[GZG] Do chits give you the sh**s? (was: [Aliens] was FMA at EEC etc.]

When I first played SGII, I thought "ugh" about the chits on aesthetic
grounds, but I've come to believe that they're probably the
least-bad solution. It is trivial to replace chits that represent
something physical (a missile, smoke etc.) with more scenic markers, but
abstract states such as suppression, activation etc. are more
difficult. We've experimented with SSD-style record sheets, and "pig-
pen" sheets (where the chits are placed in numbered boxes representing units
rather than on the board next to them). Both seemed to slow things down, and
made it easier for players to "forget" (deliberately or otherwise...) the
state of their squads.

As regards "skirmish" games, I haven't played FMAS obviously, but my nephews
were introduced to Necromunda a few months ago at a friend's house, and we've
been playing that quite a lot. Since I admit I'm prejudiced against GW games,
I was pleasantly surprised by Necromunda (though I'm not thrilled by the
rather clunky combat mechanisms, or the slightly barmy weapon rules).

We found it useful to introduce chits into Necromunda. Individual figures can
have a variety of states: normal, pinned, wounded, down, hiding, overwatch
etc. which need to be recorded quickly to keep the
action flowing. The official rules use a mixture of on-table and
record-sheet methods to do this, but we found that chits were
quicker, produced fewer arguments, and were better able to withstand
over-enthusiastic players barging into the table...

I suspect that special dial-bases as used in the Heroclix system
would probably be ideal to record the state of individual figures in skirmish
games, but they would be difficult for amateurs to make, and tie the figures
in to a particular set of rules. GW's 28mm figures have bases that are often
big enough to carry the relevant chits, which reduces their aesthetic impact
IMHO.

Best regards, Robert Bryett rbryett@gmail.com

On 01/03/2007, at 23:46 , <Beth.Fulton@csiro.au>
> <Beth.Fulton@csiro.au> wrote:

> I really do understand that the chits aren't to everyone's taste, I

> On 3/1/07, Robert N Bryett <rbryett@gmail.com> wrote:

Activation is easy. I use model railroad rocks. For suppression, I use
a bullet-shaped pellet gun pellet. I'm thinking of mounting them on
washers. I'm still debating the way to handle the confidence and leadership
chits. I have my figures mounted on washers. I last tried a magnetic strip
(the kind they make fridge magnets from) with these little dots I made from
coloured paper glued to another strip. It sort of worked, but changing the
numbers was finicky. I'm thinking that the best bet might be to print the
leadership on coloured paper and glue it to the magnetic strip, so that the
"chit" becomes a magnet that attaches to the underside of the leader's base,
sticking out a little
so it can be read. I've also used coloured stick-on dots stuck to the
bottom of the leader's base.

> We've experimented with SSD-style record sheets, and "pig-

Confusion is a problem.

> I suspect that special dial-bases as used in the Heroclix system

It also requires the figure to be picked up in order to for the setting to
change. You'd be surprised how many people would opportunistically replace the
figure in a different spot... deliberately or otherwise.