Cheap figure carry cases and other storage solutions

When discussing my 'secret shame' last year I showed how to make a cheap carry case for figures. I mentioned I'd bought a bigger 24 capacity box and here it is.

The bigger holes are perfect for the slightly more bulky Ymgarl Genestealers and Hormagaunts that are ready to pounce with Talons flailing.

My smaller box is still in use.

As you can see though some of the Stealers are a bit snug in the foam.

but that's not all, I also needed something to store my various markers in and nipped to my local £1 shop and got one of these weekly pill organisers. Now they're just a little small for the triangular psychic markers - I can just about fit 3 in each. The Objective markers are also a tight fit but I'm sure if I shrink the printing by 10% in future they'll be perfect. The elastic band is holding all the separate strips in place, so they don't fall out and it also makes a handy holder for a toothpick, which is the best way to lever out any stuck markers. I did also get one of the smallest craft boxes from the range I used for the figures above. At 59p it was certainly cheaper and had bigger but fewer containers. However there was a gap between the walls separating the containers and the lid so despite organising them they would easily become mixed up. I'm pretty sure another piece of that grey foam would prevent them getting out though.

Alternatively, you can go for the individual pots, here I've used the ever handy Kinder Surprise eggs. I gifted these to each of my opponents at Throne of Skulls, complete with MKII wound markers. It's not completely a bribe for best game [it certainly didn't work in my favour] but more an advert for the blog and get people using the markers. Unlike October where I gave them out at the end I gave them to each opponent before we began and most of them immediately popped them open at the first opportunity to use them in play which justified my decision to gift them beforehand. As there so easy to make it's no skin off my nose, or yours either should you be wishing to share the goodness at your own tournament, just a thought.

A freebie - Vehicle Damage Markers

Yet more free markers, I know, it's getting old now. Apologies if free stuff isn't your bag and this isn't even stuff I have actual need for, what am I thinking? Anyway it's actual counters for vehicle damage, a double of weapon damage, because who has just one weapon on a vehicle?

And there are also some hull point markers, they're like wound markers, just a bit industrial looking, or Imperial Fist or even Iron Warriors! You could even use them as wound markers should you feel that way inclined to match your markers to your army.

Usual step-by-step:

1. Print
2. Apply double sided tape to back
3. Stick to mounting card
4. Carefully apply sellotape to top if you want them pseudo-laminated
5. Cut out with craft knife/scalpel
6. Amaze your friends and enemies with these cards
7. Tell them to visit 40kaddict.blogspot.com for their own free markers.



A freebie - Wound Markers MKII - the square ones

Continuing on with the freebies and as it's my birthday, here's another gift to you all - square wound markers.  The more popular 1s and 2s with a sprinkling of 3, 4, 5s for monstrous creatures and the full 1-10 in blue for random nonsense like the Doom of Malan'tai

It'd be really nice to see these in action if anyone uses them, they also make handy hull point indicators too!

Usual step-by-step:

1. Print
2. Apply double sided tape to back
3. Stick to mounting card
4. Carefully apply sellotape to top if you want them pseudo-laminated
5. Cut out with craft knife/scalpel
6. Amaze your friends and enemies with these cards
7. Tell them to visit 40kaddict.blogspot.com for their own free markers.

A freebie - Necron Wound Markers

It's been a while since I did anything for Freebie hunters. This may not be of interest but I was working on some square counters. I noticed that the triangular ones, when cut with scissors, tend to curl at the points. So I figured square ones my bend less when cut. So I made some similar to my normal design but also got the urge to do some Necron themed wound markers. The picture below doesn't quite do them justice.

However, you can see below clearly there's some Necron nodes and circuitry evident on the counters and the numbers glow slightly. Hopefully those who deal with the robotic undead will find a use for them. maybe one day I'll actually see them being used on other blogs or battle reports...

Usual step-by-step:

1. Print
2. Apply double sided tape to back
3. Stick to mounting card
4. Carefully apply sellotape to top if you want them pseudo-laminated
5. Cut out with craft knife/scalpel
6. Amaze your friends and enemies with these cards
7. Tell them to visit 40kaddict.blogspot.com for their own free markers.

