SS Tank Counter Totals

[vince hughes]

Cross posted this from CSW:

Counter sorting leads to stange OCD moments I guess ...................

Had to sort out my SS troops into their own new box yesterday as there are just so many of them now. In a sad moment, I decided to count up the amount of each tank type I had, and here are the final numbers (tanks, nothing else)

PzII 3, PzIIIG 1, PzIIIJ 15, PzIVE 4, PzIVF2 10, PzIVH 26, PzV 22, PzVI(1) 14, PzVI(2) 13, T34 6

Total 114

[JayTownsend]

I have never mixed mine but with Sinister Forces, Beyond Normandy, Elsenborn Ridge, Road to Berlin and Kursk South Flank, your list seems way too short! Not counting Black SS.

[vince hughes]

, your list seems way too short!

Nope, thats how many there are Jay.

[Hugmenot]

Vince, I am curious how you organize your counters. I recently purchased several 20-compartment plastic cases but I have to decide how best to sort my units.

My goal is to minimize the time required to pull the pieces I need for a scenario; I find I am spending way too much time going through my baggies.

All suggestions are welcome!

[vince hughes]

Daniel,

I'll keep it as simple as :::::

and as I mentioned the new SS tray, I'll go with that one.

1 x new bead tray / nail tray / fishing tackle tray - its name probably dependent on where you bought it.

It has 17 compartments. 16 all the same size and 1 double sized one.

Double sized compartment contains all the ordnance (ART, AA, AT, NEB etc) but NOT mortars

The other 16 are:
SS INF (4-3)
SS GEB & SKI
SS SCH (6-3)
SS GREN camo (7-3)
SS GREN black (7-3)
SS ENG
SS Transports (trucks, all hanomags = 251's & 250's, kubelwagens, SK8's & SK9's )
SS REIT
SS MTC & KRAD
SS Mortars
SS HMG & MG
SS Armoured cars, AA vehicles and ART vehicles
SS Assaults guns and tank destroyers (StG's, PzJr, Hetzer etc)
SS PzII, PzIII and 'other' tanks (747, PzB2f etc)
SS PzIV's
SS PzV's and PzVI's

Wehrmacht are in a 23 compartment tray and therefore sorted differently but usually in a similar manner. Thing is, once you have played however many games with your own troops, you soon get used to their locations in the box. That said, I have little stickers for the US stuff as I can not remember where all the different M's are !!

[Shad]

I have little stickers for the US stuff as I can not remember where all the different M's are !!

This is the real secret. Just organizing them into consistent but unmarked compartments will get you nowhere.

However, if you take the extra few minutes to tape a bit of paper with the unit type to the underside of the lid over each cell (or use purpose-made sticky labels if you're a rich bloke ), then you get that near-instantaneous spotting ability that makes setup and teardown much faster.

On my PG shelf right now are baggied games, sorted but unlabeled trays, and sorted + labeled trays. The last of those is far and away the easiest type to play with.

[vince hughes]

Honestly Shad,

I know what is EVERY compartment except the darned US 'M's ........

One compartment with just all types of M4's is easy, but the rest are labelled as you say.

With all the other nations, and even including the Soviets with their T's, SU's and KV's etc, I can remember where everything goes.

M's are just so bland and possibly confusing. I'm wondering whether there was ever a time when a GI was asked to go and get his M1, and instead of a carbine (Garand) he came back with a tank (Abrams) .... LOL (and to any experts reading, yes I know they are a different time scale,it was merely a chance of a pun that was taken).

[Matt W]

I have to admit that the choice to label the American AFVs with the "M" rather than the model name is offputting. I would vastly prefer moving Shermans and Stuarts than M4s and M5s. The German tanks were generally known by their model numbers until the Panther and Tiger series so numbering makes sense there. Similarly Italian tanks and Soviet tanks were known by their numbering system but it wasn't until I started playing PG that I even expected that Shermans were M4s. Why should the Commonwealth be the only forces with evocative tank names?

[tlangston28]

I have to admit that the choice to label the American AFVs with the "M" rather than the model name is offputting. I would vastly prefer moving Shermans and Stuarts than M4s and M5s. The German tanks were generally known by their model numbers until the Panther and Tiger series so numbering makes sense there. Similarly Italian tanks and Soviet tanks were known by their numbering system but it wasn't until I started playing PG that I even expected that Shermans were M4s. Why should the Commonwealth be the only forces with evocative tank names?

From what I recall, it was the Commonwealth armies that gave the "names" to the early, lend-lease tanks from the US , mostly named for civll war generals -- (M4 "Sherman", M3 "Lee", M5 "Stuart", etc). Apparently, they thought a soldier would relate better to a named vehicle rather than a number. I believe the US did start naming the later war models with this in mind.

[Blackcloud6]

I have little stickers for the US stuff as I can not remember where all the different M's are !!

This is the real secret. Just organizing them into consistent but unmarked compartments will get you nowhere.

However, if you take the extra few minutes to tape a bit of paper with the unit type to the underside of the lid over each cell (or use purpose-made sticky labels if you're a rich bloke ), then you get that near-instantaneous spotting ability that makes setup and teardown much faster.

On my PG shelf right now are baggied games, sorted but unlabeled trays, and sorted + labeled trays. The last of those is far and away the easiest type to play with.

You can even avoid the tape or sticker and use an alcohol pen to write directly on the lid if you are using a plastic container. Then if you change the way you organize, just wipe off the text with alcohol and write in the new contents.