Some Tyranid Tokens I Made

[Xantige]

I made these tokens in the end of May, but I wasn't overly thrilled with the results. These were both tests for future tokens to show things like Feel no Pain and the various Ymgarl mutations, but I have yet to come up with artwork for any of those that wouldn't include text or be to small to see at this size. If you have ideas for any tokens, by all means let me know.

These tokens were made using Shrinkydink shrink plastic, which you can find at your local craftstore. You can get these in all types, from clear plastic to opaque white, to even inkjet friendly stuff. The stuff I used here is called "Rough 'n Frosty" or something along those lines. One side is scratched up to make it easier to draw on and the other is clear. The plastic shrinks to a 1/3 of it's original size, so if you want 1" tokens, you need to make a 3" circle and draw in that. Believe it or not, I free handed the art for these tokens based on the ripper symbol that I found floating around the internet. I then used inkpens to ink the art, and then I used pencil crayons for the colour. I recommend using pencil crayons, and use ones a shade lighter than you want, because the colour will intensify as it shrinks.

These tokens have gotten mixed reactions. Some people think the idea is mindblowingly amazing because it allows you to draw something at a decent drawable size, and then you can shrink it down to use in games. Others have just sort of shrugged and mildly called them cool.

To be honest, I'm not even really sure what to use these tokens as. They could make neat bjective markers, but most people I play with prefer to use bastions, or control modules, or something more realistic for objectives and I'm sort of in that camp as well. If you folks have any ideas let me know.

PS, you can't tell from this image, but the surface of the tokens is extremely glossy. Also, I apologize for the huge size of the image. I totally forgot to resize it before uploading. I'll try and remember to fix that once I have some time!

[Overread]

Tyranid SLAMMERS! (ps you might have to be old enough to remember POGs to get that reference )

That said I think the idea is neat indeed for token representation. You could use them for all sorts of things, objectives, a marker to distinguish two different kinds of equipped nids that are otherwise identical in appearance on the table; if you vary the style of the drawing you could use some for damage or status markers on units as well.

The detailing looks a little blurry as opposed to crisp sharp -but that could be the result of them being enlarged in the photo over their appearance on the table in real life (it might also be a propertly of the shrinking magic).



and yes big picture is huge!!

[Gravekeeper]

Very nice tokens Xantige! I can see myself making something similar for my army. There are a lot of effects and powers to keep in mind and some times my opponents have a problem keeping track of it all.

Again nice tokens.

[General Chips]

Thanks overmind...now i need to get the bits of brain off my laptop because you BLEW MY MIND with that referance.

I understand the need for *real* objects as objectives, but I would use these in a heartbeat man. They are quite spiffy.

[swarm492]

I think they look great and are better than the markers gw provides, green plastic? or themed niddy awsomeness marker. I'd use them.

[Xantige]

Jun 19, 2012 20:48:40 GMT Overread said:

Tyranid SLAMMERS! (ps you might have to be old enough to remember POGs to get that reference )

That said I think the idea is neat indeed for token representation. You could use them for all sorts of things, objectives, a marker to distinguish two different kinds of equipped nids that are otherwise identical in appearance on the table; if you vary the style of the drawing you could use some for damage or status markers on units as well.

The detailing looks a little blurry as opposed to crisp sharp -but that could be the result of them being enlarged in the photo over their appearance on the table in real life (it might also be a propertly of the shrinking magic).

and yes big picture is huge!!

Oh man, I died laughing when you brought up pogs! I was too young when it was hip in the 90's but my uncle and dad had a bunch and as a young child I loved slamming slammers down on a stack of pogs!

Actually, you CAN get very crisp detail with Shrinkydinks. These are just two bad representations, on the smaller token I smudged the ink while I was inking, so the lines are a bit dirty and blurred. I also didn't add enough pigment to the smaller one so it all in all seems more faded. When you make these, it's a good idea to cover the whole surface with the pencil, or it'll be transparent. On the bigger token I misjudged the colours and then ended up darker than I wanted, which lends it to looking more undefined....

@ Everyone else - I'm glad you guys seem to like them! These aren't hard to make, you can easily trace onto the paper, or you can buy the inkjet friendly sheets and print off images to shrink. I may ultimately do the latter because I'm far better at digital art than traditional.

[Davor]

Great idea Xantiage. I will see what 6th has to offer. I think I will be using your ideas, great job.

[WestRider]

Those are excellent. I may well have to do something similar for my Chaos Marines and Mech Guard, where keeping track of who's in which Transport can become a serious problem.

If I didn't have Wound Markers and Objective Markers made already, I'd probably do up some of those like this as well.

A couple of FNP Markers, a few Gone to Ground Markers, and a Paroxysm Marker may well be in the cards as well.

[pipsickness]

I like them! I would use them as blip markers in space hulk/space crusade/tyranid attack if I could find anyone who still played the games! haha

[Rakuall]

Jun 20, 2012 14:51:19 GMT pipsickness said:

if I could find anyone who still played the games!

Space Hulker in Edmonton! Don't suppose you're anywhere near?

[Xantige]

Jun 19, 2012 21:58:13 GMT Davor said:

Great idea Xantiage. I will see what 6th has to offer. I think I will be using your ideas, great job.

Even if you don't like 6th, you can do these sort of tokens up for any wargame of choice that requires them . There are some guys at my club that want to make these for their Epic games.