How do you keep track of game of facts such as damage, and penalties?

bluekitsune13 · 07-26-2018, 09:22 AM

I'm still playing around in the system trying to learn the ins-and-outs. I haven't delved too much into the RPG aspects such as the talents and such. Right now I basically just write down all the information on each character on a piece of paper. The only things I really record are their base stats, weapon damage, armor, Etc.

Next to their strength, I'll draw little circles representing their HP. As they take damage, I'll put a little line through them. At the end of the round, I will color in any circles that have lines. This will let me know who took damage during the round, when it comes to force retreats. Next I made little counters that are double sided. On one side there is a starburst symbol, and another side there is written -2 DX. If a fighter takes five points of damage in one blow, I'll give them a starburst symbol. At the end of the round you flip all the starburst symbols over to reveal the dexterity penalty. Then at the end of the round any dexterity penalties are removed.

I'm sure there are more things to track in the game, but I haven't delved that far into things yet. What are some of the tools that you use to keep track of everything? Do you just keep it all on pen and paper, or have you created your own little counters or chits?

Terquem · 07-26-2018, 09:32 AM

A roll down d20 works great for tracking ST, and doesn't break the "aesthetic" if placed on the map board

I also have cubes of small d6s in different colors that I use to track durations and other things

When I use Minifigs (Legos) I'll put a colored single stud on the front of the figure base to indicate "front" and then use color coded dice that match the stud

Chris Rice · 07-26-2018, 09:42 AM

It's a fair point. When you're only dealing with a few monsters as GM or one character each as a player it's less of a problem, but with more combatants, status markers would be useful.

Since how far you move determines which options you have, perhaps markers to denote "moved over half MA", "moved up to half MA," and "stayed still" would be useful. Otherwise how do you remember who moved how far?

Rick_Smith · 07-26-2018, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terquem

... I also have cubes of small d6s in different colors that I use to track durations and other things. ...

Hi all, Terquem.
I bought some green and purple dice, which are perfect for counting down poison timers. They LOOK poisonous! :-D

I have some smokey black dice with red pips which we call "blood dice". In big battles, where there are tonnes of characters being wounded, I put a blood die on each figure who is wounded with the number of pips showing how many wounds they have. (Tough figures need two dice sometimes.)

Warm regards, Rick

Terquem · 07-26-2018, 09:47 AM

a simple "single arrow" "double arrow" and a "dot" for

moved

moved a lot

did not move

would be Awesome-sauce

I think I have d6s with these kinds of markings in my horde

In fact, if we could come up with six different "status" marks most often used and then beg Steve Jackson Games to make a set of dice (3d6s with standard pips, 3d6s with status markers) in a set I'D BUY THAT

JLV · 07-26-2018, 10:16 AM

I'll put in a vote for both status markers for Melee and Spell and Spell duration markers for Wizard. Someone had some great examples of the latter on the interwebz somewhere -- each spell had it's own counter and you could put it in a hex (so that you knew where the center hex of the spell effect was if it was a multiple hex spell), and they had a duration marker that went with it which either indicated how long the spell had to run, or how much it cost to power it each turn.

And I really like bluekitsune13's "severe hit" markers! Brilliant!

(HOWITZER) Finally, while we're on the subject of the counters, I just want to say that while I absolutely LOVE the Skull and Crossbones counters, after giving it considerable thought, I think the backs of the figure counters should be labeled with the word "Prone" instead, while the Skull and Crossbones counters should be on the backs of something else (maybe "pillar" or Spell Effect markers like Fire or Shadow). Why? Because your characters may fall and get up multiple times during a combat, and you need a convenient and graphic way to track that; once they're dead, you simply replace the character figure with a Skull and Crossbones figure instead and that status will never change for the entire game.(/HOWITZER)

The Wyzard · 07-26-2018, 10:16 AM

https://litko.net/

This company makes some really nice tokens. I haven't gone through their catalog with an eye specifically towards things useful in TFT yet.

Terquem · 07-26-2018, 10:22 AM

I think printing the backs of the counters is asking way too much. You know, you can't print just the backs of a few, coast effective thing wise, so you are either printing single sided counter sheets or full double sided counter sheets, right?

JLV · 07-26-2018, 11:33 AM

I remember reading an analysis from SPI on the comparative costs of double-sided printing versus single-sided printing, and the actual costs were very minor compared to the cost to set up a single-side print job. As a result, SPI went to double-sided printing for pretty much every game they made from about 1974 or 1975 (whenever War in the East came out), on...

Terquem · 07-26-2018, 11:58 AM

Good information JLV

My suggestion for a d6 status marker

Dot = stood still/shifted one hex
One Arrow = Moved up to half MA
Two Arrows = Moved over half MA
Arrow with underscore at arrow point = Prone
X = Unconscious

can't decide on what to put on the sixth side?

