Basing for Big Battle or Skirmish?

This is a topic I struggle with every time I paint up a batch of new miniatures (yes, painting does happen, Jasper!). Do I multiple base them for ease of movement or do I single base them so I can use them for skirmish gaming and individual casualty removal?

Single vs multiple.

I used to use individual miniatures, primarily based on my experience with Warhammer Ancient Battles, which requires individual casualty removal. Moving a hundred to two hundred miniatures in an army can be slightly laborious and time-consuming. Even movement trays aren't perfect, therefore multi basing makes a lot of sense.

Note the vignette scenes in the block.

Even back then in the halcyon days of WAB, my friend James Morris used to make up multiple bases or have little vignette scenes in his infantry blocks. His El Cid models are amazing.

The solution to my dilemma is surprisingly simple, "Why don't we have both?"

One force for both skirmish and big battle, one force based for big battle.

You can start by building up a force on skirmish bases which can be fitted into a sabot style movement tray. When you have enough for your skirmish game force, then the rest you can multi-base for those really big battle games.

Why not both?

Here's our original lone Triarius miniature, this time in a Warbases magnetic movement sabot tray. Simples!