On Action Bases

"Let’s talk about Action Bases”

Okay!

"What exactly are they?”

It’s just the name brand for Bandai’s official model kit stands.

"I guess that means that the models don't come with their own”

That depends on the model. The general rule is “if it can’t stand, then it comes with a stand.” Any spaceship or Mobile Armor should come with one. For example, all of the spacecraft from Bandai’s line of Star Wars kits do.

Additionally, there are times when humanoid models come with a stand. For example, all of the Gundam G Frame figurines come with one, and most (if not all) of the humanoid Star Wars models come with stand to help them remain standing (even if they are kind of dinky).

In other cases, a given product line will have the occasional one-off model that comes with an included stand. This may be because the model is super expensive/super premium, or maybe it is small enough (or simple enough) that they needed to throw a stand in there to justify keeping it the same price as other products in the line. For example, most Master Grade Gunpla do not come with a stand, but the Wing Proto Zero - a model that is so small and simplistic that it’s considered one of the easiest MG’s to build - does.

"So some models come with stands, but are those stands Action Bases?”

I am sure that there are some models that do come with an Action Base, but I haven’t seen it personally. All the models I mentioned above come with much simpler, cheaper stands. Generally speaking, however, they do the trick. The only one that ever felt too cheap was the one for the Wing Proto Zero, which eventually broke.

"Is Bandai trying to nickel and dime us by selling Action Bases separately?”

Normally I would say “yes”, but not in this case.

The thing about stands is that you don’t always need one. There are plenty of models that pose just fine without. If everything came with one, it would raise prices across the board, all for the inclusion of an accessory you might not ever use¹.

Also, Action Bases aren’t all that expensive. A small, simple Action Base 2 - which will work with any High Grade kit - can be had for as little as five or six bucks. Larger ones can get up into the $10 or even $15 range, but that’s still a fair price for what is ultimately a highly reusable, sturdy base with a ton of different connection adapters for different types of models.

The only thing about Action Bases that is really annoying is that because they’re so cheap, it often costs as much or more to ship one of them than it is to buy it on its own. You’re better off buying them alongside a shipment of other models or accessories. My advice is to stock up on some preemptively. That way, if you forget to order one later, you won’t be left without.

"I keep seeing Action Bases with different numbers. What’s that all about?”

Each number tells you something about the size and features of the given stand. Let’s break them down:

Action Base 1

This is the “basic” stand for use with ¹⁄₁₀₀ scale model kits (Master Grades, REborn 100’s, etc).

It has a thick, wide base, and an adjustable control arm that the model slots onto. The arm provides a limited ability to adjust the height, pitch, roll, and yaw of the model.

The Action Base 1 is fairly simple, and it mostly gets the job done. I’m not a huge fan of the way the control arm locks into place, as it has a tendency to slip, but generally speaking it gets the job done.

Note that the Action Base 1 (or at least newish versions of it) are also compatible with ¹⁄₁₄₄ scale models, provided you have the right connection adapters. Whether you would want to use such a large Base with such a small scale kit is hard to say, though some kits at that scale are so big that it might be the better bet.

"Wait, what is this about adapters?”

Not all models connect to an Action Base in exactly the same way. While most use a peg-type connection, there are others that you will almost certainly encounter as a builder.

Sometimes, a model kit will come with its own special connector/adapter, but just in case, the Action Bases themselves come with a collection of common connectors that you can swap between as needed.

Action Base 2

This is the basic stand for use with ¹⁄₁₄₄ scale kits. Compared to the Action Base 1, it is much smaller and far less sturdy, as the base plate is hollow and fairly thin:

Furthermore, it’s control arm is even more slippery than the AB 1’s:

You can also stitch multiple AB 2’s together, in case you want to create a scene with multiple models:

All told. I’ve had far too many accidents with AB 2’s. They’re not great for use with any ¹⁄₁₄₄ scale kit that is particularly large or heavy, or for use with any particularly crazy midair poses. On the other hand, they’re great for standing poses, they’re great for smaller models, they’re space efficient, and they’re dirt cheap. If you build at this scale, you’ll have a few lying around.