07-26-2018, 09:22 AM	#1
bluekitsune13 Join Date: Feb 2018	How do you keep track of game of facts such as damage, and penalties? I'm still playing around in the system trying to learn the ins-and-outs. I haven't delved too much into the RPG aspects such as the talents and such. Right now I basically just write down all the information on each character on a piece of paper. The only things I really record are their base stats, weapon damage, armor, Etc. Next to their strength, I'll draw little circles representing their HP. As they take damage, I'll put a little line through them. At the end of the round, I will color in any circles that have lines. This will let me know who took damage during the round, when it comes to force retreats. Next I made little counters that are double sided. On one side there is a starburst symbol, and another side there is written -2 DX. If a fighter takes five points of damage in one blow, I'll give them a starburst symbol. At the end of the round you flip all the starburst symbols over to reveal the dexterity penalty. Then at the end of the round any dexterity penalties are removed. I'm sure there are more things to track in the game, but I haven't delved that far into things yet. What are some of the tools that you use to keep track of everything? Do you just keep it all on pen and paper, or have you created your own little counters or chits?

07-26-2018, 09:32 AM	#2
Terquem Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Idaho Falls	Re: How do you keep track of game of facts such as damage, and penalties? A roll down d20 works great for tracking ST, and doesn't break the "aesthetic" if placed on the map board I also have cubes of small d6s in different colors that I use to track durations and other things When I use Minifigs (Legos) I'll put a colored single stud on the front of the figure base to indicate "front" and then use color coded dice that match the stud

07-26-2018, 09:42 AM	#3
Chris Rice Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: London Uk, but originally from Scotland	Re: How do you keep track of game of facts such as damage, and penalties? It's a fair point. When you're only dealing with a few monsters as GM or one character each as a player it's less of a problem, but with more combatants, status markers would be useful. Since how far you move determines which options you have, perhaps markers to denote "moved over half MA", "moved up to half MA," and "stayed still" would be useful. Otherwise how do you remember who moved how far?

07-26-2018, 09:47 AM	#5
Terquem Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Idaho Falls	Re: How do you keep track of game of facts such as damage, and penalties? a simple "single arrow" "double arrow" and a "dot" for moved moved a lot did not move would be Awesome-sauce I think I have d6s with these kinds of markings in my horde In fact, if we could come up with six different "status" marks most often used and then beg Steve Jackson Games to make a set of dice (3d6s with standard pips, 3d6s with status markers) in a set I'D BUY THAT

07-26-2018, 10:16 AM	#6
JLV Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Arizona	Re: How do you keep track of game of facts such as damage, and penalties? I'll put in a vote for both status markers for Melee and Spell and Spell duration markers for Wizard. Someone had some great examples of the latter on the interwebz somewhere -- each spell had it's own counter and you could put it in a hex (so that you knew where the center hex of the spell effect was if it was a multiple hex spell), and they had a duration marker that went with it which either indicated how long the spell had to run, or how much it cost to power it each turn. And I really like bluekitsune13's "severe hit" markers! Brilliant! (HOWITZER) Finally, while we're on the subject of the counters, I just want to say that while I absolutely LOVE the Skull and Crossbones counters, after giving it considerable thought, I think the backs of the figure counters should be labeled with the word "Prone" instead, while the Skull and Crossbones counters should be on the backs of something else (maybe "pillar" or Spell Effect markers like Fire or Shadow). Why? Because your characters may fall and get up multiple times during a combat, and you need a convenient and graphic way to track that; once they're dead, you simply replace the character figure with a Skull and Crossbones figure instead and that status will never change for the entire game.(/HOWITZER)

07-26-2018, 10:16 AM	#7
The Wyzard Join Date: Jul 2018	Re: How do you keep track of game of facts such as damage, and penalties? https://litko.net/ This company makes some really nice tokens. I haven't gone through their catalog with an eye specifically towards things useful in TFT yet.

07-26-2018, 10:22 AM	#8
Terquem Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Idaho Falls	Re: How do you keep track of game of facts such as damage, and penalties? I think printing the backs of the counters is asking way too much. You know, you can't print just the backs of a few, coast effective thing wise, so you are either printing single sided counter sheets or full double sided counter sheets, right?

07-26-2018, 11:33 AM	#9
JLV Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Arizona	Re: How do you keep track of game of facts such as damage, and penalties? I remember reading an analysis from SPI on the comparative costs of double-sided printing versus single-sided printing, and the actual costs were very minor compared to the cost to set up a single-side print job. As a result, SPI went to double-sided printing for pretty much every game they made from about 1974 or 1975 (whenever War in the East came out), on...

07-26-2018, 11:58 AM	#10
Terquem Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Idaho Falls	Re: How do you keep track of game of facts such as damage, and penalties? Good information JLV My suggestion for a d6 status marker Dot = stood still/shifted one hex One Arrow = Moved up to half MA Two Arrows = Moved over half MA Arrow with underscore at arrow point = Prone X = Unconscious can't decide on what to put on the sixth side?