Review: Bases from Proxie Models

Ken at Proxie Models is unique among one-man hobby companies since he cuts dies to create injection molds to make plastic bases -- all out of his own barn! Here's a video with more information on how Ken works. Today, I'll review a variety of bases available from Proxie Models. 

The bases I ordered are below 30mm hex, 30mm round, 25mm round and 70mm bike base.

Proxie Models charges very low shipping rates, and the bases arrived quickly, with each set individualy bagged in ziplocks with card headers. Proxie Models bases have a few design features that set them apart from most other bases.

1. Small raised lip on the edge that is about half the thickness of the new-style slotted bases that are quite common these days.
2. Shorter height -- most of the Proxie Models bases are a millimeter or two shorter than their most common counterparts.
3. Textured surface -- most Proxie Models bases have a rough surface that could substitute for ballast/flock basing.
4. Price -- Proxie Models bases are as cheap, and in most cases significantly cheaper, than similarly sized bases.

First off, the 25mm round base. I picked up 32 bases for $4, about 13 cents each.

In this comparison pic, from left, we have: 

• Proxie Models --  25mm base, 2mm high, 21mm interior recess, rounded lipped sides
• Mantic -- 25mm base, 3mm high, 25mm top (plain on one side, recessed on other), 15mm interior recess. Straight sides.
• Standard slotted base -- 25mm base, 3mm high, 23mm top, sloped sides

This base had the most texture of all the bases reviewed. I had no trouble at all imagining someone gluing a plastic figure right to the base, painting and drybrushing the base and skipping sand or flock entirely. However, the lipped design gives this base the smallest actual model basing area of the three with an interior diameter of only 21mm. As for the lip vs straight vs sloped, that's purely an aesthetic choice. I will probably be using these for rebasing of Heroclix miniatures where I want a quick basing solution, but don't want to spend alot of time on each figure.  

Next, the 30mm round base. I bought 24 bases for $4, about 17 cents each.

In this pic, from left, we have:

• Proxie Models -- 30mm base, 2mm high, 26mm interior recess, rounded lipped sides.
• Standard new-style slotted base -- 30mm base, 4mm high, 23mm interior recess, rounded lipped sides.
• Standard slotted base -- 25mm base, 3mm high, 23mm top, sloped sides.

These were the bases I was most interested in. I have many figures with cast-on bases that are wider than the 23mm top of a standard slotted base. Some manufacturers package their figures with a new-style stotted base, which helps make for a more balanced figure, but the actual area for basing is exactly the same as a standard slotted base.  

The additional 3mm and the lip, which makes it easier to hide the cast-on base, make them ideal for my use. The pic below shows the difference. The texture on these bases is still pronounced enough that you might choose to dispense with basing materials, but it's not as rough as the 25mm proxie bases. 

Next, a 30mm hex base. I got 32 for $4, about 13 cents each.

In this comparison pic, from left, we have:

• Standard slotted hex -- 25mm base, 3mm high, 23mm top
• Proxie hex -- 30mm base, 3mm high, 25mm interior
• EM4 mech base (also carried by Chessex) -- 29mm base, 3mm high, 25.5mm interior
• Iron Wind Metals solid pewter hex -- 30mm base, 5mm high, 25mm interior 

These bases were purchased mostly for basing of the plastic mechs that come with the battletech starter box. Like the 30mm rounds, they are just textured enough that I can probably skip basing, though I will have to cut off the cast-on plastic bases that the mechs come attached too. 

For metal mechs, I think that the EM4 bases or Iron Wind Bases (very nice but expensive) are more suitable.  They have deeper recesses which are designed to conceal the cast-on bases that most mechs have. Also, the EM4 bases are the same price as the Proxie bases, so there's no cost advantage. I'm sure that other folks who like hex bases for fantasy and modern figures will find the Proxie Models a useful option.

Lastly, here's the "Sci-Fi Bike or Cav Base" from Proxie Models. I picked up 16 for $4, or 25 cents each.

The base measures 25mm by 70mm, and interior is 21mm by 65mm.

They look to be spot-on for the size of Games Workshop bike bases,  which are often erroneously reported as being 50mm long. This is only correct if you don't count the rounded portions in the overall length. At a quarter of the price, they should prove quite popular. I bought these to base up a bunch of post-apocalyptic bikers I've been converting. The choppers are from Hot Wheels and are quite long, but fit on these bases quite well. 

These bases are also a good size for basing up terrain like rubble piles and barriers. My one gripe is that the bases have a lot less texture than any of the other Proxie bases I've tried. As you can see in the pic with the biker, these bases might require ballast or flock of some kind. 

Also, it might just be the plastic, but the texture appears to radiate from the middle -- not a very realistic look. I'm not averse to using basing materials. I'm just not sure why they decided to make the texture so subtle.

Conclusion

I'm very happy with Proxie Models bases. The bases all seemed to be good quality products that met my needs at a very affordable price. Proxie seems to be walking a line with bases that are just different enough to set themselves apart while being "standard" enough to meet the needs of wargamers. As well as a wide variety of other base shapes and sizes, Proxie also makes a 15mm sci-fi tank that Games Workshop fans will recognize, and a couple of 15mm plastic buildings (look for a future review...). Though I don't have any unmet base needs anymore, it's likely that I'll be doing business with them again in the future.


-- Karl, Chicago Skirmish Wargames club member