Three quite different reasons have prompted these comments on basing wargaming figures: I. the introduction of the "element" concept into the basing of stands of figures by WRG's War Games Rules' 3000 BC to 1485 AD, 7th edition, which caused me to consider the realities of rebasing my various armies; 2. my own desire to have easily identifiable generals and single stands that do not easily tip over, and 3. Mike Pavkovic's (a fellow member of the North American Society of Ancient and Medieval Wargamers) suggestion that I communicate some of my basing practices to other ancients wargamers. Before proceeding further, a few words need to be said about terminology. Prior to the introduction of the "element" concept in 7th edition, stands of miniatures in a single rank varied from one to usually four figures per stand. The word "stand" did not denote a standard-sized group of figures on a base. As a result of this, wargamers thought in terms of figures and not in terms of stands or bases. A general's stand usually had only one or two figures, while stands of troops were based for convenience of handling and subtraction of casualties. With 7th edition, each figure scale (25mm, 15mm and 6mm) has a standard frontage, which is the same length, regardless of the troop type and the number of figures on the stand, or as it is called in 7th edition, "element". Beside the ubiquitous stands, or elements, of privates that make up a unit, rules-writers have urged, with limited success, wargamers to supply each unit with a command stand, which has an officer at the very least. Although having no function beyond improving the visual appearance of a unit, all units in 7th edition are required to have a command element that is "easily identifiable". In addition to the command-element requirement, 7th edition introduces the concept of the "staff element", which includes a general and the number of other figures of the proper troop type to fill out the element. This means that a staff element may have as few as two figures (light cavalry or light infantry) or as many as four figures (super heavy cavalry, heavy or medium infantry, or regular light, heavy or medium infantry). Gone are the one- or two-figure general's stands! Although I shall use the word "element" rather than "stand", I am in no way endorsing WRG's 7th edition over any other wargaming rules. I propose to discuss in the following order: command elements, staff elements, and special single- and multiple-figure stands. COMMAND ELEMENTS Whenever possible the use of a standard-bearer in a unit's command element makes that element easily identifiable, as well as in the case of the standard being a flag, providing the unit with a color identification. To enhance the command element's appearance it should also have at least an officer, who wears armor similar to or slightly heavier than that of the unit's basic troop type. In the case of armies that did not make use of standards, the command element should have an officer whose pose is different from the other figures in the element. Regarding lighter armed units who are not in close order, the use of a standard probably did not occur in most armies. For such units, the command element should have an officer with a shield, which in the case of shieldless units can be used to provide the unit with an identification color. Elephant and chariot command elements require special treatment. in armies in which these two combat types carried standards, put a standard in the howdah or chariot, if you so desire or can, given the availability of standards for the army. Another way to signify elephant and chariot command elements is to place an unpaid-for infantry figure toward the rear of the element's base. in armies that include elephant or chariot runners, this troop type should be used; in armies without runners, use either one of the troop types carried by the elephant or chariot or one of the lighter troop types employed in the army. Because the unpaid-for figures do not fight, at the start of a battle the player employing this kind of command element identification should announce the existance of any such unpaid-for figures to his opponent. STAFF ELEMENTS A staff element is one that includes a general, who must be represented by an officer figure, and the number of figures necessary to fill out required figures for the element's troop type. in the situation where a staff element is permanently attached to a unit so that the unit need not have its own command element, because this role is filled by the staff element, the player may simply designate the unit's usual command element to be a staff element. in other words, the unit's officer is a general commanding more than just his own unit. When this is done, the player may use the unit's normal command element as a staff element; of course, a more elaborately done-up general figure's element may be substituted for the unit's normal command element, if the player wishes. Elephant and chariot staff elements should be dealt with in the same manner as their command elements described above. But, in place of the command element's lighter foot figure, either a heavier one or an officer should be substituted for the unpaid-for infantry figure at the rear of the element. Independently operating staff elements look just like staff elements attached to units. Usually these staff elements consist of the appropriate cavalry figures in most armies. Based on my somewhat limited experience, I have noticed the players often forget to move their staff elements. As a result, I often create staff elements made up of both cavalry and infantry figures to remind me that the element is in fact a staff element. On a sub/ally general's staff element the foot figure is of a troop type which that general usually commands. For example, in my 25mm Early Imperial Roman Army, the generals in charge of legionaries have as their foot figure a legionary, while generals commanding auxiliary forces, cavalry and/or