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Tabletop Gaming, Models, and Minis => Wargaming => Topic started by: Crossroads on November 12, 2017, 11:30:17 AM

Title: Lock n Load's Battles on Demand series
Post by: Crossroads on November 12, 2017, 11:30:17 AM
Anyone tried these out yet? https://store.lnlpublishing.com/series/battles-on-demand-series (https://store.lnlpublishing.com/series/battles-on-demand-series)

I'd like to order Against the Odds, but I don't really understand how they come together.

There's the download version available at a discount, but I'd rather have a full readily playable game, with map sheets and counters there, with no need to print anything out myself.

Is that what the full price set includes?
Title: Re: Lock n Load's Battles on Demand series
Post by: Crossroads on November 12, 2017, 11:48:47 AM
I knew I saw this somewhere, it was in the What's on your table thread

Quote from: BanzaiCat on October 28, 2017, 03:23:49 PM
Just arrived...

(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi65.tinypic.com%2Fcupee.jpg&hash=4de647a8c904fff64637c71776c788ca7acbc1c8)

So looks the real thing! @BanzaiCat have you opened it (Against The Odds) yet? Full little game, is it? Pictures please   O:-)

Damn but Wing And A Prayer looks awesome (too). LnL's really putting some gorgeous games together  :smitten:
Title: Re: Lock n Load's Battles on Demand series
Post by: BanzaiCat on November 12, 2017, 11:58:10 AM
Yup, I've got some pics taken of it - I just need to put it into an article.

When I first opened it I was pretty confused - I didn't know LnL did print-n-play type games where you have to mount it yourself.

I'm wrapping up a review of A Wing And A Prayer and a few other things but this unboxing is on my to do list before Thanksgiving.
Title: Re: Lock n Load's Battles on Demand series
Post by: Crossroads on November 12, 2017, 12:03:27 PM
Quote from: BanzaiCat on November 12, 2017, 11:58:10 AM
Yup, I've got some pics taken of it - I just need to put it into an article.

When I first opened it I was pretty confused - I didn't know LnL did print-n-play type games where you have to mount it yourself.

I'm wrapping up a review of A Wing And A Prayer and a few other things but this unboxing is on my to do list before Thanksgiving.

Thanks, looking forward to seeing them. As for the game, so not a cardboard thing, but sticker style sheets instead?
Title: Re: Lock n Load's Battles on Demand series
Post by: BanzaiCat on November 12, 2017, 12:47:24 PM
It's not sticker-style; you have to mount it yourself.

There's a couple of cardboard sheets included but if I remember right there's at least three pages of sheets (but only two cardboard sheets). So, I'm not sure if those inserts were meant to be reinforcement (as it comes in a zip bag), or if they were intended to use as a backing for he sheets - or both. You'd need to use your own adhesive and then cut them out.

If you don't have a rotary cutter, I'd recommend using one of those.
Title: Re: Lock n Load's Battles on Demand series
Post by: Crossroads on November 12, 2017, 12:57:11 PM
Quote from: BanzaiCat on November 12, 2017, 12:47:24 PM
It's not sticker-style; you have to mount it yourself.

There's a couple of cardboard sheets included but if I remember right there's at least three pages of sheets (but only two cardboard sheets). So, I'm not sure if those inserts were meant to be reinforcement (as it comes in a zip bag), or if they were intended to use as a backing for he sheets - or both. You'd need to use your own adhesive and then cut them out.

If you don't have a rotary cutter, I'd recommend using one of those.

OK, maybe I'll wait to see your posts about unpacking it before ordering myself. I was looking towards proper counters especially, would not have minded thinner map sheets. 

As for rotary cutters, yes, bought a set (http://grogheads.com/forums/index.php?topic=17767.msg555575#msg555575) a while ago.

So maybe i need to order this regardless the fact that I was looking forward receiving a mounted game.

Edit: To give the rotary cutters their true baptism of fire, that is   :)
Title: Re: Lock n Load's Battles on Demand series
Post by: Crossroads on November 13, 2017, 11:36:21 AM
Quote from: Crossroads on November 12, 2017, 12:57:11 PM

So maybe i need to order this regardless the fact that I was looking forward receiving a mounted game.


