==== Docker ====
With Docker as the provider in Vagrant, you do not need a 'base box'. However, I'm not sure that I want to use Docker as a solution because one of the main points that I want to ensure is that the resulting environment should look as 'normal' as possible (e.g. mediawiki is installed in /var/www/example.com/_site/w) Also, Docker seems to like to provide a 'box' for each little service/daemon which is clearly overselling it.
==== Cobbler ====
[https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeldehaan Michael DeHaan] originally wrote Cobbler, then worked at Puppet Labs (to bring Cobbler and Puppet more in line), and finally started and led the Ansible project, until it was bought by RedHat. The Cobbler project is now led by James Cammarata, who works for Ansible, Inc. In short, you can use both, but Cobbler is not 'better' than Ansible. Ansible literally grew out of Cobbler's early roots.