Finished up all the scenarios in Advanced Squad Leader Starter Kit (ASLSK) #2 – Guns. On to ASLSK #3 – Tanks.
Not even Jay Richardson’s fantastic tutorial could soften the impact of my first reading of the AFV rules and charts. Brain just shut down.
Well, it will be a long process, and I’ll no doubt avoid armor scenarios, or at least those with several vehicles. But, it has to be done. Must learn. Need to find a way so that it doesn’t seem like work.
Sucked into the vortex that is Advanced Squad Leader. Feel like one of the characters in the classic SNL skit when organizing counters in plastic containers.
The slippery slope began with Starter Kit #1. The slide accelerated with the decision to play a couple of scenarios from Partisan. Why Partisan? It’s been sitting on the shelf for about 4 million years, is infantry only, with low counter density. The deal was closed when I read this review in Boardgamegeek. It’s my fondness for un/semi-loved games.
The GDSpazz-iness started because the partisan counters aren’t in the Partisan game. Huh? Yes, this predecessor to Armies of Oblivion only contains generic axis allies counters. The partisan counters are in Beyond Valor. I bought Beyond Valor loose, bagged and without a box about 4 million years ago. So, started separating Russians to get the Partisans. Since I was involved in the process, it seemed logical to take care of the German infantry, too.
Now that I have them organized, might as well get some of the play-aide and marker counters organized. Why play when you can while always the hours fiddling with cardboard? Croix de Guerre beckons.
While the Battle of Katlego Faragh has been raging, I’ve also been playing Ranger and (gulp) ASLSK.
Be careful what you wish for. My last two games of Ranger have been nothing short of disasters. Those combat scenarios are a lot tougher than a pure recon mission. In one game, the squad barely moved past the perimeter before it was hit by a close ambush. I forgot doctrine, and tried to break contact. Wrong & BLAMMO. Need to assault through a close ambush.
The next mission was an anti-armor ambush that went really well……except the getting home. Again, another close ambush, but far from home and too many casualties to evacuate. Well, the good thing about wargaming is that it’s just like “Edge of Tomorrow”. Die, Learn, Try Again. I really dread rolling 2-3, or 11-12. As mentioned in my previous Ranger post, bad things happen.
ASLSK has been fun. Playing the first scenario, rules-in-hand, one half-turn at a time. With low counter density, no supporting weapons, and a methodical approach, it’s been a pleasant and not frustrating experience. I’ll try another similar scenario, and then, perhaps, add crew-served weapons. Unfortunately, the complete rules are in the No. 3 game, and I am loathe to spend $30+ for just a set of rules. I have a lot of counters and scenarios to mess with already. Got to figure that out using the ASL rules and the player’s guide.
A long, long time ago I played Squad Leader (SL). Really into it. Sorted all the counters into plastic containers, so typical for an SL Dweeb. Then, for some reason, I gave it all away to a younger war gamer on a budget. Dunno……
About seven years ago, started buying up not only SL games on EBay, but also the all-consuming monster that is Advanced Squad Leader (ASL). Scrounged through AH Generals for scenarios, copied them, and then placed them in a binder. But, every time I looked at the monster rule book I just cringed, and satisfied myself with looking at the scenarios, and browsing through Mark Pitcavage’s wonderful Desperation Morale website.
For reasons that cannot be explained, I bought the Advanced Squad Leader Starter Kit (ASLSK) #1 a year ago. And now, I’ve decided to start playing again in little, teenie, tiny baby steps.
What made this decision easy was the discovery of this. Jay Richardson did a fantastic job putting together this guide. It reminds me of how helpful the old AH replays were when you were learning one of their games.
Now, I’m going to hold off on the second and third modules for awhile. It’s a progressive system, with successive rule books adding mortars/artillery and then vehicles. What I really need is to find the third module’s rule book. I’ve got plenty of ASL modules with counters and a gazillion scenarios, so there’s no real need for the counters/maps – I think(?).
Will start this up on T-Giving, after I finish up the latest iteration of Raid on St. Nazaire.