Generic Wargames Counters
Copyright 2004 by Michael Fischer
I've received several requests for "generic" wargames counters, which aren't built for one
particular game or rules set, but could be used nearly anywhere. That's a tall order,
considering that such counters might have to serve for Napoleonics, ACW, ancients, two world
wars, modern units, and/or several dozen lesser-known periods.
But if these counters are useful to somebody, then I've succeeded.
There are seven sheets of generic counters. They contain 140 counters each and will print
on an A4-sized sheet or a letter-sized sheet. All sheets are identical except for the
background color (red, blue, gray, green, olive-drab, yellow, and white).
Each counter has the following features:
- a narrow box on top, the special-identifier box.
- a large box with the unit's NATO-standard symbol.
- a unit designator, to tell one unit from another.
The special-identifier box can serve several purposes.
You can put dots or tick marks there, so you can print multiple copies of the
counters and distinguish one large formation from another.
This could also have a special mark to identify special units.
For instance, you might designate some of your artillery as heavy artillery,
with a mark in this box to tell you which ones are the heavies.
Or a few infantry units could be grenadiers, guards units, or heavy-weapon units, with
extra attack or defense abilities; again, a mark in this box will tell you which is which.
The box can serve several purposes at once if you make different kinds of marks and
use different-colored pens to make them, or color-code the box's background.
Each page has the following units, by row:
- Infantry 1 (nine plus one unnumbered)
- Infantry 2 (nine plus one unnumbered)
- Infantry 3 (nine plus one unnumbered)
- Cavalry/Scouts 1 (nine plus one unnumbered)
- Cavalry/Scouts 2 (nine plus one unnumbered)
- Cavalry/Scouts 3 (nine plus one unnumbered)
- Artillery (nine plus one unnumbered)
- Armor (nine plus one unnumbered)
- Mechanized infantry (nine plus one unnumbered)
- Aviation (nine plus one unnumbered)
- Marines (nine plus one unnumbered)
- Airborne infantry (nine plus one unnumbered)
- Three mid-level leaders and seven blanks
- Nine low-level leaders and one high-level leader
Use the unnumbered counters to replace lost or damaged units without having to print a
whole new page, or for extra units in over-strength formations.
The blanks are for making special units for your particular game.
Obviously, if you're making counters for Waterloo, you won't have much use for armor or
aviation units. And if you're recreating El Alamein, you don't need all that cavalry.
On the other hand, if you're playing ancients, the armor counters can serve as chariots.
That's why they're called "generic" -- there's something here for just about everyone,
even if everything isn't for everyone. Use what you need and ignore the rest. Enjoy!
Mike Fischer
mfischer@death.to.spam@naisp.net