What methods do you GMs use to keep track of Minis?

Daeglan · 07-19-2010, 09:32 PM

What methods do you GMs use to keep track of Minis?

I am a new GM and I am trying to figure out an easier way to keep track of the minis of the bad guys I am running?

Captain-Captain · 07-20-2010, 12:48 AM

Stop using miniatures for bad guys. One game table I play at uses something I'll detail below. The other is where our host has oodles of miniatures for any and all occasion and refuses to not use them.

The first is easy to keep track of, the second has serious problems keeping the damage scores on each enemy correct.

The solution is to buy sets of 12 D12s. Different sizes and colors. You'll also need a box of washers and super glue or some similar permanent adhesive.

Glue a d12 on a washer, each one displaying a different number. Repeat with other sets so you'd have a set of 1-12 Big White D12s, a set of 1-12 small purple D12s. a set of medium green d12s 1-12 and a set of orange sparkled d12 to finish things of. 48 usable as figures non-figures.

If you are using less than a dozen of them don't repeat numbers. Should the PCs face 4 Zombies, three Skeletons and two living servants of the Necromancer residing deeper in the Castle ruins, Take the first four of one color for the Zombies, take numbers five, six and seven for the Skeletons from a different color set and eight and nine from a third set.

You thus have your monsters grouped by type by the dice color AND can easily identify it individually by it's unique number. Your group is more likely to remember that Marc called his archery attack on #5 than 'the one with the weird colored belt'.

As a bonus, you can glue the bottom of the washers with magnetic strip material and clue a thin piece of sheet steel cut to fit the box you store these dice in. (Okay, layers of sheet steel with 48 dice is more likely.) They thus will stick where you store them and won't roll around in transport, and most won't go flying loose in case of a spill.

panton41 · 07-20-2010, 12:59 AM

You could always purchase the PDF version of the relevant Cardboard Heroes, print them, and write on them with a pen what number they are.

The other benefit is if you somehow need an army of 1,000 zombies you can just print that many. (Or more reasonably, if you just plain keep loosing them.)

Refplace · 07-20-2010, 01:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Captain-Captain

The solution is to buy sets of 12 D12s. Different sizes and colors. You'll also need a box of washers and super glue or some similar permanent adhesive.

I have used dice before but never to such an extant or made the modifications.
Coolness.

whswhs · 07-20-2010, 01:17 AM

When I used a battle board for a formal dance (attended by a dozen or so young aristocrats, a similar number of village gentry, and about twice as many soldiers of both sexes), we picked dice of various types and moved them around to represent how the various groups were clumped or scattered. Then the cat got onto the table and walked across the ballroom.

Bill Stoddard

Daeglan · 07-20-2010, 01:19 AM

I plan on using minis. I am looking for ways to keep track of their health..
I want to have the cool visuals of terain etc.

Nymdok · 07-20-2010, 01:33 AM

Creating your own minis requires little more than a color printer, access to some images, and a copy of the GIMP.

I used gimp to create a series of bases with different colors. Like so.

From there, I print what I need and markem with a pen if it comes to it.

Nymdok

sgtcallistan · 07-20-2010, 04:40 AM

I have used unpainted or smaller-scale figures to represent the 'bad guys', with ocasional fully-painted figs to represent the more important bad guys.

But I never delay a game until I have all the figs I want: improvise, use dice, smarties, whatever.

When playing on a map (or printed game background art), I also tend to watch for when the heroes lose sight of bad guys, I then remove said unseen villains from the map (saves a lot of figures that way, and adds to the surprise and uncertainty factor).

Also, I don't let anyone measure ranges until they have decided what they are going to do. Saves a LOT of time.

Howevewr, if you mean, how do you organise and store them, I have a few foam-lined boxes a little over an inch deep (art supply shops have them, for keeping brushes, etc. in), the bases go in the crack between the foam and the side of the box. Keep the boxes small, with game specific figs in them.

Hope this is useful.

mlangsdorf · 07-20-2010, 09:49 AM

I've found it's really easy to get a set of paint pens ($10 at a hobby store) and put colored dots or numbers on the bases of my miniatures. 10 identical orc figures become "Orcs 1-10" for both PC and GM reference. Then I have a spreadsheet on my laptop so I can record which orc took damage or whatever.

Dustin · 07-20-2010, 09:55 AM

I usually note my NPCs' combat stats on a single page first, then when the terrain comes out, I try to use a distinct figure for each NPC, quickly adding a one- or two-word descriptor of the mini's appearance to the NPC's stat column. Then, when the players say "I hit this guy", I can quickly refer from the mini to the correct NPC for "spiky helm" or "riot cop" or whatever, and note injury or other conditions there.

If your minis are identical, it gets trickier. I've seen a couple of techniques used successfully to distinguish identical figures: You can apply a little strip of office correction tape to the top surface of the base, then write a number or letter on that (it all rubs off easily later). You can get some very tiny six-sided dice, and place one on the base to number the figure. Another possibility would be very small colored rubber bands to drape over the figure to help distinguish them.

