Initiative and position tracking

question

#1

Hey guys, I have a question regarding tracking monster position on the battle field. I know how to track initiative, no big deal… but what happens if there is a lot of movement? I’m afraid I could lose the monster and its HP. Especially in big fights, we have a tendency to like climactic battles with companies instead of single boss fights. XP


#2

I am assuming that you don’t want to number the back of the models, or their bases. The way I tackle this is most models I have of the same type of monster usually ha e different arm poses, so I draw a hieroglyphic style of their arms so I know which monster has which hit points. Hope this makes sense. If not I can try sketch up something.


#3

Put some dice tracking the damage they have taken beside each monster? usually a d10/12 or some stackable d6’s do the trick.

EDIT: as for initiative? I usually use “pop-corn” initiative where players actually choose who’s next, so it goes around really fast and don’t actually need to track (even for 10+ minis involved in a fight). But one thing I ALSO usually do is to put a paper clip on the “head” of each mini that has/hasn’t taken a turn.


#4

For pop-corn initiative, the Angry GM suggests using Index Cards instead that you use like Magic: the Gathering cards. You tap 'em when a character takes a turn and untap them when the round is finished! I definitely fell in love with pop-corn initiative… and I do think it makes more sense to use it in Dungeon World. I’ll be testing this out over the next weekend!


#5

It does make sense! Thanks a lot! I’ll definitely try this technic! Especially since I get my minis next week, I think!


#6

Probably what I would do is get those color rings that are often used for effects and use those for HP Tracking. Have an HP tracker that tracks by color and match that to the rings on the monsters. Initiative could be worked in by having all the colors move in the same order then throw the rings down on the monsters in the order of the initiative. The biggest problem would be having enough colors.


#7

Color rings? Where from? I know Matt Mercer has talked about rings for bottlecaps. But I don’t think nearly enough of those to collect them. XD


#8

I looked up D&D effect rings. Most have the effect written on them though so that probably doesn’t help. The cheap easy way is to get the plastic rings off of milk or soda bottles. Ask some friends for theirs and you’ll probably get a bunch in a hurry. Then you just have to paint them. Use the 50 cent Apple Barrel Paints from Walmart. There’s a ton of colors and it’s not like it has to be fancy.


#9

I use small, bright orange d6:es next to the mini.


#10

I’ve seen people remove the needle from push pins and just place the different colored tops next to each miniature.


#11

I actually have a box full of rainbow color range paper clips, tbh you can’t never have enough d6’s and paper clips, super useful stuff haha


#12

Oh yes, I also have ANOTHER box full of these plastic rings, super useful stuff… Any time I hang around with friends and we drink soda or juice, I get OCD with them and pull them apart for my collection of precious plastic garbage that I use for my games lol


#13

This is actually a great idea! The only drawback I see is that it could take a lot of space in the table.


#14

Push pins? What are those and how do you use 'em?


#15

Just a pin you push into a cork board. If you clip the needle you can have a collection of little colored pieces. Then in a battle you can set different colored push pins next to miniatures and then just track the minis by colors.

Same idea as the colored rings, but just a little smaller.


#16

This is an amazing idea! Thanks a lot!


#17

For normal “minions”, I just use dice with their HP. If it’s a bandit with 10 HP, it is represented by a D10. Bosses, captains, etc. get their own paper minis, but that’s really it. :slight_smile:


#18

Sounds good, too! I might use that in addition to a few other ideas!