Last updated: June 1, 2026. A practical guide to magnetizing miniature bases, choosing the right magnet size, and storing your army so nothing shifts in transit. Works for Warhammer 40,000, Age of Sigmar, Kings of War, historical wargames, and any 25mm–170mm base.
The fastest way to magnetize miniatures is to skip the loose magnets entirely. Instead of drilling each base and gluing in a tiny neodymium disc, LITKO makes pre-cut magnet base bottoms — self-adhesive magnetic bottoms cut to the exact size and shape of your base. Peel, stick, done. Pair them with a flexible steel storage sheet and your whole army snaps down flat and travels without sliding.
What magnets do you need for miniature bases?
For most plastic infantry on 25–32mm bases, a single magnetic base bottom (or one 3mm × 2mm rare-earth magnet) holds the model firmly to a steel sheet or movement tray. Heavier resin and metal models, and bases 40mm and larger, need a stronger Heavy Duty Magnet bottom or two to three magnets. The simplest approach is a pre-cut magnetic base bottom sized to your base — no drilling, no glue mess, and the pull is matched to the base. To store and carry the models, you also need a magnetically-receptive surface for the magnets to grab.
What Size Magnet for Each Miniature Base?
The right magnet size depends on the base diameter and the model's weight. Plastic infantry needs far less hold than a resin tank or a metal monster. The chart below pairs common base sizes with a recommended magnet, assuming strong N52 neodymium — the standard grade for miniatures. (A weaker N35 grade works too; you just use slightly more or larger magnets.)
| Base Size | Typical Models | Magnet (dia × thickness) | How Many | Shop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25mm | Guardsmen, light infantry, rank-and-file | 3mm × 2mm | 1 | Shop 25mm → |
| 28mm | Standard infantry (current GW standard) | 3mm × 2mm | 1 | Shop 28mm → |
| 32mm | Space Marines, power-armour & elite infantry | 3mm × 2mm (5mm if top-heavy) | 1 (2 if top-heavy) | Shop 32mm → |
| 40mm | Terminators, large infantry, characters | 5mm × 2mm | 1 | Shop 40mm → |
| 50mm | Bikes, small monsters, heavy infantry | 5mm × 2mm | 1 (2 for heavy resin/metal) | Shop 50mm → |
| 60mm | Larger monsters, dreadnoughts | 5mm × 2mm | 2–3 (spaced) | Shop 60mm → |
| 80mm | Big monsters, walkers | 5–6mm × 2mm | 3–4 (spaced) | Shop 80mm → |
| 100mm+ | Knights, tanks, Gargantuan models, 170mm ovals | 6mm × 2mm | 3–4 (spaced evenly) | Custom via BaseMaker → |
Rule of thumb: use 3mm × 2mm magnets for infantry up to 32mm, 5–6mm × 2mm for 40mm-and-larger elites, monsters, and vehicles, and several spaced magnets on big bases. Match the magnet to the heaviest model on a given base size, then use that strength army-wide so every model behaves the same on the sheet. Skip the math entirely with a pre-cut magnet base bottom sized to your base.
Other base shapes? The same sizing applies to square, rectangular, oval, hex, and pill bases — magnet pull tracks a model's weight and base footprint, not its shape. LITKO makes magnet base bottoms in every shape — shop all magnet base bottoms and filter to yours.
How to Magnetize a Miniature Base
Method 1: Drop-in pre-cut magnet base bottoms (the easy way)
LITKO magnet base bottoms are precision-cut, self-adhesive magnetic bottoms made to match any LITKO base — round, square, hexagonal, oval, rectangular, or pill, in every size we cut, from 15mm up. Because the magnet is the base bottom, there's no drilling and no measuring:
- Peel the backing off the magnet bottom.
- Press it onto the underside of your finished base, centered.
- That's it — the model now grabs any steel surface: a movement tray, a transport sheet, or a tray insert.
