First importance, hope you make a Speedy recovery Rob, COVID is a kicker.

I'd like to ask advice from the Forum please. I'm considering alternate and much narrower bases for my fleets, mostly because I prefer them to be able to sail very close to eachother if needed and not kept apart by a plastic base. I'm leaning towards hobby plywood to keep the look with the existing measuring tools and parchment ship logs. The plywood could also be given a blue wash on one side... Litko has custom bases in laser cut 6mm or 3mm plywood with 3mm flight stand holes which fit the ship pegs well.

Bases would be 3" x 1" for 1st and 3rd rates, 2.5" x 1" for 4th rates, and 2" x 3/4" for 5th rates and below. The aim is for the spars to extend to or just beyond the edge of the bases.

I prefer 3mm plywood since it brings the ships closer to the table, but this means snipping down the 5.5mm long ship pegs. Since the pegs are tapered, they would still affix into the SOG plastic bases. Alternately, 6mm plywood would be the same thickness as the plastic bases and accommodate the peg without need to cut. I'm planning on upgrading the ships wth paint and rigging so I guess they don't need to be in resale condition... so I think I know my preference (3mm) but would like to tap the collective wisdom and see if I've missed anything before I commit...

A question to the gods: 3mm or 6mm, 90degree corners or 2mm rounded corners and are the widths ok?

Any other ideas or comments gratefully received.

Rough mock-ups using paint mix sticks
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2"x3/4" frigate, 2.5"x1" 50gun Portland, 3"x1" 1st Rate
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3mm, 4.5mm plywood and 6mm SOG base
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