Another Codex Storage Post (that's almost pretty perfect)

pengwndude · May 12, 2017, 2:00am

Here are some other people’s stuff

I don’t have the deluxe set, but I did buy everything piece meal.

Of course, I think lugging around 4 boxes is stupid so I went out to find a binder that could fit everything.
Criteria
-Zipper
-Inexpensive and/or cost effective
-Could fit everything

Case-It Binder (Mighty Zip 3’): $16
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007SQZHKW/ref=od_aui_detailpages01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Pokefit 18 pocket, 25 sheets $13
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CTVEEKE/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

1000 freaking penny sleeves: $12
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CV859XC/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Some box $5
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000RB3XOM/ref=od_aui_detailpages01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

So first off, the binder is great. It perfectly fits all cards in the 25 sheets, AND both Codex binders, 2 boards, and 2 bashing v finesse boards, as well as all the other extraneous stuff. Wow. It’s kind of a tight squeeze though, so maybe I should have bought the 4" binder which was about $15 extra bucks (about 2x the price)

The sheets are fine, sideloaders, nothing seems to be wrong. Dunno if they’re any worse than anything else but haven’t seen anything wrong. It was the most cost effect way of getting 25 sheets of 18 pockets

Penny sleeves are fine. Sure people say that they’re garbage compared to regular sleeves but frankly nothing stands out to me as life ruining. They keep the cards sleeved. That’s all I care about.
HOWEVER. The sleeves were 2 mm too tall to fit in the sideloaders!!! So I LITERALLY MANUALLY CUT ALL 700 SLEEVES SHORTER. (it was kind of cathartic actually)
Had I paid 10 extra bucks for the KMC perfect fit, I could have saved myself some time.

EDIT: in Rico’s post he shows that KMC perfect fits could bend cards because of how tight the fit is. If you want to shell out ~$70 for nice sleeves or even ~$40 for okay ultra pro, be my guest. The money saved for 1000 sleeves was just very cost effective for me (and I have plenty of extras). If you get top loading binder sheets, then you won’t have to cut your sleeves.

Box I have no strong feelings towards. It keeps all the chits and some spare dice (11 dice 16mm I think are there right now, could fit maybe 3-4 more, though ideally you may want 14 d6 or 2 spindowns and 6-8 d6). It’s too big to fit in the already stuffed binder with all the cards loaded. Maybe the 4" would fit??? It was twice the price though…
The box is easy to open. Too easy in fact, when it’s exposed and bouncing in a backpack or caribeenered to my binder that I’m worried all the bouncing and clacking could have everything burst open. Very inexpensive though.
Seriously, if anyone has any suggestions I’m all ears.

Lemme know whatcha think!

pengwndude · May 12, 2017, 2:12am

Here’s The binder and box, with size comparisons

Briefcase handle. Also has shoulder strap.

Fits all cards in 25 sheets. One spec per sheet (and an extra one for all of Cal’s damn tokens, merc tokens, and map cards)

How thick they all are.

It can actually fit everything. Here are binders and boards. Nice velcro strap too.

and another shot

Mesh pockets have stuff. My mini cards aren’t sleeved, but I split them up into 3 of the penny sleeves so they don’t sprawl and get crushed.

There’s another decent pocket behind the mesh zipper pocket, but I have nothing to put there, and the box is too bulky.

This pocket is stupid. My hand is literally as far in as possible. What is it even for…

Chit (counters) and dice box.It’s too thick to fit in the already stuffed binder, so I have to carribeener it. It kind of sucks to do that, and the box isn’t super tight so I triple band it. Seriously if anyone has any suggestions I’m all ears. And if you get a Case it 4" binder, lemme know if there’s breathing room for a box like this.

Unpictured, back of the binder has a mesh slot where I keep the rule book.

ARMed_PIrate · May 12, 2017, 6:43am

Pens & pencils

pengwndude · May 12, 2017, 10:50am

Very funny.
So in all seriousness I would probably keep things in a backpack when traveling, so it’s not a huuuge deal. If I ever got mats I wouldn’t be able to fit that anywhere either. Just don’t like how the chits and dice are separate. Thinking about maybe getting spindowns and some d6 12mm but there isn’t a super cost effective way of getting 12mm in various colors, especially when Amazon has a bag of 100 16mm and a dice pouch for 16 bucks

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01F4KPEBA/ref=aw_wl_ov_dp_1_1?colid=1FU8KDUUCR838&coliid=I20C9D92CELS87

But like, if there’s a better suggesting for keeping chits and dice, I’d still like to know of any good alternatives.