The standard Magnet bottom (0.020" thick) is plenty for plastic infantry. For heavier resin and metal models, or large bases, step up to the Heavy Duty Magnet bottom (0.030" — about 50% thicker, with a stronger pull). Want the receptive (non-magnetic) half instead — for magnetic movement trays that grab steel-bottomed models? Use Flexible Steel base bottoms, which install the same peel-and-stick way.
Method 2: Loose magnets in a drilled base (the traditional way)
If you prefer loose rare-earth (neodymium) magnets — for example, to magnetize swappable weapons as well as the base — the process is: mark the center, drill a shallow recess with a pin vise sized to the magnet, drop the magnet in, and secure with super glue (cyanoacrylate) or two-part epoxy for heavier models. Use the diameter in the chart above for your base size. LITKO doesn't sell loose magnets, but our pre-cut base bottoms exist precisely to spare you this step for the base itself.
Getting polarity right (so your army doesn't repel itself)
The single most common mistake with loose magnets is installing them backward, so two pieces repel instead of stick. Before gluing anything, set every magnet the same way up: keep one “master” magnet and make sure every piece sticks to it the same face down, then mark that face with a Sharpie. With LITKO's pre-cut bottoms this is automatic — every bottom is magnetized the same way, so a whole army is consistent straight out of the pack. And because a magnet sticks to a steel sheet regardless of orientation, the magnet-to-steel storage system below sidesteps the polarity problem entirely.
Magnet vs. Steel: How the Two-Part System Works
Magnetic storage always has two halves: something magnetic, and something the magnet sticks to (a receptive steel surface). You only need a magnet on one of them. LITKO sells both halves as pre-cut, drop-in parts, so you can build the setup that fits your collection:
- Magnetized minis + steel sheet — put magnet base bottoms on your models and store them on the Magnetically-Receptive Steel Sheet. Best when you want the pull built into the models. Because magnet-to-steel can never repel, this is the most forgiving option and the easiest to teach.
- Steel-bottomed minis + magnet sheet or tray — put Flexible Steel base bottoms on your models and let a Flexible Magnet Sheet or a magnet movement-tray insert do the holding. Best when you want cheap, swappable models and the magnet in the case or tray.
One rule: never magnet-to-magnet. Don't put a magnet on the model and a magnet sheet in the tray hoping for extra grip — two magnets fight over polarity and repel as often as they hold. Always pair a magnet with a steel (receptive) surface, not another magnet. That's why every setup above puts the magnet on exactly one side.
Either way, the bottoms are cut to your base size and shape, so there's no trimming and the pull is even across the army.
Storing & Transporting Your Magnetized Army
Once your models are magnetized, you need a steel surface for them to grab. This is the half most people think of first — but it's second in line behind getting the bases right.
The Magnetically-Receptive Steel Sheet (for magnetized bases)
The Flexible Steel Vinyl Magnetically-Receptive Sheet is a thin (0.025"), flexible, iron-infused vinyl sheet that any magnet grabs — it is receptive, not a magnet itself, like a refrigerator door. It is rust-proof and trims to size with scissors. Line the bottom of a toolbox, drawer, or KR/Feldherr-style case with it, and your magnetized minis snap down flat and stay put on a bumpy car ride. It's the receptive partner to magnet base bottoms.
The Flexible Magnet Sheet (for steel-bottomed bases)
If your models instead have steel base bottoms, you want the opposite: a Flexible Magnet Sheet (also 8.5×11", in regular and Heavy Duty pull) lining the case, so the magnet lives in the case and the models stay cheap to make. Heavy Duty is worth it for metal models or deep transport. (Note the difference: the magnet sheet is a magnet; the receptive steel sheet above is not.)
Building a magnetic storage case
A simple, durable rig: a rigid toolbox or foam-tray case, a layer of the steel or magnet sheet cut to the drawer with scissors, and your magnetized army dropped on top. Rank-and-file units can travel pre-formed if you magnetize the movement tray too (next section).
