I really hate clipping counters. I have clipped them for a few games and it just sucks. All of the tedium of miniature painting with none of the reward.
If you don't know what I'm talking about, I'll fill you in. Wargames of the boardgame variety are usually played with little cardboard squares known as "counters." Back in the olden days these were almost exclusively 3/4" thick and played on hexagonal maps where each space was just big enough for a counter. If you just "punch" these little cardboard soldiers/armies from their "sprues," you'll be left with these little frayed ends on the corners, which will snag the corners of any and all adjacent corners of the other counters they are fighting. So was born the practice of clipping the little frayed ends, usually with toenail clippers. But since many board wargamers are lazy/frustrated miniature gamers, a whole cult of game, enhancement for lack of a better term, has emerged. Where corners are clipped for the aesthetic effect more than anything else.
As for me, I HATE clipping counters. I clip them for 2% aesthetic reasons and 98% functional ones (like if you're playing GMT's Germantown game, the fight around the Chew house can get pretty dense. But I have to and hate to admit, I like the way clipped corners look. Just typing that makes me sick.
2 comments:
clipping is snazzy, but I only did it (back in the day) if the game had large counter stacks. And, wow, people do this now as a ritual for a new game whether it needs it or not? They need to get a life.
I think they're frustrated miniature gamers.
I've only done it for games that needed it, which to me is any hex and counter game where stacks of counters are going to be in close proximity to other stacks.
I admit it does look nice, but fuck that.
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