Gadgets of Wargaming #3: Making Your Own Counters (Part 1)

[@StukaJoe]

Thanks to everyone for your comments. I will soon post part 2, which shows what to do with the printed sticker paper with the images and so forth.

[@RiktigaFimpen]

I'd love to see part 2 of this. This really blew my mind, now I'm making counters like crazy !

[@mackdamerc8885]

2022 and still waiting for part 2

[@fredrikh961]

I know it´s been a while, but this video really made my project possible, a big thank you for doing this!

[@StukaJoe]

Thank you. It’s good to see that an old video like this one remains useful! Cheers!

[@mbaquara]

EXCELLENT! All the best!!! Til the next "BELLOTA"... 👍

[@StukaJoe]

Thanks, Gerson! See you at the Bellota! Cheers!

[@vincentstella5131]

Excellent and extremely helpful video, Joe. Thank you very much for posting!!

[@Warriorking.1963]

Just found this, what an excellent video! Time for Part 2 methinks.

[@thebalalaikaremains2321]

Well, took your advice to heart and made a deluxe set of counters for SPI's Russian Civil War and now I'm hamstrung on how to produce the map at a large enough size to accommodate the scrabble tiles. Any tips towards making larger maps? I can't even find a good scan of RCW to maybe start with.

[@SingleHandedWarfare]

Great stuff Jose! Looking forward to part 2 of this. Now...for some reason, I feel the need for a Riccola lozenge ;)

[@JoeKundlak]

A nice one! But I would say this would be better and easier done for instance in Inkscape - a dedicated vector drawing program.

[@sobersportsman]

This was really fun to watch. Thank you.

[@fastheinz1941]

Very simple and innovative, thanks Joe

[@danielkasprzycki8087]

Thank you very much Joe. Great tutorial.

[@dbd31463]

Cool vid Joe. I use a program called Cyberboard to make counters if I need to. Generally I make game boxes of games I own so I don't have to leave a game set up on the table and not wear out my counters and cards. But it works great for making counters in case one gets lost or something.

[@StukaJoe]

Thanks for the info, dbd31463. I'll check it out. Powerpoint has some disadvantages. It's not meant for publishing things in print format. So, I guess counter images could also be done on Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator, which I recently subscribed to. Photoshop seems the easier program to learn. Illustrator is harder. Let's see. I don't know if Cyberboard could handle CMYK images, which is the standard for printing at 300 dots per inch. Thanks. Cheers. Joe

[@dbd31463]

Cyberboard makes GTL files which need to be converted also. I converted them to BMP files to print out. I don't recall the program I used to convert them, it's been a long time since I have made any counters.

[@dbd31463]

Cyberboard makes GTL files which need to be converted also. I converted them to BMP files to print out. I don't recall the program I used to convert them, it's been a long time since I have made any counters.

[@comicKkrakK]

That was fantastic. Thanks very much for that one. Looking forward to many more of this series.

[@jlv61560]

I'd love to see a tutorial on how to make counters with images instead of NATO symbology. You know, like the soldier silhouettes on the SPI/AH Frederick the Great counters, or on the SPI/DG World War I counters... Mind you I've used this tutorial to completely revamp Proud Monster/Death and Destruction, as well as add to my old SPI Strategy I counter sets!

[@StukaJoe]

@@jlv61560 The tutorial wouldn’t be much different, I suppose. The trick is getting quality images or icons (silhouettes). Cheers!

[@jlv61560]

@@StukaJoe I guess *that's* the part I was hoping for some guidance on! 😂 I love how you did this tutorial -- so easy and straightforward, whereas if I had to come up with this on my own, it would have taken me forever!

[@StukaJoe]

Trial and error, with a lot of error to get there. Thanks!

[@Alexdruchii]

Muy buen vídeo como siempre. Tienes en mente hacer alguno similar con los marcadores de explosión, flechas... en definitiva, ¿counters personalizados?. Saludos!!!.

[@johnbrown7858]

Thank you Joe. Great D.I.Y. counters video. My question is, can you scrap the NATO symbols totally, and use actual images of Panzers, Tigers, T-34's, and Sherman's from more recent games to update the counters of these older games. I also like 5/8th inch size counters, as opposed the 1/2 inch counters. Bye Joe!

[@StukaJoe]

Thank you, John. Yes, instead of NATO symbols, I could use artwork of tanks, even different types. The hard part is finding the artwork. It could be a drawing or a silhouette. I don't have the ability to draw, for instance, a T-34. Glad you liked the video! Cheers.

[@mattrey97]

Thank you for posting this!

[@billcorr9450]

10000th view. Woot!

[@joaquinruiz5254]

Thanks Jose !

[@stuka6727]

0:08 wow that a lot

[@jimsmith7445]

Thanks for the lesson Joe... I was very intrigued.