Future-proofing My Miniatures: removable magnetic bases that fit any size

I spend my free time fretting about base sizes.

My current project, The Purple Reign of Pain, fields a Chaos Dwarf army in Warhammer Fantasy, Age of Sigmar, 40k and their skirmish spin-offs. To do this, I need my models to fit multiple base sizes: 20mm, 25mm and 32mm, in both square and circular shapes.

I’ve written before about rebasing from round to square using movement trays. While effective for models that are already based, we can do one better. The method below allows you to rebase a single model across multiple shapes and sizes with minimal fuss.

The secret? Magnets.

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Predrilled wooden bases

I use predrilled plywood bases from warbases.co.uk. This is a wonderful small business that offers every base and movement tray under the sun. In this case, I’ve bought 20mm square and 25mm round, each with 5mm magnet holes.

A 5mm hole requires a 5mm magnet. These ones are an exact match: they fit snugly into the base, all the more so with a drop of superglue. At 3mm high they also serve as a means of magnetising your minis to movement trays.

The model

Miniatures have wildly different stances and poses; it’s unreasonable to put magnets directly beneath the model’s feet.

Instead, I superglue the model to a ~20mm chunk of cork. Under this cork I drill a hole. Then, you guessed it, I superglue another 5mm magnet.

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The result? An interchangeable set of miniature bases for different wargames. Easy to do, cheap to arrange, and guaranteed compatibility for future editions. Whether you’re into Oathmark, War Cry or prepping your troops for Warhammer The Old World, you’ve got all the…bases…covered!