We’re back after a short break (and a false alarm mishap at the shop), shaking off the dust and diving straight into the nitty-gritty of hobbying. This time, it’s all about the often-overlooked secret sauce of miniature painting: basing.

We start with the basics: why the ground your minis stand on can make or break the final look. From there, we share plenty of budget-friendly tricks, like raiding the aquarium aisle at the pet store for alien plants and funky colored rocks, grabbing bulk sand or gravel from craft stores, or ordering larger scenic mixes from places like Scenic Express or Geek Gaming Scenics. If you’ve ever wanted to make your Star Wars: Legion troopers feel like they actually came from different planets—or if you’re looking to elevate your Marvel Crisis Protocol heroes beyond their default “tactical rocks”—this episode is packed with easy wins.

We swap stories about painting styles, from simple mud and rubble textures to glowing LED centerpiece models, and even laugh about our mistakes (yes, putting Doctor Strange on the wrong base size really happened). We cover methods for priming and texturing, why you should add tufts last, and how to keep an army looking cohesive without sucking the fun out of personal creativity.

And because it wouldn’t be a Funkatronic Rex podcast without a tangent, the episode spirals into one of our favorite debates: what sodas would the X-Men drink? Expect fiery opinions (Cyclops is definitely a Diet Coke guy, Jubilee is locked on grape soda, Cable raids the timeline for Jolt, Wolverine doesn’t bother with soda at all), a little chaos, and plenty of laughter.

By the end, you’ll not only have a toolbox of ideas for your next basing project, but also a new appreciation for soda-fueled mutant headcanon.

Takeaway: Don’t overlook your bases—whether it’s rubble, tufts, lava, or tactical rocks, they’re an easy way to make your minis truly yours. And remember: have fun, share ideas, and let your creativity spill over onto the tabletop.

Bonus: Patreon updates are coming soon, so keep an eye out!

Support the show