infantry, are accompanied by an auxiliary spearman, and the C-in-C is attended by a tribune on foot. Therefore, my Roman staff elements have two heavy cavalry figures, the general and a mounted trooper with or without a vexillum, and one foot figure. All three figures are purchased: the general at his point cost, the cavalryman at his cost (plus the vexillum's cost if relevant), and the foot figure at the cost of a mounted trooper. In other words, the two figures with the general are paid for as if both were cavalrymen. When the element moves, it travels at the speed of heavy cavalry, and all three figures fight as if they were all heavy cavalry. At the beginning of a battle, a player using such staff elements tells his opponent that these staff elements move and fight as cavalry. Visually, such staff elements represent a general with some of his escort remaining mounted while some of it has dismounted - a quite realistic scene. SPECIAL PART-ELEMENT STANDS One of the advantages of the 7th edition's element system is that the figures stay upright on the table and also travel well between home and away- from-home battlefields, because no single figure subtraction figures are used. Unfortunately, to make wedges and rhomboid formations, split or part elements are needed. Since the rhomboid is limited to Thessalian light cavalry, its elements can be treated like light cavalry which may employ the wedge: a number of the figures are on half-element light cavalry bases. This is no great inconvenience as such stands stay upright as well as travel fairly well. But, what about part elements made from close and loose order troops, which will have one of their pieces only onefigure wide? These narrow stands fall over all too easily! in order to make wedge formations for close and loose order troops, I make a single-figure base as follows: the base's rear is the normal width of the full element, the base's leading edge is one figure wide and is centered, the base's sides are angled so that the stand is a trapezoid with sides of equal length. When a unit goes into a wedge, a trapezoid-shaped stand is placed in front of the unit, and a casualty cap or ring is put on one of the interior figures in the element immediately behind the trapezoid-shaped stand with its single figure. The casualty cap functions as a simple reminder not to count one interior figure, when the unit fights. Because WRG's 7th edition requires that regular troops fight in blocks in which all rank have an equal number of elements, some careful thought must be given to the basing of regular infantry units - particularly those having both archers and some kind of spearmen. The question the player must ask is: "What will I do with a unit that is in three ranks -the first and second having spearmen and the third archers - when I want to change it into a formation with only two ranks?". The answer is: one element must be split into two half elements for every group of three elements. I suggest dividing an element of spearmen rather than that of the archers. In my Early Imperial Roman Army, I use some half elements in a provincial governor's unit of peclites singulares. The basic unit is two elements of regular LHI, JLS, Sh, with the second rank split into two half elements. When representing a governor from a province that has in it a few auxiliary archer units, I substitute a half element of archers for a half element of spearmen. In provinces with a lot of archer units, I substitute a full element of archers. SPECIAL ELEMENTS OF MIXED TROOP TYPES Readers of WRG's Army Lists are already aware of the "L*" designation that produces cavalry elements of two javelin-wielding troopers and one lance- carrying figure. For this element, the player may employ figures holding their spears any old way because the spears are generally of the same length. But, what about the Early Imperial Roman Army's auxiliary cavalry units (The NASAMW's revised List 64) which contains troopers with either a javelin or a kontos? The player may find that making elements with two javelin-carrying troopers and one lance-carrying cavalryman a must. For cavalry alae of three elements, one may substitute an element of lancers for one of javelin carriers. but for an ala milliaria this substitution will not work. Because in the East the Early Imperial Roman Army had a small number of camels attached to the cavalry turmae of a cohors equitate such as the Cohors I Augusta praetoria Lusitanorum equitata, a player may want to represent this situation. Given the state of our knowledge of this practice, it seems that the number of camels was under thirty. I provide each of my equitate cohorts with a three figure element of heavy cavalry (I realize that this element i, over strength). To add the camels, I have an element with two men on horses and one on a camel. Because the number of camels is so small, I treat thiscamel as if it really were a horse: the figure is purchased, moves, and fights as if it were heavy cavalry on horses. When this element appears on the tabletop, I inform the opponent that the camel is just for appearances. It is a nice visual addition to the army! I hope that the above comments are of use. They, by no means, cover all of the basing possibilities created by the element system, but I hope that they provide a basis for thought as one is basing an army. I shall end with this last bit of advice: try always to have in an element troops who wear the same class of armor and fight with the same weapons. if you consider doing otherwise, ask yourself, "What kinds of situations on the battlefield are going to make me rue having created such elements?". To have not asked this question may cost you a battle and a lot of time rebasing a number of units - I know; I have had this happen to me! Back to Table of Contents -- Courier Vol. VII #6 To Courier List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1987 by The Courier Publishing Company. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com