Enjoy, the normal square ones will be up in a day or two, something to look forward to.

A freebie - Eldar Psychic Power and Webbed markers

More freebies, because who doesn't like free stuff? Naturally these are only going to benefit Eldar players though, but they're people too, filthy Xeno scum, but people nontheless ;) So I did these quite a while back and was convinced I'd shared them because I had them in Picasa. Originally it was for the benefit of both my son and PeteB, back when he had Eldar. The five psychic powers were covered, nothing too fancy, no explanations of their effects either.

The reason I believe I didn't share in the end was PeteB asked me to produce a 'Webbed' marker for models that have been hit by a Night Spinner shortly after I made the psychic markers. I did so but never added them to the pic above. Then, when I did come to add it I discovered the actual marker had disappeared from my Illustrator file - probably failed to save or the file was overwritten at some point. Anyway, it didn't take too long to redraw the marker so find it attached.

Usual step-by-step:

1. Print
2. Apply double sided tape to back
3. Stick to mounting card
4. Carefully apply sellotape to top if you want them pseudo-laminated
5. Cut out with craft knife/scalpel
6. Amaze your friends and enemies with these cards
7. Tell them to visit 40kaddict.blogspot.com for their own free markers.



A freebie - Objective markers

Just before Throne of Skulls [G.O.D. you must be sick of me banging on about that weekend, tough!] I decided that I needed some objective markers. Personally I'm happy with the Tyranid models I've got but given the new Mysterious Objective rules and mixed value objectives of 'the Scouring' Eternal War scenario I knew I was going to have to make some of my own.

So below was the first version, however

I also decided to revisit these in yellow and black as the magenta in the orange is making my printouts a bit 'muddy' and also the 'sabotaged' marker doesn't mention the blast template. Once again just print, stick to mounting card, cover in sellotape for instant lamination [though try not to get creases in them like I did :( ] and then cut out.

And I think they probably look a whole lot better in yellow, but you choose, although don't forget you'll need more mysterious objective markers than VP markers [as they're only needed in the Scouring].

 

Of course I then add my Tyranid objectives next to them so they look cooler, large Synapse Node for the 4VP, 3 Node for 3VP, twin node for 2VP and Spore Mines for single VPs.

Meanwhile I shared my wound markers on the dakkadakka forum and actually got this request:

Not bad, but they would be better in black and white.

White backgrounds black numbers. Simple is better.

Now I could have been mightily offended that my not inconsiderable time and, all modesty aside, talents had been summarily dismissed in favour of something anyone could do in Microsoft Word but I was prepared to listen to the critique of one of my 'customers'. So I cranked up the old Illustrator and in 5 minutes I gave my punter exactly what they wanted:

To which I got:

Now that rocks!

So clearly there's a market for simple stripped down markers so I thought I should share them with you also, if that's your bag. @ 100% each square should be 9mm Anyway, I can't say I understand the preference but I'm all about giving the hobby what it wants so if there's anything you think I can do to help out with I'll certainly look to try and do it. Just drop a note in the comments here, or the Freebies page and I'll promise to get around to it [eventually].

Usual step-by-step:

1. Print
2. Apply double sided tape to back
3. Stick to mounting card
4. Carefully apply sellotape to top if you want them pseudo-laminated
5. Cut out with craft knife/scalpel
6. Amaze your friends and enemies with these cards
7. Tell them to visit 40kaddict.blogspot.com for their own free markers.

A freebie - Biomancy Psychic markers

The more games I play the more markers I find I need, latest is Biomancy psychic power markers. Constantly rolling for Warp Speed and Iron Arm each turn and adding D3 I&A or D3 S&T to the psyker means you really need to keep track of what's doing what. Of course there's other rules attached to these powers so I've included an asterisk to remind you to check out the full rules but each marker has +1, +2 or +3 respectively so you know what your psychic monstrosity is doing.

Additionally there are some Enfeeble and Endurance markers, three of each in case you have a few psykers. As per usual my suggestion is print 'em out, mount 'em on mounting card, sellotape for faux lamination and cut 'em out neat and tidy like. Bob's your Uncle [he actually was] and Fanny's your Aunt [she wasn't, it was Joan].

