As a retailer and proponent for the smaller scale figures, I'm often asked. "How do you keep track of casualties with such small figures? They are too small for casualty caps and I hate keeping track on paper!" The purpose of this article is to answer these questions by reintroducing a concept and gaming aid from the early 70's called "Command Status Stand" . I will also suggest some additional fun laden uses for these lime gems. Probably best of all, the Command Status Stand will work with ANY set of rules! A Command Status Stand (CSS) is a home made gaming aid that records data for your miniature "commands". The principle idea of the device is a bank of pegs, each color coded to a miniature unit on the game table, where you place #8 washers. Each washer represents one casting casualty in your favorite rules set. Each figure base is equal to the same amount "casualty hits" as its larger scale counterpart would have. (Say, 4 figures on 15mm scale per base would be equal to 4 washers applied to the peg before the base is removed from play). The number of stands required to make up units does not change. In this manner, you can load up your 15/25mm base with 2 to 10mm figures. Use the corresponding movement and firing ranges (as stated in the rule book) and play your favorite rules set with the smaller scale figures. You will quickly discover that your rules will take on a different "feel" with more visually appealing units and closer "looking" ground scales. Let's get started! CSS can be easily made from balsa stock. generally available from your local hobby shop. The following is a list of materials that you will need to make the CSS: 1 piece of 3/4 in by 3/4 in by 36 in balsa square strip stock 1 piece of 3/4 in by 3/4 in by 1 in by 36 in balsa triangle stock (sometimes used for strengthening inside corners (90 degrees) of flying model aircraft kits. 2 pieces of 1/4 in diameter by 36 in (length) wooden doweling stock Some "white" glue (like "Elmer's") Some sort of material to base the stand on (like photo "mat" board or sheet balsa or spruce/pine) This step is optional, but will come in handy as you will see later. A hobby type "razor saw" and optional miter hox A U4 in drill hit and suitable drill Varied colors ot paint (which you probably already have!) and a brush. A quantity of #8 metal washers (from your local hardware store). The materials listed above should yield 9 CSS, each of 4 inches in length. Construction To construct a CSS, simply glue the two pieces of balsa strip stock together so that it resembles "half a house, laid sideways". (The 3/4 inch sides glued together leaving the long, 1 in side ot the triangle sloping away from the square piece.) Allow the glue to thoroughly dry. While this is drying, cut your wooden doweling into "pegs" of 2 inches in length. Set aside. Once dry, measure and cut the strip stock assembly into 4 inch lengths. Take one 4 inch length and make a center line down the length of the square portion of your stand (should be 3/8 inch in from the long edge ot the block.) This is the line that you will use to align the pegs, on. Next, measure in 1/4 inch in from the ends, and mark on the centerline. forming crosses. (This is where you will be drilling holes for the pegs to be glued into. Iater on.) Continue measuring along the length of the centerline. but now marking "centers" every 1/2 inch if done properly you will have marked places for the pegs, with a clearance of 1/4 inch from the ends and 1/2 in between each peg. 1)rill the holes. as you've just marked to an equal depth. (I usually go all the way through....it's easier to "find" the same depth that way! ) Once the drilling is done, mount the hase by gluing on a piece ot 4 inch x 3 inch base material of your choice. Be sure to align the vertical edge with one ot the 4 inch sides of the base material. This will allow you to have some space to write unit In info on "sticky" labels for easy reference for which unit the peg will represent. The sloping side will he visible only to you SO )'OU can annotate ( with labels again) how many "hits" (and say morale value) the unit has for easy (and secure) reference. Once dry, assembly is complete by gluing the pegs into the holes. Each base will provide tracking for 8 units. I suggest that you have a base for each mid level organization you will field. Example, if playing "Johnny Reb III" (a regimental level game), you would want one stand for each brigade (say 5 regiments and an attached arty battery = 6 pegs used.) Each peg is the "recorder" for a regiment of infantry or a battery of artillery in our example. Of course, you could make the stands smaller or larger to meet your needs. The final thing that you must now do is to color code your pegs to your command's units. I paint my pegs all the same color, by division. (All brigades belonging to First Div. are Red, 2nd White, 3rd Blue, etc.) Next, I paint the top of a peg AND the backpack of the center, rearmost figure's backpack (of the command stand) the same color. This tells me which peg to record "hits" against without having to touch the stand! Use a different color for each unit within the "brigade". (I usually reserve the use of red for my artillery....it's consistent!) As a finishing touch, I usually paint and flock the outsides of the entire base in green, to help blend it into the tabletop. Command Status Stands will allow you to bring the visual appeal of massed 2,6 or 10mm figures to your favorite set of rules without changing ANYTHING in the printed game mechanics. In fact, try using your favorite set with 25mm scale base sizes and fire/movement rates with 5-6mm figures! Four bases of 20 figures per base (that's 4 strips of Heroics & Ros or Irregular) begin to take on the appearance of what they really look like in period pictures! Ranges and movement give 8 new "feel" to the game when using these little guys. Remember, if the rules call for the use of a 1 " by 2" base for each infantry stand (for example), his ground scale is set for that frontage. Depth CAN be decreased, if desired, with usually no loss of playability. 20th century Gaming So far, we've only used the CSS for Horse and Musket period. Let's now explore additional missions for the CSS in 20th century gaming! Want to "add" some additional problems to ponder for your next WWII or modern period scenario? Try this use for the CSS! Take a quantity of #8 washers and spray paint them any color you desire (as long as you can tell the painted ones from unpainted). At the beginning of your game, provide a predetermined quantity of both painted and unpainted washers to each side's "Supreme Commander". The painted washers are fuel chits and the unpainted are ammo chits. Allow "El Supremo" to distribute these "supplies" in accordance with his battleplan. Each washer represents either the fuel required for one turn's worth of movement (for vehicles) or one turn of fire. Here's finally a bonafide use for all those cool supply trucks you've been collecting! Make bases with pegs so you can place a supply truck on it, for the delivery of supplies to frontline units! Sorry, the truck can only carry as many chits as there is room for on the peg! talk about "legitimate targets"! No "fuel" chits left? Guess you can't move till HQ can get you some more gas! Allow folks to fire more than once per turn! Afler all, when they run out of ammo chits........ By using this idea, the guy (or gal) acting as "El Supremo" will get a better feel for what his/her real life counterpart has to worry about in real life! Being a commander must be more than just "ordering people around". they must ensure that the unit is properly equipped for the mission. This simple use of the CSS requires some planning by all to ensure that the units tasked with the main attack have suffcient fuel to reach their objectives. (Obviously. the Germans at the Battle of the Bulge didn't game with the CSS!) It also cuts down on those types that like to "blaze away" at anything within range with every pistol in the unit! (You know the types!) This results in a speed up of gameplay! I hope that you have enjoyed this article on the Command Status Stand and will give it a try. Regardless if it's a scratchbuilt house or a Command Status Stand, there's something about using a game aid that you've made (and appears on the table) that adds something to gaming enjoyment. While the idea for the CSS comes from Uncle Duke (originally used to record fatigue factors in Frappe and Napoleonique in the early 70's), I keep finding more uses for them. I'm sure that you, too, can discover even more uses for this neat lime game aid. If you do, please share it with us within the pages of MWAN! Good Gaming! Back to MWAN #94 Table of Contents Back to MWAN List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 1998 Hal Thinglum This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com