📐 Base Size Reference Chart
A quick reference for common miniature base sizes and what they're typically used for.
What the diameters mean in practice
Base area grows with the square of the diameter, so the jumps in the chart are larger than the numbers suggest:
area = π × (diameter / 2)²| Base | Area | Against a 25 mm |
|---|---|---|
| 25 mm round | 491 mm² | 1.00x |
| 28.5 mm round | 638 mm² | 1.30x |
| 32 mm round | 804 mm² | 1.64x |
| 40 mm round | 1257 mm² | 2.56x |
| 60 mm round | 2827 mm² | 5.76x |
| 100 mm round | 7854 mm² | 16.0x |
| 25 x 25 mm square | 625 mm² | 1.27x |
That is why rebasing 25 mm models onto 32 mm bases eats basing material so quickly: each model needs 64% more sand, flock and texture paste.
Picking a size
- The rulebook decides, not the chart. Several systems set legal base sizes for tournaments, and where range is measured from the base edge a wider base changes reach.
- Squares are for rank-and-flank. A 20 mm square frontage puts five models in a 100 mm rank; round bases cannot form a tight block.
- Match the sculpt's footprint. A dynamic pose with a trailing leg or a cloak needs 32 mm or 40 mm even when the game allows 25 mm.
- Storage follows diameter. A 300 mm foam tray takes nine 32 mm bases across, or twelve 25 mm.
Frequently asked questions
What size base do 28 mm miniatures use?
Most modern infantry sits on a 32 mm round, older ranges on 25 mm, and a few systems standardise on 28.5 mm. Cavalry and large infantry move up to 40 mm, and centrepiece monsters to 50, 60 or 100 mm.
What scale is a 28 mm miniature?
Roughly 1:64, taking 28 mm as eye level on a 1.8 m human. So-called 32 mm heroic scale works out near 1:56. The figures are approximate because heroic proportions exaggerate hands, heads and weapons rather than scaling evenly.
Can I put a model on a bigger base than the rules say?
In casual games this is usually agreed at the table. In tournaments it is not, because base size affects coherency, unit footprint and what the model can see over. Magnetic base adapters let one model swap sizes without rebasing.