Pendraken Miniatures Forum

Wider Wargaming => General Discussion => Topic started by: Last Hussar on 05 June 2026, 07:29:55 AM

Title: Making a counting base.
Post by: Last Hussar on 05 June 2026, 07:29:55 AM
Hi all,

Anyone got any links or advice (or actual products) on how to make a counter for games. In my head I have something similar to the 'clicky bases' they did for Battle tech about 15-20 years ago, but there may well be something else.

Cheers
Title: Re: Making a counting base.
Post by: sunjester on 05 June 2026, 07:37:35 AM
Is this a base for models or simply for keeping track of a score?

Look at Blotz, they have all kinds of turn counters/dial counters etc.
Title: Re: Making a counting base.
Post by: Lord Kermit of Birkenhead on 05 June 2026, 08:01:06 AM
Warbases do some....
Title: Re: Making a counting base.
Post by: Last Hussar on 05 June 2026, 11:04:24 AM
Quote from: sunjester on 05 June 2026, 07:37:35 AMIs this a base for models or simply for keeping track of a score?

Look at Blotz, they have all kinds of turn counters/dial counters etc.

It's to keep track of casualties/ammo/etc per unit.  I'm thinking of a counter with a figure mounted onto to match into the battle. Initially I'm thinking of a way to keep track of ammo and casualties in FK&P - one with a 'Loading' figure on, and one with a 'dead' figure on. That way we don't have dice/counters etc on the table. Those little dice we used last week are vulnerable to being turned over accidentally, but heavier dice would be too imposing, especially with 10mm

Update;
I am going to need quite a lot, and they can't be big.  The Blotz/Warbases ones look like they will be too big, and too expensive. For FK&P I need to record 2 things for about 30+ units.
Title: Re: Making a counting base.
Post by: Ithoriel on 05 June 2026, 11:36:08 AM
I bought some Warbases' trackers for the same purpose but found them too big to be useful. Being notably thicker than my standard bases the minis on them loomed over the unit they were attached to, they were constantly in the way when moving units and most importantly they were harder to read than the dice we used.

I peeled the figures off, chucked the trackers in a box and went back to small dice I'd used before.

There are some trackers that have dual wheels.

An alternative I've seen used were the row counter thingies knitters use.

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71a7z8InGVL._AC_SY300_SX300_QL70_ML2_.jpg

As ever, YMMV.
Title: Re: Making a counting base.
Post by: pierre the shy on 05 June 2026, 11:44:45 AM
What about these Litko dials that Pendraken sell? the 1 - 10 range should cover more than enough hits and ammo allowance numbers for FK&P purposes?

https://www.pendraken.co.uk/litko-status-dials-lit-ts370 (https://www.pendraken.co.uk/litko-status-dials-lit-ts370)

Leon seems to have a whole range of different ones available, though some look like they are for specific rulesets:
https://www.pendraken.co.uk/litko-gaming-aids-status-dials (https://www.pendraken.co.uk/litko-gaming-aids-status-dials)


Title: Re: Making a counting base.
Post by: T13A on 05 June 2026, 11:54:11 AM
Hi

For recording casualties we simply use a base with a single casualty figure (or dead horse) on it per 'hit' on a unit. Remember that no unit you will ever need more than 2 counters (maximum of 3 hits and a unit is dead, deceased, defunct..... etc).

For ammo we use the counters available from Simon Miller's 'Big Red Bat' shop.

Cheers Paul 
Title: Re: Making a counting base.
Post by: Orcs on 05 June 2026, 05:01:41 PM
Use pendraken dice frames stuck to a suitable base ( even the unit base) with different coloured dice for different factors. 10 each of bases,dice frames and dice is about a fiver. 
Title: Re: Making a counting base.
Post by: Big Insect on 05 June 2026, 07:17:12 PM
Quote from: Orcs on 05 June 2026, 05:01:41 PMUse pendraken dice frames stuck to a suitable base ( even the unit base) with different coloured dice for different factors. 10 each of bases,dice frames and dice is about a fiver. 

That's my solution as well. They worked a treat for my 28mm & 15mm Warband armies. I used 2 dice frames per base & different coloured dice to represent different things.

Sorted