After my article on playtest map making a few issues ago, I received numerous suggestions to publish a follow-on article which would do the same for game counters. Here goes...

We do all of our playtest counters on the computer using Aldus Freehand to make page size documents. I set up all the counters I can on one sheet leaving about 32 points for each counter (this is less than the 36 points of area the counter can offer, and it does have a reason). The best way to do "standard" counters (NATO unit symbol, a few numbers underneath and on the sides) is to make a format for the counter with a box for the symbol and dummy type for each item of information you want on the counter. Be sure to make the dummy have more text than the finished counters (if you have one digit information, make a dummy with two digits). Doing so allows you to both leave adequate space for each item and keeps you from having margin problems when you put in something too long. This may be just a feature of FreeHand, but it can generate some real time-consuming headaches if not anticipated!

Once you have the base format for the units, duplicate them with a move of 32 points between each. Should the information overlap between counters, you made your format take up too much space and will need to trim it a little. If you draw a 32 point sized box before putting your format together, that will save you this trouble as the format will fit if it did so inside the box.

For home use, you might be able to stretch your format's size out to the 34 point range. I need to keep my counters quite tight so that when they are printed, mounted, and die-cut we don't end up losing large numbers of them. You still won't be able to go all the way out as that will make pasting them up very difficult. I'd stick to the 32 point size for safety, but then I have other reasons too.

Once you have your format duplicated, it is time to go about the task of inputting the information for each counter. Do only the fronts at first (we'll get to the backs in a minute) and delete any excess formats when you are done. Save the sheet with its name and the key phrase "fronts."

With your "fronts" out, save it to a new name with "backs" in the title. Now, change the information to what you want for the backs. Don't bother doing any sort of rotation or reflection operations-it is easier to just handle those matters during the actual pasteup.

We print our playtest counters out using a typical 300 dpi black and white laser printer on a special film sold by ChartPak. This stuff consists of a clear plastic film with an adhesive on the back mounted on a paper base. It runs through the laser printer well and takes the toner pretty well (I wipe mine off with a dry paper towel to remove excess toner before moving on). This material costs from 50 cents to a dollar a sheet (depending on what size package you get) and is available at most graphic arts stores. Its full name is ChartPak Drafting & Design Applique Film (DAF for short) and we use the Matte Top Sheet, Permanent Adhesive variety (stock numbers DAFPB8L or DAFPB8L-10 depending on the package size).

To make the counters look nice, it is best to take some time and color them in carefully by marker. The above film takes marker well, and you can be as fancy as you want. The key point to remember is to be sure that whatever you do (in terms of being fancy) be sure you can duplicate the effect on all the needed counters and their backs if you can't, you might be making the effect too fancy for your own good. Taking time to be neat at this stage will pay off handsomely when the project is done. If you rush here to get them pasted up it might well bring disappointment when you're done.

After finishing your marker-masterpiece, glue the sheet onto a plain epic of cardboard. A preferred way would be a spray adhesive, but plain white glue works just as well if you are careful to spread it out for total coverage. With an Xacto knife and a straight edge, cut lightly both vertically and horizontally along the edges of the counters. Press just hard enough to cut the top layer of plastic, but not so hard to cut the paper or cardboard underneath. The point of the gluing earlier was to keep the cut counters locked in place even after you score them should you (like I) cut a little too hard at times and go through the plastic, paper backing and into the cardboard.

Do the mounting and scoring operation with both the fronts and the backs. When done, you are ready to paste the little buggers up. Get a blank white die cut counter set and paste the fronts up one at a time from right to left, top to bottom. Repeat the performance with the backs going (instead) left to right, top to bottom. Methodically doing these in order while keeping sure to go in the identical order with both fronts and backs will ensure that the fronts end up with the right backs. Any slips along the way and you'll generate a disaster.

A warning is needed here that this whole process, while it will generate very nice playtest counters which are very legible, is rather time consuming. It does go faster than doing them by hand and makes much better looking counters than that way. A rush job, however, will still look like a rush job and the frustration that will result may make the whole thing not worth it.