Has anyone attached magnets to their unit counters.
How was it done and how did you solve the stacking problem and what did you use to the maps so it could work?
I don't have a lot of room and I have to play by e-mail so I would like to mount the maps and counters on a wall so they are out of the way and won't moved all over the place wile the game is in play.

Is their a place that I can get unmounted boards?
Thanks for any help.

I did that back about 1987. Avalon Hill sold magentic strips 1/2" wide and a bought a few. Then I found a local maker of magentic signs for vehicals would sell me a complete coil of the stuff for a fraction of Avalon Hills price for short strips of it. I mounted two games. Gulf Strike, with its doulbe sided counters, and Third Reich. Sold the Gilf Strike game a few years later, but still have the TR game. It makes a cute wall decoration. The GS map of course came unmounted, and AH sold unmounted maps as a special order in those days.

The magnetic strips had a sticky side. I used a razor blade to peel the face off the game piece, and stuck it to the strip. For the doubledsided couters I founs a adhesive that would stick the other paper counter face to the magnet. Once the counter faces were on I cut the rubber media the magnetic particals were embeded in and had magetic counters. The two problems were: Stacking more than three pieces was risking the whole pile would topple to the floor. Reversing the doublesided counters caused the magentes to repel each other. Both problems were solved by plaving a "Pile Indicator Counter'on the hex, and placing the pieces of the stack on a side box.

Later I built a drafting cabinet. A box with a set of trays for holding construction plans flat on trays. I dont have more than one set of cost plans at a time, but the thing is full of games. The Cabinet is large, but it keeps everything out of the way.

Hi Phil:
Carl gave you a very good explanation about the Magnet issue. Another option you have is to use the computer and play with VASAL and a Panzerleader/Panzerblitz module.
You can find more info at www.panzerblitz.org
Is free and is working very good
If you need some help let me know

Ed

Hello,

I hope that this information will be of some help to you. Magnetics, the way to go. Here is a list of some on-line sites that may be of help to you, I hope.

1.) www.lyt.com
They have "magnetic sheets (by the roll if needed),and most interestingly "magnetic paint"!

2.) magspec.com
They also have magnetic sheets. Checkout the 'Paper Steel'. It can be printed on and laminated! So, instead of mounting your paper counters, print them directly onto magnetic material! It also comes in rolls! Mangetic maps anyone?

3.) WhiteboardsEtc.com

They sell magnetic whiteboards, which you can use 'dry-markers' on!

A couple of these sites sell magnetic strip material also. I hope this helps you!

PBPLFAN

Great tips!
For the maps, I have scanned them in and printed them
borderless on large label stickers
and mount them on 8 x 11 steel sheets (cut for me from 16 gauge 12 x 24s). Little heavy, could be lighter.
Makes it harder for those who just love to mess up my
PBEM games.
Oh, counter holder magnets are $10 for 55 at:
www.decisoingames.com
Gordon