How to represent casualties and shock?

[Cerebus]

You can buy ready magnetised sabot bases from Warbases and suitable magnetised figure bases for that solution - harder if you've already based your troops, especially if on round bases. Otherwise sheet cuts easily down to as small as 10mm x 10mm without issue.

That said I did the section/gruppe sabot thing for a while and it was too much hassle, in the end we just dropped the sabot and used the individual figures from the get go.

I know I have old photos showing the sabots but I'm currently in darkest Cornwall and t'net seems to be on a hand-crank so I can't get at them.

What made it too much hassle Zippee? Was it the actual building in the first place or during game?

I think the main problem I have is that my British force is already based FoW style and I put a fair bit of work into the bases, so am hesitant to rebase. Was edging toward doing it just for the PBI but then realised I'd need to do it for MG teams as well as AT gun crews etc, and I haven't got the guts to rip open the bases and restart (especially as they've got sandbags and trees etc etc). My German force is just under way so I could do it for them, however if you're marking casualties for one side on a reference sheet you may as well do it for both.

[Zippee]

During play, getting the section sized bases onto the table, in the right location, fitting them where you wanted them, removing them when inside buildings or if the section spread out, et. etc.. Basically taking figures off, keeping them together, re-assembling afterwards. Doesn't sound like much but at the table those seconds spent fiddling with such things feel much more than they perhaps are in an empirical sense. And certainly break into the suspension of belief, pushing the game artlessly into the narrative you're creating.

Definitely not worth ripping established basing apart for, accept what you have a concentrate on good rosters or on-table identifiers for losses - you have to track shock and casualty loss so it can be a bit overwhelming.

I have a number of 25mm circle bases with a 7mm dice frame on them which I use to count such stuff down. Works well for a number of systems such as Impetus. W my IABSM stuff being single based figures I only use them for shock but you could just use two for each unit, say red dice for casualties, white for shock - if you need to go higher than 6 in either, things are going badly

[Cerebus]

That's interesting to know. I'd have assumed it would be easy to swap figures in and out but now you mention it, trying to remove casualties when the unit is in amongst the trees will only lead to major deforestation. I think I'll give up on the idea and try and come up with a good roster sheet. Thanks for the advice Zippee.

btw, I've just seen the video and pics of your games room.......so jealous.

[Zippee]

Ha, no worries. It does seem a bit counter-intuitive and possibly more perceptual than real but everyone just got fed up swapping stuff around.

If you're interested the house is on the market complete with games room

[Cerebus]

I'd be taking the games room with me if I was moving out!

[SteveBurt]

You don't need that many single based figures to 'make change' - only 2 or 3 per squad.
My figures are based in 2s and 3s (so a squad for those with 8 figures is 2x3 and 1x2 man LMG). I find a dozen or so single figures per side enough for game.
No nasty markers needed - just count the figures.

[Contrarius]

Haha! Followed that link to see the pebbles.

So they’re pebbles on rounded bases. An army of pebbles on round bases. Must say I’d be terrified if I was in one of those infantry units being followed around by a horde of potentially man-eating pebbles on round bases.

[Contrarius]

Not tried it yet but I heard of someone making a penny-shaped mould and impressing round discs into filler/putty on bases for crewed weapons. Plop a tiny neodymium magnet in the centre of each impressed disc before it’s dry and you’re sorted.

[Contrarius]

@Zippee, if you’re playing 1939 Poles, where each infantry section has 19 men (so 57 per platoon + support weapons), you’ll want to use sabots!

[Zippee]

Hah,
my Poles are in 12 figure squads as per the September War lists and as they're 6mm are on single section 60mm pill shaped bases.