It seems my English Civil War forces are set to stay on the tabletop for another weekend, ready to test some ammunition supply tweaks to my D3 ECW rules. Previously, I have relied on individually based figures placed behind units to indicate units were out of ammunition. However, with the number of units in the armies expanding, I'm reluctant to paint up more individual figures as markers. Consequently, I have had to look at alternatives along similar lines to the cardboard casualty markers I use in my games.
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| I currently use paper and card marker for my casualties. |
I decided to utilize powder barrels as markers, which seem quite appropriate for what they were indicating. After searching and finding a suitable image online, I took a screenshot and replicated it for printing. Once printed to the correct size I stuck the barrel images to some cardboard. I cut out and shaped the images using a pen to give them a rounded look, then added a touch of grey to the edges using a colouring pen for a nice clean looking finish.
Shaping the barrels also has the advantage of making them easier to pick up.
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| The printed images are stuck to cardboard. |
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| Once dry the barrels are cut out. |
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| The cut out barrels are shaped to be curved. |
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| I run a grey pen around the outside of the barrel to hid the lighter edges and any places where I did not cut very accurately. |
I did consider making some powder barrels from wooden dowel but thought they would have a tendency to roll off the base. The paper and card approach is also much quicker to make and is consistent with my existing casualty markers.
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| An infantry unit marked as being out of ammunition. |
I found a suitable unused container in the tool shed to hold all my English Civil War casualty and out of ammunition markers.
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| All the markers fit nicely into a container with partitions. The different coloured casualty markers represent a different number of hits. |
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| Ammunition supplies. |
I can track my available ammunition supplies on one of my supply cards.
Nice idea for your ammunition markers, they work out really well.
ReplyDeleteThey will be getting a work out this weekend.
DeleteAnother clever device created for enhancing your games. Very good idea!
ReplyDeleteThanks. On the tabletop are noticeable without being obtrusive. However, I would not use them for remote games as they would be difficult for remote players to pick them out.
DeleteAnother nice and effective idea Peter.
ReplyDeleteChris/Nundanket
Hi Chris/Nundanket, They are also easy to make. They took me about 90 minutes to make a batch of twenty.
DeleteBrilliant idea, Peter! Yet another idea I'm going to "appropriate!"
ReplyDeleteI am glad it may be of use.
DeleteThis is another very nice, cost effective idea Peter!
ReplyDeleteKeeping the cost down help reallocate funds to other wargaming projects :-)
DeleteFantastic idea Peter! Simple and wonderfully effective.
ReplyDeleteI will definitely borrow your idea as I was running out of ammo in a game last night. 😁
Once you find the right image that are both easy and quick to make.
DeleteClever, realistic and beautiful...Congrats Peter!
ReplyDeleteThank you. Nice a simple to make.
DeleteClever and keeping a consistent aesthetic as well.
ReplyDeleteUsing these themed cardboard markers does mean I am now beginning to get quite a collection of markers.
DeleteAnother of your clever ideas! But rather counter-intuitive, IMHO. Personally, I would have a gunpowder barrel behind units that were NOT out of ammunition, and remove it when their powder and shot was exhausted: No marker, no ammo. Which, if you think about it, is the principle of your casualty markers: no marker, no casualties.
ReplyDeleteI will have to check whether I have enough powder barrel markers, then it would be a consistent approach.
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