How to keep track of things? Checklists?

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**BattleGamer**

Hi everyone,

Are there some favorite posts or FAQs or strategies for keeping track of things?

We just played a battle where we kept saying "!@#%! - OK - NEXT TIME we'll remember the Grot Riggers!" Actually made it through the whole battle and didn't remember to use them ONCE.

Even forgot to move a couple of units and forgot completely to do one whole unit's assault.

Was thinking of making a unit checklist ??

(Blog posting with more details on the things we forgot....http://battlegaming1.blogspot.com/2014/11/warhammer-40k-league-play-week-3-how-to.html)

Thanks

**SharkoutofWata**

I regularly forget Warlord Traits and I've forgotten models for entire matches. First couple times I used Illic Nightspear I hid him in a bush and didn't find him again till I was clearing up the table...

**jreilly89**

A checklist would definitely help beginners. Think they have that, or a similar rundown in the BRB. Honestly, playing lots of games will help you get it down pat, that, and just reminding your opponent. Unless you're both super competitive, it's generally good sportsmanship to remind your opponent if he forgot to move something or do psychic phase.

**jhe90**

I've forgotten things like which unit has this upgrade or such.
Not forgotten a unit but when you have so many different upgrades and add one. Writing down sure helps.

**Nevelon**

Free program called Magic Set Editor. Simple drag and drop templates (and a lot of different ones at that). The warlord traits I grabbed online, someone had done all of them and the psychic powers up. Can’t find the source unfortunately. I did the chapter tactics cards myself.

**Makumba**

I use cards too, but without art on it.
Isn't it illegal to reproduce GW trade marked art?

**DanielBeaver**

Makumba wrote:
I use cards too, but without art on it.
Isn't it illegal to reproduce GW trade marked art?

If you're just making them for yourself, then it falls under free use. It becomes a copyright issue once your start distributing them.

For new armies, I just use a piece of paper with reminds. I've also seen people use those little colored gemstone thingies to keep track of which units have shot in the current phase. I definitely have issues remembering little random rules - for example, I'm constantly forgetting to roll a 6+ FNP when I'm playing Iron Hands.

**Nevelon**

Makumba wrote:
I use cards too, but without art on it.
Isn't it illegal to reproduce GW trade marked art?

I’m not profiting of them, but it’s probably a little illegal. I’m not up on fair use and public domain laws. I just did a quick image search when I made them and grabbed the first cool looking pics that showed up. If my photography skills were better, I’d take pictures of my own minis and use them, particularly for unit cards or the like. Alternatively, you could grab non-GW fan art (ask permission from the creator). If you played in a GW store, it might be an issue, but probably wouldn’t be unless someone is being very up tight.

**Gapow**

I use battlescribe to do all my lists. I effectively get a mini codex for the force I'm using............. it doesn't help all the time, as I forgot to do my whole psychic phase as I thought my spiritseer was off the board in reserve, when he was actually in one of the transports.

If I'd have rolled his +1 to inv save power, he wouldn't have died! I make sure to put the model on top of a transport now, so I know he's on board.

**BattleGamer**

Really like the card idea - will take a stab at that.

Was also wondering if rather than using dice to mark damage on vehicles we could find some blinking tokens - and use those - the blinking might be the reminder for us to attempt using the Grot Riggers. This doesn't help with other things, though. The cards would be much better for that.

Also thinking back to the check-list - going to (in parallel) take a stab at a spreadsheet (with units and things to do on the X-axis -- and turns on the Y-axis) -- thinking that this might help us out (or at least worth trying)....

Thanks

**Homeskillet**

I typically have a ton of psychic powers to keep track of, so I use a little dry erase board. Same size as a book, and it helps big time. Could probably be used to help write down your reminders as well.

**Ravenous D**

Generally its practice and having an "order of operations" after a while you memorize your own rules. Its other peoples rules which are the hard part especially with the rapid release of rules.

The cards are a great idea, but if you don't have access to them just bring a pen and post it notes.

**Gunzhard**

I write everything (in pencil) on my army-list... as I look at it often enough during the game.

