Fun With Magnets, Or, All Your Base Are Belong to Us.

[7eat51]

The results can be seen here in my blog post

Nice work.

How did you like the solo rules?

The picture on the puzzle was rather interesting.

[Sun of York]

Thanks.

The solo rules really didn't get exercised, much to my embarrassment and lousy seamanship.

I'd just finished the jigsaw and thought I would use it as a backdrop. So often my photos have such clutter in the background it takes a bit of effort to frame the photo or to remove after the event.

[DeRuyter]

Further to my posts about basing and reading what people have done, I took the plunge and based one of my ships using magnets. The results can be seen here in my blog post: http://onesidedminiaturewargamingdis...tic-isles.html

I better also go and introduce myself.

Very nice solution Mark! Looks like you used one magnet. Do you find that the ships tend to turn on that magnet or do they remain fairly straight on the base?

[Пилот]

Mark, very good idea!

[Sun of York]

Thanks.

The magnet is very strong and there is no movement at all (unlike with the peg which used to let my ship, eh, float about). Normally I would have gone with magnetic paper on the base of the ship model as I have done with my figures (for transport and using movement trays). It would have been easier than digging out the hole in the Sails of Glory model's bottom, but I don't think it would have been as strong, particularly when used with the data card in between. The magnets came from some bases I recycled after I rebased the commercially painted and based figures. I think they would be the rare earth magnets referred to by someone earlier in relation to FoW armour.

[Nightmoss]

There was some debate on whether we'd be able to 'magnetize' the small sloop ships from Wave 2. It turns out you can, and depending on future release we still might be able to go smaller? Just some quick shots (no light box) of the USS Thorn/Atalanta. Cheers!

[Ken H]

So I just magnetized my entire fleet. I used the same 1/8" diameter x 1/16" thick magnets listed earlier in this thread.

First step was to use a 1/8" drill to enlarge the hole in the clear base piece and the blue base exactly in the location of the current holes.

Step two was to saw off the ship mounting post flush.

Step three was to glue the magnets to the base (glue from below through the hole) and flush to the bottom of the ship.

This arrangement allows the ships to be turned on their bases so they fit the storage case I got at Jo Anne's Fabrics better.

[Nightmoss]

Super! Those magnets really hold great for their size. Now you don't have to worry about the ships coming off the base or shifting while playing.

[7eat51]

As I prepare to cart my collection off to Origins, this idea of utilizing magnets is growing on me. As I set up a game today, I noticed a few things regarding storage and retrieval that I think the magnets would solve. Too late for this trip, but when we return, this will definitely be something I try.

[Ducky]

I really like Jim's idea of adding the magnet and still keep the peg underneath the ship;
This will hold the ship on its base while playing and transporting, and the peg keeps the ship straight on its base.

The good thing on Ken's idea is that the pivoting is allowed on the base which solves some issues with the bowsprit while the ships are in storage.

My thougts:

My guts tells to go with Jim's idea using the same storage box as Ken uses.
But my addition would be to add a magnet (like the ones used in closets) to the bottom of the storage box so the ships will be magnetised to the bottom in transport. This way the little box for each ship can be big enough to have room for the bowsprit, but due to the magnet is doesn't shove around in the box during transport...

[Ken H]

If you are going to fit therm in the case I showed they MUST pivot. Even the first rates fit.

With just a center magnet I do not find them spinning willy nilly. They hold their orientation fine. Using just the center also ensures you drill in the right spots and you do not drill the hull.

[7eat51]

We'll start attaching magnets next week. We wished we had attached them before Origins. They will help in taking out the ships from, and putting back the ships into, the storage/travel container we're using, in keeping them secure while transporting, and in making them easier to use during gameplay. Throughout last week, we kept mentioning our need for magnets. Kind of like the SNL skit, "I could've used a little more magnets."

[Nightmoss]

We'll start attaching magnets next week. We wished we had attached them before Origins. They will help in taking out the ships from, and putting back the ships into, the storage/travel container we're using, in keeping them secure while transporting, and in making them easier to use during gameplay. Throughout last week, we kept mentioning our need for magnets. Kind of like the SNL skit, "I could've used a little more magnets."

Hilarious!

[ArkansasChuck]

Jim,

I’m sorry to bump an old thread but I did want to ask. Did you just use a drill on these photos you posted to make the magnet holes? I was worried about drilling such a big hole in the model, so I thought I would inquire.

Thank you!!

-Chuck