[Review] Bases by Phantom Fox

I frequent three FLGSes. One of them, Games Plus, has the biggest selection of miniatures I have ever seen in one place, but it is no longer local (I went there as a kid in the 80s). The second one, Lightspeed Hobbies, is a friendly place and they carry Games Workshop and a few other miniature lines, but their main push is Magic the Gathering and Yu Gi Oh.

The third store, Critical Effect, has a really friendly staff, some nice tables, and a mellow atmosphere. Their community is small but seems very active. They have started carrying terrain and bases from a local caster, Phantom Fox. As soon as I found out this was a local concern, I purposely didn't inquire further about the creator's identity. I wanted to give as impartial a review as possible. *more*

Phantom Fox

Phantom Fox offers a variety of bases, both beveled for WM/Hordes and hard angled for 40k. I think there were some square bases as well. All are resin, and some are painted. Phantom Fox also offers some terrain pieces, many of which look quite nice. This is not a full review of the line, I was pragmatic and only bought the ones I thought I could use. (Click on the images to enlarge)

Dreadnought Base, labeled "Rubble"

25mm, labeled "Skulls"

25mm, labeled "Rubble"

I am really psyched that there's a local person making resin casts, and I am loathe to criticize anything about these, but they do have some small issues. However, considering the incredibly low price of these bases, none of the issues are insurmountable.

Cons

So let's tackle the negatives first (remember, they are really minor):

• I wish the troop bases came in fives instead of fours. It would align better numerically with Tactical Squads.
• I think the rubble bases' "grid" could have been a little deeper. It drybrushed just fine, but it would have looked better with a slightly thicker lines.
• The skull bases have been filled, in a separate step, with a second helping of resin.You can see the separation in the picture below. This in itself is not an issue, but all of the bases require some sanding to make them flat, and sanding resin requires taking some simple but vital precautions. WEAR A MASK. Resin powder is extremely carcinogenic. 

• There are a few bubbles and mold lines that need to be filled or filed.

Pros

• The textures and grooves in the skull bases are very deep and they take washes really nicely.
• There is very little mold release on each base. Cleaning them is a snap, and they take primer perfectly.
• The price is simply incredible.

I think Phantom Fox is going to improve quickly in terms of sculpting and casting. (s)He is apparently fielding suggestions for terrain and base pieces, so I'm going to try to meet with him (or her). Final word: I think the bases I purchased were a great deal despite the few issues. I would like to support this artist as much as possible, so expect more examples soon. And forget the URL...there's no website yet. Here are two of them painted up:

Dreadnought "Rubble" base painted up (click to enlarge)

Skull base, Army Painter Bone Primer,
GW Devlan Mud wash. (click to enlarge)