Saturday, 11 December 2021

Resource Counters

Sorry if you thought this was going to be about accountants. It’s not. Although the subject is on that side of wargaming.

I was in a big orange DIY shop (hardware store) on the hunt for a large bolt for non-wargaming purposes. I expected to have to buy a packet of several of them but noticed that they do a ‘pick n mix’ for washers, nuts, screws and bolts now, do I could get one of what I wanted. Only they sell them in small bags which you can fill with your own selection, which is handy. But what do I fill the bag with?


Idea! Two bolts (different size to the first) with nuts. Fit the appropriate numbers of nuts to the bolts for Victory Points or Resolve Points for my long postponed ECW campaign. Not very elegant, but neat. But what about the washers? Very vague ideas of using them as hit markers. 


This sturdy box looks a useful starting point for a fort. A desert fort or caravansary maybe. Though I’m not sure about the triangular’towers’.

18 comments:

  1. Orange crate as fort. Hmm. Now that’s an idea.

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    1. Fort Clementine would be a suitable base for the FFL, non?

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  2. A typical wargamer! I am exactly the same ...always on the lookout for everyday things I can use in my games! A friend uses those small steel washers to base his individual skirmish figures...her, they cost 25c each. My solution was to go on line and buy a random bag of out of circulation 10c coins....they are 20mm diameter...basically same coin as the old decimal 1pence piece in the UK....perfect! And they cost a lot les than 25c each (previously, I had just gone to the bank and changed $10 for 100 10c coins....but I felt a slight twinge of guilt using actual coins of the realm to base wargames figures!

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    1. I usually use small coins for singly mounted figures. Generals, casualties etc. bearing in mind my stuff is 6/10mm. These washers are too small for even those. Fiddly!

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    2. I use 1p and 2p coins for bases on my WW2 figures - they only cost 1p and 2p! But out of respect, I always leave Her Majesty's head unpainted 😄

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  3. Oh BTW, I think I actually used an orange crate as a fort forty years ago :)

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    1. Did you cover it with anything or paint it?

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  4. Yes- The Force is strong in you! All dedicated gamers look at everything with an eye on how to use it on the table top!
    I made a US fort out of a similar box nearly 40 years ago. A glued paddle pop sticks around the outside side by side, looking like a palisade. Then a Platform on each corner with suitable sides. Memories!

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  5. Will the fort be in Orange County?
    Looking forward to seeing it being built very much…

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    1. 👏👏👏👏👏
      Don’t hold your breath on seeing the fort.

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  6. Maybe the length of the bolt could represent time in the campaign and washers the usages of that time in collecting victory points?

    Tony S

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    1. That’s a good idea. If I were a practical type like my brother I’d rig up some sort of stand for it.

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  7. I found my 1p and 2p coins starting to get a white fuzz on the edges, but not sure why. It never happened before. So now I use mdf or plastic tiddly winks for bases.

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  8. Nice fort idea and always good to check out diy stores for useful stuff, I swear by halfords camo sprays,cheaper and more accessible than the wargaming type!
    Best Iain

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    1. I’ve used matt black spray from there for undercoating figures. Seems to work ok. And other earthy colours to add tones to my gaming cloth.

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