Off board Counter clean up - Pop-up Bit Bowls

[RobZagnut]

Cool new pop-up bit bowls for the ASLer who has everything:

https://boardgamegeekstore.com/collections/frontpage/products/bgg-folding-bit-bowls?mc_cid=96c1a43c6c&mc_eid=9605e8b35d

I’ve already ordered a set of 12...

 

[von Marwitz]

Though USD 40 is more than a stiff price for a bit of plastic.

von Marwitz

 

[Steven Pleva]

If one has a good informational counter tray you don't need bit bowls...
Steve

 

[Ric of The LBC]

Though USD 40 is more that a stiff price for a bit of plastic.

von Marwitz

$4 each 12 for $40

 

[RevJJ]

If one has a good informational counter tray you don't need bit bowls...
Steve

I use a US qtr coin tray for information counters (this one to be exact): https://www.amazon.com/MMF-Industries-212082516-Porta-Count-Plastic/dp/B00006XY1H/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1512815640&sr=8-12&keywords=coin+tray)

It works great. Plus it comes in ASL orange.

 

[Vinnie]

I use raaco A4 containers for info counters. Easy to lift out and sit beside the board. Easy to clean up after.

 

[von Marwitz]

I use raaco A4 containers for info counters. Easy to lift out and sit beside the board. Easy to clean up after.

I use this for counters I need for a specific scenario:



The small tray fits 4 RAACO inserts. Two of these I usually use to transfer 2x A75 inserts with the Squads & HS for the nationality I play in that scenario. One A75 or A78 insert I use for any HIP units or counters that I will likely need. One A71 insert (without subdivisions) I use for a small heap of concealment/CX counter and acquisition counters.

A second tray I provide to the opponent for comparable usage.

I like this better than individual inserts (or an assortment of bowls). More orderly, less shifting of individual inserts or bowls.

Between these two, I place one RAACO Assorter holding the system counters with a removed lid (As a safeguard against passer-bys getting caught in the opened lid and tearing it off the table - seen this happen more than once...).



With this setup, I don't need much table space and don't need to access other Assorters during the game either (except when leader BH or ELR and some other unusual circumstances).

von Marwitz

 

[Honza]

Those pop up bowls are a nasty colour. Would prefer something a bit more tasteful.

 

[von Marwitz]

Those pop up bowls are a nasty colour. Would prefer something a bit more tasteful.

You are contemplating blackwood or oak with polished brass hinges to make them fold?

von Marwitz

 

[Ray Woloszyn]

I use my souvenir ashtray from the Moulin Rouge for casualties in my ASL games though recently unfortunately for me there were so many it overflowed. Perhaps I should invest in these. In our Grand Tactical Game of "The Greatest Day: Sword, Juno, and Gold" we are using muffin tins for units and casualties much to somebody's chagrin.

 

[Steven Pleva]

von Marwitz,
Your trays and nice and orderly. However, you need a ton of trays to have all the counters available. I prefer a compact presentation where I have almost everything in one place that is easily accessible. Example:

Steve

 

[von Marwitz]

von Marwitz,
Your trays and nice and orderly. However, you need a ton of trays to have all the counters available. I prefer a compact presentation where I have almost everything in one place that is easily accessible. Example:
View attachment 3534
Steve

Looking at your systems tray, I cannot see anything that it holds more with regard to different counters than mine except 3 things:

1. German concealment / CX counters
2. Tons of acquisition counters
3. some non-MMP system counters in one subdivision

I store Concealment and Acquisition by nationality colors and pick what I need before scenario start to go into the side tray.

On the other hand, it seems, that my main systems tray appears to hold some things yours does not (as far as I can discern):

1. Fixed CA for MG/Guns
2. Climbing
3. Steeple, Fortifications, Cellar
4. HD
5. Bog

As these 8 inserts sit in the top tier of one RAACO Assorter, this is pretty much the same with regard to desk-space as your box lid but being a bit more orderly and seemingly holding a bit more variety of counters directly accessible.

Of course, the "ultimate" storage solution is a matter of personal preference in the end.

von Marwitz

 

[horseshoe]

Looking at your systems tray, I cannot see anything that it holds more with regard to different counters than mine except 3 things:

1. German concealment / CX counters
2. Tons of acquisition counters
3. some non-MMP system counters in one subdivision

I store Concealment and Acquisition by nationality colors and pick what I need before scenario start to go into the side tray.

On the other hand, it seems, that my main systems tray appears to hold some things yours does not (as far as I can discern):

1. Fixed CA for MG/Guns
2. Climbing
3. Steeple, Fortifications, Cellar
4. HD
5. Bog

As these 8 inserts sit in the top tier of one RAACO Assorter, this is pretty much the same with regard to desk-space as your box lid but being a bit more orderly and seemingly holding a bit more variety of counters directly accessible.

