Basing the Japanese Hohei Chutai

Ages ago I painted a Japanese Company, but I didn't base them, so they've sat in a show box covered in tissue paper on top of my wardrobe since October.

One of my new years resolutions is to get my Japanese army sorted out, so it's high time I got these bad boys based.

I've not used water effects before and have been looking forward to giving it a go.  I've also been stocking up on MiniNatur tufts, so I went for it.

I made the layout of the stream with coffee stirrers and then used Vallejo Brown Earth, which I laid on thick and drybrushed desert yellow, then bonewhite.

I mixed green with arid static grass, and applied to the edges of the stream, then added extra pinches of arid grass working outwards.  Eventually I put patches of pure arid grass around.

I then added a few rocks and started on the tufts, which I scattered around.  Finally I added some long straw.

I've been inspired recently by Mike of Scary Biscuits Studio's fame, Cameron from Rust and the City and Torbjörn Blom, to improve my basing.  These bases are more interesting than what I normally do, but a bit more pre-planning wouldn't have gone a miss.

When choosing which figures would go where, I chose the front ranks to be the dynamic running/assaulting guys.  Behind them come the figs in Shooting poses and finally the rear ranks are the standing about looking gormless guys.

Well I hope you like them...any feedback is welcomed

Dave