Dice Bag vs. Dice Organiser: Which Is Right for Your Wargaming Setup?

Every wargaming player starts with a dice bag. It's simple, cheap, and it holds dice. For a lot of players, that's all they'll ever need.

But if you've ever spent the first minute of every turn digging through a bag looking for the right dice, carried a separate tray because your bag doesn't contain rolls, or arrived at a game with tokens and tools scattered across three different pockets — you've already felt the limits of what a bag can do.

This isn't a "bags are bad" argument. It's a practical comparison to help you decide whether upgrading makes sense for how you play.

What a dice bag does well

A dice bag is lightweight, packable, and doesn't care how many dice you throw in. No configuration needed, no setup time — open the drawstring, grab what you need, close it again. For players running small armies with 20–30 dice, or for casual games where pace doesn't matter much, a bag works perfectly fine.

Bags are also cheap. A decent one costs under 100 SEK, and there are countless options in every material and style. If your only need is "carry dice from home to table," a bag is the right tool.

Where a dice bag falls short

The problems start when your needs go beyond basic storage.

A bag stores dice but doesn't sort them. When you need six D6 in one colour for a shooting attack and four in another for the charge, you're picking through a pile. Across a five-round tournament, those 30-second searches add up.

A bag doesn't contain rolls. You'll either need a separate dice tray or you'll be chasing dice across the table — or worse, knocking over models.

A bag doesn't hold anything else. Your tokens, wound markers, measuring tools, and accessories need their own solutions. That usually means an extra pouch, a plastic container, or loose items in your gaming bag — all of which add setup time and increase the chance of leaving something behind.

And a bag offers no protection during transport. Dice clatter around freely, and anything fragile you've packed alongside them risks damage.

What a dice organiser adds

A purpose-built wargaming dice organiser solves the specific problems a bag creates during competitive or regular play.

Sorting: dice sit in a magnetic rack, grouped and visible. You grab the right dice without searching because you can see them all at once. Between games, the rack holds everything in place — no repacking needed.

Containment: the best organisers include a built-in dice tray, so you open the box and start playing. No separate tray to carry or set up.

Integration: a good organiser also holds your tokens, measuring tools, wound markers, and other accessories alongside your dice. One system, one pickup, one footprint on the table.

Transport: magnetic closures and a rigid structure mean nothing moves during transit. You arrive at the table with everything exactly where you left it.

When to upgrade

A dice bag is enough if you play casually at home or at a club, run a small dice pool (under 30), don't mind searching for dice between turns, and carry minimal accessories.

Consider upgrading if you play in tournaments or events where round time matters, run 40+ dice and need them sorted by type, want your tokens and tools stored alongside your dice, or find yourself carrying multiple bags and containers to each game.

The tipping point for most players is the first tournament — the pace difference between "organised and ready" and "digging through a bag" becomes obvious when there's a clock running.

What to look for in a dice organiser

Not all dice organisers are built for wargaming. Many are designed for RPG players carrying 7–20 dice, which is a very different use case. Here's what matters for wargaming specifically:

Capacity for 30–120 dice in 12mm or 16mm sizes. Wargaming dice pools are bigger than RPG ones, and you need an organiser that handles your full army's dice without running out of space.

Magnetic dice rack that keeps dice visible and sorted during play, not just during transport. You should be able to see and grab the right dice mid-turn without lifting trays or opening compartments.

Built-in dice tray. If you need a separate tray, you're carrying two things instead of one. A lid that becomes a tray is the most practical design.

Accessory storage for tokens, wound markers, combat gauges, and other tools. If the organiser only holds dice, you still need a second container for everything else — which defeats the purpose.

Modular layout so you can adjust the balance between dice capacity and accessory storage depending on the army and event.

The Battlebox is designed around all of these criteria. It holds 30–120 dice in a magnetic rack, opens into a felt-lined dice tray, and integrates storage for token sets, wound markers, deployment markers, and measuring tools. The internal layout is modular, and the whole system fits in a 20×20×6 cm footprint — smaller than most book-sized gaming bags.

Every Battlebox is made to order with 28 colour options, so it matches your army rather than looking like generic storage. Designed and assembled in Stockholm, Sweden.

The bottom line

A dice bag stores dice. A dice organiser organises your setup. If searching, scattering, and scattered accessories aren't problems for you, keep the bag. If they are — especially if you play regularly or competitively — an organiser pays for itself in smoother, faster games.

Explore the Battlebox · Browse all dice storage · See what tournament players are choosing