By Carter Hall
In SNAFU, Initiative Points (IPs) are the core mechanic. Whether you have a small scenario with 3-4 IPs per side, or a large scenario with over 10 IPs per side, you will want a system of tracking the IPs so you and your opponent(s) don’t lose track.
I have tried several methods for tracking IPs. There are potentially pros and cons I could get into, but I think ultimately it just comes down to personal preference. Here are a few of the ideas I have tried:
Cards:
Players of games like Euchre will be familiar with this method. It is a fun, flexible way to track your IPs, and most everyone should already have a deck of cards available. The biggest con might be the accidental bumping as you cover up the points you spend.
Pencils:
This was the first method I tried, and it is still fun to me! You do need to purchase a large amount of pens/pencils, but they are fairly inexpensive. Put them in a cup, or take them out of a cup as you use them. Reset each turn, and subtract pens as you lose IPs during a game.
Pennies/ Coins/ Chits:
Similar to the pencils, you can use any sort of token in a cup or bag to track your IPs as a game goes on. My only complaint here is you lose some IP transparency, for both your opponent and yourself! In general, I think it’s best if IPs are not kept secret, but I leave that up to players how they want to treat that. Ultimately if they study the leaders you have on table, they can figure it out anyways…
Feel free to email me at [email protected] if you have other suggestions or methods you have tried and enjoyed! I am always eager for feedback.
Thanks for reading!
-Carter
