Vampire Counts army carrier/container?

[GreenGiant]

Over the last year, but Vampire Counts army really has gotten huge, specifically since the End Times book was released. I have almost doubled my core troops model count (about 220 zombies and skeletons together).

I currently just shove them unprotected into a 40 Space marine rhino box (one for skeletons, one for zombies). This is an acceptable temporary solution, until I get around to painting the horde.

I have both a GW shield case, and a Battlefoam bag for my other armies, but I really dont like the idea of having to have so many foam trays for zombies and skeletons.

Would anyone mind sharing their solutions for dealing with so many (sometimes fragile i.e. skeletons with spears) models. Especially that are painted? Also, how do you match that with storage of larger models such as the Mortis Engine and Zombie Dragon?

Thanks!

 

[Mr. Cthulhu]

I'm currently trying to come up with an acceptable solution as I slowly build my skeletal and zombie horde as well. I also have over 200 Night Goblins and need a reasonably sized and priced way to transport them and I think that they may be able to use the same methods as Skellies and Zombros...but we shall see. I'll post anything I find.

 

[Adam_Barrow]

Magnets!

Throw a magnetic sheet of metal at the bottom of your movement trays and slap your dudes on there. They won't jostle too badly, and they're ready to play as soon as you pull them out of the case. Foam sheets might work for WoC and their 20 model armies, but pulling a couple hundred Zeds out one at a time takes way too long.

Work out a way to put magnetic sheets in the bottom of a tackle box, foam the sides to taste, and voila.

 

[GreenGiant]

Maybe I am paying too much for magnets, but wouldnt it be VERY expensive to put a magnet on every Zombie/Skeleton?

 

[Alabaster427]

Maybe I am paying too much for magnets, but wouldnt it be VERY expensive to put a magnet on every Zombie/Skeleton?

I went to Hobby Lobby and got two things. The first was I got a tube of the smallest magnets I could find (about $10 for 100) and started gluing them to each the underside of the base, which I decided took way too long. The second thing I did was I got the magnet sheets ($8 for a set of various sizes or $3 for an 8"x10") that they use for pictures to stick to the fridge and cut them up so that 5 skeletons are essentially one model and I just add one rank at a time. Not only did this help for transport, but it also helps for game setup/cleanup and removing the vast amounts of models that one can lose in a single phase.

 

[GreenGiant]

Ok right, they dont really need to be a very powerful magnet. What kind of case do you put them all in for transport/storage? Just a Tacklebox? or something a little bogger (a big tacklebox?) maybe?

Thanks for the help!

 

[Alastor]

My mate did something similar to what Alabastor described and it worked ok with him. I'm at a loss to be honest, all those foam trays are a hassle, but you don't want to ruin an awesome model due to sub par carrying equipment.

 

[Alabaster427]

Ok right, they dont really need to be a very powerful magnet. What kind of case do you put them all in for transport/storage? Just a Tacklebox? or something a little bogger (a big tacklebox?) maybe? :tongue:

Thanks for the help!

I just leave them on the trays if I can. I know one guy who got an army ammo can and also magnetized the bottom of his trays and they just stick to that. I have seen tackle boxes work, but not very well with the exception of dwarves. I, personally, got one of those giant card carrying boxes (the ones you see Magic players use for their vast collections) and modified it to fit the models I need. It was only like $5 and works great. I am still trying to find something that will work for my TGs though...

 

[Caillum]

Check out Litko magnets! I did my whole army with them. Really awesome!

 

[Emicrania]

Kr multicase. Top notch between quality and price,IMO

 

[John Rainbow]

Maybe I am paying too much for magnets, but wouldnt it be VERY expensive to put a magnet on every Zombie/Skeleton?

K&J magnets (or another similar rare earth magnet) from eBay are the way forward here. Super cheap and super, super strong. 3mm circular ones are enough to hold my models to the tray even when I flip it upside down.

 

[Sception]

From my Army Log

Started with a GW big case w/ the foam removed. Glued small magnets to the bottom of the bases, made movement trays out of steel sheets. glued heavier magnets to the case bottom. Note that I had to score the plastic case in a hatched pattern to get the super glue to hold to it. Also note that you want to make sure all the magnets, on the bases and the case, are oriented in the same direction - if a magnet on the bottom of a base ends up on top of an opposing magnet from the case, that model will pop up!

