Dice towers

[Andrew_McGuire]

I'm just wondering whether any forum members use one of these in miniatures games. They seem to be very popular with boardgamers, and, I imagine, RPG-ers too, given the aesthetics of most of those I've seen (i.e. styled like a fantasy castle or even creature) but I don't recall hearing about miniatures gamers - at least historical ones  - using them, though I'm sure some do.

I understand that they are claimed to give improved randomisation when rolling the dice, which must be beneficial, and there's no reason why their use should be restricted to fantasy and SF games. I've been looking around for a solid, well-built design without off-putting fripperies which would embarrass me even when playing fantasy, so would appreciate recommendations.

I've seen some which fit the bill on YouTube,  but they're almost always made in the USA, and importing one to Europe or the UK would be very expensive, even when the seller is prepared to post it (at least one Etsy-based seller won't).

Most are made of wood or, more commonly, MDF, but I've just encountered a 3D-printed example on eBay:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dice-tower-Castle-fold-out-dice-accessories-dice-shaker-dice-masters-unique/273835738251

Thoughts on any aspect of these items would be appreciated.

[mcfonz]

There are some great ones out there it's just a matter of digging about. This one is my fav, though I don't favour them typically, and it shows you just how integrated you can make one be:




Can be bought here.

[fastolfrus]

I have a few different ones. They are quite handy to stop dice bouncing across the table and knocking figures over.
TTCombat do one which is Venetian style (blends in nicely with their Venice buildings), Warbases have a SF/industrial hopper which is aimed at 15mm but works with other scales too. I think Midlam had one which was styled like a medieval tower. They're not too difficult to make, there was an online one I saw a few years ago that was styled like a Renaissance Italian bell tower. The builder fitted small bells (like birdcage bells) on all the baffles inside so that the dice rang them as they went down through the tower.

[levied troop]

I remember the bell tower idea, I always wondered whether it would be the third or the fourth toll of the dice before it got annoying 

But then I fitted rubber mat to my baffles to keep the noise down.

There are quite a few examples around and while I usually just use a dice tray, I like the idea of blending the dice tower into the terrain. My tower is medieval and the Venetian one mentioned is on my shopping list.

[tin shed gamer]

I use clear acrylic dice tower's. Simply because they were gift.I must admit the TT combat tower is on my list too.
In an almost blatantly obvious way .I do find they've virtually eliminated figure damage from rogue dice.
 I did have the paint chipped of the nose of figure from a dice thrown in a dice tray last month(more players than dice towers.) Which only convinced me more that towers are a good idea.
Draw back not as easy to pass around a table as tray. But I don't game on anything bigger than 4'×4' so I'm happy to have one on each board edge.

[Belisarius]

If there’s one thing which has bugged me , over all the years I’ve been gaming , it’s guys trying to manipulate their dice throws . Whether it’s rolling them around in their hand until the 1,s are pointing up at them , then trying to drop them onto 6,s. Or dropping them onto paper so they they don’t roll , I’ve seen it all .  Otherwise nice guys , they simply don’t seem able to help themselves.  Dice towers are the answer, with the proviso that dice don’t count unless they go through the tower . They are also excellent for solo gaming . I bought mine for £6 off EBay and use it placed in a dice tray . Problem solved.😎

[Andrew_McGuire]

Thank you, everyone. As I mentioned, my preference is for a simpler style; of those illustrated, the TT Combat one looks closest to my needs (though I don't know if I'd get the hang of dropping the dice upside down). It did occur to me after posting that the plastic one I'd seen - and subsequently another - would cause an awful racket as the dice descended. The best one I've seen - in a YouTube video - was very solidly constructed, accordingly expensive, and included a felt lining in the tray (the 'baffle' mentioned, I suppose). Unfortunately I can't remember the manufacturer, and don't know whether it's still available. I'm sure it was from the USA which added another problem.

There was a recent Kickstarter for a very impressive-looking item, with customisation possibilities, but it wasn't well supported, and was cancelled. The seller was the one I mentioned before, who trades on Etsy, but doesn't normally post to Europe. (This wasn't the case in the Kickstarter, as I recall, which makes its cancellation all the more galling).

[Overrevdsquat]

For simplicity, Blotz do one:

https://blotz.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=24_96&products_id=392

[levied troop]

.........would cause an awful racket as the dice descended. The best one I've seen - in a YouTube video - was very solidly constructed, accordingly expensive, and included a felt lining in the tray (the 'baffle' mentioned, I suppose).

The ‘baffle’ actually refers to the pieces that the dice hit on the way down to the tray (the photo overrevdsquat shows looks to have 3 of them).  It can be noisy even in MDF and lining them and the dice tray with felt or rubber helps to reduce that.  Easily done with the DIY MDF versions.

[tin shed gamer]

Ah grasshopper- on the battlefield nothing is more deafening than the sound of rolling dice. 

Sillyness aside If you find the sound of dice uncomfortable. Then for round an extra fiver you could buy a roll of Fablo self adhesive baise/felt .with a useful grid on the backing sheet.So you can cut it to fit each part before assembly.Regardless of which design you purchase.
(Levied troop just types faster than me   )

[Andrew_McGuire]

Thanks for the clarifications and suggestions. I've just searched for the Kickstarter I mentioned, and see it has been relaunched, but has again not yet reached the funding goal with only a few days remaining. Unfortunately  I was wrong about availability to Europeans, or any non- US residents, for that matter. For what it's worth, though, this is the kind of design I would like:


https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/887254992/premium-fold-down-dice-tower-roller-0?ref=nav_search&result=project&term=dice%20tower

[tin shed gamer]

Andrew .
Just did a quick trawl of ebay there's half a dozen virtually identical towers to the kickstarter one all with in £3 or £4 of the kickstarter price.
Slighty simplfied versions too at a price you could almost have one on each board edge for the same money as the kickstarter one.
I'd go down the ebay or Amazon route .As I honestly can't see the point in holding out for a kickstarter to be funded(especially one that has been pulled in the past.) and sit waiting for it to be shipped in something like the promised timescale.

[Malebolgia]

I wanted to get this one, but it turned out to be very expensive. So a pass...unfortunately. Love the design.

[Andrew_McGuire]

Andrew .
Just did a quick trawl of ebay there's half a dozen virtually identical towers to the kickstarter one all with in £3 or £4 of the kickstarter price.
Slighty simplfied versions too at a price you could almost have one on each board edge for the same money as the kickstarter one.
I'd go down the ebay or Amazon route .As I honestly can't see the point in holding out for a kickstarter to be funded(especially one that has been pulled in the past.) and sit waiting for it to be shipped in something like the promised timescale.

You're probably right, though I don't recall seeing any made of real wood on eBay, as these KS ones are. (Well, the premium version is. I'm a sucker for wood grain). Nor do I recall at present any which can be quickly folded up for storage as this design does. It won't do any harm to get a relatively cheap one to use in the meantime until the holy grail of dice towers presents itself, however, and hope I can afford it at the time.

The above KS, incidentally, currently has less than 72 hours remaining and has not yet reached 50% of its funding target, which may suggest it is lacking something (in addition to a felt inlay, at least as a standard feature; a removable mat is offered as a stretch goal).

[Andrew_McGuire]

Having varied my eBay search terms slightly, I've now come across some designs I seem to have missed before - and also this time avoided the tower building games I was confronted with earlier - and have just purchased a compact, collapsible or fold-out tower of simple but apparently robust design in 3.3 mm MDF, for £7 with free postage. All that's lacking is the felt to line the tray and baffles, which I will look for shortly.

Thanks again to everyone who responded for their comments & suggestions.