Why do countersheets have the wide sprue in the middle vs another counter?

Rock SgtDan

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Does the machinery require the exact space on the borders, leaving the middle just shy of space for another column of 1/2" counters?
 

Paul M. Weir

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I assume that you are talking about a sheet with 2 rows of 10 x 1/2" (or 8 x 5/8") across in a sheet of 20 across by 14 down 1/2"?

I suspect the main reason is that a full sheet of counters can be divided down the middle into 2 half sheets. Not every game, even ASL, requires a full sheet. The uncut middle vertical strip means that in a half sheet you don't have the ends of a strip of counters dangling in the air and likely to get lost/broken off.

Similarly you have a horizontal uncut strip between each set of 2 strips of counters. They maintain some physical strength and integrity to avoid losing counters before they even get into the box.

The biggest number I have seen somewhere is a patch of 10 across by 3 down continuously punched, though most games would do that as 1 patch with 10 across by 2 down and a single row of 10.
 

Rock SgtDan

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One could include a bunch more counters; maybe just system type counters. If the support is needed in the center, then just print the graphics & let the user cut them out himself. A bit of mis-cutting on system counters is no big deal.
 

Paul M. Weir

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The only thing even near that is the Destroyer counter in LFT's OP:Ch StN. That was just about acceptable because it was a single counter. While some like me have the knowledge, tools, practice and skills from other previous hobby work to do a decently neat job, many, maybe most, do not. Cardboard can be quite tricky to cut. You probably have read the debates about counter clipping. As a group we are fairly anal about square counters and counter hues/shades, so having to manually cut out (as opposed to slicing small nibs) will go down like a gallon bag of puke.

I have done a tiny number of my own counters, not too bad, but not quite as good as MMP/BFP/LFT ones. This is not a desktop published game. ASLers like their counters crisp and reasonably easy to extract. They have an enormous rulebook to digest, they don't need additional hassle.
 

olli

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It is also down to the cutter tool and to strengthen it if the whole sheet was counters and no bars across or down the cutters would be very prone to breaking or bending hence the sprue style
 

Paul M. Weir

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I should have mentioned that the ASL counter sheet pattern is fairly much an industry wide thing, allowing for various counter sizes and the occasional double wide (eg. ship counters in AP GWAS and SWWAS) and the much rarer round or hexagonal counters. Over the years there would have been some experimentation. However most have settled on the current pattern or minor variations of same.

Like in many things in life you have to trade off between minimising waste and maximising durability and reliable quality.

If you really wanted to put out extra counters then an extra half of full sheet of counters would add a bit extra cost but benefit from using standard industry practice, ensuring more consistent quality. Do something too novel and you risk ending up with a mess.
 
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