I buy a pack of precut blank counters and a pack of adhesive backed paper. Print the counters on the paper and then then cut out strips. Usually the printing can be sized to the counter blocks. I put the counter strips on the blank counters and simply cut out and trim them. They do not look as good as yours but they are very functional. I have used this method for a variety of games. I still have games done this way after many years.
Where do you usually get your precut blank counters? I have done something similar using Avery labels, but just for a handful of specialized counters. I was limited by how many blanks I had left over from games.😀
Thanks for this movie, Eric. Very informative. I personally print my counters directly on label seal paper which you can find in many qualities. Instead of glueing them, you can just stick them directly onto your chip board or thick crafting paper.
Wow, this is brilliant - I just stumbled across your channel looking to do my first print and play. You just saved me a serious headache, thanks! That corner rounder is great.
Very good Eric. I assembled the Montmirail print and play game this winter and used the chip board and it worked great (as opposed to cutting and gluing on individual blank counters). Highly recommend a cutting board as my wrists and hands were shot using a scissors! Had the counter sheets and map on a thicker paper printed at local print shop for about $11.
Yes, for a small set of counters you could get by with scissors. The cutting board is the best option. You get an easier cut and straighter lines. BTW, how was Montmirail? Was it worth the effort to create?
I haven't had the chance to actually play it yet, but the counters and map look amazing! I've printed Schongrabern and other AAWs at home but these were too detailed and was willing to have them professionally done. If Roberto Zuco keeps making new/updated counters I will have to invest in a cutting board.
Chipboard looks like an ideal core material. But here is what is not being said, cutting it. I use Fiskar's brand shears (scissors) they are razor sharp. Doesn't matter after the 100th cut :) So keep in mind, this is hard on the hands. Be ready for taking breaks. Be nice to your hands. Water based glue and gluesticks is so full of wrong. You want spray adhesive in a can. Yes, you spray it outside of your hobby zone. You wear gloves, trust me. You wait a minute or two before placing anything on the glued surface. Chances are it takes longer just to be ready to do so. Be ready to do entire counter sheets. Because with this method, you apply glue to surface, then slowly apply entire sheet and presto it is done. Cutting is just a matter of steel rule and sharp as hell cutting tool. Remember, paper cutters might be tricky with very thick things like chip board. Are you doing double sided counters? You must have the chip board already the size needed before putting on the counter sheets. The counter sheets must be unmodified so that top and bottom print outs match each other when placed on the chipboard. Which is why the chip board must be the exact same size as the print out pages. Yes I have done this a lot :) If done right, when the cuts are made, you get great results. Which is why you spend time practising on something other than your precious counters first :)
Thank you for sharing your experience in counter creation. I am fortunate to have a large paper cutter (aka Guillotine). This makes it much easier to cut through the chipboard.
Thanks. I have been pleased with the set of counters I created using the chipboard. My only issue was that some of the paper was not well glued to the board and has come loose. Make sure you spread the glue evenly and use enough to secure the front/back counter pages.
It has been awhile since I ordered the chipboard, so I don’t recall the weight exactly. The 30 pt is nearly the thickness of a standard wargame counter. Anything thicker would be harder to cut.
Hey, is it possible to make updated counters for an earlier ME game like Auerstadt? I still have my copy from 1984 but the counters look terrible when compared to the newer La Battaille games. Did they ever make a set of print-and-play counters for that game? I figured you would know! Great channel btw, it’s really helped me and my 9yo get to grips with the ME system.
I have that original copy from Clash of Arms with thin counters. I had heard that someone had created updated unit counters for print to play. However, I don’t know where they might be posted. Nothing on BGG or LaBataille.us.
Hi Eric, thank you for your suggestions and guidance. I have a similar video on my channel but with a different approach with regards to materials. BTW love your office (room). Good care Sir.
It is a corner punch rounder cutter. The one seen in the video is made by Oregon Lamination. You can find it and similar product on Amazon or at a local craft store. People who do scrapbooking use tools like these for rounded corners on photos.
Hello from Santiago, Chile How do you do so that when you cut the counters with the guillotine they do not leave you with an irregular cut or rather with a different size counter?
My cutter does a good job of making an straight cut. However, because I am using my eye to line up the counters, there is some slight variation in counter size. I don’t mind the imperfections.
The product I had used was "medium weight" or .057" It was almost exactly the thickness of a regular game counter. Here is the Amazon link: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00161W6L8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1
I have the friedland map and the austerlitz map but I don't have the counter to make them myself. Do you have the images of said counters to share and I print them here?
You might want to send an email to the Marshal Enterprise guys. For a small fee they might be able to mail you the fronts and backs of the counters for those games. Their website is www.labataille.me How did you get the maps, but no counters?
@@EricsTableNapoleonicBattles I sent them an email asking if I could purchase a copy of their counters (either digital or hard copy) and all I got was a one word answer “No”. Off to make my own
I buy a pack of precut blank counters and a pack of adhesive backed paper. Print the counters on the paper and then then cut out strips. Usually the printing can be sized to the counter blocks. I put the counter strips on the blank counters and simply cut out and trim them.
They do not look as good as yours but they are very functional. I have used this method for a variety of games. I still have games done this way after many years.
Where do you usually get your precut blank counters? I have done something similar using Avery labels, but just for a handful of specialized counters. I was limited by how many blanks I had left over from games.😀
@@EricsTableNapoleonicBattles GMT used to sell them. I bought several packs.
Decision Games offers them too.
Thanks for this movie, Eric. Very informative. I personally print my counters directly on label seal paper which you can find in many qualities. Instead of glueing them, you can just stick them directly onto your chip board or thick crafting paper.
That corner clipper is a must
Yes, I am very happy with these corner clippers. Much better than the fingernail clippers I used decades ago!
