"Where the hell did I get this?" Topic

I have a six sider numbered 1,2,2,3,3,3.

No idea. Anyone know where I got it from?

Any suggested uses?

Isn't that a Games Workshop die for determining how many shots (or hits) a rapid fire weapon does under the v2 rules (or Rogue Trader with the Weapons Manual supplement). Also for the original Necromunda.

Games that require a low roll. Don't let on you are missing the 4, 5, and 6.

I've got one numbered 1-1-2-2-3-3

…so there!

That latter is an averaging die, though. No idea why there would be 1-2-2-3-3-3, though.

The GW one was 1,1,2,2,3 and a jam symbol if memory serves.

That latter is an averaging die, though. No idea why there would be 1-2-2-3-3-3, though.

nope

an average D6 is…checks dice box… 2-3-3-4-4-5

You got me :) I have both sitting in front of me. I bought the 1-1-2-2-3-3 as a D3, at the same time I got the averaging die.

(Next time must engage brain and synchronize with eyes!)

I know Principles of War uses average die,…and of course the old WRG ancients, are there any others these days?

Is it red with white numbers? I think I have some of those from Weapons and Warriors games.

Could be used for number of actions a unit or figure can take. After damage or one wound, gets to do D-1.

Could it be some kind of scatter die?

"I know Principles of War uses average die,…and of course the old WRG ancients, are there any others these days?"

Kampfgruppe commander uses averaging dice for command.

What color is it? I know that Avalon Hill included one in their Paydirt board game. (It was a football sim, if that helps any.)

It was a way to get excessively weighted results -- this one was used as the tens digit.

Here's a picture of the Paydirt dice from boardgamegeek:

boardgamegeek.com/image/119965

An "average die" is 2,3,3,4,4,5.

Maybe it's an above-average dice!

Fancy a Game of DBX?

You use your dice, I'll use mine!

:)

The first time I came across the phrase "average dice" was in the first set of rules I bought – Decalsets ACW – must have been back in '71 or '72.

The term wasn't explained.

I remember thinking that my ordinary 1 to 6 die looked pretty average to me.

I recall later on coming across (and having) a set of "variable dice" with strange combinations. Can't remember what rules/games required them and I eventually parted company with them.

The die reported in the thread above may well be escapees from such a set.

I have a bunch of D6s with various weird numbering, inc a 1-1-2-2-3-3, but also 1-1-1-1-2-3 and 1-1-1-2-2-3. I bought them from a stall selling dice at a game show so I can't help at all in telling you where they came from or what use they are.

I have a friend who tends to stretch fair play when we are gaming. The number of good rolls he gets having just distracted the rest of us is amazing. One gaming evening I sneaked an average die in front of him while he was trying to roll 6s and he spent the next hour cursing his bad luck before he realised that the die didn't have a 6 on it. Excellent revenge!

If you really want to hurt your head over dice there's been a recent thread on the Old School Wargames Forum about why dice roll more ones than sixes- backed up by academic mathematical analysis – as far as I could work out it was all to do with rounded corners and the weight of the paint in the dots for the sixes.

I ghad one game of POW with someone who seemed to have an incredible run of luvk in morale tests, always rolling 10 or under on his icosohedral D20 until it dawned on us it was an icosohedral dice numbered 1 to 10 twice to operate as a D10!!!

Didn't HeroQuest have some sort of different dice?

A friend of mine has (had) a pair of d6's that are (were) 4-4 5-5 6-6! Cheaters that no individual person can detect simply by looking down at the dice on the table; because a normal d6 has the 4,5,6 showing on the facing three sides: a gamer on the opposite side of the table sees the same thing, and everybody is looking at the side-up number anyway. He would twit us by slipping in one of his cheaters, and wait for someone to call him on his phenomenal luck at rolling high numbers, then just remove the cheater and grin at everyone. Most annoying….

1066.us

Its white with black roman numbers, approx 15mm and plastic. the 2s are opposite to each other.

1-1-1-2-2-3 is d6/2 rounded down (with a minimum of '1').

