"Digits up" Topic

All war gamers are used to using their fingers when totting up factors.

A closed fist generally represents 'no adjustment'.

A finger pointing up is +1, two up +2, etc.

A finger pointing down is -1, and so on.

When we get to +/-6 things get more awkward. When they get to +/-11 all hell breaks loose.

Several years ago I was told about the 'Sumerian' system. Apparently it is how we get the 'dozen' as a numerical unit. It comes from the finger abacus.

Using your thumb as the indicator, you count the gaps between knuckles on the up turned palm of the thumb hand, three per finger; working bottom to top and left to right there are 12 gaps. Using the other hand you can keep track of 12s up to 144. Then apparently you turn the 12s hand over to get to 288, or so I'm told.

Totally useless info, but I actually use it quite often to 'hold a number' whilst I'm working out another sum in the dark – to get to sleep, counting sheep.

Impressive!

It just doesn't add up!

It is great for going around a party and asking who wants tea and who wants coffee.
(yep, that's as wild as the parties I go to get these days).

If the rules set has that many modifiers, you need to switch to another rules set.

Maybe we are unusual, but in my gaming group nobody uses their fingers for counting modifiers.

It's either counting out loud, accumulating the sum, or in silence. Why use fingers?