Note to Self: ASL Resource Link(s) and Third Time Lucky [Updated]?

Superb ASL Resource Link:

https://www.desperationmorale.com/

I know, it is like Groundhog Day, or a scratched record (again and again). Yes, I am going in again. Wish me luck or pass me the bottle of Jack Daniels, and yes I mix it with coke and ice. The ASL Starter Kit #1 is my way in (again). I have also ordered ASL Starter Kit #2 as well, because "you do need indirect fire" in WWII infantry combat. I was also looking (too much looking) at ASL Starter Kit #3, which brings in tanks, but the prices were/are just too crazy. ASL, sigh, like an attractive mysterious woman, perplexing. It seems so right until you start dating! It is not that the "sound of" the rules doesn't feel right - even "good" (when [or rather if] you managed to cram them all into your head), but it is that there seems so much to learn and options (edge cases) to remember, so you are left with the feeling of "have I missed something"! Which - is frustrating, but in the end for ASL - is that a bad thing, if it gets you there? 

Footnote: I have a theory. A lot of the ASL rules seem to stem from misuse of Squad Leader rules or dissatisfaction with unintended game effects. In the same way that the follow on versions of DBA (or its more complex cousins DBM, DBMM etc) were aimed at stopping "competition gamers" distorting the historical principle of the game, winning in "unhistorical" ways. Trying to maintain the historical realism and avoiding clever mathematical twists that inevitably snag rules.

Please see Bob Corderey's Blog Home Page (Wargaming Miscellany) - The First Rule and The Spirit of the Game on https://wargamingmiscellany.blogspot.com/ - top right hand side! I also want to run ASL with miniatures, 1:1 (they are company sized battles). Does that make me "mad and bad"? Because otherwise you forget what you are trying to model in the real world. I have a friend who invested heavily in 2mm blocks of troops and literally said it makes you stop trying to "wibble" when you realise the number of men you are trying to control!

Update I: Found this interesting blog/website as it describes ASL SK#1 - Simple Equation Scenario 3 was thinking of transferring to the tabletop (spoiler alert the attack was bounced and ran out of turns):

https://www.stallardhonour.com/a-journey-into-advanced-squad-leader/

Update II: Board Game Geek tutorial support (thanks to "John Y", see comments):

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/157922/an-aslsk-tutorial-part-1

The Internet is a rabbit hole of ASL resources!

Battleground 2024 - Pendrakon, Middlesbrough

Hats off to Pendrakon for organising Battleground 2024 in Middlesbrough on Saturday (see link below): 

https://www.battlegroundshow.co.uk/

I had the pleasure of hosting the Wargames Development (WD) Arnhem participation game: "A Bridge Too Far", that went down really well with the 'participation game punters' (see below, the classic well-trodden WD [courtesy of the designers, John Armatys and Jerry Elsmore] game in the foreground and I helped with a second game inspired by Phil Sabin's "Take That Bridge" in the background - where US Paratroopers try to rush a bridge on the outskirts of Eindoven, against randomly generated enemies [which could be fake or real, you don't know unless they start shooting]):

I think this is the furthest north (convention wise) "A Bridge Too Far" has travelled with WD (certainly this year). Everyone who played it remarked on how good it was and brought the story to life in 'ten minutes'. Copies of the WD circular, "The Nugget" was distributed to participants as a taste of what Wargames Developments do. One game was particularly poignant when a player remarked at a point on the map, "This is where we lost my uncle, his body was never recovered, but his Dakota reportedly made it to the jump-off point but didn't return, so we don't exactly know what happened." That made you stop and think, he would have been just be a young lad (see below, in memory, with respect to all that fought): 

One of the pains or requirements of presenting a game is that you never get the time you want to take in all the other beautiful games. Luckily there was this lovely Renaissance game was next to our table so I could periodically enjoy its gameplay (see below, Durham Wargames Group - Display Game C - The Sesia-Italian Wars, lovely 28mm Figures and Scenery, using Pike and Shot rules I think): 

In the afternoon I did achieve a "bucket list" conference tick, as I managed to get across to see (and play) Renko's Blood Red Skies (BRS) tournament set-up [beautiful planes and playing map], where my late war Spitfire IX Polish Pilots managed to take down a Spanish Blue Squadron ME 109G Hun, but sadly I was bested by a far better player (Leslie) who is a pleasure to play against (we have a history, flying Gloster Gladiators he managed to shoot down my Me 109E Ace of mine - it is the curse of the BRS dice and my poor rookie tactics). All said and done a brilliant game, BRS is something I must play more of (see below, my moment of glory captured for all to see, winning me a tournament prize of a Warlord Games Heinkel 111 squadron pack, perfect for my Battle of Britain Project): 