I guess you could keep writing utensils there… They show a pencil pouch in the binder (not included) and you could probably keep those in the mesh pocket. I’m just a little mad because I thought that pocket was much deeper and was shocked to discover that I couldn’t fit my hand through it.

FrozenStorm · May 12, 2017, 4:56pm

This is really cool, thanks for sharing so thoroughly!

I bought that bag of 100 different colored dice, it’s really nice to have!

pengwndude · May 12, 2017, 10:19pm

Ah, good to hear! I’m tempted to get it, but I’ve already been kind of nonstop spending… Should I get the spindowns too if I don’t have any?

MVashM · May 12, 2017, 10:54pm

I like to have damage red d6 12mm dice used for all sort of damage. Be it units or buildings. It is more consistent than damage markers in one place and remaining health marker in another place. But to each his own.

FrozenStorm · May 13, 2017, 1:01am

I don’t have spin downs, I do just fine with the included base health trackers. That said, I do think spin downs would be better, I just don’t play often enough irl to spend more on that

pengwndude · May 13, 2017, 2:33am

Yeah if I accumulate more dice, I’ll probably use dice for levels and red for damage.
I do however, like the plus counters. Especially because there’s simic biz with moving stuff. I can see for purple with dice being easily though, when they constantly change.

EDIT: I bought the dice. I might show you guys how I do the setups with the dice when they arrive. Right now planning on
Red: Damage
Purple: Time Counters
Yellow: Gold, mayyyybe, I actually like the chits. I might have it as tier 3, but there aren’t silver dice.
Orange: Tier 1
Green: Maybe +1/1 but also like the chits.

I might also just use the colors for base health because all 6 colors are there (especially if no one is playing red or purple).

pengwndude · May 16, 2017, 12:38am

UPDATE
Dice are great. Minor milkiness and black specs in the white dots, but the colors are great, there’s a nice glossy look with rounded edges.

For 100 dice (16mm) this is by far the best bang for your buck. 10 colors (good ones too), and a dice bag! I give a solid A rating.

felt exterior with a synthetic fabric interior minor flaws here and there. Very easy to overlook.

Can be a bit cozy though. If you got 12mm I’d say use them on the cards. No bag of 12mm dice has a deal like this though.
In this crazy but not out of the question scenario, here’s Prynn max band with 2 time runes, 2 damage, and 3 1/1 counters (I like to use the chits for counters still because simic shenanigans, but here’s a green die too)

pengwndude · May 16, 2017, 2:52am

Okay so the binder is great, but the obvious issue arises with loading and unloading cards take FOREVER. ESPECIALLY if you want to use the codex binder. For convenience of travel the binder feels unparalleled, with maybe the 4 in" carrying all chits and dice inside it as well.

My pipe dream:
Each spec gets a deck box, much like a 52 card box. A spec is 26 cards and a mini card for tech 2 locking, and sleeved is about the depth of 34-36 poker cards. However, sleeved cards are slightly wider, so they do not fit bicycle cardboard deck boxes. So imagine 3 custom sized deck boxes, plus a wide (deep?) cardboard “sleeve” of sort to fit a starter deck. 4 of them stacked front to back with the spec names on the top and a colored matching sleeve, all in a vinyl (or cardboard) pocket tray insert. 6 of these vinyl inserts arranged in 3 pairs, all in a wood box, and a 7th insert for neutral faction, tokens. On top of the cards would be a removable tray for all the chits and dice.

I forgot to measure boards (core set) , but this wooden box probably wouldn’t fit binders. The box would fit all cards and chits/dice and all the inserts would easily be removable for play. Playing mono red? Take the whole vinyl tray out! Mixing colors? Well just pull out the ones you needs and whichever starting set you need. You could pack codex binders separately (maybe an accordion folder with the boards) And you could load up much easier, and unload MUCH easier.

Sorry I ramble about storage, but I can’t stop thinking about it. Especially because it seems the deluxe set is highly impractical to bring anywhere and many people just tossed it, and I have been looking at lots of specialty storage options for board games and the like.

Imagine the white space between the colors was a thin Vinyl Insert to keep them all together.

pengwndude · June 12, 2017, 4:01am

I’m doing the thing I said I’d do