Of course, the "ultimate" storage solution is a matter of personal preference in the end.

von Marwitz

Pleva has a point, your trays are SO NEAT and ORDERLY, I'd be afraid to get a counter out of them for fear of knocking over a stack and causing a mess. Our system is very similar to yours without the stacking in the individual compartments,

 

[Paul M. Weir]

vonM is a man after my OCD heart. "alles in Ordnung"!

Stray counters will be asked for their papers and then resettled to their correct harde (hundred) and gau (province) immediately.

 

[Steven Pleva]

Looking at your systems tray, I cannot see anything that it holds more with regard to different counters than mine except 3 things:

1. German concealment / CX counters
2. Tons of acquisition counters
3. some non-MMP system counters in one subdivision

I store Concealment and Acquisition by nationality colors and pick what I need before scenario start to go into the side tray.

On the other hand, it seems, that my main systems tray appears to hold some things yours does not (as far as I can discern):

1. Fixed CA for MG/Guns
2. Climbing
3. Steeple, Fortifications, Cellar
4. HD
5. Bog

As these 8 inserts sit in the top tier of one RAACO Assorter, this is pretty much the same with regard to desk-space as your box lid but being a bit more orderly and seemingly holding a bit more variety of counters directly accessible.

Of course, the "ultimate" storage solution is a matter of personal preference in the end.

von Marwitz

I have a second tray that sits underneath the first tray. The top tray has all the common counters. The bottom tray includes all the rarely used counters. I like these trays because it is easy to get the counters without having to bother with tweezers. The picture is a little old. I now have the Bog counters in the same bin as the Motion counters. I have Banzai counters in with the Wall Advantage counters. I make slight improvements from time to time...
Steve

 

[von Marwitz]

Pleva has a point, your trays are SO NEAT and ORDERLY, I'd be afraid to get a counter out of them for fear of knocking over a stack and causing a mess. Our system is very similar to yours without the stacking in the individual compartments,

You fell for the German propaganda...

This is how it looked like when I was done migrating my counters one year ago - everything in proverbial Prussian barrack yard precision stacks, squads & SW stacked in alphabetical order etc.

However, since I actually do use the counters, the stacks topple to an extent. With the smaller subdivisions of the RAACO inserts, there will be less mixing of different counters, though.

von Marwitz

 

[von Marwitz]

I have a second tray that sits underneath the first tray. The top tray has all the common counters. The bottom tray includes all the rarely used counters. I like these trays because it is easy to get the counters without having to bother with tweezers. The picture is a little old. I now have the Bog counters in the same bin as the Motion counters. I have Banzai counters in with the Wall Advantage counters. I make slight improvements from time to time...
Steve

Same with me. Below the top tier shown, there's a second tier of 8 inserts with all the stuff that you usually need to pick only before the scenario or rarely need, like Mines etc.

If you normally don't use tweezers, then bigger or less sub-compartments are of advantage - especially if you aren't nimble fingered. My SOP is to use tweezers, though, so under these circumstances, the smaller compartments are good.

The tweezers-detail is another great example for the fact, that the "ultimate" storage solution is indeed a very individual affair.

Cheers,
von Marwitz

 

[von Marwitz]

vonM is a man after my OCD heart. "alles in Ordnung"!

Stray counters will be asked for their papers and then resettled to their correct harde (hundred) and gau (province) immediately.

To an extent, you are correct.

All my AFV/Guns are stacked to a height of six (substuting excess 5/8" Concealment Counters if not enough of a given type are available in a double OoB) to minimize lateral counter-shifting in A75 RAACO inserts. And these stacks are maintained in their alphabetical ID-letter order. So the below example is how it does look for AFV/Guns in actual use:



von Marwitz

 

[Paul M. Weir]

In the AH-MMP interregnum I bought up extra cores, a fair few at half price in closing down sales. As a result I could have up to 24 of an AFV or 16 of a gun, sometimes many more when HASL sourced ones were added to my arsenal. My matchbox inner tray array method allows up to 8-9 or occasionally 10 high stacks, depending upon counter thickness. After doing a 9 high stack I might have 3 left over which are placed on the bottom and are topped by 6 of the next AFV/Gun in my sequence, IE any "tail" is covered by the "head" of the next. As I have a good rough idea of the quantity of each, I can quickly find any necessary left overs for large scenarios or DYO. All "?" have their own section at the end of a nationality's 1/2" or 5/8" section.

 

[von Marwitz]

In the AH-MMP interregnum I bought up extra cores, a fair few at half price in closing down sales. As a result I could have up to 24 of an AFV or 16 of a gun, sometimes many more when HASL sourced ones were added to my arsenal.

I have limited myself to a maximum of 12 for some of the common types (Pz IVH and the like) in my set. Extras are located in my 'retired' storage which I don't bring along. Chances of needing these are extremly slim, as I play mostly VASL in the first place and if it is FtF it is highly unlikely to be a monster-scenario.

von Marwitz