All About That Base – A review of S&S Models Urban Bases

“Faces, Bases, Something, Something” as the old saying goes. A decent base can really bring a painted model (or models) and so pre-built scenic bases can be a useful tool in a tabletop gamers arsenal.

Shaun over at S&S Models was kind enough to send over some samples of their new 15mm optimised bases so let’s take a look at them.

The Bases

S&S sell two styles of base:

• Urban Roadway bases without figure holes
• Urban bases with figure holes

Both types of base are available in the small, medium, large configuration we know so well, and a narrower “large” rectangle and small and medium “square” style for other games. The “Flames of War” sized bases seem to match their plastic equivalents in width and length quite nicely. The figure base holes are somewhat smaller in diameter, yet deeper, than the holes on the BF bases, so some trimming of figure bases may be needed; but I occasionally have to do that with battlefront metal models on their own bases!

The “Urban” bases tend to be thicker than the “roadway” bases, presumably to allow for the depth to accommodate the figure’s own bases. I found them quite chunky and some may be put off by that.

The detail of the cobbles on both styles was quite good, though a touch more relief on the gap between cobbles would have been nice when it came to paint them; the wash struggled to bring out the gap on some parts. The bases with rubble on them have the rubble very well realised and it made it easy to pick out these areas on the painting. I really liked the rebar and floor parts on one of the bases too.

The only minor issue was that some bases seemed to really suffer with bubbling, with the edges of bricks and cobbles sometimes missing edges. Thankfully the nature of the bases worked to hide the impact of that.

I gave the bases a simple grey cobble paint job, and they certainly look the part once painted.

Value for Money

The bases come in packs of 5 for £12 each. The packs are random assortments but Shaun did confirm that contacting S&S and asking for specific bases could be accommodated.

The price tag is a little steep compared to the BF plastic urban bases which are £17 for 28. However, that pack does not have any large bases so the S&S Models could be very useful as a source of large bases for the artillery teams for such an army.

I also struggle with meshing the figures own sub-bases with the scenic plastic bases. Cobbles and rubble end in a little circle around the figure, or attempts to blend them in with “rubble” overwhelm the detail! Trimming the bases back and “pinning” the figures to the flat S&S “roadway” bases seems a far more pleasing way of doing it, if a lot harder work.

Conclusion

The S&S Models Urban Bases are a useful addition to any Flames of War player’s tool kit, providing a useful bolster to the existing plastic urban bases with large bases, an entire range of recessed bases in their own right, or non-recessed bases for those who don’t mind the hardwork.