Magnetized swapable bases?

[mjs101]

I am wondering if anyone has tried putting rare-earth magnets in a model's feet so bases can be swapped to match different tables? I use steel fender washers for bases anyway, so the magnets would have something to stick to. I have some very fine magnets, I think 2mm x 2mm -- small enough to secure machine guns to tanks in 15mm scale. I was thinking I'd either drill into the foot or glut the model the magnet and build the base up to the edge of the magnet.

I am considering Infinity, a sci-fi collection, but can't decide on bases. So why decide? What not have desert and urban option (or temperate forest for that matter.)

Has anyone tried this, what worked, what didn't? What surprised you?

 

[Splurch]

Haven't seen this tried before, but what many people do if they want the base to match whatever is underneath is just use clear acrylic bases. It can turn out really amazing, although they get scratched up with time.

 

[ms.tinaappleby]

I like your idea, and have thought the same myself, if bases were magnetized that would give the player the option of changing things out. You wouldn't want a creature based in lava and rock to play on a snow covered field.... It's a great idea. Hopefully more people will feel the same way we do!

 

[Stewsayer]

I tried this with a unit of Chaos Warriors. I wanted their unit tray to fit is as part of an army diorama (never did get it finished. typical of me). It worked well with some issues specific to the models. They only have one foot suitable for a magnet the other is slightly raised and doesn't have enough area to allow drilling a hole big enough for the magnet. That combined with slight undulations in the unit's base means some of my warriors are pretty unsteady on their feet( or foot). Especially the standard bearer. There would be no issue if there were two points of attachment. I could probably fix the problem if I replaced the nail heads in the scenic tray base with more magnets (oriented correctly of course).

 

[fluisterwoud]

It's a good idea, but I think one issue would be keeping all the bases organized for each particular model. Most models seem to have different feet positions and if you use rubble/rocks on some bases one model may fit and others won't. Might need to have some kind of numbering system on the underside of the bases to keep them all straight.