Magnetic Movement Trays
Movement trays are the other place magnets earn their keep: a magnetized tray holds a whole unit together so you can pick up and move ten models at once without them sliding. LITKO's Flexible Magnet Movement-Tray Inserts drop into our standard, roomy, and Old World movement trays — the insert is the magnet layer, so a model with a steel base bottom locks into the tray. Combine steel bottoms on the models with a magnet insert in the tray for a rock-solid unit that still lifts off individually when a model dies. See the full range in the magnetics for movement trays collection.
Which Base Size Do I Have?
Not sure what size base your models use? That determines which magnet bottom to buy. Our base-size guides list every official size by game system:
- All Base Size Guides — master index for every game system
- Warhammer Base Sizes Guide — 40K, Age of Sigmar, The Old World, Kill Team
- Kings of War Base Sizes Guide — multi-basing, formations
- Star Wars: Legion Base Sizes Guide — all factions, notched bases
Custom Sizes & Shapes
Got an oddball base — a scratch-built monster, a diorama, or a 3D-printed unit on a non-standard footprint? The LITKO BaseMaker tool cuts bases (and base bottoms) to any dimension, so you can get a magnet or steel bottom even for a shape nobody else stocks. New to it? See how to get custom bases made.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size magnet do I need for a 32mm base?
A single 3mm × 2mm neodymium magnet, or a pre-cut 32mm magnet base bottom, holds a standard plastic infantry model firmly. Step up to a 5mm × 2mm magnet, or use two, for top-heavy, metal, or resin models.
What magnets do you use for Warhammer bases?
Pre-cut magnet base bottoms sized to the round base, or 3–5mm loose neodymium magnets for a DIY install: 3mm for infantry up to 32mm, 5–6mm for 40mm and larger. Pair the magnetized models with a steel sheet to store and carry them.
Do I need magnets on the models or on the storage sheet?
Only one side needs the magnet. Either put magnet base bottoms on your models and store them on a magnetically-receptive steel sheet, or put steel base bottoms on your models and let a magnet sheet or magnetized movement tray do the holding.
What is a magnetically-receptive sheet?
A thin, flexible sheet with embedded iron particles that any magnet sticks to. It is receptive, not a magnet itself, like a refrigerator door. You line a case or drawer with it so magnetized miniatures snap down flat.
Can I magnetize movement trays?
Yes. A flexible magnet movement-tray insert drops into the tray and holds steel-bottomed models, so a whole unit moves as one piece and still lifts off individually.
Are magnetized bases tournament-legal?
Yes. Tournament organizers care about the base size and footprint, not whether it is magnetized. A magnet base bottom does not change the base's footprint.
Will magnets damage my miniatures?
No. Neodymium magnets are safe for plastic, resin, and metal miniatures. The thing to get right is polarity and removal: a wrongly-installed glued magnet can be hard to pull out later and may take a chip of plastic or resin with it, so set every magnet the same way before gluing. Keep magnet sheets away from credit cards and mechanical watches.
Related Guides
- All Base Size Guides — master index for every game system
- All Miniature Base Sizes — size-first reference, every shape and material
- Warhammer Base Sizes Guide — 40K, Age of Sigmar, The Old World, Kill Team
- Kings of War Base Sizes Guide — multi-basing, formations
- Star Wars: Legion Base Sizes Guide — all factions, notched bases
- How to Get Custom Bases — any size or shape via BaseMaker
Disclaimer: LITKO Game Accessories is an independent manufacturer of gaming bases and accessories. LITKO is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Games Workshop, Mantic Games, or Atomic Mass Games. Warhammer, Warhammer 40,000, Age of Sigmar, The Old World, Kill Team, Kings of War, and Star Wars: Legion, and all associated names and imagery are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
Magnet-size recommendations in this guide are based on publicly available information and community resources as of the date shown above, and are general starting points — model weight, material, and storage method all affect the ideal magnet. Always test with your own models before magnetizing an entire army.