How do you like to organize your vehicle counters?

How do you like to organize your Vehicle counters?


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fenyan

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I've been organizing my vehicles within each nationality in order of ascending gun size, but I'm thinking of changing to another method. I suspect most organize by Chapter H note number. How do you like to organize your vehicle counters?
 

hongkongwargamer

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I had my vehicles by Chapter H but it took forever to retrieve and to put back especially in tournaments. I am reorganizing everything is by Gun Size and further by MP. Using the 2 biggest numbers on the counters seem to make a lot more sense.
 

Robin Reeve

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I sort them along chapter H order.
There is a clear logic in that order and I easily find my vehicles, as I have a rather good memory of their place after having read chapter H many times.
 

von Marwitz

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Actually, it is a number of underlying principles or patterns rather than a single one:

I wanted a type of storage that largely allows for 'visual' identification of the storage location without need for cross-referencing an index card.

When viewing a tank on a scenario card or elsewhere, I examine its specifics in the following order:
  1. Its type (i.e. Turreted/Non-Turreted, OT/CT, Tank/Halftrack).
  2. Its MA caliber.
  3. Its MPs
  4. Its Vehicle designation.
Thus I needed a storage that allowed me to 'view' the Vehicle counter and has easy to read labels so as not need to strain the eyes for decipering the minuscule printed designation on the counter.

For the purposes of the storage system, I subject all counters to a system of 10 storage patterns. Some of these patterns have a more general significance, for example to attempt never to 'overlap' a Nationality across two Assorters whereever possible, etc. The 'storage pattern' specifically applicable to Vehicles (beside some more general ones) is the 8th pattern:

Vehicles will usually be first sorted by 'type' like Unarmed Transport, Truck Type MP expenditure, AC type expenditure, Tanks, Non-Turreted CT AFV, ht's, OT TD's, SPA, SPAA, AFV of foreign origin. The next criterium will usually be unit designation as printed on the counter (for example different Pz IV types in order after Pz III types). Sometimes, a criterium can be MA caliber size. The ID# of the Chapter H vehicle notes is not a criterium as this would require cross-referencing which I want to avoid. As the picture is comparably diverse for Vehicles, the greatest variety in 'pattern' may be encountered. But as all vehicle types are stored horizontally and visible, you will easily be able to single out the Vehicle that you need. In this, you are aided by the labels that sticks in each compartment of the insert and specifies the vehicle types within in an easy to read font size. As unarmored & unarmed Transportation is usually more 'to the left' and Tanks 'more to the right', you will even be able to intuitively know which insert of a top tier you need to lift if the vehicle you are looking for is stored in the bottom tier of an Assorter. Even if this might sound a bit unsystematic, it works very well in practice.You'll see. With regard to preference of A78's to A75's the same principles as for Guns are applied.

For those interested in the entire system of 'storage patterns', see follow the below link and read pages 16 & 17 or have a look at the spoiler below:

http://www.gamesquad.com/forums/index.php?resources/the-ultimate-raaco-storage.16/

For easing orientation and finding counters in the storage system, I attempted to do things in a similar way for all nationalities. Since not all nationalities are the same – some have many infantry types, some a lot of vehilces, others a lot of different SW – I did not apply all patterns slavishly but adapted them a bit. This also served the purpose of trying to keep all Axis nationalities in one HandyBox and the Allies in the second (except for each side's Minors in the third). Furthermore I tried to keep each nationality either within one tier or within one Assorter, which worked out in most but not all cases. In this, you find the 1st 'pattern'.

Within each nationality, the basic 'pattern' will start with Full Squad Infantry types on Position 1, HS Infantry types on Position 2, SMC & Crews on Position 3, and SW on Position 4. If there are many infantry types, Full Squad Infantry will continue on Position 5, HS types on Position 6, Guns on Position 7. Vehicles follow after the Guns. This is the 2nd 'pattern'

If a nationality does not fit in a single tier, then Infantry, SW, and Guns will be found in the top tier and vehicles continue in the bottom tier. The exception are nationalities with a lot of different infantry types (like the US with USMC and Early Philippine Army). In the latter case, the extra infantry will be found in the bottom tier beneath the infantry on the top tier. This is the 3rd 'pattern'.

Infantry will usually be stored in A75's because there are many counters of a given type. The quality will usually decline from the top to the bottom compartment. This is the 4th 'pattern'.

The postion of leader-types, Snipers, Heroes and crews will usually be basically the same for all nationalities. Crews in particular might instead be found with the Squads/HS if it fits better. Normally A78's will be used for SMC types. This is the 5th 'pattern'.

The position of SW-types will usually be basically the same for all nationalities. Some nationalities have so many different SW-types, that two inserts are needed. Acquistion in particular might be found with the SW-types or with Squads/HS if it fits better. Normally A78's will be used for SW-types. This is the 6th 'pattern'.

Guns will first be sorted by type (i.e. MTR, AA, INF, AT, RCL, ART), then by caliber (where 75* would be followed by 75, 75L, and 75LL within a given caliber). Within the same caliber type, the third criterium might be alphabetical order of the printed gun designation on the counter. In some cases, a criterium might be the nationality suffix (for example a GrW34(g) for a Hungarian colored MTR). It will be attempted not to 'overlap' Gun types across more than one insert if it can be avoided (i.e. all MTRs in one insert, all AA in the next). If I had enough counters available to form stacks of 6 of each gun type of a given nationality consistently, I tended to use A75's. The identical stack height is important to hinder lateral counter-shifting within an A75 during transport and thus to keep mix-up at a minimum. In some cases, where even double OoBs do not yield 6 Guns of a given type, I might have substituted excess 5/8“ Concealment conters at the bottom of a stack to raise it to the height of 6. In case I did not have double OoBs to draw from, which resulted in many different Gun stacks of different height (mainly 6, 4, 3 or 2), I tended to prefer A78's to minimize counter-mixup caused by shifting during transport. This is the 7th 'pattern'.

