Bitz Boxes: How Do You Sort Yours? (Plus General Update)

Well what a fortnight this has been, crammed with so much wargaming goodness there's been no chance to blog about it. Never though that I'd write that

Firstly I've had some actual games. A huge thanks to Zzzzzz, for not only introducing me to Apocalypse in an epic fashion but for providing teas and bacon sandwiches on the same scale. Excellent company, some bloody beautiful miniatures and a superb fluffy Apocalypse game. If this hobby is about anything it's surely that. You can get a sneak peak of the game between Zzzzzz, myself, Karitas and Ed on the good Colonel's blog here - the photos are outstanding but still don't do the board and minis justice. Zzzzzz will be doing a proper write-up on his Devos IV blog later this month.

"I wonder whose mum does use new biological Biz?" the shining gallant Palladian officer on horseback gets top points for style...

Also on Ed's blog is a write up of the first of our Edethor campaign games, only 500pts but what a belter it was. Again, there's some cracking photos of a closely fought match. The second game saw my Mawdryn Marines massacred as they attempted a breakout, but an equally cracking game that saw me praying for more assault weapons.


The Scouts definitely win "man of the match" for the first game with Ed... more on the Palladian Guard blog


The Spears of Mawdryn are finally geting some paint on their armour and some lovely new bases. I'm actually enjoying painting now, something I never thought I'd say until recently. More on the Chapter is on its way.

Quick preview of the Spears of Mawdryn in progress - still a little more to do (plus new themed bases)
 And last but not least, I've gone and bloody won something. I won the follower raffle for the well-deserved celebration of Società di archeologia e cimeli getting 100 followers. Tomsche sent me a superb pair of Mithril Middle-Earth miniatures - which takes me back to playing Middle-Earth Role Playing in my younger days. So many thanks Tomsche, here's to the next 100!
  

Bitz Boxes: How do you sort yours?
So, onto the business of the day. Although I moved house in August, I've only just got round to giving the lead pile and everything else hobby related a half-decent sort out. The first target was the bitz box.

As a fan of conversions (and now terrain building) I love a well-stocked bitz box. But there's always the issue of how to arrange all those lovely gubbins.

In the distant past I tended to put everything into one tub and then tip it across the floor/table/urban wasteland like a tub of LEGO and rummage through it hoping for the best...

"I know that short axle is in there somewhere..."
But a couple of years ago, when I got back into wargaming proper, I decided a bit more organisation was in order (no pun intended...). So I invested in a small container with optional dividers:
 
My old bitz box, now home to various metal minis and "misc" bitz.
However, that soon became full even without all the bitz in it, and I couldn't organise the bits into enough categories - it's times like this when my inner OCD gets let loose.

So, just after the move I invested in this hefty chap with trays that can be moved around and rearranged (although it's like a puzzle trying to find the few configurations that actually fit).

Ahhh, plastic crack... so "more-ish"
It also gave me a chance to exercise (exorcise...?) my organised side and let myself go mad with a marker pen for quick reference.


But there are still smaller boxes with terrain bitz in elsewhere, plus a large bag full of sprues (empty and with bitz on). So perhaps the plan for the future is to get a (slightly) smaller box for each project and separate box for terrain items. But then there are some pieces that can be used for multiple projects. First world problems, but still presents the dilemma of "which box do they go in?"

Anyhoo, I'm sure I'll work something out. But the question stands - Bitz Boxes: How Do You Sort Yours?

Comments

  1. I currently have three bits boxes. One is for tank, terrain and other very large pieces. The second is for my Imperial Guard, with things sorted into arms, heads, torsos, legs and "other bits". The third is "anything that's not Imperial Guard". I also have a tiny tub of non GW parts, because I try and keep those separate so I don't go and accidentally use one for something destined for a GW event or painting competition.

    However, that arrangement is starting to strain the bounds of its ability to cope, so I am starting to consider a massive re-organisation...

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    1. I'm liking the sound of that, the three boxes seems to be a sensible way of dividing everything without it being spread thinly between too many boxes. And that's an excellent idea for non GW parts - not something I've had to worry about as tournaments and painting competitions aren't my thing - but nontheless a superb idea.

      That sounds like a bit of an undertaking, any thoughts on what you might change?

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  2. I still have the LEGO method (and boxes of Lego to boot)... usually remembering I have something somewhere inthere overthere.

    Enjoy the minis!

