the individual figure bases (in my case I used two strips side-by-side, aligning the two strips so they didn’t repel each other). Stuck the magnet tape to the base where marked with the pencil. The tape wants to curl up, so I used some small dots of super glue to help hold the strips down, then put the figure bases on top to keep the magnetic tape flat while the glue dried. Once the tape was firmly fixed to the base, set aside the figures again. Mixed some acrylic paint into the acrylic paste — it does not require much brown paint to get a medium brown color. Applied the colored paste to the base using an old brush, trying to keep it off the magnets. The paste does not have to be very thick — only as thick as the magnets. Wet the brush and smoothed out the surface — the paste as applied is about the consistency of cake frosting. Wiped off any paste that got on the magnet squares, using a small piece of wet paper towel and wiping from the center of each magnet square toward the edges. I then pressed some small stones into the paste while it was still wet, putting a few stones on opposite edges to make it easier to pick up the finished base. Finally, I let it all dry for a day.
Photo 5 shows the dried base at the end of all of the above steps.
Photo 6 shows a close up of a small problem with the acrylic paste — it shrank a bit as it dried, and you can see the creases left around the rim, and how the paste does not come up to the top of the magnets. The base needs some more paste!
Photo 7 shows the small amount of paint in relation to the amount of paste. My first batch came out a little dark, so I tried to lighten it up with this second coat.
Photo 8 shows the resulting color.
Photo 9 shows the contrast with the original color.
Photo 10 shows the paste applied before it is smoothed out. Lots of sharp peaks and valleys.
Photo 11 shows the paste smoothed out, the magnet strips cleaned off, and some more stones pressed in.
Photo 12 shows the base after it dried. The second coat of paste shrank a little, but it is okay — any imperfections will be covered with flock. The paste also dried quite a bit darker in color, but it will be painted, so that is okay too.
Photo 13 shows the base lightly painted with shades of beige and khaki hobby paint, with the stones dry brushed with some cream color.
Photo 14 shows the base after flock was applied with matte medium. I left a little bare earth and the stones showing.
Photos show the completed base with the figures on it. Vive L’Empereur!
- TJ