Enjoy!

Usual step-by-step:

1. Print
2. Apply double sided tape to back
3. Stick to mounting card
4. Carefully apply sellotape to top if you want them pseudo-laminated
5. Cut out with craft knife/scalpel
6. Amaze your friends and enemies with these cards
7. Tell them to visit 40kaddict.blogspot.com for their own free markers.

A freebie - Victory Point markers

A quick freebie seeing as how happy I am thanks to Team GB doing so well in the Olympathon. A set of counters [above] to print and stick to card, perhaps with some sellotape laminate before you slice and dice them out.

Of course you can always do a little tally chart to see who's got what but I think this is nicer. As for individual VPs for killing units - you can always use the free wound markers...

Usual step-by-step:

1. Print
2. Apply double sided tape to back
3. Stick to mounting card
4. Carefully apply sellotape to top if you want them pseudo-laminated
5. Cut out with craft knife/scalpel
6. Amaze your friends and enemies with these cards
7. Tell them to visit 40kaddict.blogspot.com for their own free markers.

Enjoy.

'nids part 38 - The ebay goodness just keeps on giving

With the Warrior/Hive Guard conversion frenzy and the five new Termagants I forgot to show off the second reason I bought my bitz pack [after the Hive Node objective markers] Ymgarl Genestealers. OK there's none of the Tendril faces but the extra carapace armour and Scything Talons should differentiate them or at least when the armour is blue you'll definitely see a difference.

Of course one issue is I only have 4, but perhaps another bitz purchase should solve that issue and who knows what else I'll benefit from because of it?

Don't forget my  Ymgarl Genestealers. Mutation counters

'nids part 28 - Ymgarls and a FREEBIE [free STUFF!]

With my local friendly neighborhood gaming clubs tournament I needed to maximise the figures I've got to make the 2,000 pts I was going to fight with, so out come the Ymgarl stealers to bulk out my force. Having that assault from 'dormancy' is really useful and their turn-by-turn mutation makes up for lack of adrenals or toxin sacs, not to mention everyone seems to think their SO much better than their standard bretheren.

But what to do to remind you which mutation they're experiencing this turn? How's about some handy Ymgarl genestealer mutation markers?

And if you need more than three here's six handy cut out and keep ones here. I just print them out [click for full size, they should be 2cm tall], add double sided tape on the back and Sellotape on the front. Attach to mounting card and cut up. If the mounting card has a white core then I use a black marker to make them look cool.

Here's what they look like when they're done

Having used them on the day I may make an amend to add the stat bonuses [somewhere] as it's more helpful to know slashing claws are S+1 than have to keep referring back to the book but please use them now if you can't wait.

Usual step-by-step:

1. Print
2. Apply double sided tape to back
3. Stick to mounting card
4. Carefully apply sellotape to top if you want them pseudo-laminated
5. Cut out with craft knife/scalpel
6. Amaze your friends and enemies with these cards
7. Tell them to visit 40kaddict.blogspot.com for their own free markers.

 And of course while you are at it you can do the same for my free Wound Markers

Due to popular demand [as well as my own playtesting] now with 'buff' notation:

Old stuff day 2012

It's old stuff day 2012. Last year warhammer39999 wanted to join a movement to rediscover lost gems from the world of hobby blogs. To choose one of your own blogposts that your most proud of, or may not have got the attention it deserved or any thing that may warrant some necromantic blogpost bothering. On top of that you were to share blogposts from other bloggers which you thought deserved the same spotlight of attention before they were returned to their dark nightmare infested slumbers.

So I showed a little love for one of my old posts but then again I link to loads of my old stuff anyway so maybe I'm guilty of doing this all the time. Anyway it's time to choose this years blogpost and like the Highlander there can be only one and this time lets show a little love (♥) to my most popular of old posts:

Standard Template Construct (STC) systems were advanced computers created during the Dark Age of Technology, which are said to have contained the sum total of human technological knowledge. An STC system was possessed by every group of human colonists before the Age of Strife, allowing them to build all of the equipment necessary for survival on an untamed colony planet. It enabled the colonists to build efficient shelters, generators and transports without any technical knowledge and using almost any locally available materials. The user simply asked how to build a house or a tractor and the computer supplied all the necessary plans.

