5 Essential Pieces of Gear Every Tabletop Commander Needs

The gleam of freshly primed miniatures. The rustle of a new rulebook’s pages. The electric anticipation before your first dice roll of the night. This is the magic of our hobby. But between that initial spark of inspiration and the glory of the battlefield, there’s a crucial phase every great commander knows: the logistics.

Just as a Space Marine Chapter wouldn’t deploy without ammunition and armour, a tabletop commander shouldn’t go to war without the right gear. The right tools don’t just make the game easier; they transform it. They reduce friction, elevate the experience, and let you focus on what truly matters: the strategy, the story, and the camaraderie.

After years of serving the community and equipping legions for battle, we’ve distilled the ultimate toolkit. Forget the endless, expensive lists. Here are the five non-negotiable, battle-tested pieces of gear that will make you a more organized, effective, and immersed commander.

1. The Organized & Protected Army Case

The Problem: You’ve spent dozens, perhaps hundreds of hours painting your army. To transport them in a shoebox or a jumbled tackle box is to invite disaster. A chipped paint job here, a broken antenna there—it’s a slow-motion tragedy that weakens the heart of your force: its visual impact.

The Solution: A dedicated, foam-lined army case or a magnetic transport system. This isn’t just a box; it’s a mobile fortress for your miniatures.

• Foam Cases: The classic choice. Pre-cut foam trays cradle your models securely. Look for high-density, pick-and-pluck foam that you can customize to the exact shape of your units. For the ultimate in custom protection, companies like Battle Foam offer pre-cut foam trays designed specifically for your exact units.  For those in the EU or looking for great value without sacrificing quality, Feldherr is a brilliant choice with a massive catalogue. 

• Magnetic Systems: The modern marvel. By gluing small magnets to the bases of your miniatures and using a case with a ferrous sheet metal base, your army stands proudly in place, immune to the jostles of travel. It’s perfect for large, spindly models that foam can sometimes stress. If you prefer the modern magnetic system, check out specialists like Tabletop Tyrant for incredibly sleek and effective cases.

Why It’s Essential: Your army is your masterpiece. Protecting it isn’t just practical; it’s a mark of respect for your own hard work. Arriving at the table with a perfectly preserved force is a power move that sets the tone for the entire game.

2. The Dedicated Tool & Paint Tray

The Problem: The "miniature hobby" rarely stays confined to miniatures. It spawns a galaxy of ancillary items: clippers, files, super glue, a dozen shades of paint, brushes, and texturing materials. When these are scattered across a desk or shoved in a drawer, your creative flow is constantly interrupted by the search for the right tool.

The Solution: A dedicated tray or organiser. This can be a simple, tiered tool caddy from a hardware store or a custom-designed hobby station. The key is having a single, portable home for your most frequently used tools and paints for your current project.

Why It’s Essential: Efficiency. A dedicated tray turns a chaotic "hobby corner" into a functional workshop. It saves you time, reduces frustration, and makes it easier to sit down for a quick 30-minute painting session because everything is right where you expect it to be. It’s the difference between wanting to paint and actually doing it.

3. The High-Quality, Faction-Themed Battle Mat

The Problem: Rolling dice directly on a hard wooden table is loud, damages dice, and is aesthetically… lacking. The battlefield itself should be a canvas, setting the stage for the epic narrative about to unfold.

The Solution: A neoprene or PVC battle mat. The leap from a bare table to a printed gaming surface is arguably the single biggest visual upgrade you can make to your game. Whether it’s the blasted ruins of an imperial city, the red sands of Mars, or the green fields of a maiden world, a mat instantly immerses you and your opponent in the world of the 41st Millennium.

Why It’s Essential: Immersion and gameplay. A good mat provides a defined, thematic space that enhances the story of your battle. Furthermore, the printed grids and measurements can help with movement and range-finding, smoothing out the gameplay itself.

The leap from a bare table is huge. For a great selection, Frontline Gaming is a community favourite for durable mats, while Etsy is a fantastic source for unique, handcrafted tablescapes from independent makers.

If you're looking for truly premium, visually immersive surfaces, the prints from Gamemat.eu are hard to beat or For unique themes and great value, UrbanMatz has a constantly rotating selection of creative designs.

4. The Commander's Log: Your Crusade Journal

The Problem: Tabletop games are ephemeral. The brilliant tactical move, the hilarious failure of a key unit, the story of your warlord’s rise—these moments fade from memory. A list scrawled on a napkin is lost. Your army’s saga deserves better.

The Solution: This is the heart of the matter. This is your Crusade Journal. It’s more than a notepad; it’s the chronicle of your force’s legacy. A proper journal provides structured sections for:

• Army Rosters: Neatly organized lists of your units, their wargear, and their Crusade points.

• Battle Records: Space to detail the mission, your opponent, the outcome, and the key narrative moments.

• Experience & Upgrades: Tracking your units’ hard-earned battle honours and battle scars.

• Long-term Campaign Notes: The overarching story of your crusade.

Why It’s Essential: A journal transforms a series of disconnected games into a single, epic narrative. It forces you to reflect, to learn, and to invest emotionally in your army. It’s the difference between playing a game and leading a crusade. It is, quite simply, the tool that turns a player into a historian of their own wars. (This is why we at TT Armoury are so passionate about forging the highest-quality journals—they are the soul of a lasting hobby experience).

5. The Battle-Ready Kit: Dice, Markers, and Apparel

The Problem: Showing up to a game and having to borrow dice, search for tokens to mark objectives, or use bottle caps to represent stratagems breaks the immersion and slows the game down. It signals a lack of preparation.

The Solution: A curated, faction-themed battle kit.

• Dice: A full, matching set of dice in your army’s colours. Having more than you think you need is always a good idea. For a huge range of standard dice, Chessex is the classic go-to. But for truly unique, faction-themed acrylic dice and tokens, specialty makers like Baron of Dice and the countless talented creators on Etsy offer incredible options to make your kit stand out.

• Tokens & Markers: A set of acrylic or MDF tokens for objectives, status effects, and command points. They are clear, thematic, and professional.

• Apparel: Finally, what you wear matters. A high-quality, comfortable t-shirt or hoodie featuring your faction’s iconography isn’t just about fandom. It’s about identity. It’s a uniform. When you "Gear Up" in your faction’s colours, you are mentally preparing for battle. You are signalling your allegiance, sparking conversations, and fully inhabiting the role of the commander. It’s the final, crucial piece that ties the physical you to the army you command.

Why It’s Essential: A complete battle kit is the ultimate sign of a prepared commander. It shows respect for the game, your opponent, and yourself. It eliminates friction and allows you to fully lose yourself in the tactical and narrative experience.

Gear Up, Commander.

The path to victory begins long before the first turn. It begins at the workbench and in the armory. By investing in these five essential pieces of gear, you’re not just buying products; you’re building a foundation for a richer, more organized, and infinitely more immersive hobby life.

Your legend awaits. Make sure you’re equipped to record it.

TT Armoury is dedicated to forging the gear that serves your crusade. From premium crusade journals to battle-ready apparel, our mission is to help you Gear Up.