"20mm square bases how thick should they be made" Topic

I am looking at making some 20mm square bases out of plastic. I see two different patterns. The thin bases are about 1.5 mm thick and made solid. The others are raised up with a recessed area and are about 3.5 mm thick. I see more and more thin bases lately and less thicker bases. That might be just a coincidence and not a trend. I think the thicker bases allow you to put weight and/or magnets underneath, which could make them more versatile. So I'm looking for any additional insight into why thinner bases might be better to the thicker ones. I have a friend that is pushing me into the thicker style so magnets could be added underneath, so far that alone is pushing me in the direction of the thicker bases.

Games Workshop / Citadel uses 1/8" thick bases, which works out to 3mm or thereabouts. Warhammer Fantasy Battle, and the same basing standard transferred to Warhammer Ancients Battles, are probably the source of the 20mm square thick basing standard you have seen, although their bases don't have a recess on top.

I think the argument for thin bases is they disappear into the tabletop better.

Thick bases can visually overpower the figures particularly if they are smaller than 28mm. However, thick bases enable you to pick the figures up or move them by the base to avoid handling the models themselves.

If you wanted magnetic bases you could use steel ones, and then line your carrying box/case with magnetic material.

As thin as possible. I use Wargames accessory steel ones. They are <1mm thick I'd guess.

Warhammer Fantasy Battle, and the same basing standard transferred to Warhammer Ancients Battles, are probably the source of the 20mm square thick basing standard you have seen

This base thickness convention was probably adopted due to the bases being initially designed for use as slottabases – so they had to be thick enough to properly support a model mounted on them in that fashion.

Griefbringer, thank you. It just hit me that was important to mention.

That is a good point, that not just Citadel / Games Workshop, but any company producing figures tabbed for slot bases, is most likely supplying them with thick bases, 1/8" or 3mm or thereabouts.