Vehicles will usually be first sorted by 'type' like Unarmed Transport, Truck Type MP expenditure, AC type expenditure, Tanks, Non-Turreted CT AFV, ht's, OT TD's, SPA, SPAA, AFV of foreign origin. The next criterium will usually be unit designation as printed on the counter (for example different Pz IV types in order after Pz III types). Sometimes, a criterium can be MA caliber size. The ID# of the Chapter H vehicle notes is not a criterium as this would require cross-referencing which I want to avoid. As the picture is comparably diverse for Vehicles, the greatest variety in 'pattern' may be encountered. But as all vehicle types are stored horizontally and visible, you will easily be able to single out the Vehicle that you need. In this, you are aided by the labels that sticks in each compartment of the insert and specifies the vehicle types within in an easy to read font size. As unarmored & unarmed Transportation is usually more 'to the left' and Tanks 'more to the right', you will even be able to intuitively know which insert of a top tier you need to lift if the vehicle you are looking for is stored in the bottom tier of an Assorter. Even if this might sound a bit unsystematic, it works very well in practice.You'll see. With regard to preference of A78's to A75's the same principles as for Guns are applied. This is the 8th 'pattern'.

With regard to System Counters, the ones you need to handle most marking of Infantry, Vehicles, Levels, Smoke, Residual FP, and some other things are located in the top tier of the first System Counter Assorter. This serves the purpose that you need to lift up as few inlays during the game as possible for the System counters you need. On the bottom tier of the first Assorter of System Counters you will find things you usually only need to fetch at the start of a game or on rather rare occasions (for example Mines, 'White Conveyance' such as Horses or Cycles, Aircraft, Boats, OBA counters etc.). Generally, the system counters are 'themed' in their inserts (for example Residual FP, Smoke/Flame/Blaze, Vehicle Markers, all forms of CC, HW, Melee, etc.). This is the 9th 'pattern'.

The second Assorter of System Counters holds all sorts of Terrain on the top tier (Fortifications, Bridges, PTO terrain, DTO terrain, and Night). Again, each insert is 'themed'. Usually, you will only need to draw things here at the start of play or on rare occasions. The bottom tier of the second Assorter of system counters holds stuff that is very rarely needed (for example SASL counters or system counters for a couple of HASLs like perimeter markers etc.). This is the 10th 'pattern'.

von Marwitz
 

HansK

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Storing them by alphabet, but not sure (yet) if this is the best way to do it.
 

xenovin

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I organize turreted vehicles light, medium to heavy models (left to right) followed by non-turreted, followed by open topped, and ending with soft vehicles. You need a system that works for your brain so you can find counters. If scenario cards had the vehicle notes next to each counter, that would work for me but they don’t so means nothing to me when looking for a counter so I don’t use it. But I know a Pz III is a medium turreted vehicle so I can find it right away.
 

jrv

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I organize my vehicles by the date I first used them. If I first used only four vehicles of a type on a particular date and the other two on later dates, they are in separate bins. If that's what it takes to keep my vehicles organized, then that's what I'll do.

JR
 

csiemers

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Stored by type, Armored Cars, Half Tracks, Self Propelled, Turreted Tanks, and Captured Tanks. Sometimes if the amount warrants it, break them down into sub groups like early war Turreted Tanks and late war Turreted Tanks,
 

JRKrejsa

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By what kind of vehicle they started as, historically. For example, all the PzIIIs are together, all turreted kinds, early war to the last, all the StuGs, StuHs, and all the oddball sp guns based on the chassis.
 

Robin Reeve

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Just in case, here is the way I sorted my Italians, following the chapter H order. Finding a given counter is very easy, as I give in text (shortly) the contents of each compartment of my Raaco 18 box.
7589
 

hayman

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Vehicle type (AC, truck MP, 1/2 tracked, fully tracked,etc), then into gun size as a sub-groups.
 

Sparafucil3

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If I have it to all over again; vehicle note order with coin envelopes. When I was in Plano; barrel size. In my current Racco system, a bit of a mash but everything is mapped out and easy to retrieve. -- jim
 

Sparafucil3

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Stored in coin envelopes sorted by Chapter H number. Help remind me to read the Chapter H notes before playing the scenario.
I think there are labels on the Texas ASL site which can be copied to affix the chapter H note to the envelope itself. That's what I would do, alas, sunken cost fallacy. -- jim
 

Ganjulama

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I think there are labels on the Texas ASL site which can be copied to affix the chapter H note to the envelope itself. That's what I would do, alas, sunken cost fallacy. -- jim
They are posted to TX ASL and current through Korea. They do not include the one vehicle note errata from AoO (yet). I'm waiting for a major update to incorporate that one. Of note, they don't include BFP Objective Schmidt vehicle notes. I did not buy this module because the maps don't fit on my table. To paraphrase the late Johnnie Cochran "if it doesn't fit I won't commit".

7600
 

JR Brackin

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depends on the nationality. Some I do based on their gun caliber, some on MPs, or a combination of the two.
 

Robin Reeve

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Here is my German vehicle and ordnance organisation for Raaco 18.7619
 

TopT

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I was going to organize my last set into all RAACO's but have changed my mind and am going to organize my vehicles/ ordnance into envelopes. I have everything that i need for the coin envelopes, except the container.

Now to get started...
 
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