Modern/SciFi urban/industrial base scatter suggestions

[lawnor 25920xp 0]

Fantasy basing is easy.  Throw down some sand, a small rock and a tuft and you’re done.  Simples.  Sci Fi is harder.  Once your base is set in a city or a building or something you can no longer easily justify a random rock or tuft.  We need other things.  This helps me understand the GW skull obsession.

I’m currently backing the Warcaster KS for the Aeternus Continuum and I’m planning my hobby ahead because that’s more fun than actually doing my job.  I’m thinking I’ll paint them following the Angel Giraldez guide for Combined Army, and base them with a GSW roller, probably Mesh.  I suspect the bases will still want one more element to make them pop, ideally something 3D.  Skulls don’t seem right.  I could put rubble bricks down, but that doesn’t feel right either.  I can print newspapers and litter etc, but that’s 2D.  I want something “On” the base rather than something “in” or “of” the base.  Does that make sense?  I could mock up some cables, possibly using real wires or string, but that gets boring and repetitive fast.  I could add some pipes made from old straws or chupa chup lolly sticks.

So what suggestions do people have for modern and sci-fi urban / industrial base scatter / decorations (25mm-50mm with a model already on them), ideally that can be made with stuff found around the house, or cheaply and easily acquired?  I do not have access to a 3D printer or I might be looking in to printing transformers and power packs etc

[seldon9 12954xp 1]

Wires are an easy add. Can look either like thick cables or piping. You can also use the GSW base rollers to make a couple of layers and cut one up to add a bit of height.

I think Midwinter minis and Miniac made videos about this topic but I’m afraid I ‘m a bit pressed for time to check.

I kind of think less is more with sci fi bases. They don’t need so much clutter as natural looking bases. GSW roller alone may well be enough IMHO.

[sundancer 42608xp 1]

You covered most bases (pun not intended) already. Maybe use some small nuts and bolts for “industrial sized nuts and bolts”. Cogs and wheels from wind up toys.  Some steel reinforced concrete parts made from plaster and small cables/wires

[khusrauParticipant 1158xp 2]

If you can get hold of an old circuit board the various transistors etc are great for sci-fi bases..

[blinky465 17024xp 2]

Guitar strings look great (especially the lower/bass strings).

I’ve a bit of resin left in my tank and I’m about to change over to a new type so drop me a DM with your postal address and I can print some of these https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3928997 or these https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3964851 if you like? (I don’t know how many I’ll get before the resin is all used up, but should get a few…)

[lawnor 25920xp 1]

@seldon9 I hadn’t thought about layering GSW roller made bases.  Interesting idea.  I’ll look for those videos at the weekend when I have time

@sundancer I do have a pot of spare screws and nuts etc leftover from many PCs.  I always feel they are too large, but perhaps its worth trying one on the base of a larger model some time.  Not sure where to get smaller yet recognisable ones.  As for toy parts, I don’t yet have a source of broken toys and the 3 year old who would be providing me with some soon has just gained a baby sister so now his toys have to survive a second tour of duty.  Again, I fear these parts will be too big, but I know other people make them work.

@khusrau I have a selection of old network cards etc I could salvage.  I’ve seen people do this and make cool bases.  However when I look at them all I see is chips and leds.  Perhaps I need to watch a bunch of youtube videos doing this to tweak my brain around to the right way of thinking?

@blinky465 That’s super cool of you to offer.  They do look great.  Its a Privateer Press game though, so it’s strict with its bases.  Its all 30, 40 and 50mm round lipped bases and they have to stay that way.  Base inserts designed with that in mind are fine, but the lip and size must be preserved. (Dunno if you are familiar with warmachine at all?)  If it’s no hassle to rescale with that in mind then I’d be grateful.  I think the models in my current KS bundle will want inserts for  1x 50mm, 1x40mm,  and 7x 30mm bases.  Extras would allow for future proofing.  I dunno what else will get added to the KS.  If it’s a pain to tweak or the maths becomes awkward I’m happy to stick with the rollers and craft some extras.  I’ll happily cover your costs and postage.It’s been a while since I’ve had an opportunity to work of new bases.  Everything recently has come pre-built on to an empty base and that limits creativity.

[blinky465 17024xp 1]

I’m pretty sure some quick hacking with Blender’s boolean tools could turn those bases into drop-in base “toppers” for any sized recess? I’m not familiar with WarMachine but if you send the internal diameter of the base recess, I’ll see what I can do.

[lawnor 25920xp 0]

I’ve just been googling and the rims apparently shave 10mm off the available space, so a 30mm base wants a 20mm insert, a 40 wants a 30 and a 50 wants a 40.  When I get home late tonight I’ll confirm this but unfortunately I do not keep a supply at the office.  This feels right though.  I’m pretty sure I’ve had them stacked inside each other before but I’m not sure on the wiggle room.  I think I even have a set of calipers in a draw somewhere.

[seldon9 12954xp 1]

Coming back to sundancer’s point about screw and nuts, GSW make molds for bullets and rivets. They have a variety of sizes. Couldn’t find them in the OTT store so I’ll link to theirs directly. Your google fu is likely better than mine.

http://www.greenstuffworld.com/en/inicio/541-silicone-molds-rivets.html
http://www.greenstuffworld.com/en/inicio/581-rubber-molds-bullets-bullet-shells.html

I own and have used both. The bullets can be a little tricky since it’s not easy to see if you’ve pressed your material all the way in. But you can make enough in one go to accept a few duds. I use the rivets on terrain rather than bases but there may be something that works for you.

[lawnor 25920xp 0]

@seldon9 I’d seen they did some pre-cast missiles and thought that was too big and inappropriate but I hadn’t considered this.  Its a little more universal too.  I seem to recall them being demonstrated in a pre- Gerry Can video some time.  I might have to hunt that down.  What material do you use in those moulds?

[seldon9 12954xp 1]

I used milliput.

[stubbybrushParticipant 923xp 2]

I use these people, as they do all sorts of greebles for building etc…….

https://www.zinge.co.uk/collections/new-up-coming-products

[lawnor 25920xp 0]

@stubbybrush I’ve not heard of them before.  They do have some interesting bits.  I’ll have to give that site a thorough going through later.

[ceppieParticipant 1973xp 1]

I pick up old wind-up watches at garage sales and use the guts from them in places. Bendy straws make great pipes. I like the GSW rollers as well. Air dry DAS is far cheaper than Milliput, and good for making crates, barrels, etc.

[khusrauParticipant 1158xp 1]

Just be aware that the air dry DAS will shrink slightly when drying. This can cause cracking or similar.

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