"Dice and Rulers and Charts… Oh my!" Topic

I love going to conventions and seeing the games and miniatures put on display. The only thing that really bugs me us the amount of dice, order markers, tape measures, casualty "caps", rulers, cards, charts and other miscellany, strewn about an otherwise beautiful battlefield. Does not matter what period, whether land or sea or air (or outer space)… There is always something cluttering up an otherwise beautiful setup.

Does anyone else feel this way? And if so, can anything be done about it?

Thanks… and have a good thanksgiving week for all you yankees (and non yankees) out there.

Daniel

One the one hand, it does disrupt the look of the battlefield to the casual onlooker.

On the other hand, it is a convenience to those actually playing.

I guess the needs of the players trump those who watch.

It is a _game_ after all, not dioramas; the dice and other fooferaw, ragtag, and bobtail are essential to the conduction of the action. And in convention conditions, there aren't small side tables or shelves for such things to be relegated to. I personally can appreciate the beauty of a table's set-up and mentally filter out the extraneous accoutrements.

I hate the coffee cups, cans of drink and crisp packets left on the tables – playing aids I have no problem with.