It is Platoon scale, it is Golan Heights 1973, it is an order placed  :smitten:

I'll make a post of putting it together, once I got it.
Title: Re: Lock n Load's Battles on Demand series
Post by: BanzaiCat on November 13, 2017, 03:34:51 PM
I had a feeling you'd be someone to order it before you see an article / unboxing on it.  O0

You'll go far at GrogHeads. We're a bunch of game enablers.
Title: Re: Lock n Load's Battles on Demand series
Post by: Crossroads on November 14, 2017, 11:03:13 AM
Quote from: BanzaiCat on November 13, 2017, 03:34:51 PM
I had a feeling you'd be someone to order it before you see an article / unboxing on it.  O0

Couldn't pass on this one, that's true.

I am really looking towards the When the Lion Roars (https://store.lnlpublishing.com/series/world-at-war-85-series/when-the-lion-roars-world-at-war-85) of the WaW´85 fame. Still not even at a pre-order stage, but this should help me pass at least some of the time, in the meanwhile.

Quote from: BanzaiCat on November 13, 2017, 03:34:51 PM
You'll go far at GrogHeads. We're a bunch of game enablers.

O:-)
Title: Re: Lock n Load's Battles on Demand series
Post by: Crossroads on November 27, 2017, 11:15:14 AM
I picked the parcel today from post office, how neat.

Quote from: BanzaiCat on November 12, 2017, 12:47:24 PM
It's not sticker-style; you have to mount it yourself.

There's a couple of cardboard sheets included but if I remember right there's at least three pages of sheets (but only two cardboard sheets). So, I'm not sure if those inserts were meant to be reinforcement (as it comes in a zip bag), or if they were intended to use as a backing for he sheets - or both. You'd need to use your own adhesive and then cut them out.

If you don't have a rotary cutter, I'd recommend using one of those.

The countersheets in fact are stickers, there's four of them, with two cardboard sheets as you mention. Chits will be two-sided, front with a full sized unit and a step-loss one in the reverse. So all good there.

Then there's the four three map sheets, in very thin cardboard (I guess, rather than being thick paper),  the player aids, and a neat color manual.

Very nice first impression for the series, this is the first for me as perhaps was obvious from my opening post.

I'll get to this over the next weekend, might take a couple of pics while at it.

A match made in heaven for the Fiskars rotary cutter + mat + metal ruler I bought a while ago I am sure  :smitten:

Title: Re: Lock n Load's Battles on Demand series
Post by: Crossroads on December 04, 2017, 07:47:28 AM
Quote from: Crossroads on November 27, 2017, 11:15:14 AM

I'll get to this over the next weekend, might take a couple of pics while at it.


Had a fun three hours putting the games together. Here's a few pictures as promised.

Required accessories, first:

- Rotary cutter. You really want one. I've got a couple of first class cutters as well, and while you can use those too, you really want the rotary cutter as it is so much easier to use, especially on small targets like finalising the chit edges.

- Cutting mat, to go with above.

- Metal ruler, with a rubber strip at the bottom so it does not move around.

- Oregon Lam clippers. Because of course  O:-)

- I had a couple of scissors around in case they would become handy. They didn't. Not needed.

Here's the finished article, just to prove it is possible.
Title: Re: Lock n Load's Battles on Demand series
Post by: Crossroads on December 04, 2017, 07:49:58 AM
Here's the zip bag and its contents:

- Four counter sheets, printed on sturdy paper with a sticker side.
- Two cardboards to mount the above
- Three map sheets
- Player aids, with game coversheet inner sleeves having them as well
- Manual in full color.
Title: Re: Lock n Load's Battles on Demand series
Post by: Crossroads on December 04, 2017, 07:54:53 AM
Counter sheets first. I decided to try the second sheet first, containing mostly markers.

Counter sheets are an exact match to cardboards, which is very nice. I removed the cover from the adhesive, and put it on. Of course I got it a couple of millimeters off at the end.