07-19-2010, 09:32 PM	#1
Daeglan Join Date: Jun 2010	What methods do you GMs use to keep track of Minis? What methods do you GMs use to keep track of Minis? I am a new GM and I am trying to figure out an easier way to keep track of the minis of the bad guys I am running?

07-20-2010, 12:48 AM	#2
Captain-Captain Join Date: Aug 2004	Re: What methods do you GMs use to keep track of Minis? Stop using miniatures for bad guys. One game table I play at uses something I'll detail below. The other is where our host has oodles of miniatures for any and all occasion and refuses to not use them. The first is easy to keep track of, the second has serious problems keeping the damage scores on each enemy correct. The solution is to buy sets of 12 D12s. Different sizes and colors. You'll also need a box of washers and super glue or some similar permanent adhesive. Glue a d12 on a washer, each one displaying a different number. Repeat with other sets so you'd have a set of 1-12 Big White D12s, a set of 1-12 small purple D12s. a set of medium green d12s 1-12 and a set of orange sparkled d12 to finish things of. 48 usable as figures non-figures. If you are using less than a dozen of them don't repeat numbers. Should the PCs face 4 Zombies, three Skeletons and two living servants of the Necromancer residing deeper in the Castle ruins, Take the first four of one color for the Zombies, take numbers five, six and seven for the Skeletons from a different color set and eight and nine from a third set. You thus have your monsters grouped by type by the dice color AND can easily identify it individually by it's unique number. Your group is more likely to remember that Marc called his archery attack on #5 than 'the one with the weird colored belt'. As a bonus, you can glue the bottom of the washers with magnetic strip material and clue a thin piece of sheet steel cut to fit the box you store these dice in. (Okay, layers of sheet steel with 48 dice is more likely.) They thus will stick where you store them and won't roll around in transport, and most won't go flying loose in case of a spill. __________________ ...().0...0() .../..........\ -/......O.....\- ...VVVVVVV ..^^^^^^^ A clock running two hours slow has the correct time zero times a day. Last edited by Captain-Captain; 07-20-2010 at 12:52 AM.

07-20-2010, 01:19 AM	#6
Daeglan Join Date: Jun 2010	Re: What methods do you GMs use to keep track of Minis? I plan on using minis. I am looking for ways to keep track of their health.. I want to have the cool visuals of terain etc.

07-20-2010, 01:33 AM	#7
Nymdok Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Houston	Re: What methods do you GMs use to keep track of Minis? Creating your own minis requires little more than a color printer, access to some images, and a copy of the GIMP. I used gimp to create a series of bases with different colors. Like so. From there, I print what I need and markem with a pen if it comes to it. Nymdok

07-20-2010, 04:40 AM	#8
sgtcallistan Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Chatham, Kent, England	Re: What methods do you GMs use to keep track of Minis? I have used unpainted or smaller-scale figures to represent the 'bad guys', with ocasional fully-painted figs to represent the more important bad guys. But I never delay a game until I have all the figs I want: improvise, use dice, smarties, whatever. When playing on a map (or printed game background art), I also tend to watch for when the heroes lose sight of bad guys, I then remove said unseen villains from the map (saves a lot of figures that way, and adds to the surprise and uncertainty factor). Also, I don't let anyone measure ranges until they have decided what they are going to do. Saves a LOT of time. Howevewr, if you mean, how do you organise and store them, I have a few foam-lined boxes a little over an inch deep (art supply shops have them, for keeping brushes, etc. in), the bases go in the crack between the foam and the side of the box. Keep the boxes small, with game specific figs in them. Hope this is useful.

07-20-2010, 01:17 AM	#5
whswhs Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Lawrence, KS	Re: What methods do you GMs use to keep track of Minis? When I used a battle board for a formal dance (attended by a dozen or so young aristocrats, a similar number of village gentry, and about twice as many soldiers of both sexes), we picked dice of various types and moved them around to represent how the various groups were clumped or scattered. Then the cat got onto the table and walked across the ballroom. Bill Stoddard

07-20-2010, 09:49 AM	#9
mlangsdorf Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Austin, TX	Re: What methods do you GMs use to keep track of Minis? I've found it's really easy to get a set of paint pens ($10 at a hobby store) and put colored dots or numbers on the bases of my miniatures. 10 identical orc figures become "Orcs 1-10" for both PC and GM reference. Then I have a spreadsheet on my laptop so I can record which orc took damage or whatever.

07-20-2010, 09:55 AM	#10
Dustin Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: The former Chochenyo territory	Re: What methods do you GMs use to keep track of Minis? I usually note my NPCs' combat stats on a single page first, then when the terrain comes out, I try to use a distinct figure for each NPC, quickly adding a one- or two-word descriptor of the mini's appearance to the NPC's stat column. Then, when the players say "I hit this guy", I can quickly refer from the mini to the correct NPC for "spiky helm" or "riot cop" or whatever, and note injury or other conditions there. If your minis are identical, it gets trickier. I've seen a couple of techniques used successfully to distinguish identical figures: You can apply a little strip of office correction tape to the top surface of the base, then write a number or letter on that (it all rubs off easily later). You can get some very tiny six-sided dice, and place one on the base to number the figure. Another possibility would be very small colored rubber bands to drape over the figure to help distinguish them.