Usually it's in giant red letters (don't forget RED THIRST), then warlord traits, or Dante's death mask, or Corbulo's reroll etc etc...

**greyknight12**

I second the dry erase board, I've seen that used to keep track of psychic powers.

**Iur_tae_mont**

I've always kept a notepad and pencil with me for Stuff like Mysterious Objectives, warlord traits, ect.

but I really dig the magic Card template thing.

**crkdltr**

BattleGamer - you and I have the same issue. I recently played a Stompa this weekend for the first time. I forgot about Grot Riggers on all my walkers, almost forgot the 20 boyz I had in the Stompa, think I forgot about a reserve unit all together and forget that I lose certain rules when certain ICs are removed.

I decided to create a character/unit profile card on 3x5 index cards that I can put on the table with each unit. Easy to throw together on Word and print out on a printer. I'm also in the works of creating a check list as well.

**clively**

The number one thing that'll help is experience.

When you leave a few units "in reserve" the entire game that serves to focus your mind the next time around.

That said, I still use a piece of paper that has a few shorthand notes on it. Also, token are good.

**Nevelon**

One of the guys at my FLGS has specific spots on his printed roster for pre-game rolls. He plays demons, so there are a lot of them. He can then circle what he rolled to keep track. Useful for keeping track of who’s got what power. Cards don’t quite cut it, because there are so many floating around.

**Fenris Frost**

Regarding psychic powers; I know of a player who does a cool trick with his Nids. He has a particular color on each one's base edge on the back which corresponds to his dice colors.

He then places a die of the particular model's color on each of the psychic powers they have.

This allows him, for example, use one psychic card but see which multiple psykers have that power.

**Carlson793**

For inspiration on the 'dry erase board', look for Paizo's Combat Pad (will be listed as either Pathfinder or Gamemastery brand). Magnetized wet/dry erase board with wet/dry erase magnets in three colors. Write down a unit on one magnet, its SR on another, and slide the SR magnet to the side as you use it. Between turns, slide it back into position as appropriate.

**reiner**

Daemon player here: Pen and paper are a must, and tokens are extremely helpful as well. I either write on my roster or use a dry erase pen on a plastic cover of the roster. Last tourney, I printed off fill in the blank spreadsheets for each game to fill in as I rolled, with a few pre-selects printed. These help immensely with prep time.

I really wish the Psyker app would make a comeback.

**Homeskillet**

Fenris Frost wrote:
Regarding psychic powers; I know of a player who does a cool trick with his Nids. He has a particular color on each one's base edge on the back which corresponds to his dice colors.

He then places a die of the particular model's color on each of the psychic powers they have.

This allows him, for example, use one psychic card but see which multiple psykers have that power.

I've seen this before, and I like it. However, in thinking of combining this with my dry erase board, it might make life way better. I can write what powers each unit has available to cast on my erase board, and use the colored token system to show which powers were successfully cast on a unit. Confusion begone!

**BattleGamer**

Think that next battle we're going to show up looking like a one-man band -- clipboard with checklist; cards; tokens -- bright writing on everything!

One person had a very cool suggestion on our blog -- he proposed we take the brightly colored grot riggers (the ones on each vehicle so we don't forget them) -- and use them as hull points. Then as we pick them off, we remember to count them.

As another option (to mounting a whole bunch of grot riggers on a stompa), maybe they could have a hull point counter (electronics) which you set to flashing when the grot riggers haven't been used yet for a turn....

**vipoid**

BattleGamer wrote:

Hi everyone,

Are there some favorite posts or FAQs or strategies for keeping track of things?

We just played a battle where we kept saying "!@#%! - OK - NEXT TIME we'll remember the Grot Riggers!" Actually made it through the whole battle and didn't remember to use them ONCE.

Maybe add some counters next to the unit to represent the riggers?

BattleGamer wrote:

Even forgot to move a couple of units and forgot completely to do one whole unit's assault.

When I think I've finished a given phase, I often go through my units one by one to make sure they all did something.

Though, admittedly, if I forgot about a unit because it was hidden by something, I'd probably forget it during my checks too.