Only then I realised the adhesive cover can be taken off in little strips, idea being you can position the sheet perfectly on the cardboard, only then glue the 5mm strip in the side to place.

Then, removing the rest of the adhesive cover, it is easy to make a perfect fit.

No harm done with my first attempt, as I was now able to put the second sheet to place exactly on a similar way, 2mm off at the other side  8)

Title: Re: Lock n Load's Battles on Demand series
Post by: Crossroads on December 04, 2017, 07:55:48 AM
Here they are, Counter sheet #2, front and back  :)
Title: Re: Lock n Load's Battles on Demand series
Post by: Crossroads on December 04, 2017, 07:56:59 AM
Time to try out the rotary cutters. I thought it better to do a test run at the edge, first, to see how it played out.

It played out just nicely  :smitten:
Title: Re: Lock n Load's Battles on Demand series
Post by: Crossroads on December 04, 2017, 07:59:25 AM
Time to get serious, then.

Here's how the counter sheets look like from close. The chit edges are marked with a square, so you need to cut out each row and column separately.

At first I thought this is unnecessary, why aren't they printed out next to each other?

Having done a few strips though I appreciated the fact there's some leeway in case you make a small error.  O0

Title: Re: Lock n Load's Battles on Demand series
Post by: Crossroads on December 04, 2017, 08:02:49 AM
Point of no return!

No need to return, as such, although cutting each strip was a bit more work than I expected, I typically had to roll the cutter over three times to cut through it all.

The feel of the finished chits is very nice though, so I'd not have the cardboard any thinner either. Just saying you'd might need to roll it back and forth a couple of times, is all.
Title: Re: Lock n Load's Battles on Demand series
Post by: Crossroads on December 04, 2017, 08:07:11 AM
At first, I erred on safe side, and left an extra millimeter or two to chit edges. But instead, you actually need to cut as close as you can. With a rotary cutter, it was quite easy to do another go, removing just a little strip to make it better, so again no harm done.

At this time I realised I would have had Lock'n Load rather printing the chit edges on the secondary sheet, as the side with no chit borders look just perfect, while with the other side it is neigh impossible to get rid of the printed edge in fear of cutting too much. They are a tight cut, not much room after the chit edge print.

Here's the first go, with too much border left, then the first side fixed, but still some black ink showing from the edge.

Then, there's the step loss side, looking just perfect. Being the OCD that I am, again, I would have preferred them the other way around... But I am nitpicking here of course.
Title: Re: Lock n Load's Battles on Demand series
Post by: Crossroads on December 04, 2017, 08:09:30 AM
At this stage I thought to try out if it would be possible to use scissors to cut the chits out from the finished strips.

I tried out with an extra edge, and good thing I did, for the scissors don't quite cut it here (pun intended). Cardboard being quite thick, the pressure of the scissor blades coming together crushes the edges a bit, while a cutter just cuts through it all.

The second picture is a bit blurry, but it shows perhaps the little damage the Fiskars scissors did on the strip.

Rotary cutter it is!
Title: Re: Lock n Load's Battles on Demand series
Post by: Crossroads on December 04, 2017, 08:12:24 AM
Next, I finished cutting the second counter sheet to strips.

The last strip was a bit tricky, as it was so narrow the ruler had trouble sticking to it despite the rubber bottom. I put the unused cardboard next to it to have the ruler balance over both of them.

Here they are!
Title: Re: Lock n Load's Battles on Demand series
Post by: Crossroads on December 04, 2017, 08:15:12 AM
At this stage, I am sure the question on everybody's mind is: CAN YOU CLIP THE CORNERS, OR NOT!?

As some 45 minutes had passed now, for I was doing things slowly on purpose, I thought I'd give it a quick try...

Answer: YES YOU CAN!  :smitten:

In fact, clipping these chits felt safer than clipping many of the printed countersheets, as the glossy paper with some of them seem not to be that well glued together... Here it was just perfect  :D
Title: Re: Lock n Load's Battles on Demand series
Post by: Crossroads on December 04, 2017, 08:17:42 AM
With the second countersheet now cut into strips (columns), time to cut each chit out.

