Play the Game · Reference

The base size guide

Thrackdown is miniature agnostic. We don't care where your models came from, what game they used to play, or how many of them are technically a repainted dinosaur. We care about two things: does it look the part, and does the base tell the truth.

The One Rule

The base is the fighter's honest CV

On a table full of strangers' miniatures, the base is the one thing everyone can read at a glance. So in Thrackdown, base size signals toughness: the bigger the base, the more HP your opponent should expect to be dealing with. Match your models to the tiers below and nobody ever has to ask "wait, how tough is that one?" mid-charge.

25mm
1–2 HP

The Squishy

Rookies, rabble, zealous volunteers, and anything that mostly exists to be somewhere else when the shooting starts.

e.g. Supplicant · Gutter Rat · Rust Hound
28–32mm
~3 HP

The Rank and File

Proper fighters. The backbone of every warband: trained, armed, and reasonably committed to remaining alive.

e.g. Cinderguard · Oathman · Scrap Jack
40mm
4 HP

The Bruisers

Big, armoured, augmented, or simply too much to fit on anything smaller. If it makes the floor creak, it lives here.

e.g. Judicant Executioner
50mm+
5+ HP

The Problems

Juggernaut territory. Monsters, machines, and champions. If your opponent's first reaction is a quiet "oh no", the base is correct.

e.g. Marrowbrute

A little drift between tiers is fine; just make sure your opponent knows what everything is and how tough it is before the dice come out.

The Leader Exception (and Battle Scars)

Leaders cheat. Many have 4 HP in a man-sized body, tough through grit, plot armour, and sheer refusal to die rather than bulk. A Leader is perfectly at home on a 28–32mm base, no matter their HP. The tiers above describe how big something is; point out your Leader during the warband introduction and nobody will be surprised when they take three shots and keep walking.

Campaign veterans drift too. A fighter hardened by XP might sit a point above their tier, and one patched up by a Back Alley Doctor might sit a point below. That's fine: the base shows the fighter's factory settings, the roster tells the truth. Nobody is rebasing a model over a lost eye.

Standard Sizes

Know your bases

Most miniatures arrive on a round base in one of a handful of standard sizes. If you're staring at a shelf of unbased plastic wondering what goes where, this is the shorthand:

25mmSlight, human-sized rabble. Fast, fragile, expendable.
28–32mmThe modern standard for a single infantry fighter. Most of your warband lives here.
40mmBrutes, heavy armour, oversized augments. Things that make doorways nervous.
50mm+Monsters, walkers, and things that shouldn't exist.
MeasuringAll distances in Thrackdown are measured base-to-base. The base is the fighter; the sword sticking three inches past it is decoration.
Square or oval bases?Legal. Measure from the closest point of the base. If a fight breaks out over a corner, the Tribunal's standing verdict applies: play it as the larger footprint.
Do I need to rebase?No. The tiers describe the model; the roster holds the record. If your model's base doesn't match its profile, say so before deployment and get on with the game.
Table Etiquette

Keeping it fair in the wastes

Agree before deployingA thirty-second warband introduction ("these three are my Core, the big lad is the Juggernaut") solves 99% of arguments before they exist. The other 1% is what the Momentum roll-off is for.
Measure from the baseAll distances are measured base edge to base edge. Your model's dramatic lunging pose is beautiful, and it grants no extra reach.
The base footprint is the truthScenic bases, flying stems, and models heroically surfing a pile of rubble are all welcome. For rules purposes, only the base's footprint on the table matters.
When in doubt, size upIf a model sits between tiers, play it as the bigger base. Being easier to hit is the fair price of looking impressive.
The Base Size Tribunal

Real questions, binding verdicts

"Can my Juggernaut be a rubber dinosaur from a tub of toy animals?"

Permitted. Glue it to a 50mm base, give it a coat of paint and a story, and it is officially more legitimate than half the things crawling out of the Splice. A scrap saddle, a few armour plates, or some wasteland basing will make it look born on Nova Eden rather than bought in a gift shop.

Tribunal ruling 001

"My fighter is on a 60mm scenic base because he's standing on a very cool rock. Is he a Juggernaut now?"

Denied. Rocks do not grant HP. Agree with your opponent what he counts as before the game, and accept that a fighter that impressive draws fire honestly.

Tribunal ruling 002

"Can I use my collection from That Other Game?"

Encouraged. Thrackdown was built for the shelf of miniatures you already own. If it looks like it belongs in the ruins of Nova Eden, it belongs in the ruins of Nova Eden.

Tribunal ruling 003

"My warband is entirely kitbashed from spare parts and a broken kettle."

Not a question, but permitted. In fact this is the most Scavver Clades thing we have ever heard, and we would like to see photos.

Tribunal ruling 004

Official Thrackdown miniatures for every unit and faction are coming with the crowdfunding launch, on the correct bases, naturally. Until then, and honestly after then too: bring what you love.

Base sorted? Go fight.

Four models, a table full of ruins, and some loot that's probably not rigged. Your first game is waiting.

Play your first game Open the Warband Builder