Advanced Squad Leader

[Rekim]

Oh and I couldn't help but buy the British and the PTO modules. :)

Lol. That should keep you busy for a few months....punching the counters that is.

Have you worked out a plan for storage/organizing? I find that every time I add a new core module I have to re-jig the old system to accommodate the new gear. Can be a real challenge. Perhaps punching multiples at the same time will be easier  :D

[Yskonyn]

Lol!
I was advised to coat the counters with a matte varnish making the whole punching process even more time consuming!

At the moment I am using a screws tray to sort the counters, but I know it will soon have to be upgraded. ;)

[GJK]

I use alligator clips that I have attached to some wire hangers that I hang the counters sheets up with (careful of course to not alligator clip an actual counter).  I then use Krylon clear matte finish and spray the front and back of the sheets at the same time.  Be sure to keep 6" or so away and to not spray in one spot for more than a fraction of a second so that it doesn't glob up.  They will be completely dry in an hour or so. 

For storage, I'm using the Plano 23701-00 Stowaway box, which is shallow and easier to get the counters out from each storage bin.  I have a picture on this site somewhere, but I glue rubber shelf liner cut to fit the inside of the lid as well.  With the "pro latch" and that rubber liner under the lid, I can literally toss the thing down the stairs with no worries of it opening up nor of counters creeping in to other compartments.  Amazon.com has those containers for $8 ea.  I get mine at Academy sporting goods store.

I'm finding that I too am having to reorganize my kit as each of the major nationalities take up a full Plano now just for the infantry.  The armor are in their own separate Plano's now as well. It would of been much easier to of had all the modules that I have now at once to do it all at the same time but with the knowledge that I have now, I'll save you the grief and suggest that you don't put Italians with the Germans (for example) because you will run out of space.

[GJK]

Yeah, here was the picture that I posted some time ago in a thread about counter storage.  This is a Plano 3701 I believe, which is also a shallow container model but without the "pro latch" (it latches securely as well).  You can see the black rubber shelf liner that I glue (spray glue) to the inside of the lid to keep counters from "creeping" over the walls in to adjacent compartments.  This was my Allied Starter Kit box before I got Elst which caused to have to completely reorganize everything.  Oh, and I also use super glue to glue each compartment seperator in place so that they don't come out when removing counters.  So with all that, plus the clipping- my "prep" time for a game is quite significant but it's rather enjoyable.

[Staggerwing]

What label maker do you use? Does it have a bar code/UPC mode?

[GJK]

I have a Brother "P-Touch".  No idea if it does UPC/Bar codes (I'd guess not).

[Staggerwing]

Thanks. I need one for work but I'll be verdompt if I ask my boss to pay $600 for the one our vendor offers.

[Yskonyn]

Great input, thanks GJK.  O0
Plano is pretty hard to find here. Currently I am using a similar system which houses 3 trays in a trunk-like construction. I think this will be enough for the SK material.
Once I open BV and the other modules I will need to look at a bigger and more efficient way to house my counters. Especially once I am going to have to transport them to an opponent.

Great tip, that label maker machine! Ordered one for myself too. Tape, batteries and the machine ended up around 45 euros.

BTW I noticed on your picture that all your counters have 'rounded' edges. Did you cut them all individually? My counters came out of their sprues square shaped...

[GJK]

BTW I noticed on your picture that all your counters have 'rounded' edges. Did you cut them all individually? My counters came out of their sprues square shaped...

Uh oh....lol!  You are entering the hotly debated "counter clipping zone".  To clip or not to clip, that is the question!

You are correct, the counters are square once removed from the sprue.  Somewhere in the recent past decided that the square nubby corners were not only unattractive but also they seemed to grab other counters when you tried to negotiate stacking in tight hexes that were full of counters.  So their answer was to nip the corners.  Initially people used scissors and then toenail clippers and then someone made this jig called the "C4 counter clipper" and the results were ok at best to the absolute disfigurement of the counter.  The problem was, you couldn't be consistent with the clipping and so you'd get some pretty ugly looking results.

Then somebody discovered a "corner rounding" tool made by a company called Oregon Laminations.  This was a tool made to round the corners on plastic, metal, thin strips of wood.  They posted about it on BGG and that thread is now up to 86 pages of praise for the thing.  The OL company rep happens to be a gamer too and saw the thread and so the company started to work with wargamers.  They developed a 2mm and 3mm version of the clipper in the original design (those are what I have) but some people were getting an occasional "miscut" so the OL company came up with a corner rounder that was made for the wargamer really:

And I just happened to notice a company in France that is selling these in Europe:

http://www.hexasim.com/776-Pince-a-clipper-2mm-Corner-Cutter.html
(I don't work for OL, just love their product)

For counter storage, many of the ASL players in Europe use the Raaco storage units and every time one of you chaps brings your stuff over here, it makes all the American ASL players jealous for some reason.  I've never seen the Raaco's but I hear that they are some very high quality storage units and that they work great for ASL.  Here's a thread talking about how they use them and what their storage suggestions are:

http://forums.gamesquad.com/showthread.php?79813-ASL-Raaco-Counter-Storage

So this ASL thread has almost covered everything that somebody needs to know about ASL (including VASL) except for how to actually play the game.  lol!

[Yskonyn]

You are a neverending resource, GJK! 

That clipper seems like the most nerdy thing ever. And the video you linked proved it! I don't think I've ever seen someone talk for 10 minutes about 2 or 3 mm radius clipping before. :) But.. of course, I ordered the clipper! (The 2mm variant, cause I like the roundedness) Thanks for the link!

As for Raaco; it seems to be readily available from various sellers here. Much better stocked than plano. I'll have to keep that in mind once my collection grows and once I will be taking my counters on the move.

[GJK]

The 2mm is a good size.  You don't want 3mm on the 1/2" counters - they come out as little circles. 

And yes, it is about the most nerdiest thing invented for gaming since polyhedral dice.   ???

[Barthheart]

You are a neverending resource, GJK! 

That clipper seems like the most nerdy thing ever. And the video you linked proved it! I don't think I've ever seen someone talk for 10 minutes about 2 or 3 mm radius clipping before. :) But.. of course, I ordered the clipper! (The 2mm variant, cause I like the roundedness) Thanks for the link!

As for Raaco; it seems to be readily available from various sellers here. Much better stocked than plano. I'll have to keep that in mind once my collection grows and once I will be taking my counters on the move.

GAH! Don't mutilate yer poor defenceless counters! They were meant to be square! It's the same a unneeded circumcisions!   

I use a rotary cutter and a straight edge to remove all counters from the sprues. this ensures they are clean and retain their true square shape.
http://www2.fiskars.com/Sewing-Quilting/Products/Rotary-Cutters-and-Blades

Gary warned you of this topic.  :D

[Bison]

I wish I had the time to clip counters these days.  I'm just hoping I can make the ASL tourney in Kansas City later this spring. 

[Yskonyn]

Ha! But I like them rounded! Just like bewbz!

You're right about the last part though.. 

.

[bayonetbrant]

I wish I had the time to clip counters these days.  I'm just hoping I can make the ASL tourney in Kansas City later this spring. 

yeah, you're more likely to be involved with another kind of clipping before too long :)