All together, this case holds three blocks of 40 infantry, two blocks of 28 infantry, one block of 30 infantry, one block of 15 cavalry, two blocks of 5 cavalry, a pair of Spirit hosts, and a handful of plastic and finecast characters. Obviously, a regular case would hold less. One could conceivably mount models upside down on the inside roof of the box as well, but most of my models are kind of tall with spears & lances & standards, so one layer of models takes up pretty much all of the case.

Heavier metal models, and very large models, particularly those balanced on fragile supports (like the mortarchs, for instance), will need alternative transport methods. You also want to avoid jostling or jarring the box excessively when it is on its side or upside down.

Still, the method is particularly convenient for transporting the bulk of an army's plastic infantry and cavalry. Since the models travel ranked up on their unit trays, they're ready to deploy as soon as you get to the table, saving set up time.

 

[crafty0ne]

Similar to what some others have mentioned...

I had an Army Transport case with several of the foam tray's laying around. I took the thickest foam trays and removed all but the outer edge, and then glued sheet metal to the bottom. Now my models are magnetized to there movement trays, and the movement trays are magnetized to stick to the sheet metal, but there is the added protection of a layer of foam all around them.

 

[Titcher]

I am planning on getting a wheeled suitcase and adding in shelves that have sheet metal on them and magnetising my movement trays to stick to the shelves.

The bigger models can then be placed in precut foam and stacked on the bottom shelf.

Not done it yet as I have only just started collecting so not needing to get this sorted just yet.

 

[Adam_Barrow]

One of the Skaven plogs in Faces Of Our Next Meal has a killer wheeled case like the one you describe. Seth's, maybe? I can't remember exactly, but should be easy to find. There are only like 3 or 4 rat plogs in that board.


-Edit-
Here you go. Page 1.
https://www.vampirecounts.net/threads/clan-virilus.12739/

 

[Pirate Robot Ninja of Death]

Alternatively you can also attach models to sheet metal with magnet strip. I bought a huge roll from Michaels for around $20. It's not as strong as a rare earth magnet, but it will hold even metal infantry models to sheet metal movement trays even while upside down.

As for carrying case, I use a battlefoam 720. It's plenty big enough. Make sure to get pluck foam! Also, if you magnetize your models to movement trays like I do you can just pull or cut out a section big enough for all of them and drop the whole movement tray in. You sometimes have to pull out the standard bearer, or turn the front rank around, but still better than ranking them all up every go around.

 

[Banat]

Currently I've got the magnetic sheets on my movement trays then magnet tape cut into squares on the undersides of the model bases, but it's not enough of a hold for me.

I'm currently in the process of rebasing most of my core infantry onto 20x80mm regimental bases (something I HIGHLY recommend, why take out one zombie at a time, when you can take out FOUR?). Then I'm going to be looking into Rare Earth magnets. I also want some better movement trays (looking at Xbase). But really, I can't recommend using the regimental bases enough. You get five for £3. For under £20 you can get 30 regimental bases, enough to base 120 20mm infantry. I'm keeping about 20% of each choice on individual bases for when ranks get depleted.

This would also effectively halve the amount of magnets you need to magnetize your bases. 4 magnets to magnetize 4 individual bases, you'd only need two decent magnets evenly spaced along the bottom of the regimental base to sort those out. It's a no brainer.

The wheeled case solution from that skaven plog looks like something I might consider in the mid future. For the moment I've got my models in small plastic containers based on unit type then those are in a duffle bag. Then My cav and some other models are in the smaller citadel carry case and finally I've got a larger plastic box with copious amounts of bubble wrap for me larger models (Mortarch, Morghasts, Nagash when I take him, Terrorgheist, Mortis Engine). It does mean my hands are totally full when I'm going in but it's not unmanageable.

 

[GreenGiant]

As for carrying case, I use a battlefoam 720. It's plenty big enough. Make sure to get pluck foam! Also, if you magnetize your models to movement trays like I do you can just pull or cut out a section big enough for all of them and drop the whole movement tray in. You sometimes have to pull out the standard bearer, or turn the front rank around, but still better than ranking them all up every go around.

I have a 720, so this sounds like a great idea to me, use the pluck foam to make regimental slots, as opposed to slots for individual models. And, the 720 normally holds my Eldar army, I can easily just swap inserts and leave the Eldar on a shelf or whatever. I could even get one of their "storage" boxes to hold my larger models like the TG.

I like this a lot!

Thanks to everyone who has chimed in!