SCALE

I am asked if there is a scale I use and is it the same for all armies. In short the scale is the same for all armies. When I first started (as stated in a previous post) I started trying to build an army for Arbela, one of the largest battles. I decided that 1 figure would be 20 men! That proved impossible so after a time I found some rules for miniatures such as DBM and such like. So what I do is this. I use 1/72 (20mm) scale as much as possible. Some manufactures make their figures in a range for example, Zvezda are too big. Never the less this is what I stick to. Each base or element is 60mm wide and depended what they are depicting are wither, 20, 30, 40 or 80 mm deep. A phalanx unit is 4 figures on a 60mm wide base 20mm deep. This means the figures are close together reflecting the density of these forces. Some medium infantry are on a 30 mm deep base whilst all cavalry and camelry are on a 40 mm deep base.

This army is an ancient Sumerian Army. Not all figures are painted by myself some I bought. It shows a range of base sizes. At the bottom there are bases with 3 figures which would be graded as Medium foot (MF). Above them are the front are 4 figures closely put together on a 20mm base which are heavy infantry (HF). To the left on the lighter grass are 30 mm bases with only 2 figures these are skirmishing troops, javelinmen, slingers, archers and so on. Then at the back centre are chariots which are on an 80mm base. No matter how deep all bases are 60mm wide. 

I changed to Field of Glory (FoG) rules and no major basing changes were needed. The bottom line is each base is 250 men. So I try and equip my armies in lots of 1,000 (ie 4 bases for a unit as a minimum an try to round off to a thousand) If any army list says 6 elements I normally take it up to the next round figure. 6 bases =1,500 so I take it to 2,000 (there 8 bases).

So from memory here is how I base (all bases 60 mm wide)

Light Infantry  (LF) 30mm deep , 2  figures

Medium Infantry (MF) 30 mm deep , 3 figures

Heavy Infantry (HF) 20 mm deep, 4 figures

Light Cavalry 40mm deep, 2 figures on horse

Cavalry 40 mm deep, 3 figures on horse

Cataphract 40mm deep, 3 figures (you can have 4 but I am trying to save money!)

Artillery 80mm deep, model of bolt shooter and crew

Bagage train, 80mm deep, model of something unique to unit (see picture of 'Monkey' on earlier post)

This picture is centred on a battlegroup of Indian Bowmen (this BG is 8 elements with each element at 250 men means there are 2,000 Indian Bowmen, I write underneath their armour rating, if they are drilled or undrilled, poor to elite and so on.