Using (good-looking) 1" ADB counters instead of miniatures

M

mcoyote

Mongoose
Greetings, I'm pretty new to ACTA: SF, having gotten the rulebook a few days ago via ADB, and don't have much space for miniature storage or much time/patience to set them up. Therefore, for the first few games with my son (11) I've used ADB's 1" "megahex" counters we'd gotten for SFB with good results, so I thought to recommend them to anyone else in a similar situation.

They're ~US$20 for 320 counters, look much nicer than the standard SFB counters, and have perhaps everything in the ACTA:SF rules (haven't had the time to cross-reference) and then some:
http://store.starfleetstore.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=S&Product_Code=4501&Category_Code=SCR

Additionally, after the first go we used a vinyl "rpg mat" we've used for Pathfinder/DnD play instead of a ruler, since it has 1" squares and is reasonably large (34.5" x 48", plus we have two of them). Wet-erase (overhead projector) markers may be used on them to draw in anything one would like (e.g., asteroids, scenario boundaries), as well. These are made by Chessex and we had them delivered from Amazon.
 

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Been mentioned several times (arcoss several threads), but always worth mentioning again :D . Also recommend them for standin's until other items :wink: become more readily availible (intending to use them this weekend to test out how powerful the Kzinti actually are, and how smacked down the Gorn are :roll: )
 
Keeper Nilbog said:
Been mentioned several times (arcoss several threads), but always worth mentioning again :D . Also recommend them for standin's until other items :wink: become more readily availible (intending to use them this weekend to test out how powerful the Kzinti actually are, and how smacked down the Gorn are :roll: )
Click to expand...

Ah...sorry for the dupe, I didn't see anything obvious. Loving the game so far, haven't gotten around to the Kizinti. Lots more get-up-and-go potential than full-on SFB, though it's fun sometimes to model things to that level.
 
No problem, anything that gets people playing this is a good thing - and you're the first to add veiwing pleasure for those unfortunates who haven't seen them before.
 
Jean said:
I appreciated the pictures so that folks can see what they are getting. :)

Jean
Click to expand...

No worries -- the standard SFB counters are nice for smaller hexes and that style of play (just like ASL counters), but the big ones are more eye-catching and easier to identify/move, especially for younger players and when there's a big mess of them arrayed across the map.
 
So what all is included on those sheets? It says its covers the "basic hull types" of each race, but which are "basic"? Are War Cruisers and Destroyers basic? That picture on the product page is so unfortunately small I can barely make anything out. :(

Basically, does it have applicable counters for every ship in CTA:SF? How many of each? I'm used to the old B5: Sky Full of Stars counter sheets that came with 4-6 of every ship in the game.
 
IIRC, the Megahex sheet is actually counters for all of the ships included in Fed Comm Klignon Border, Klingon Attack, Romulan Border, and Romulan Attack.
They simply split the sheets up and place the correct part in teh proper core sheet before shrink wrapping.

This means that if you order the Megahex set, you will have counters for all of the units in ACTA: SF, and very few counters for units that aren't included yet.
 
That is encouraging, thank you Scoutdad. Do you know how many of each individual ship is included? Such as 4 of frigates, 3 of cruisers, whatever like that?
 
It's been awhile since the original discussion, but I believe the intention was that if you purchased all three ship card boosters for each set (FC: KB, KA, RB, RA) and combined them with the ship cards in four core sets, you would have one counter for every ship card.

That means two of the bigger ships (DNs, BCs, and such), one of the special ships (those only available in booseters - CF, BF, C7F, etc) and three of the run-of-the-mill ships. (CA's, CL's, DD's, DW's, and FFs)
 
My copy of Megahex is fairly old and ADB may likely have a more recent copy for sale but the Fed counters I have for ACTA ships includes the following: 1 DNG, 1 BC, 1 CC, 2 CA, 2 oCL, 3 NCL (one a command variant), 3 FF, and 1 Pol which represents roughly half of my Fed megahex counters.