I thought I'd cut them out at one go, and indeed with the ruler and its rubber strip bottom, they held together just nicely.
Title: Re: Lock n Load's Battles on Demand series
Post by: Crossroads on December 04, 2017, 08:19:53 AM
That left me with just the last column remaining, and this time around, it felt like trying to cut them at one go would not work.

Here's the bottom side of the ruler by the way, with the rubber strip visible. It turned out to be a key feature for a ruler, make sure you buy one with something like that.

So I ended up cutting each chit individually. It worked out so nicely I cut the other counter sheet strips in this manner from the beginning.
Title: Re: Lock n Load's Battles on Demand series
Post by: Crossroads on December 04, 2017, 08:20:55 AM
Second countersheet (markers) done!  O0
Title: Re: Lock n Load's Battles on Demand series
Post by: Crossroads on December 04, 2017, 08:22:33 AM
Then the first countersheet, with all the units (but the few that extended to Markers sheet).

This time around I knew how to glue the stickers to both sides

- Lift the 5mm strip from either side, bend it over backwards leaving the adhesive open
- Place the sheet on top of cardboard. Adhesive won't stick yet, as the bend strip keeps it just off the cardboard
- Once the sheet is properly in place, keep it there with your one hand, and press the adhesive edge to cardboard with another.
- Then, remove rest of the adhesive cover and attach the rest of the sheet to cardboard.

:bd:
Title: Re: Lock n Load's Battles on Demand series
Post by: Crossroads on December 04, 2017, 08:24:41 AM
I believe finishing this sheet took like half the time it took to do the first one. Practice makes perfect, they say.

Having typed that though, there's the few mistakes I at least just have to make here and there, but as I wrote earlier, good thing each column and row is separated by that little strip, instead of being adjacent, so the damage is often (very) limited to one place and one place only.
Title: Re: Lock n Load's Battles on Demand series
Post by: Crossroads on December 04, 2017, 08:27:01 AM
With a rotary cutter, it was quite easy to actually finish each chit individually if there was too much edge left. I was a bit annoyed with the chit edge print in black ink, so I tried to make them as close a cut as I dared.

Here's the Before and the After, latter with Oregon Lam having added their TLC to those chit corners :hug:

See what I meant with the black rectangular printed on the "better" side of the chits though. Quite annoying, I must say (again) :D
Title: Re: Lock n Load's Battles on Demand series
Post by: Crossroads on December 04, 2017, 08:31:37 AM
Here's the countersheets done.

That was quite a lot of cutting. Looking at the timestamps on these photos, I started at 10.20AM and finished at 1.50PM, with all counters having been tidied up, including the Oregon Lam TLC stuff.

So a bit more work than what I anticipated first, but all good fun! Which is the most important thing, right  :)
Title: Re: Lock n Load's Battles on Demand series
Post by: Crossroads on December 04, 2017, 08:33:25 AM
What remained was the simple task of cutting the zip lock bag cover sheet in half, for the inner sleeves were player aids, too.
Title: Re: Lock n Load's Battles on Demand series
Post by: Crossroads on December 04, 2017, 08:35:36 AM
Time to give it a quick test run, next  :knuppel2:

The map sheets turned out to have this peculiar overlap, so with three map sheets you ended up with a mapboard size of 2 1/3 sheets.

Very nice map otherwise, with details like Israeli tank firing ramps in place to keep them safe(r) while repelling the invader.


Title: Re: Lock n Load's Battles on Demand series
Post by: Crossroads on December 04, 2017, 08:40:43 AM
Here's a close up with a few chits just thrown in there for the photo op.

I attached a larger picture to this post for added detail. See how much better the step-loss sides look...

I do wonder if something could be done about the chit line prints with black ink though. You know LnL, we wargamers do come with a high likelihood of some sort of OCD in place  :nerd:

So either,

- use a color more similar to chit background color, or
- have the rectangular a tad larger, so it would be easier to make the cut inside them, without a fear of cutting out too much into the chits themselves.

