Battlefoam Trays - Standing up or laying down?

[reegsk]

I've long been considering making the jump to Battlefoam for my Trollbloods army. I'm just not taken with my Sabol Army Transport soft case, or having to pull out all of the trays to get at the models on the bottom.

That being said, I'm leaning towards the Hordes bag, but I'm stuck as far as loadout. I'm debating between going for pluckfoam, or using the pre-made Warmachine/Hordes trays that they have to choose from. That being said, here are my questions:

- Do you guys find that the BF pluckfoam holds up nicely with just one unplucked row between minis, or do you have to go with two? (I find my Sabol trays tend to start falling apart if I only leave one, especially with the warbeasts.)
- What's your take on the pre-made trays for the various base sizes (small infantry, medium infantry, warbeast)? I'm leery about laying my warbeasts on their sides with the pre-cut trays, but do people find that it's not a problem?

I'm basically looking for success/horror stories for the various products (mainly trays) that BF offers geared specifically toward Warmachine/Hordes, and most notably Trollbloods.

[reegsk]

And I guess I could tack on another question:

- Has anyone had any success with laying the models on their sides in pluck trays (I've always stood them up)?

[tordeck]

I have the Malifaux bag, 1 row seems to work fine and I lay my models down just fine.

[twofalls]

I have both the battlefoam bag system and the sabol bag system using both precut and pluck foam for them. I find the precut stuff to be superior, particularly when dealing with specialty items particular to an army, in my case Menoth. While rank and file troops do just fine laying down and actually save space that way, fiddly items such as cavalry with their long metal lances, are much better protected in the specialty cut foam designed just for them. I would advise that you use both. I also have a small trollbloods army, and the precut stuff works great for what I have.

[kturock]

I use the plastic cases for my rank and files minis that you can buy at Home Depot or walmart. They're designed for small parts [like nuts, bolts, screws] or fishing tackle.
Some of the Plano tackle boxes, hold 3-4 trays. I keep the minis in the trays and just switch out the trays as needed. Some of the larger tackle boxes even have room for land raiders in the top section. Mine holds several rhinos and a LR. And dice & templates.

Once a mini is painted and coated with a clear coat, the only damage to worry about is to the model, like bending as opposed to the paint wearing or chipping off.
40k CSM oblist or WoC chaos trolls fit. Some of the taller models I use 2 slots. The cases are about $3 each.

For my bigger models, like WoC on horse, I use chessex cases. They usually are for single models, but when you removed the dividers, the slots are 2x as deep. some of them have to be cut, and then it's 2x deep and long/wide. They run about $20-25 a box.

For even larger models, like Chaos sorcerors on disc or horse or chariots, I custom cut foam I get from work. It's a corrageted foam, like cardboard. It's stiff and tuff, not like battlefoam. Once you custom cut it, it holds the shape permanently. I custom cut 1 for all of the ship models for dreadfleet.
Then just put them in heavy weight cardboard boxes.

Several of the local guys have made their own foam and boxes. The boxes are available from grocery stores, banana or tomato boxes. Cukes & pepper boxes are coated with wax, so they don't work. You want something with a removable lid.The foam you can buy from furnature repair shops or JoAnn Fabrics. Sign up for the mailing list at JoAnns. About once a month or so the offer discounts from 20-50% off. Then go buy the foam.

Cut the foam using a varible speed drill with a cup-hole saw attachement. [used for cutting thru doors to insert locks & doorknobs].

Use can use 1" or 1.5" diameter. For small models, like infantry, you cut 1 hole. For larger, 2,3 or 4 holes as needed.
I even used mine to cut regular sytrofoam to put my Star Fleet battles ships in. I had to removed the foam plug after each cut. It made a mess, so do it outside. The foam gets a static charge so the tiny pecees stick to you and everything. I suggest doing it on a day with a good breeze to blow it away.

[MagickalMemories]

As long as you have your models properly* protected, you should be fine to lay them down in the trays. Really, it's all a matter of what you can fit in better.
* Properly means at least 1 -preferably 2- coats of gloss primer and 2 coats of matte sealer if you use it (two coats of gloss if no matte is used).

Towfalls could not be more correct about pluck vs laser cut trays. That said, there's an easy way to be sure your pluck foam stays together; glue it.
On MANY of my Sabol trays, I glued the pluck pieces together to ensure that they don't some apart. I squirt a little superglue down in the "connection" area, then shoot a quick spurt of accellerator in there. It sures the glue faster, which semi-glues and semi-melts the pieces together. I've never had one come apart.

Eric

[tacticalguy24]

I personally have a kaiser rushforth case, it is loaded out for all 7000 points of my CSM, which includes a dreadclaw drop pod, a converted stormlord, land raider, 2 defilers, and several rhino chassis and a dozen troop trays. well worth the money i spent, and its aluminum. It is a top load, but they make a bigger side load that looks like a big piece of luggage with pull out handle. If you have alot of mini's this is the way to go, or if you have 2 or 3 smaller armies.

[MagickalMemories]

Depends on your taste in foam. I don't want anything to do with KR. Their foam's "squishy" and soft. I prefer BF's firm foam.

Eric

[tacticalguy24]

Depends on your taste in foam. I don't want anything to do with KR. Their foam's "squishy" and soft. I prefer BF's firm foam.

Eric

I haven't had any issues in my quad case, and i keep my 5ed hardback and my codex in there on top of everything.

[MagickalMemories]

On top the foam, or on top the cardboard?
Sorry, I'm only vaguely familiar with their product line. I looked into them before buying my Battlefoam, and never looked back.

Thanks.

Eric

[kturock]

On top the foam, or on top the cardboard?
Sorry, I'm only vaguely familiar with their product line. I looked into them before buying my Battlefoam, and never looked back.

Thanks.

Eric

Which product line are you refering to?

[tacticalguy24]

I have a KR multicase. It is the aluminum quad, think 3 times deeper than the large GW case. It only has a divider but I removed it. the foams are stacked all on top of each other. Here are pictures of the contents of my quad case:


Kaiser Rushforth case


troop trays


troop/ HQ trays


stormlord, land raider, rhinos


vehicle foams

[MagickalMemories]

On top the foam, or on top the cardboard?
Sorry, I'm only vaguely familiar with their product line. I looked into them before buying my Battlefoam, and never looked back.

Thanks.

Eric

Which product line are you refering to?

The KR.

Eric