I'd list other fleets but I have to leave for work :(

edit: There is a newer copy out there
 
Finlos said:
My copy of Megahex is fairly old and ADB may likely have a more recent copy for sale but the Fed counters I have for ACTA ships includes the following: 1 DNG, 1 BC, 1 CC, 2 CA, 2 oCL, 3 NCL (one a command variant), 3 FF, and 1 Pol which represents roughly half of my Fed megahex counters.

I'd list other fleets but I have to leave for work :(

edit: There is a newer copy out there
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I did a quick inventory of my Federation counters, as follows:

Code: 
BCF	2	BCH (?)
BCG	2	
BCJ	2	
CA	4	CA
CC	2	
CF	2	CF
CL	6	OCL
CS	6	CS
DNF	2	
DNG	2	DNG
DW	6	DW
FFB	6	FFB
FFG	6	FFG
NCA	4	NCA
NCC	2	
NCF	2	NCF
NCL	6	NCL
POL	6	POL
TUG	2	
		
Total	70

Abbrevs on the left are those on the counters, the count is in the middle, and the equivalent in ACTA:SF is on the right. In most cases the remainders are cosmetically similar to one of the ACTA:SF classes so one could use them as such or (what I'll do at some point) have some fun spec'ing those outfor ACTA:SF.

As I recall, I had only one megahex order with four (4) double-ended sheets with eighty (80) counters each, as you see in the shop pic/description above, so I'm pretty sure this is what's in the standard order (ordered sometime in...November? Yeah...).

Whoops (edit): I rechecked my order -- I ordered two of them, so halve the totals up there (e.g., only 2 CA's per order, 35 Federation counters total). My apologies.
 

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I see thanks. Only a single set is a bit low on some of the ships, but it shouldn't be too bad.

Any idea about the Klingons? If the D6/D7 shares counters that could result in some shortages (doubt they are though).
 
GalagaGalaxian said:
I see thanks. Only a single set is a bit low on some of the ships, but it shouldn't be too bad.

Any idea about the Klingons? If the D6/D7 shares counters that could result in some shortages (doubt they are though).
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Sure thing. Here's the totals for one (1) order's-worth of Klingons and Federation. I updated the totals above to account for the "variants" in the ACTA:SF rulebook.

And I hear you -- me? I'd get two sets, I don't think I'll go for the miniatures (actually...I did :p ).

Code: 
C7		1		C7
C8		1		C8
D5		3		D5
D5W		3		D5W
D6		3		D6
D7		2		D7
D7C		1		D7C (variant)
E4		3		E4
E5		1		
E7		1		
F5		3		F5
F5W		1		
F6		2		
FD7		1		FD7
TUG		1		
				
Total		27		
				
BCF		1		BCF (variant)
BCG		1		BCH
BCJ		1		BCJ (variant)
CA		2		CA
CC		1		CC (variant)
CF		1		CF
CL		3		OCL
CS		3		CS
DNF		1		
DNG		1		DNG
DW		3		DW
FFB		3		FFB
FFG		3		FFG
NCA		2		NCA
NCC		1		NCC (variant)
NCF		1		NCF
NCL		3		NCL
POL		3		POL
TUG		1		
				
Total		35
 
How important is base size in ACTA:SF? I don't have the rules (waiting for the PDF) but i have seen various posts about "base to base" conditions. If that's important, one would need to add a circle (2" i think) to the counters.
 
All measurement is done from the stem of the mini. So on those counters you could probably just put a small dot in the center and be fine.
 
Very nice set by all accounts !! Just to clarify as as all the hex sheets for Feds . Roms . Klingons etc is there a hex sheet to play on in the box ? Or just the ships ?
 
Davros1 said:
Very nice set by all accounts !! Just to clarify as as all the hex sheets for Feds . Roms . Klingons etc is there a hex sheet to play on in the box ? Or just the ships ?
Click to expand...

Ships, bases, a few monsters, this'n that, but that's it.
 
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