Wow, this is brilliant - I just stumbled across your channel looking to do my first print and play. You just saved me a serious headache, thanks! That corner rounder is great.
Thank you. What game or battle are you going to be printing?
@@EricsTableNapoleonicBattles my first project is for a smaller game called An Infamous Traffic but I’m looking to get into some war gaming soon.
Very good Eric. I assembled the Montmirail print and play game this winter and used the chip board and it worked great (as opposed to cutting and gluing on individual blank counters). Highly recommend a cutting board as my wrists and hands were shot using a scissors! Had the counter sheets and map on a thicker paper printed at local print shop for about $11.
Yes, for a small set of counters you could get by with scissors. The cutting board is the best option. You get an easier cut and straighter lines. BTW, how was Montmirail? Was it worth the effort to create?
I haven't had the chance to actually play it yet, but the counters and map look amazing! I've printed Schongrabern and other AAWs at home but these were too detailed and was willing to have them professionally done. If Roberto Zuco keeps making new/updated counters I will have to invest in a cutting board.
Chipboard looks like an ideal core material. But here is what is not being said, cutting it. I use Fiskar's brand shears (scissors) they are razor sharp. Doesn't matter after the 100th cut :) So keep in mind, this is hard on the hands. Be ready for taking breaks. Be nice to your hands. Water based glue and gluesticks is so full of wrong. You want spray adhesive in a can. Yes, you spray it outside of your hobby zone. You wear gloves, trust me. You wait a minute or two before placing anything on the glued surface. Chances are it takes longer just to be ready to do so. Be ready to do entire counter sheets. Because with this method, you apply glue to surface, then slowly apply entire sheet and presto it is done. Cutting is just a matter of steel rule and sharp as hell cutting tool. Remember, paper cutters might be tricky with very thick things like chip board. Are you doing double sided counters? You must have the chip board already the size needed before putting on the counter sheets. The counter sheets must be unmodified so that top and bottom print outs match each other when placed on the chipboard. Which is why the chip board must be the exact same size as the print out pages. Yes I have done this a lot :) If done right, when the cuts are made, you get great results. Which is why you spend time practising on something other than your precious counters first :)
Thank you for sharing your experience in counter creation. I am fortunate to have a large paper cutter (aka Guillotine). This makes it much easier to cut through the chipboard.
Thanks for the video. I've watched a lot of different approaches, but this one seems like the best. I'm gonna give it a try!
Thanks. I have been pleased with the set of counters I created using the chipboard. My only issue was that some of the paper was not well glued to the board and has come loose. Make sure you spread the glue evenly and use enough to secure the front/back counter pages.
Excellent video. What weight of chipboard do you use? 30 pt or higher?
It has been awhile since I ordered the chipboard, so I don’t recall the weight exactly. The 30 pt is nearly the thickness of a standard wargame counter. Anything thicker would be harder to cut.
Really, really nice. Thank you!
Glad you liked it. I hope it helps you make your own counters. Be well.
Hi! great video! I want to know though, what thickness was the chipboard you used in the video? I'm trying to make sure i get a thicker one
The thickness was .057”
@@EricsTableNapoleonicBattles Awesome! Thanks!
Hey, is it possible to make updated counters for an earlier ME game like Auerstadt? I still have my copy from 1984 but the counters look terrible when compared to the newer La Battaille games. Did they ever make a set of print-and-play counters for that game? I figured you would know! Great channel btw, it’s really helped me and my 9yo get to grips with the ME system.
I have that original copy from Clash of Arms with thin counters. I had heard that someone had created updated unit counters for print to play. However, I don’t know where they might be posted. Nothing on BGG or LaBataille.us.
Thanks@! Looks great.
You’re welcome. I hope you try this out the next time you need to make some counters.
Hi Eric, thank you for your suggestions and guidance. I have a similar video on my channel but with a different approach with regards to materials. BTW love your office (room). Good care Sir.
Thanks for the comment Hex. I will have to check out your video. Always looking for better ways to make counters.
What kind of edge clipper you have? never seen that before, link?
They are from a company called Oregon Lamination. Here is an Amazon link: a.co/d/gUafjWt
Very useful and informative. Thanks
Good video.
Thank you. I hope you try this method the next time you need to make some counters.
what is the name the tool you used to clip off age overhang from the counters?
It is a corner punch rounder cutter. The one seen in the video is made by Oregon Lamination. You can find it and similar product on Amazon or at a local craft store. People who do scrapbooking use tools like these for rounded corners on photos.
@@EricsTableNapoleonicBattles thank you!
Hello from Santiago, Chile
How do you do so that when you cut the counters with the guillotine they do not leave you with an irregular cut or rather with a different size counter?
My cutter does a good job of making an straight cut. However, because I am using my eye to line up the counters, there is some slight variation in counter size. I don’t mind the imperfections.
What thickness of cardboard should I use to make these chips? I'm thinking about a thickness of 1 or 2 mm.
The product I had used was "medium weight" or .057" It was almost exactly the thickness of a regular game counter. Here is the Amazon link: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00161W6L8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1
@@EricsTableNapoleonicBattles Thank you.
Great vid 👍
Glad you enjoyed it.
I have the friedland map and the austerlitz map but I don't have the counter to make them myself. Do you have the images of said counters to share and I print them here?
You might want to send an email to the Marshal Enterprise guys. For a small fee they might be able to mail you the fronts and backs of the counters for those games. Their website is www.labataille.me
How did you get the maps, but no counters?
I did them myself. Tonight i will send a pictures if you want. Your email?
@@EricsTableNapoleonicBattles I sent them an email asking if I could purchase a copy of their counters (either digital or hard copy) and all I got was a one word answer “No”. Off to make my own