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    1. Thanks very much Tomshce! They're certainly going to get a very attentive paint job, might have to dig out MERP again and put them to use... Definitely nothing wrong with the Lego method, and I've been tempted on more than one occassion to get a few new buckets of Lego...

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  3. I have a garage full of bitz. Seriously, dude; you've seen it ! It's just not organised at all....

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    1. This is very true, it's just one massive bitz box of super cool stuff... wouldn't want to start tipping that out everywhere though...

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  4. Bits from each kit go into a ziploc bag with the name of the kit written on a piece of masking tape and applied to the bag. Then all the bags go in a box. I'm too anal to through everything into one box. I'd never be able to find anything.

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    1. Ah, so that's one vote for the "by kit" method. Sounds like a good idea, I don't do that only because I take bits from so many kits, or buy them individually for specific projects. But otherwise, sounds good to me!

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  5. Here is my box. By race then types:
    http://twilight40k.blogspot.com/2009/02/bit-box.html

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    1. I'm liking it very much, I think that's what I'm going for next. My old bitz box years ago was a similar set up to that but slightly smaller.

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  6. I have one large-ish bits drawer for misc stuff (which also conains bags with duplicated bulky things like tank tracks, H-Ks etc); one Cities of Death box with large/CoD bis; the the rest in plastic takeaway tubs organised THEMATICALLY: "useful stuff for veterans" (read: "infantry conversions") and "useful stuff for vehicles".

    It mostly works...

    Glad you've been having fun!

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    1. Ta muchly, it's nice to be distracted by wargames rather than Real Life.

      I'm liking the sound of the takeaway tubs, you get to enjoy getting the container as well as it being useful later...

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  7. Loving how good that colour scheme is on those marines! :)

    I have Fishing tackle boxes and lots of small plastic containers, each with a special purpose. I also have terrible OCD and despise when my bits are all mixed up. Squat arms, Space marine heads, IG torsos, Las weaponry, Inquisitorial type thingies, etc etc etc...... Lots.... of small containers.....

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    1. Ta very much Dai, really appreciate that :)

      That's quite the array of bits... I guess the benefit of having lots of smaller boxes is that bits are less likely to get mixed up?

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  8. Drax has a good idea there with the thematic organisation. I'm lucky in being able to have a pretty much all-IG bitz box, so one for torsos, one for left arms, etc etc... although the majority of the bulk is in the form of leftover tank parts and heavy weapons I'm never going to use.

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    1. Definitely, and I've gone for the thematic approach myself and I think I'm sticking with that largely.

      Have to say I'm liking your new army organisation method, definitely going to have to invest in some carry cases myself soon

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  9. I have a bits box for Imperials and Xenos, each with a compartment dedicated to a different bit category (e.g. arms, weapons on arms, backpacks etc) The thematic idea sounds quite cool though ^^

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    1. That sounds like a plan. Ideally I'd like to be able to do both, so one box for one of my projects with compartments for arms, torsos, misc etc

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  10. I'm definately in the mulyi box apprach - I have about 8 going at the moment - but it also involves the lego approach in that each box is themed to an army choice (ie Marines, Wolves, Guard, Vehicle (large) bits etc) but there is no sorting within the box - so I dump it all out to look for that one small bit I know I have somewhere.

    I tried going the full OCD organisational path but it got out of control when I started trying to decide if arms should be separated by right v left, then extra separation for arms with weapons attached v not, then arms with weapons attahced where that weapon is a close combat weapon v ranged - so its all in a bucket by theme now.

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    1. Haha that's pretty much where I am now, the categories I've managed to sort them into are a little abstract... I think with the arms I'd be happy with CC, ranged and none. But saying that if I had the space I'd definitely be trying to include left, right, space marine bike arms. I'd be categorising legs by shoe size if I'm not careful...

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    2. Hehehe - shoe sizes!!

      I'd forgotten about Biker arms, and the ones that come with the Vehicle accessory sprue - now would they go in the vehicle bits box, or generic Marine bits box with the other arms!!!!

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    3. Hahaha, well my Mawdryn Marines have a lot of bikes so they might get their own compartment... Forgot about the vehicle accessory arms, haven't got a bloody clue where I'd put them - the ones I have at the moment are still on the sprues

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  11. haha, I love it. I too have a touch of OCD when it comes to bitz boxes, but not the time or effort to sort it out, so my vote goes to 'one pile of sprues bitz and anything else that falls into it'

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    1. Haha, I'm liking the sound of that approach :D

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