I know, nitpicking. But I am a bit anal with my chits...  :uglystupid2:

Otherwise, I give this DIY concept a full  :bd:

Edit: As another comment, Oregon Lam clippers are 2mm, so a bit small for chits this side. 2.5mm are likely a better all around tool, but hey, I didn't want to overdo the corners either, so ended up with these. Less is more you know.
Title: Re: Lock n Load's Battles on Demand series
Post by: Crossroads on December 04, 2017, 08:44:07 AM
All's well that ends well though. Was a fun little thing for a little DIY project, and should ease the pain waiting for the first World at War '85 titles shipping out in some future timeframe.

Cheers!
Title: Re: Lock n Load's Battles on Demand series
Post by: JudgeDredd on December 04, 2017, 09:38:06 AM
They look superb. Well done Crossroads  O0
Title: Re: Lock n Load's Battles on Demand series
Post by: Crossroads on December 04, 2017, 11:48:39 AM
Quote from: JudgeDredd on December 04, 2017, 09:38:06 AM
They look superb. Well done Crossroads  O0

Thanks. I may need to further trim some of the worst offenders with bits of that black rectangular still present  :nerd: But a nice concept for having small games out that otherwise would not be made, likely. Might try one of the other games from the series next.

First, need to play a few games with this one though!
Title: Re: Lock n Load's Battles on Demand series
Post by: Bison on December 04, 2017, 06:12:21 PM
Now that's some art and craft!  Great work.
Title: Re: Lock n Load's Battles on Demand series
Post by: Thrawn on December 04, 2017, 10:07:09 PM
Hi Guys,

What a great overview, I am going to have our graphics team review this and see how we can improve our counter layout.

David
Title: Re: Lock n Load's Battles on Demand series
Post by: Staggerwing on December 04, 2017, 10:21:08 PM
Quote from: Thrawn on December 04, 2017, 10:07:09 PM
Hi Guys,

What a great overview, I am going to have our graphics team review this and see how we can improve our counter layout.

David


Definitely leave the buffer space between counter!
Title: Re: Lock n Load's Battles on Demand series
Post by: Crossroads on December 05, 2017, 03:15:46 AM
Quote from: Thrawn on December 04, 2017, 10:07:09 PM
Hi Guys,

What a great overview, I am going to have our graphics team review this and see how we can improve our counter layout.

David

Thanks David. Having slept on this, I think it is simple, really:

The black squares are currently a tad too small, they practically touch the chit content, like the unit names, soft attack values, or the text in Disrupted chit for instance. It is very difficult to make a cut leaving the content in but the black border out. See here:

(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fgrogheads.com%2Fforums%2Findex.php%3Faction%3Ddlattach%3Btopic%3D20936.0%3Battach%3D12066%3Bimage&hash=0b5aee8acef5e590e62d646f26458bb4a68cad12)

If you'd just make those squares say 1-2mm wider each side, they could then be safely cut from inside the printed border, on all sides.

And yes, please leave the buffer space between rows and columns as it is, as Staggerwing wrote too.

Here's a picture with those borders just visible, look at the orange chits, you can just see it.

To cut inside the border, I'd need the extra 1mm to have the border more outside the ruler edge, to be able to cut it out from the chit:

(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fgrogheads.com%2Fforums%2Findex.php%3Faction%3Ddlattach%3Btopic%3D20936.0%3Battach%3D12068%3Bimage&hash=51233c1c07d381707deda9f1bb22f40e66054cc1)

Otherwise, these chits come out just perfect.

This is a picture from the reverse step-loss side where there was no printed border. I want this for the front side too  :nerd:

(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fgrogheads.com%2Fforums%2Findex.php%3Faction%3Ddlattach%3Btopic%3D20936.0%3Battach%3D12074%3Bimage&hash=9bd021b03c9d9e94175c4d017be48b6eb8f569f5)

This was the only small nitpick I had, otherwise: great job guys. Thanks for making this gem of a little game!  :)
Title: Re: Lock n Load's Battles on Demand series
Post by: Thrawn on December 07, 2017, 03:46:08 AM
We are looking to do just that.  I let you all know when we are done.

David

Title: Re: Lock n Load's Battles on Demand series
Post by: Crossroads on December 07, 2017, 11:57:23 AM
 :clap: