Wolf's unskilled, on a budget, modest home, custom A&A mods!

[Wolfshanze]

And a closer look at my Battle Board and dice/tray.

[Wolfshanze]

I’ve posted these elsewhere before, but for keeping stuff together and organized, these are definitely relevant to this thread… a closer look at the storage bins (stored side view) and over the top of all six bins with units inside and national stickers on top.

If you like the storage bins I use, they are “Stack-On SBR-13: 13 Compartment Storage Organizer Box with Removable Dividers”. I bought mine at my local hardware store (Lowes, in my case), but they are also available on Amazon if you’d prefer to order them. They are about $3.25 a piece, so don’t cost much.
Current Amazon link:
http://www.amazon.com/Stack--SBR-13-Compartment-Organizer-Removable/dp/B000AM8BBI/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1461292343&sr=1-1&keywords=Stack-On+SBR-13+13+Compartment+Storage+Organizer+Box+with+Removable+Dividers%2C+Red

[Wolfshanze]

Here are my printed (on banner vinyl) maps for play… they are both roughly the same size, as I used the biggest playing surface I had in my house as the size limitation for both maps.  Included is both 1941 and 1942SE.  Forgive any blurriness, its not the maps, its my shaky camera hand.

[BadassMooseSWE]

@Wolfshanze:

Gonna be honest, I’m seriously considering some custom maps… probably of the roll-out sort… But since I can’t do a custom table or bunker, i’ll have to take some measurements around the house and find the best place to play a larger map and measure out how big I should/could make them.

You could always make a portable top to put on your regular table. If you have storage space.

[Wolfshanze]

@MagnuZealot:

You could always make a portable top to put on your regular table. If you have storage space.

Ya, I’ve located my largest useable playing surface (my kitchen island is far bigger than my kitchen table, it has space around it, and I scored four nice barstools for it)… so that’s my playing surface for when/if I find some opponents… now as for the map(s) themselves, since the kitchen island is definitely only a temporary surface for gaming, I’m debating between a roll-out vinyl map, or hard mounting the map to something perhaps hangable on a wall when not in use, and laying it flat on the kitchen island for gaming.  Still not sure which direction to go, but I’m probably leaning just a rollout… unless the corners not sitting flat starts to bug me a lot.

[LHoffman]

I like the round felt dice tray. Most people use the rectangular ones but for some reason I really like the round one.

Battle boards… eh, never cared for those and never used them. I know some people do though. Nice that you printed a custom one though.

[Wolfshanze]

@LHoffman:

I like the round felt dice tray. Most people use the rectangular ones but for some reason I really like the round one.

Ya, I really like the round one too… if you like it that much, the one I have is currently being sold on Amazon.com brand new.  I’ve only had mine for a few months.

@LHoffman:

Battle boards… eh, never cared for those and never used them. I know some people do though. Nice that you printed a custom one though.

I can skip them personally, but you have to remember, I’m in an Axis and Allies void where I live… I’m going to have to teach everyone how to play the game. Having said that, I think Battle Boards help newbies to the genre a better grasp of the unit values and how the attack rounds work.  After you become a vet and know the values by heart, they’re skippable… but like I said, I had one made to help with training new people to the game… and I think the battle strips that come with the new games are terrible.  Hence, I went with a custom board.

[LHoffman]

@Wolfshanze:

Ya, I really like the round one too… if you like it that much, the one I have is currently being sold on Amazon.com brand new.  I’ve only had mine for a few months.

Cool thanks for the heads up. I may check it out.

@Wolfshanze:

I can skip them personally, but you have to remember, I’m in an Axis and Allies void where I live… I’m going to have to teach everyone how to play the game. Having said that, I think Battle Boards help newbies to the genre a better grasp of the unit values and how the attack rounds work.  After you become a vet and know the values by heart, they’re skippable… but like I said, I had one made to help with training new people to the game… and I think the battle strips that come with the new games are terrible.  Hence, I went with a custom board.

I understand that and figured that was the case. I don’t believe that I ever used them, even when starting out… but then again, we had a lot of funny rule interpretations back then too. I would consider making my own to teach beginners also.

[Wolfshanze]

Updated my 1941 map pics with new vinyl map in-play. Here’s some initial setup pics of the 1941 map… ETO:

[Wolfshanze]

1941 PTO:

[Young Grasshopper]

Very nicely done… looks great.

I see you have contributed to the Canadian economy and splurged for those expensive poker chips  (just kidding)  :evil:

[Wolfshanze]

Well I realized they were cheaper than I first thought once I realized the current exchange rate.  :evil:

Besides, you told me on your Youtube Channel to support Canada, so I did.  Also, I ordered some extra 10s and 25s, which are already in-route from Toronto.

I’m very happy with the map results for both 1941 and 1942… I lack the skills and room for a proper bunker, but I was able to get much larger maps that can fit on my largest flat surface, and they roll up nicely into a couple of solid storage tubes I got for safe keeping.

[Young Grasshopper]

If you have been rolling it up, what are you doing to keep it flat?

[Wolfshanze]

I picked up a couple of 37" Alvin Ice transparent PVC storage tubes (pic below) to store my 1941 and 1942 maps in to keep them safe.

Since they are totally contained and protected, I roll them map-side-facing-out, so that when I unroll them, if there’s any kind of curve, its a downward one, which quickly flattens in a few seconds.  It might also be the materiel… I know you used Pyrene while I used Vinyl… I don’t know if one is a better choice or not, but I just stuck with Outdoor Banner Vinyl since it seemed to work so well with my earlier battle board project.  When I unroll the map, it has a slight downward curve to the table for a few seconds, then flattens out on its own… I don’t do anything special to get it to lie flat (other than perhaps rolling it map-side-out).

[Wolfshanze]

Updated my 1942 map pics with new vinyl map in-play. Here’s some initial setup pics of the 1942 map… ETO:

[Wolfshanze]

1942 PTO:

[Munck]

Very nice maps! Looks very clean!
Vinyl are a great material  :wink:

[Wolfshanze]

Ty, I love my vinly maps… got em stored in map tubes when not in use… I love using these maps over the game boards, it adds so much more to the gaming experience (plus extra room for units, since I do my best never to “chit” units).

[siredblood]

@Wolfshanze:

Ty, I love my vinly maps… got em stored in map tubes when not in use… I love using these maps over the game boards, it adds so much more to the gaming experience (plus extra room for units, since I do my best never to “chit” units).

What was the cost of the vinyl? I still use the boards for now, i have some mods to do before im ready for a print.

Also, I hate chits too, unless its aircraft, as they move as a squadron ( i love the look of 20 bombers stacked up with singles muhaha) , land units, who knows where they are going/splitting up, I hate unchipping.

[Wolfshanze]

@siredblood:

What was the cost of the vinyl? I still use the boards for now, i have some mods to do before im ready for a print.

Also, I hate chits too, unless its aircraft, as they move as a squadron ( i love the look of 20 bombers stacked up with singles muhaha) , land units, who knows where they are going/splitting up, I hate unchipping.

My custom 1941 cost about $70 (US) at Fed-Ex Print Shop… pic below showing map and size vs original 1941 board.

My custom 1942 map cost about $90 (US) at the Fed-Ex shop because i modified the size a bit and it is a tad larger… pic below.