I recall a mechanic that used the "d3 high bias" (1-2-2-3-3-3) die you describe, but I never saw a die purpose-built for it. Something in the back of my head is telling me it had to do with the GDW "House System" (Dark Conspiracy, T2k2, Merc2k, Cadillacs & Dinosaurs, and Traveller New Era) initiative mechanic. I can't see that leading to a manufacturer making them, though, so it must appear elsewhere.

Or could it be a dice from "The Really Nasty Motor Racing Game"

link

If you really want to hurt your head over dice there's been a recent thread on the Old School Wargames Forum about why dice roll more ones than sixes- backed up by academic mathematical analysis – as far as I could work out it was all to do with rounded corners and the weight of the paint in the dots for the sixes.

Of course if you use dice with drilled / recessed spots, the converse should apply, as the 1 is the heaviest side, and the 6 the lightest. The difference ought to be marginal anyway, though.

Dom.

One of the reasons I play with a few mates only. I would not broker any amount of cheating. Weird what people will put up with.

I had some 1,1,2,2,3,3 dice that I made up to play Bruce Quarrie (I think). But that was a long time again.

Actually, Dom, the reverse turns out to be true. The drilled dice show up with 1's more often -- or so the story goes:

TMP link

I haven't heard of many of the games posted- let alone raided dice from them!

The GW one was 1,1,2,2,3 and a jam symbol if memory serves

I can only assume this was for Wellington's reply to Horse Guards. (now officially a spot the obscure quote thread!)

is it from the Ubqiuty game system>?

It could be used as a very confusing Flames of War air die!

Hi,

Is the die very old?

Craig Ambler notes "1,1,2,2,3,3 dice that [he] made up to play Bruce Quarrie". I believe Quarries old Airfix booklet Napoleonics used this "fire" dice. It takes out wide variation in die roll (its really one third each of minus1,0,+1 from a starting +2).

Even earlier than the '70's Donald Featherstone (perhaps in Advanced Wargames) suggested different dice for different troops. Perhaps 1,2,2,3,3,3 is a fire die for Old Guard(?) I assume they converted their normal d6's as I not sure they had anything but d6's in the 1950's(?)

The other chaps have noted many games use their own dice nowadays, so it might be from some stray family board or dice game. I still have an old 2,4,8,16,32,64 dice from Backgammon that I've always hoped to find a use for…

NM

Average dice (2-3-3-4-4-5) are probably used in Warrior which is basically WRG Ancients 7th Edition but my copy is in storage so I can't check. They were used for moral checks on Regular troops.

Here is an interesting paper on dice rolling.

link

ProBono- its wood, with numerals. Looks similar to those found in the 'pop-a-matic' games from the '70s. I can't think what game it would have come from though. I keep trying to invent a rule to use it.

The South London Warlords gave away some at Salute a couple of years back.

Maybe its a Chinese dice,, beware of lead :)

anvil

I believe I have the solution to your problem? Might I suggest using it as Catapult ammo next time the neighbours cat is sat on the fence wailing late at night? Alternatively, file all sides flat, spray white, paint black dots in quantities of 1 to 6 ensuring all opposite sides total seven and then your problem is solved LOL.

Hi again,
[My second try…]

link

"Weapons and Warriors"
included 2 "Specialty Battle Dice" numbered 1,2,2,3,3,3.

"Weapons & Warriors is the 90's version of Crossbows & Catapults. However, these sets are much more elaborate and include several exploding targets.The Castle Combat set is the most common of several sets made by Pressman in the 1990's."

[Hope this is the correct answer or Starmans cat is doomed. I had also looked up the bizzare "Sicherman dice" and "non-transitive dice", but then my head started hurting.]

I believe your looking at the Fudge Dice of the Fudge RPG

1-1-2-2-3-3, but also 1-1-1-1-2-3 and 1-1-1-2-2-3
I think these may be from GW's old Space Crusade Game

By Jove he's got it.

If Weapons and Warriors was the one with the rubber-band weapons and exploding castles then we used to have it. There is still a blue knight by the water header tank. What was it- movement?

I picked up a game recently called CHICAGO, based on racketering in the 20's – 30's, It's set in some American City, but can't remember where.

that comes with 3 similarly numbered dice. as the boss of the gang gets stronger, his chance of winning improves. so the top boss gets a standard six sider, the next one down has a maximum of 5 and so forth.

If I remember I'll dig it out and get the exact details.