Monday, July 11, 2011

Flexible Platoon Markers

When you are playing infantry, you have to control which base belongs to which platoon. Moreover, you probably quite often make attachments, or if you are playing Germans you form a Kampfgruppe.

Markers before the lamination
To indicate different platoons, players usually paint the corners of bases with different colors. This approach has two drawbacks. First of all if you would like to try something new and experiment with the roster, you will have to repaint the markers. What is more, you can't mark attachments and kampfgruppes with that approach.

To solve the problem, I decided to make my own system of markers. I prepared a small markers indicating the division, rank, weapons, and of course the platoon. To make markers more resistant to damage, I used a pouch laminator to protect it. Then I attached the markers to the bottom sides of the bases with a transparent tape. The advantage is that your opposing player can easily recognize not only the platoons but also whether the base has a special weapon like panzerfaust.


The only drawback of that approach is that such bases require a little bit more space than the regular ones. Normally it doesn't make a problem, but when you place a base in the building, you will have to place it adjacent to the wall with the side without the marker.

7.5cm Pak 40 as attachment
Infantry bases with markers
If you are playing 2nd or 12th SS feel free to use the markers if you like them [pdf].

4 comments:

  1. Interesting concept. I will probably a similar approach and use the painted markings on the base as the default, and only if I need to combat attach, KG, etc. use the stickers. That way I have a default setting that requires less preparation time to game.

    I wish my Soviet opponent would do this, however!

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  2. Haha, Soviets without the platoon markers - it must be really difficult to handle :)

    Yeap, the markers is really nice for KGs.

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  3. One trick is to stick the labels on magnet sheet and put a another magnet band on the base, thus you can stick the labels and change them as you please

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  4. Great idea, they wouldn't increase the size of the base that way.

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