My STC page has been accessed over 4,000 times and I've seen versions of my models recreated and remixed. This hobby we do costs money but with a bit of effort, some skill and a few bits and bobs we can all have some terrain that we can be proud of, it's all I wanted to do and I hope there is value to the community and that even if folk find no use for it themselves they pass the link on to their friends and share their results with me. I've still got STC's to come so this thread will hopefully never die, just be reanimated on a regular basis ;)

OK so what's floated my boat from other bloggers. I made this easy on myself and went back through all my 'starred' stories in Google Reader and this is what I found.

Recipe for Bronze by Brian @ A Gentleman's Ones

Brian does an awesome job here and if you root around he goes verdi-gris crazy

Sandwyrm's guide to painting black @ The Back 40k

It's not so much the guide as the awesome 'emo-guard' end result

Sandwyrm's Adepticon Siege of Terra Diorama @ The Back 40k

I've no idea why I starred this, I don't even remember doing so but the diorama is awesome and it's just a feat for the eyes which I suppose is a good enough reason.

Loler's guide to painting yellow and grey marines @ The Brush Brothers

This isn't just a guide to painting yellow and grey marines, there's all sorts of tips from battler damage to weathering powders, a tour de-force of painting techniques.

synaps3 guide to Terrain at synaps3

I was going to do a post about terrain and 'tournament terrain' but after reading this I think synaps3 pretty much said it all.

To all those I may have missed mayhap I will reference you throughout the year anyway, enjoy the old stuff, wake the dead!

Joining a blogging movement - Old Stuff Day

On Valentines Day Rob™ at Warhammer 39,999 suggested we all start a blogging movement to show a little love (♥) for some of our old posts.

So here's one of my posts that I think deserves a little more love via the filthy art of 'thread-o-mancy' my free wound markers [with an update]...

If you've got plenty of high wound characters, or if like my son you are running Tyranids then sooner or later you're going to have to deal with recording wounds. There's a number of options, put a dice down [preferrably a small one], buy wound markes or note it down on a piece of paper. The first two cost money, or are annoying if you're using all your lucky dice just to keep track and the last one's also a pain in the hive mind.

Alternatively you can make your own, so I did. All you need to do is print them out, attach to mounting card, cover in sellotape for pseudo one sided lamination and then cut them out, voila!

You can use the blue markers for your Doom of Malantai, thanks to his Spirit Leech having a maximum of 10 wounds! There's also a few 3-5 wound markers for you Tervigon, enjoy.

Of course you can also use these for your Dark Eldar pain tokes [that's the update].

On top of that I thought I'd resurrect some of these other blogs 'old' articles that deserve a dusting off and a little bit of love  (♥)

http://40kmaunderings.blogspot.com/2008/02/b2b-flamers-part-1.html

http://yearoffrugalgaming.blogspot.com/2009/03/blood-bowl-pitch.html

http://www.battlebarge.com/guides/terrain-guides/

40k future container scatter terrain - UPDATE

You may recall while back I made some 40k future container scatter terrain out of Mentos Cube boxes. I promised I'd do an update on the painting so here we go.

As you can see a bit of judicious brown and orange, some silver here and there and these little beauties really come into their own. I'd agonised for ages over these, the washes really took a while to work but using a really big brush to do the dry brushing helped. When I say really big I mean the sort you use when decorating, cutting in on the walls etc.

But I didn't stop there. I wanted to put some markings on the containers so I made some little masks and you can just make out the NUMA markings I added below [I'm a big Clive Cussler fan and the colour was perfect]. Close up they look even more grimy!

Since then I've added another seven containers [what can I say I like gum] I've got some Bioazard waste ones, some OOCL [they'll still be doing containerisation in the 41st millenium] one of the mesh wrapped liquid containers and a reinforced Dark Angels container, which makes a nice objective marker, who knows what or whom is locked up inside, I'll never tell... I'll get some pics up eventually when I grime them up. I really enjoyed playing around with the different colours because I feel most container ports are all different but part of me thinks I should have stuck to the turquoise and pale blue of the first three, hmm