I ended the last article contemplating how best to store and carry the hundreds of Star Wars Unlimited cards in my cube, along with the tokens and a couple dice. This might seem like a non-issue, and, to some, it is, but, as someone who enjoys convenience and wants to keep their stuff in good shape, the right container matters. Also, this article might sound like an advertisement. It’s not. Trust me; if we were getting paid to say nice things about products we like, we’d tell you.
Forewarning: this article will not be nearly as interesting, introspective, or math-heavy as the previous ones. I have spent plenty of time searching online looking for people’s suggestions on the best storage and portability methods for cubes, so why not briefly mention what I settled on? Before getting to the box itself, I’m going to briefly mention sleeves. For the most part, sleeves are sleeves. If you pick the matte black version of your favorite brand, you’re doing great. With SWU, we’ve been blessed with the best art sleeves we’ve ever had from a member of the larger FFG family. I would guess most of us have our SWU decks in SWU sleeves, probably with them matching the deck’s theme, as close as you can come. With a draft set, everyone will come out with a differently themed deck, so sleeving them all up as Obi-Wan Kenobi is, for me, not going to work. Could I just go with matte black? Sure, but I went with a nice middle ground: the Gamegenic Premium Art Sleeves with the Unlimited Pattern. They’re neutral, we still get the great quality sleeves, and we still get a bit more personality than just matte black. For hundreds of cards, though, you might ask if the cost is worth it. While you can get some other sleeves, 100 to a pack, for a lower price, you’re also going to get lower quality with those. Other brands’ higher quality ranges are relatively the same cost as the Gamegenic sleeves, 60 to a pack, with the two clear sleeves, of which we’ll always have need. Remember, these cards are intended to be shuffled up, passed around, and manhandled by many people. Durable sleeves are important.
When I was brainstorming the Spark of Rebellion-only cube, back in the heady days of 2024, I first looked at my other-card-game-cube for ideas on what kind of box use. That box is big enough for the draft cards, resource cards, token cards, and a plastic container of Chessex d6 dice. What made that box so convenient is that it was a multiplayer-specific box that came out in 1999. It was literally made to hold enough cards for several players, and then some. We have yet to get any SWU releases that come in big boxes that are intended to be used as a storage solution. I’m sure one reason we don’t have those kinds of bundle packs yet is because Gamegenic already sells premium storage solutions we will notice as we’re buying their sleeves, deck pods, soft crates, official tokens, and playmats. I quickly found a Gamegenic product I thought would suit my needs: the Dungeon S 500+ Convertible. I bought one and it quickly became my go-to for holding single set cards that are not in their own set binder. I have one of them for each of the released SWU sets. I wound up not actually using it for cube.
As I further considered the portability needs for my cube, I thought to look at other Gamegenic products. I’ve enjoyed their deck boxes, particularly because of the extra storage options they always include. Literally, the only thing the Dungeon series does not have that I’d want would be space for acrylic tokens and dice, not to mention the non-draft cards, especially if my cube may come out to way over 500 sleeved cards. It took only a couple quick searches to find what I was looking for: the Games’ Lair 600+ Convertible. You can fit so many cards into this bad boy!
Seriously, though, it does give me everything I’m looking for: enough space for more than 500 single sleeved cards for the draft, along with enough space for fifty-four sleeved Leaders, thirty-two sleeved Bases, numerous copies of the token cards, also sleeved, enough accessory space for tokens, d6 dice for roll-off’s, and anything else you might want to have in your self-contained draft event. Yes, it even does say on the website’s product description that it is ideal for the cube format. It’s pretty much a no-brainer; I just hadn’t explored much of the Gamegenic line outside the Star Wars section. Of course, this is yet another example of cube life that shows the builder’s taste and personality. I really like the textures Gamegenic uses, the magnets that keep the boxes shut are all the right strength, and the accessory compartments are perfect for me. I emphasize: perfect for me. If you want to use a cardboard box for the cards and a Canadian whiskey bag for your tokens, by all means, go for it! There is no wrong answer for this, except to keep in mind that you’re transporting several hundred cards and a whole lot of other components, so keeping them safe is your biggest concern.
I hope that was somewhat helpful and gives you some ideas what to look for when considering your own portability options. Again, not an advertisement; I just like their products. If they ever do decide to sponsor us, you’ll get your fill of ad-reads, trust me.
Okay, back to doing more math. Adding back in all the leaders, bases, and one-off cards jacked up the numbers quite a bit. Let’s see what happens if we remove the Commons…