The bring and buy had many temptations, but sadly a few of the sprues (I always seem to go for the unmade stuff) were a but vague on the sizes [10mm, 12mm, 15mm so I could not in my heart commit], so I probably passed up on a couple of bargains. Though I did spy a curious one, for a £5 I picked up a copy of Avalon Hill's Flight Leader. Now most flight, particularly jet, simulations are a tad complex unless you love flight (which I see myself more of a BRS abstract passenger, rather than 2joystick jock") but I am hoping to at least get to the basic game level with this (see below, if for nothing else it has a beautiful game board that can be reused, so I have a "Plan B"):

Finally my sin, with a 10% show Warlord discount voucher in hand (another joy of the BRS competition) I saw my Achilles Heel and succumbed gladfully [no "convention day after" regrets here]- 2000AD ABC Warriors (see below, one word describes this set to me "Hammerstein", never heard of "Increase the Peace" so there may be a graphic novel too to buy in the future): 

 

I now know I have to get the complete ABC Warrior set (I do have a chunky Foundry [?] Hammerstein) but the Warlord offerings look impressive resin kits. The fact that ABC Rules are compatible with Judge Dredd seals the deal for me. I tool the opportunity to pick up Mongol too, as the figure looked brilliant. Happy days!  Other "normal" purchases were 20mm Vietnam casualties and 10mm MkVI British Light Tanks for my early war Western Desert Project (Command Decision - Benghazi Handicap). 

Exploring WWII with an Old Friend: Panzer Leader

Back in 2019, yes pre-Covid, and a memory dredged up from the "Draft" folder. I was looking at Panzer Leader with a friend (see below, I think this is the first Panzer Leader scenario, US Paras dropping behind the lines in Normandy 1944 to grab a vital road junction - but which one?):

The set-up suggests a "gang up" action by teh Allied Player of one of three defended villages (see below, the German player has to hedge his bets and guess "where" the US Paras will drop in on him - teh German seems to have thirded his forces, with his mobile element in the middle [sensible as he can easily go East - West to teh rescue or stand and fight with his "best"]):   

In this case it was the central town teh Allied player opted for (see below, teh Germans are being hit North and South, in a concerted concentric attack): 

It is one of those games where it is advisable always to roll high (see below, rolling a six is a precious commodity in this game): 

A five is not bad either (see below, grinding attrition is a key element of the game, where patience is a learnt skill, as the old axiom says - "fools rush in where angels fear to tread"): 

One feature of Panzer Blitz is the continual flipping over of counters to mark that they have been hit, and/or are ineligible for a move on the Phasing Players turn (see below, a counter face up means the unit can spend an action, blank side means either disruption through combat or an action has been performed - it is a neat way of ensuring "units don't go twice" [by sneaky purpose or by accident mistake] - Oh for gentlemanly gamers!):

Many rounds of combat and not a lot seems to be happening (see below, however in reality the Germans are being ground down - just a case of can they hold on to the\key town terrain to see the German reinforcements arrive in time?):

The wider scenario picture (see below, relief columns have been sent East and West from the Towns the Germans now know are safe): 

However the German relief columns are a mixture or horse drawn, motorised and light wheeled armour (see below, so even with road movement bonuses it will take time and arrive disjointed - meanwhile the US Paras need to keep rolling sixes): 

The "German Dead Pile" is mounting (see below,  a mortar, a Security Infantry and quite a valuable unit - an armoured car squadron; each Panzer Leader counter is approximately a platoon strength):

The US Paras are hammering away at the town [rolling sixes] and the Germans are down to the last of defenders (see below, the Germans are also finding out how hard it is in generating the 3:1 odds needed for attacks with a half decent chance of success): 

A major moment in the conflict, a town sector devoid of Germans and US Paras who simply won't budge (see below, you know it is significant as there are two Generals pointing fingers at it):  

Negotiating your way round the Panzer Leader CRT was a vital but a dark art in itself - especially as Avalon Hill games designers did not necessarily go for historical orders of battle [and overwhelming 3:1 odds for one side] but rather hinged the scenarios around delicately nuanced "Maths-like Operation Research" equations (see below, or was that merely my imagination[?] or excuse for losing[?])

I would like to say "hours of fun" - but sometimes it was a glorious "At last it is THE END, we can all go home now". I think this one was an Allied victory! Panzer Leader was a (classic Avalon Hill) game, but very much a game of its time and getting to the end of a scenario in one night (without proceedings breaking down into a mild [understatement] argument over the "interpretation of rules" (and their correct context) could be quite an achievement in itself IIRC. Avalon Hill did produce a game called Diplomacy [which was renown for rupturing long lasting friendships]

To Clip or Not To Clip .. Board Game Counters .. That is the Question!

