"He who marches out of step hears another drum." ~ Ken Kesey
When I started printing, there was no underbasing or flashing. We'd print the darker colors first then the whites or golds near the end. Stepping on the darks wasn't so bad, and after all, there wasn't anything better at the time, mid seventies. Stapled fabric, probably wouldn't register on a meter, and multi filament threads. If you want to go true retro, do it the way it was done at the time. If you need cracks, then prepare you're art that way, but print it the old fashioned way.
Are you suggesting I start basing down all my inks a bit for a softer hand?