Warhammer & Warhammer 40,000 Daemons basing guide

Games Workshop’s daemons models are usable in a number of different armies over the two main games systems. Unfortunately the bases used differ between these systems meaning that ordinarily you need to buy a complete set of models for each system.

I have come up with a way of using cheap magnets, purchased from eBay, to base the plastic daemon models, I hope that you find this guide useful either to copy the techniques or as a basis for your own techniques. If you have any other tips to share please let us know your thoughts.

Extra Materials needed

  • Wine corks
  • Paperclips
  • Zeodymium magnets
  • Standard steel washers
  • Spare metal from models*
  • Superglue

*Or something similarly small and weighty that does not attract magnets to glue to the underside of the bases.

Tools need

  • Side cutters (clippers)
  • Hobby saw
  • Pin Vice (hobby drill)

Step 1.

You may need a responsible adult to help with this stage. You will use roughly one wine cork per 5 bases, so for a squad of 10 models, drink two bottles of wine.

Step 2.

Daemon Basing Guide Step 2Once you have sobered up, saw the bases across the cork to make circular sections, these should ideally be about 5 to 10 mm thicker than the magnets.

Step 3.Daemon Basing Guide Step 3Distress the edges of the cork sections with the clippers. You may want to have your daemon legs to hand to make sure that you can pose them in a satisfactory manner.

Step 4.Daemon Basing Guide Step 4Hollow out a pocket on the underside of the cork sections, wide and deep enough for the magnets to fit into. Use the superglue to glue the magnets into place.

Step 5.Daemon Basing Guide Step 5Glue the washer to the centre of the underside of the plastic bases using superglue, then also glue those bits of junk metal as well. This extra weight is to make sure that the bases don’t repel each other when you are trying to rank them up.

Step 6.Daemon Basing Guide Step 6Drill and pin the feet to be attached. I used paperclips for the pins as it is a bit thinner than brass rod. Make the pins long enough to go right through the cork; then trim them down to the correct size.

Daemons mounted on switchable bases
Bloodletters mounted on switchable bases

And that’s about it, the cork will now stick magnetically to the base of your choice.

If you want you can glue them together now, though I prefer to paint the model and base separately and then glue the two components together afterwards using superglue.

A simple way to paint the corks is:

  • Undercoat Chaos black
  • A wet coat of codex grey, leaving some black showing.
  • A heavy drybrush of fortress grey.
  • A Badab black wash
  • Highlight the edges with skull white.

I used wine corks as they fit perfectly on 25mm bases (and I have a plentiful supply of this material). Other materials that would also work include cut up bits of plastic sprue or small pieces of chip board. If you have any ideas for basing, we’d be happy to hear your suggestions.