Keep the Table Tidy: Playing Aids

You might have noticed that I like devices - any gadget or gizmo I can use to keep up the flow of the game & keep me focussed on the little metal chaps giving their all for glory down there on the table-top, rather than being constantly interrupted by the mechanics of the thing.

I have written about my loathing of clutter & use of Hidden Markers & Poker Chips as shown again below. I make up Movement sticks for ease of use & store all of these (1 per General) off-table on a conveniently upturned RUBox lid from the army in question.

All this stuff takes a short time to make up & is then ready for the forseeable future.

I hate rummaging through rule books mid-game & why do rules writers have no talent for producing a comprehensive Cross-Referencing Index or even a Quick Play Sheet that has what I need on it, in the order I need it? It's almost as if they can't read my mind & anticipate every single situation that a confused wargamer might find himself in!

With that in mind, I always produce my own reference material. I have a Codex on my computer where I have tried to gather all info on a particular subject (Melee, Shooting, Charging, Pursuit - all that) in one place, each to a seperate file, even duplicating info where necessary so that I can walk through any situation that turns up. That & a home made Index for the Rules (my one criticism of RRtK is that it has many typos in the Historical lists & the Index often gives the wrong page for the rule in question - but I can live with that) makes for really quick reference when in need. 

With some games - particularly the ones where I play against real live opponents - I have, in the past, produced large print sheets of info which I magnetically attack to a large whiteboard so we can all reference the phases as they are played through. For RRtK, I made a smaller version on my iPad but the technology just confused my lazy opponents.

For RRtK, I came up with old-school crib-sheets. Everything I need to know during a game (except any rule misunderstanding - my opponents are competitive, perhaps overly so, that's why I enjoy solo so much) is listed on a crib-sheet, pasted to a stout A4 card & relevant to each army.

Each General gets the crib-sheet for his force (which has a list of Mercenary Stats on the back in case he is using them) plus a Reaction Test crib-sheet with Melee troops Reaction on one side & Missile troop on the other - just flip it over & you are good to go. Magic is dealt with on a third. 

In this way, all phase-to-phase info is at the fingertips of the General (off-table, of course - clutter at your peril in my presence) at all times so the flow of the game is as unimpeded as can be.