After many hours of setting up games, handling so many models and conducting deployment shenanigans I have finally cracked the code on doing these things the easy way. 

We have a "Tape measure companies hate him, find out why" situation here. The solution: 9'' chopsticks bought in bulk. As many of you have discovered GW has settled on rules' that generally rely on distances/ranges that have some multiple of 9, mostly concerning the core book, realm and scenario rules. I wish to show how and why chopsticks can be a reliable and effective gaming tool at multiple stages of your AOS game. 

The first thing a game needs is a scenario and a corresponding deployment area for each player. Some people line up dice along the boundaries, others stretch their tape measure across the table as the boundary line  but chopsticsks can serve as a flexible tool to draw out those jagged deployment zones. In the following example, we are playing the "Relocation Orb" scenario and only had to measure one distance on a board edge to quickly determine where I could deploy. 
In this example, deployment area and player territory are one in the same. You'll also notice, that my opponent now doesn't have his measuring tape available to check threat ranges of my units or his own. A small inconvenience but sometimes annoying if say, I forget my measuring tape as well and we have to share. Also my opponents territory boundary is very precariously placed; it stresses me out. I'll survive.

Personally I like to place my armies in the center of the board before we start where we can't deploy anyways. Knowing the deployment boundary ahead of time makes this possible. Maybe I'm showing off cool models or just being practical, I'll never know. Below is being fully deployed using our territory lines.

But what if territories divide the table exactly 50-50? As an added bonus, these chopsticks can be used to setup your units more than 9'' away from enemy territory  with a few exceptions on that distance of course. My favorite example is this tool's effectiveness for the "Knife to the Heart" scenario. Not only is it in a zig-zag pattern for player territory but also demands a 9'' distance from the center line. Effectively, you end up with corners AND a curved corner to deploy around sketched out below.

Instead of making small adjustments with measuring in multiple directions, or even making a second deployment line altogether, I just put multiple sticks down to my model. I tried to crudely sketch those above in Player A's territory as an example.

Moving to the gameplay itself, the most immediate use of chopsticks comes from special deployments mid-game or movement shenanigans in general. Units pop up in weird places, often stretched out a bit to maximize charge potential if you get that sweet sweet 9 on dice. Often, you find yourself between multiple enemy models and having to constantly adjust every single one of yours so they are outside of 9''. Or worse you realize too late that not all of them can be set up. Sad. Never fear! For the chopsticks are here!

In the above example, my stormfiends are pulling a sneaky one on the unsuspecting bestigor by tunneling up to protect my gun-line. I was backed up against a corner but it worked out in the end. Before placing a single model down or even committing to a particular area to deploy, the sticks hit the table to "sketch" where and how I could deploy. Before looking at this area of the table, I even put a few sticks down elsewhere to see if I could be more aggressive. With having so many of this tool, I could just leave it all over the table, and use all of that saved time measuring to instead think tactically and make the best move for myself. More time rolling dice, less measuring I say!

The fun part using this sketching tool, is that you can use it proactively to protect yourself from your opponents shenanigans as well. Just leave a bunch these on your backline to be very transparent with opponents about what they could realistically deploy behind you. 

The final note about bringing this tool: sharing is caring; let your opponent use them too! Everything I described above can benefit your opponent's ease of play. If both of your are saving time and headache with fancy maneuvers there's more time having fun. 

I should say that for all of you experienced players, perhaps you are already a pro at all of these parts of the games and don't need to be adding more to your gaming tool kit. But I offer up all of these pointers as an option to have in your back pocket. Perhaps you don't have an army or allegiance rules that demand so many measurements but like I said before, your opponent might. 

Everything comes down to finding 9'' chopsticks or their equivalent  just to be clear. Please measure them first silly. 

Bonus tip: Chopsticks serve as a great utensil I hear, especially for those mid-game snacks

Yummy.