Using ODE and Minis in the same scenario

[TheAmishStig]

Originally Posted by dwalend

If you're willing to compromise on size (looks like 3") and color (white) I spotted white hexagon print fabric.

It's cotton, so you could probably tie-dye it with a little patience.

Nice find!

[Mack_JB]

I've been meeting up with a guy since late September and we're slowly working our way through Scenario Book One*. Several times we've mixed the new plastic minis and ODE counters on the maps, merely as the plastic minis for some units won't be available until after KS #2 arrives. No problems so far, other than we both agree it offends our latent OCD to have flats and 3D parts at the same time.

* We played "Spoiling Attack" twice this last week. We each had a go as attacker and defender. Both times the attacker lost horribly -- then we realized that the old printed copy of Scenario Book One that I have uses different set up values for the defending units -- we wondered how anyone could win until we checked our digital copies of Scenario One and found it had been updated.

[Misplaced Buckeye]

Originally Posted by Deimos

You came up with a great idea on how to handle this back on 11/8/17 in the thread I started about assembling/stacking the soon to arrive minis.

The problem I found is that it works only with stacks of similar units. GEV PC with mounted INF plus a Hvy and and Shvy and there's the issue.

[Misplaced Buckeye]

Originally Posted by Mack_JB

I've been meeting up with a guy since late September and we're slowly working our way through Scenario Book One*. Several times we've mixed the new plastic minis and ODE counters on the maps, merely as the plastic minis for some units won't be available until after KS #2 arrives. No problems so far, other than we both agree it offends our latent OCD to have flats and 3D parts at the same time.

* We played "Spoiling Attack" twice this last week. We each had a go as attacker and defender. Both times the attacker lost horribly -- then we realized that the old printed copy of Scenario Book One that I have uses different set up values for the defending units -- we wondered how anyone could win until we checked our digital copies of Scenario One and found it had been updated.

But are you working with the ODE 5 unit stacking rule?

[GranitePenguin]

The method I learned from Ashley last year was to have units that are stacked to be touching side-by-side in the hex like a wedge/diamond. There's some bleed over into adjoining hexes, but it was rare for it to be confusing.

[Misplaced Buckeye]

You might want to check my post on a the Ogre FB page to explain my dilemma.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...&theater&ifg=1

[wolf90]

Do I see TWO BGG-Zilla's on the map?!

D.

[Misplaced Buckeye]

Originally Posted by wolf90

Do I see TWO BGG-Zilla's on the map?!

D.

Yes. One came out of the Fire crater and the other out of the Water pit. Unfortunately Ogrethulhu never made it to the table before the opponents decided to call it a night.

[Tim Kauffman]

he largest units are the Paneuropean Doppelsoldner and Combine Mark6.
The smallest units are the Infantry-types and Light Tank.

Having a stack of 5 of the largest units would require a 8" x 8" hex to fully accommodate them.

Having a stack of the smallest units would require a 1.5" hex.

When using OGRE no stacking rules, a 4" hex accommodates a Dopp which fits within that hex.
When using GEV stacking rules, it requires a 8" x 8" hex to accommodate 5 Dopps or MARK6s. It's the extreme case, but there it is.

11.05 Stacking. States any number of buildings (also Laser Turrets/Towers) may be placed in a single hex. Buildings do not count against the stacking limit for armor units in a hex. Other units (unless specified for a scenario). Since Buildings do not count, any number can be in a single hex. Add this to the above extreme example and lets call this the extreme edge case for maximum number of Units/Buildings in a single hex at a time case. Which means even a 8"x 8" hex will not be big enough if using Units/Buildings in addition to the above example. Also, a 4" x 4" hex suffers the same consequences.

The larger the hexes, the larger the Map required and the larger the play area needed.

Use the Minis or the ODE Chipboard Units, or both?

Thus, the dilemma...

I've puzzled over this over the years for a ultimate solution that would work. I don't think there is one, other than the OGRE PC Game. That's digital and we and the tabletops and OGRE components and Maps we use are not.

It's not official, and I never used it in a game yet, but I always liked the notion of saying OGREs use the OGRE no stacking rule in GEV games. In this case, a 4" hex would work well for stacking of any size and number of units. Otherwise, good luck with making this work...

It always seemed odd to me that x5 Dopps or MARK6s are considered the same for stacking as x5 light Tanks. Only until I think of this as meaning a unit is basically equivalent to x5 of that unit in OGRE no stacking rules games and x25 in GEV with stacking rules games. In this case it would be saying OGREs are equivalent to x5 units in OGRE and x25 units in GEV, which may sound about right in this unofficial context.
...of course, the difference in size between a MARK1 and MARK6 is great. This would still be saying there is no difference in size that would affect any game rules or mechanics. Which, as the edge case of this edge case, still doesn't sit right with me if I think about it.

The best solution atm, as I see it is to use the Chipboard Units with a single mini on top designating the stack.

The other solution would require prototype, design and manufacturing efforts I don't think are profitable, but would work very well.

Formating and dialing in the actual dimensions/size would be challenging because it would depend on what size hex they would be used for. If for the official 1.5" hexes, you couldn't use them for the Dopp or MARK6 because they would not fit. You would want to get that absolutely correctly set before manufacturing them. Work out all the permutations and possibilities.

The idea is a clear plastic and stackable hex shape.

Here is a commercially available square shape that shows the concept of a clear and stackable plastic shape. Ours would be hex shaped, so when looking at this image, imagine it's a hex shape:
https://www.containerstore.com/s/col...uctId=11001007
It's on the left side second image down.

Here are commercially available stackable craft containers demonstrating the concept when stacked. (These have screw-type lids, which ours would not):
http://i.ebayimg.com/images/i/171893...-1/s-l1000.jpg

They could be used upside down placing them over a hex and stacked that way, or used with the bottom down on the map and the units placed inside and then stacked that way. Even upside down, there is enough of a edge to the hex to keep minis from sliding off. Right-Side up is the safest stacking though.

I think this is a sound concept and would certainly work well for stacking units in OGRE if they were hex shaped and the proper size and height.

STACKABLE HEX CONTAINER for OGRE...Available only in ones imagination...

In the meanwhile, you can use these:
https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https...b1Sq2geEeZVGnw

Shop around, but I've seen these in three sizes, which may all be usable for OGRE:
https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%...D0nkzDKflrVsZ4

[ColBosch]

That seems like an incredible pain - and expense - to "solve" a fairly minor issue. I'd never have a problem with my opponent just pulling the stacked units off the board, pointing at a tank, and saying "they're all in the same hex and moving with that HVY."

Look, if I'm using miniatures in a game, it's because I want it to look better. If I'm going to have literal stacks of plastic boxes cluttering up the board, it'd be better to have just stuck to counters.

Edit: I missed where you proposed an actual rules change so nothing can stack with Ogres. That is a really extreme response to, again, a minor issue.