Re: [FT] Assembly and Storage

>1.  What is the best way to glue on the bases so that the ship is
straight?
>I've purchased 4 fleets (ESU, FSE, NSL, Sa'Vasku), and I am now trying
to
>assemble them.

I won't repeat the excellent techniques others have recommended, but I
will
say that 5 Minute Epoxy will give you a stronger and longer lasting bond
that Superglue. It's a pain because you have to wait for it to dry, but
you'll find that long term durablilty and lack of later "repairs" more
than
make up for it.

The basing technique I use is not for everybody, but I prefer it for its
durability and versatility. You can get square brass "tubes" at your
local
hobby store. You'll find, conveniently, that they fit snugly into one
another. I put a larger tube in a Citadel flying base (small for most
ships, but their larger size for Capitol ships - keeps them from falling
over). If you want to get even more tricky, vary the height by class
(short
for escorts, medium for cruisers, and higher for capitals) so your fleet
can get closer if it needs to without bumping figures. Put a smaller
tube
with a very short larger "cuff" on the figure. The cuff keeps the base
tube
from dinging your wonderful paint job. Now you have a figure that has a
removable base. Easy for transport, and will virtually never "break"
during
play - or otherwise.

>2.  What does everyone use to store their ships?

You can get boxes at hardware shops - flat with lots of subdivisions -
which I think are intended for screws and such. I get 1" foam from a
local
futon shop (costs about $1 for a square foot), and cut custom foam
holders
for the minis. This keeps them nice and snug. This is a must if you
intend
to do any travelling (can you say GenCon), but is not as necessary if
you're just interested in storage.

>3.  Do you need more than 1 of any ship type in your fleet?  I've
purchased
>1 of each ship type in the 4 fleets I mentioned, but do I need more
that 1
>Superdreadnought in any given fleet?

I think that the mix that Tom put forth was excellent. A rough mix of 1
"Big Guy," 2 "Medium Guys," and 3-4 "Smaller Guys."

Schoon