Although I do like my modelling (ahem, understatement) and my table top wargaming - along with plenty of models, even better when serendipity strikes and I get my to play with my painted toys on table too - I also enjoy SPI, Avalon Hill and GMT board gaming. I think it's that formative teenage Squad Leader experience coming back to me. Counters in place of figures is one thing (and sometimes a tactical board game gets brought to life on a table top), but it then begs an awkward question If you go all-in on models and bother to shade/highlight them and then lovingly flock your bases (and what is not to like about a good flocked base). Should you not really go the extra step in board game world and clip your counters too? (see below, the raw tatty square look fresh from the counter sheet that we all know and love):  

But look, a small matter of a clipper and a bit bit of counter TLC - a few (four in fact) corner snips and the ugly ducklings are transformed into deluxe state-of-the-art swan (or "melee markers" in my case)  that could be auctioned off at Christie's or proudly used at a convention (see below, what a change, smooth in the hand): 

Half tongue in cheek perhaps, but well why the hell not - apart from the thousands in my combined board game collection. Does it also remove the need for tweezers? [I am not going there!] I await for the Internet to speak back to me in due course .. "profanity filter now engaged"! I also believe there is already a high quality You Tube Channel devoted to this subject ..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pho7cql_H0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyjGxdp4Z4U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJY2MJRj2V8

Thank you Ardwulf!

Avalon Hill Games - Raid on St Nazaire Solo Games

I managed to get my hands on this classic little number from Avalon Hill, The Raid on St Nazaire, which will become part of an ongoing WWII Commando project (see below, an evocative piece of cover art - not sure if I agree with the spanking "blanko" webbing though!):  

Review from Board Game Geek: 

• https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/1425/raid-st-nazaire

Helpful Tutorials: 

• https://boardgamegeek.com/video/456895/raid-st-nazaire/raid-st-nazaire-part-1
• https://boardgamegeek.com/video/443891/raid-st-nazaire/raid-st-nazaire-french-partisans
• https://boardgamegeek.com/video/365610/raid-st-nazaire/raid-st-nazaire-vassal-content-review-gameplay-dar

Time to push some counters around!

Could (the old) PanzerBlitz actually be the ONE?

One from the dusty alcoves of the loft. Avalon Hill's PanzerBlitz is "as old as the hills" (my edition says published in 1970, so that at time of writing this post PanzerBlitz is 53 years old - but it still plays as a complete coherent system. PanzerBlitz stands as a potent influencer on many of the newer board games in the 2000+ era (even if it is as a marmite love-hate relationship, to stimulate a different approach than PanzerBlitz). PanzerBlitz can be seen as answering the same tactical questions still asked by newer games, even crossing into the post 1945 to the modern era. Consciously or unconsciously it has a palpable [direct or lingering trace effect] on modern game mechanisms. PanzerBlitz still has a basic intrinsic value and there is good merit in playing it. PanzerBlitz a recreational game, but one that bears more than a passing reference to tactical WWII scenarios that gives historical results. So could the "old one", be "the one"? I have a wargaming friend who would like to test this thesis out with me (see below, the iconic logo of a platoon of JagdPanthers, not good news if you are in a T-34): 

For a guide to play PanzerBlitz, take a look at the following informative videos from Legendary Tactics.

• How to play PanzerBlitz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNs1M3CB4po&t=1184s
• PanzerBlitz units (Part 1): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1tFRVI5VZE&t=95s
• PanzerBlitz units (Part 2): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPz7aeOWw8w
• Situation #1 Play Through: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1YfdNgWWoo
• Strategy for Situation #1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3XqGAE5M_k&t=3s
• Situation #2 Play Through: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aJukxkSJeE
• Strategy for Situation #2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEPif_y6x6Y
• Situation #3 Play Through: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPoiYnZdZ5E
• Strategy for Situation #3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7qQVY1q99k&t=1s

I am working my way through them.

Footnote(1): Board Game Geek reverence - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2238/panzerblitz

Footnote(2): Extension Counter Site - http://gregpanzerblitz.com/19401943_north_africa.htm

Footnote(3): Pico Armour - PanzerBlitz 3D - https://picoarmor.com/

Footnote(4): Fixing PanzerBlitz: - https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1167422/fixing-panzerblitz

Returning to see an old friend "Squad Leader"

And it came to pass that I brought it down from the dark place in the loft and opened it in the presence of friends and a battle for Stalingrad suddenly emerged (see below, The Guards Counterattack - say no more): 

Familiar SL friends of a different sort (see below, berserking Russians that no morale test will diminish but a bullet can still KIA): 

Ah, home again (see below, a "possible" set-up but is it optimal? Please readers stop squabbling, consult The General to find out and see what the wise sages and prophets say):