Action Base 3

I’ve never owned an Action Base 3, but it looks fairly self explanatory. Like the AB2, it is meant for ¹⁄₁₄₄ scale models, and it looks like it even uses the same control arm

The base plate, on the other hand, is rectangular in shape, and has space for you to inlay a postcard-sized piece of paper/cardboard/etc as a decoration:

I don’t think these are as widely sold as other types of Action Base. I’ve never seen one sold either online or in person. I would like to get my hands on one though, as I can think of a number logos, images, etc I would try placing in it.

Action Base 4

This is basically a “better” Action Base 1. It uses a different kind of control arm, and in my experience it is much more reliable.

The arm can also be broken down into two smaller arms, allowing you to pose two models on the same base:

The base plate itself is also much larger than an AB1, since it consists of three separate hexagonal sections stitched together. While the packaging shows them in a roughly triangular pattern, there is nothing stopping you from arranging them in other ways:

This gives you the flexibility you need to create any kind of scene you have in mind, without having to buy additional accessories or Bases.

Lastly, the base plate is perforated with different sized holes:

These are used to prop up not only the control arm(s), but also various Effects Parts, such as the Jet Rise Parts used for the Real Grade Nu Gundam.

Or the “weapon holder” that the Base comes with:

Other bases have holes like these, but only this one has them in two different sizes. If you’re going to use any accessories like these with your Action Base, you better make it an AB 4.

Or an Action Base 5, for reasons that will be immediately clear.

Action Base 5

This is the 1/144th scale equivalent to the Action Base 4. Not only because it is the “better” option compared to the AB2, but because it’s basically an AB4 with just one hexagonal base plate:

Everything that applies to the AB4 applies here, just on a smaller scale.

Claw Attachment

One really cool accessory that comes with the AB4 and 5 is the Claw Attachment: This one is great for propping units like the Z'Gok which have a wide, circular torso and stubby legs that might not work well with a peg adapter (or any kind of adapter really).

Anything else I should know?"

• Some Action Bases are assembled using screws. This may sound like a good thing - a metal screw should be extremely sturdy and stable, right? - but in reality they are a huge pain. Screw it in too loosely, and your models will flop around. Screw it too tightly, and it will create enough torque to break the plastic (trust me on this - I’ve had two bases break in the exact same place. Meanwhile, I’ve never broken a base that uses all-plastic parts).
• Action Bases come in different colors, including black, clear, clear blue, clear red, and clear green. I normally just go with black, as they’re the most readily available, but a lot of folks swear by the clear ones; from a distance, and with the right lighting, they can practically disappear, making it look like the model is floating.
  • As for the colored ones, They pair nicely with model kits of a certain color, or of a certain type (aquatic suits, for example, look nice with a blue Base).

"So which Bases do you recommend?"

Keeping in mind that I barely deal with ¹⁄₁₀₀ kits, here is my advice:

• For most ¹⁄₁₀₀ scale kits, an Action Base 1 is probably your best bet.
  • Despite being sturdier, I’d only suggest using an Action Base 4 if you need the extra space afforded by its base place, or if you want to pose two models at a time. Otherwise it’s much too large.
  • Also, if you have a particularly large ¹⁄₁₄₄ scale model like the RG Nu Gundam or RG Sazabi, and you want to use some Jet Effect parts for their fin funnels, you should probably get an AB4, as it’s the only Base that will give you the space you’ll want (and need) for placing the funnels.
• For ¹⁄₁₄₄ scale kits, you should keep one or two Action Base 2’s handy as spares, but I wouldn’t use one as a permanent stand unless you are absolutely sure you won’t have balance or stability issues with the model in question. Instead, I’d suggest you spend a little more for an AB5. It’s much more stable, and doesn’t take up that much space on the shelf.
  • I also like having a free AB5 lying around to use when photographing a newly finished model.