Tray or Slab?

[Whiterook]

So a simple question here...do you sling the bones (dice) out on the tabletop, or do you use a dice tray or dice tower? Seriously, this is a sore spot to some gamers!

When I went to the Origins Game Expo last year, I played in a Memoir '44 Pacific Expansion tourney, in which I made it through the first 4 rounds before being bounced, and one of the opponents got all kinds of huffy at my throwing the dice on the table! I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Of course, he ended up being a boisterous overbearing Baboon as well, but that's besides the point!!! Now, it's not like I threw them on the board (give me some credit here), but carefully on the side of the board (you're not one of them board destroyers, are you?). He insisted that I throw them in the box lid, which I did, and promptly destroyed his forces coming boldly over the river. I can understand it; and I think dice trays and dice towers are cool and work very well (I'm picking up a dice tray this Summer at Origins).

So, which are you?

[Pirate-Drakk]

Originally Posted by Whiterook

So a simple question here...do you sling the bones (dice) out on the tabletop, or do you use a dice tray or dice tower? Seriously, this is a sore spot to some gamers!

So, which are you?

I've never even seen a dice tower let alone use one, but I have seen pictures of them. That seems to be one of the sanest solutions to dice rolls.

When on a table, I prefer to toss the dice is a box. It avoids the map board destruction factor and keeps the dice on the table. I once dropped a die under my gaming desk top and while retrieving it, I found a DEAD MOUSE next to my die. Yakk! I had been poisoning the little bastards and they were dying all over the place. The dead one inside my wall stunk for a week or so...


One of my preferred rolling solution is the FLOOR itself. I have some very LARGE dice and they roll nicely on the carpet. In college, I had a wood floor in my dorm room and we would make the R/A down stairs crazy by rolling the big dies on the floor above his room.


It's nice to have a wall or a corner to keep the dice under control when rolling on the floor so they don't end up under the furniture. The big dice are nice because it's easy for everyone to see the numbers.

Rolling in a box can lead to "not enough" action on the dice and sometimes the rolls can be in question as the dice "slide" rather then bounce. Also, the sides of the box can lead to "cocked dice" which is also bogus.

Anyway, when playing "gentlemans" rules, it doesn't matter much how the dice get rolled, but in tournament play, things can get "dicey".

[Whiterook]

Actually, you hit well upon why I don't like rolling dice in a box lid...the cardboard does have that very effect...the dice "slide" rather than roll correctly, and the cardboard "cushioning" or "flimsiness" (whatever you want to call it) also cause the dice to not bounces and tumble well.

For those who don't like dice towers, that's the beauty of a dice tray: they are generally felt lined, but the undersupport is that much like a cassino table; and the sides are wooden. Most dice trays are octagonal in shape, but come in other shapes as well, all of which also keep the dice moving, as they can often hit two sides and "spin" the dice as they tumble. And their not usually very big and cumbersome...I think they come anywhere from 8"-16".






Dice towers make a lot of sense to me. They supposedly go back as far as Roman times...I can't verify that, but I wouldn't dispute it! The problem being, build your own or buy it pre-made. There are actually many styles out there...the one I've seen the most is the plexiglass on, which I think adds to the enjoyment of seeing them bones spin and tumble! But, they are a bit loud, and I imagine it can get grating on the nerves in a long game, no? One of my favorites that I've seen is designed to look like a Big Red 1's Infantryman's locker! Too cool!



Whatever your preference, keep throwin' them bones!

[TRDG]

For me, it's on the table, this is'nt much of a problem for Flames of War, because you use a big table, 4x6 feet minimum!!
Rolling the dice around your resin and metal figs are part of the fun, yes, some dice go "off table", get "hung up" in terrain, but I have had no problems as to "attitudes" in either pick-up games or tournies to date. yet that is....

Cheers, I'll pass on the "boxes' and towers.

Tom

[McCoy]

I use extra extra extra minimal D6's that don't have the energy to mess upp the chips on the board.

[TRDG]

The "micro" ones I bet!! I never had any luck with those, they always seemed to get lost after a couple weeks, AND the "dice gods" are not to kind to me when I did use them.

Cheers, I think I have another thread topic in mind here.... "Lucky-unlucky" dice you have owned and used........

Tom

[McCoy]

Haha, been there done that! I've own D20's that only rolled 18+ n' a friend had a D20 that I allways grabbed as soon as it was time to roleplay as I rolled more than a normal amount of 1's n' 2's with it.

[Pirate-Drakk]

Originally Posted by McCoy

Haha, been there done that! I've own D20's that only rolled 18+ n' a friend had a D20 that I allways grabbed as soon as it was time to roleplay as I rolled more than a normal amount of 1's n' 2's with it.

I have those same D20s!!! Used to use them back in my "Bushido" role playing days....

[Hagen]

Box top. I let the cat mess up my map!

[Whiterook]

Those tiny dice are a real trip...never decided whether I like them or not. They don't seem to roll well for me. I like a little more heft to my dice.

That is a great thread topic Tom! I think my luckiest dice rolls are in RISK, usually. Had some real stinkers of a night though!!!

I picked up some real nice dice at Origins last Summer...commorative tin box full of different shape/numbers. I used the 10-sided on the MAGNA miniature game going on in the Game Den! The dice I kick myself for not picking up were there green dice with Alien heads on some of the sides! Too cool!!! This Summer, maybe...if they still have them!