Raaco/Plano - ASL Storage

[Blaze]

Originally my entire SL and then ASL counters were stored in the older GMT style containers and in the boxes. From the mid/late 90s on I switched to Plano's. For a while the entire ASL collection was in 3701's Counter bloat and more boxed HASL's later I had to augment those with 3600's to organize it all into a practical usable solution. Since 99% of my ASL is FTF I need things to be easy to find and readily accessible without using tweezers for the 1/2 counters.

Fast forward to 2024 and I now have a space issue. Plano's while the best storage as far as security and weather resistance and durability, it also can only organize so far. The Pros of security are great but at the expense of space.

Raaco is a very nice product for organization at the expense of security. The lids are not very secure and the durability of the plastic a bit flimsier than Plano. HOWEVER, the pros of Raaco have defiantly outweighed the cons for me.

Plano
Pros:

• Built for outdoor activities (Fishing)
• Weather resistant.
• Can be dropped and survive with the counters remaining in place.
• Relatively inexpensive.

Con's:

• Can only be divided so far.
• Takes up significant space.
• Not a lot of 3D print divider options.

Raaco

Pros:

• Excellent base storage inserts options.
• Many 3d printing options.
• Space saver.

Cons:

• Price (in the US) is expensive.
• Lids are not very secure (Assorter 55)
• Might not survive a moderate drop.

For me the last decider was the footprint. All the counters from the Plano's pictured are now inside those Racco's and even organized to the weapon/vehicle note.

I have every (official) ASL game except for BRT. All I have left to do is the Axis/Allied Minors, Hungarians, French, ROK, UN, CPVA, and campaign control markers. So, there are 15 more Plano's (not pictured) to empty into 3 more Raaco's (not pictured)

 

[Kijug]

Is your picture implying that you got all those Planos into the pictured Raacos?

Similarly, I have about 25 Plano 3701s with all AH/MMP/TPP counters up through KW. My primary travel kit for normal FtF game days is "primary" 19 Plano 3701s in a suitcase I can wheel around. For tournaments, I bring all the rest in another wheel around. I don't like the super-density of Raacos, my two cents.

 

[Blaze]

Is your picture implying that you got all those Planos into the pictured Raacos?

Similarly, I have about 25 Plano 3701s with all AH/MMP/TPP counters up through KW. My primary travel kit for normal FtF game days is "primary" 19 Plano 3701s in a suitcase I can wheel around. For tournaments, I bring all the rest in another wheel around. I don't like the super-density of Raacos, my two cents.

No Sir, not implying. Those counters in the Raaco's were literally removed from those Plano's pictured and placed into those Raaco's pictured. Yes, I'm not crazy about super density myself, as I play a lot of FTF.

For example, here is 1 Assorter with all the Russians. The MMC/SMC/ Other markers are not too squeezed in. (top trays) But the Vehicles/Weapons are organized by Chapter H notes (bottom trays). Makes finding and setup a breeze. This contains BV Russians/Partisans, North Korean's, TotR, FB, RB. RO, and VOTG

TOP

Bottom


And for plucking the vehicles or ordnance, I always keep plasti-tak on my tweezers.

 

[Old Noob]

Wanted: 1 Relative Dimension Stabilizer, in good working order. Needed for ASL counter storage capability.

 

[gorkowskij]

It's humorous that when citing the pros and cons of ASL kits people so frequently refer to a kit's ability to withstand a drop, spill, tip, or bad weather, rather than ease-of-use on game day. What are you guys doing with your stuff? Driving to conventions off road in an open top jeep? The rest of us travel on paved roads or commercial airlines and then play indoors on cloth-lined tables. Given the safety and stability of transportation, shouldn't we instead prioritize how convenient a kit is to use at the table? Does it take up too much space? Are the counters easy to see/reach? By the way, I don't recall ever seeing anyone drop or spill a kit. I'm sure it happens, but the fact that I can't recall an incident says something about how rarely that happens. I can recall plane crashes reported in the news. None of those planes were designed to survive those impacts, instead they were built for their core mission - flight. Shouldn't a kit be designed for its core mission - facilitating play - or is your journey to game day so perilous that your kit must be primed for unexpected collisions and 180 degree inversions?

 

[von Marwitz]

Lids are not very secure (Assorter 55)

You can fix this issue buy adding a thin mat of foam atop the upper layer of inlays within the assorter. It may be hard to bear for an ASL nerd that this is on top of it (sic!) a cheap & easy solution.



von Marwitz

 

[Blaze]

Great idea! Thanks man

 

[Blaze]

It's humorous that when citing the pros and cons of ASL kits people so frequently refer to a kit's ability to withstand a drop, spill, tip, or bad weather, rather than ease-of-use on game day. What are you guys doing with your stuff? Driving to conventions off road in an open top jeep? The rest of us travel on paved roads or commercial airlines and then play indoors on cloth-lined tables. Given the safety and stability of transportation, shouldn't we instead prioritize how convenient a kit is to use at the table? Does it take up too much space? Are the counters easy to see/reach? By the way, I don't recall ever seeing anyone drop or spill a kit. I'm sure it happens, but the fact that I can't recall an incident says something about how rarely that happens. I can recall plane crashes reported in the news. None of those planes were designed to survive those impacts, instead they were built for their core mission - flight. Shouldn't a kit be designed for its core mission - facilitating play - or is your journey to game day so perilous that your kit must be primed for unexpected collisions and 180 degree inversions?

Both setups were designed for total function. But storage space does matter to me most, that’s why I am transitioning to RAACO. And yes security matters also to me. I have seen ASL blunders and have myself dropped a container or two in my lifetime.

I'm a practical man and know that life happens. I make a living moving equipment place to place and have seen the rigors of the road take a toll under “normal conditions”

I'm also a working pro musician. I play at the same venue every Saturday it's only 11 miles away. I am driving on a normal paved road in a new closed top SUV. When I load my guitars some of which are in excess of $5000. Damn straight my PRS Customs are getting a hard shell case not a gig bag.

Considering the small fortune spent on my ASL Hobby it’s not a stretch for some of us to consider protecting it better. So, yes that is a point some of us take into consideration.

The reason I posted the OP was to offer experience as someone that has used both storage solutions.

 

[fenyan]

A thin piece of cardboard, such as found on the back of a yellow note pad, works great as well for padding the space under the lid of an assorter.

 

[zgrose]

RAACO certainly packs tighter, but you can modify Plano's if you can get a hand on dividers to minimize wasted space.
Also, nothing stops one from having a "finger friendly" container for common counters used during play (Prep Fire, First Fire, etc) and space efficient containers for items you're only going to grab during setup.

 

[clubby]

You can fix this issue buy adding a thin mat of foam atop the upper layer of inlays within the assorter. It may be hard to bear for an ASL nerd that this is on top of it (sic!) a cheap & easy solution.

View attachment 28597

von Marwitz

Great minds. I made the same suggestion on the 3d printed trays thread.

 

[MAS01]

I have all of the core modules (less Forgotten War and the recently released Twilight of the Reich) put into 12 Darice bead containers (same size as a 3701 but only 32 compartments) and what will be 3 (maybe 4 for all the HASL) system counters. One thing I'm not concerned about is density when it comes to ordnance and vehicles. It's not like a PzKwIV drops down to a PzKwII at any point in a game. I'm only accessing those compartments pre-game.

Plano will send you additional dividers if you call customer service and ask nicely.

 

[Vinnie]

I'm 0laying around with 3d printed trays and standard ones for my raaco.
I don't like the 3d printed upward facing trays fir squads or counters I will dig a lot of out but fir vehicles and guns, they are da bomb!

 

[McFinn]

It's humorous that when citing the pros and cons of ASL kits people so frequently refer to a kit's ability to withstand a drop, spill, tip, or bad weather, rather than ease-of-use on game day. What are you guys doing with your stuff? Driving to conventions off road in an open top jeep?

I often travel to and from ASL meets via motorcycle, so when transporting my kit, yes, the ability to withstand bad weather is a consideration.

 

[DonWPetros]

I'm like Plano 3701 for Nationalies and BoxBox for Information (clearly labeled using Avery labels).

My motto is - if you can grab any counter in about 10 seconds and have any potential scenario required counter available and easily grabbed - you got a good system no matter what the type used.

 

[Stewart]

Those GIANT Plano are just simple wasting space.
As Don points out 3701 et al that are about 1" tall are Far superior in Plano storage and the cost is far less....JOANN's has plenty of coupons for these.

Storage Bliss

 

[Blaze]

I figured out a way to store ALL my ASL counters into a single 1-gallon sized Ziplock bag. It even fits into the BV box! Why didn't I think of this before?!?!?!



Ah, yes, find me the Rommel SMC counter...

 

[David Reinking]

I figured out a way to store ALL my ASL counters into a single 1-gallon sized Ziplock bag. It even fits into the BV box! Why didn't I think of this before?!?!?!

View attachment 28866

Ah, yes, find me the Rommel SMC counter...

You’re gonna need a bigger box!

 

[von Marwitz]

I figured out a way to store ALL my ASL counters into a single 1-gallon sized Ziplock bag. It even fits into the BV box! Why didn't I think of this before?!?!?!

View attachment 28866

Ah, yes, find me the Rommel SMC counter...

I know one guy, who had this "storage system" for several years. People were always flabbergasted when observing this at a tournament.

Meanwhile, he has been "converted" to a more orderly approach...

von Marwitz

 

[clubby]

I know one guy, who had this "storage system" for several years. People were always flabbergasted when observing this at a tournament.

Meanwhile, he has been "converted" to a more orderly approach...

von Marwitz

I've heard tale from the socal guys about a guy that showed up with a huge zip lock bag of counters.