How we laughed when my splendid well oiled German Spandau machine guns all broke (see below, I ask you of all the times to throw double six - when hoards of ravenous Russians are approaching!): 

And you know what - I did it again (see below, what is worse than two broken German Spandau, would you believe it if I told you four Spandau?): 

My friend, there is always one watching (and he had no idea what was going on because he had not played SL before) kindly calculated the odds of that happening for me (see below, but seasoned SL players expect the unusual as a matter of course): 

I knew it, sooner or later I was going to make one of the Russians go berserk (see below, at least he has an open road to cross in line of sight (LOS) of a German machine gun nest):  

Meanwhile - when rallying a broken leader don't roll a 12, especially when you have other squads in teh same hex also in a perilous state - it is all happening tonight):  

The Guards make a spectacular attack across an open space to try and get to some broken Germans (see below, what can that German squad in the building do? Save its comrades?): 

No (see below, a prime killing chance goes begging and it looks grim in Close Combat [automatic kills on broken squads]) for the broken Germans (see below, but wait what is this, read the sequence of play, rout moves before close assault - run away Fritz, which makes sense to me): 

Meanwhile the berserkers annoying run across the road (another dismal German MG roll) and successfully close combat some Germans - I knew it, it's those red counters that do it!): 

But alas the Guards are hammered by some "good German MG" dice (see below, SL can be oh such a cruel, cruel game): 

We left it there, happy to play a few turns - the Germans probably in the winners enclosure but you never, never know for sure in SL!

Online Magazine Repositories: "The Dragon" and "Space Gamer" + bonus UK ASL Fanzine site [and AH General]

 While looking through the Internet I came across these interesting sites: 

• UK ASL Fanzine and Avalon Hill's "Sport Game" info site: https://www.vftt.co.uk/indexs.asp
• The Dragon D&D Fantasy Magazine Repository: https://archive.org/details/DragonMagazine260_201801
• The Space Gamer Sci-Fi Magazine Repository: https://archive.org/details/space-gamer_201601/page/n1/mode/2up

The interest stemmed believe or not from reading an old AI article that mentioned Traveller, and many hours later ... tons of good stuff there!

Update: The General https://archive.org/details/general_magazine [Thanks to Ed M's comment below]

Avalon Hill: Panzer Blitz Combat Rules

The Power of Three: What am I attacking, what am I hitting it with and how is it affected by terrain and/or range modifiers?

Panzer Blitz is a classic game from the early Avalon Hill era best recognised from hexes, symbolic terrain, movement points, attack points, defence points and the ratios between them in a Combat Results Table (CRT). A statisticians heaven. Importantly it also brought in the concept of how you breakdown an attack on a hex containing multiple targets (see below, selective attack on one target [the weakest] - multiple targets but not all attack [working from the weakest up] and finally combined attack [everything attacked as if were one big unit]):

There were plenty of opportunities for "wargaming cheese" here (or unrealisms) that exploited the mathematics of certain situations however the purity of the design principles is clear. In fact the Spearhead rules by Arty Conliffe seems to draw indirect inspiration from it in its target assignment and prioritisation of targets depending on weapon type. Another consideration apart from the power (as in attack points a counter has) is the weapons inherent capability aka purpose: Infantry Weapons, Anti-Infantry Guns (HE: High Explosive) and Anti-Armour Guns (AP: Armour Piercing), plus if it has indirect "Mortar and Howitzer" characteristic (see below, nicely summed up in a little chart):

There then follows range and target type considerations (see below, the rows read Infantry Weapons, AP Weapons and then HE Weapons):

The terrain of the target hex counts too (see below, +2 DRM with cover from Woods, Swamps and Towns, with slopes and hills significantly affected the AF because of good cover):

The above consolidated into an odds-based Combat Resolution Table (CRT) as seen below, where "X "X" is a KIA, "-" is 'No Effect', D equals Dispersed (with no action other than to rally at the end of the next player's turn, so effectively missing a go) and DD is a special chance to kill units already Dispersed this turn (see below, a special tactic in Panzer Blitz seemed to be suppress with long range fire and close assault to kill - that was one unit can be attacked twice in the same turn):

The above formula seems to have stood the test of time!

Fun with Cardboard and Containers

The first bit of fun comes with a spare sheet of thick card and a pair of scissors; coming off the back of the Arras game I did a stock take of the 'stands still left to be done' and I provisioned sufficient for all my early war 1/200 to get based (see below, one of those jobs that is harder to start than to do once started): 

The next bit of organisational fun was seeing some cheap plastic boxes perfect for board game counters storage in Home Bargains (apologies to international viewers here not from the UK) at the princely sum of £1.29 for four (see below, checking them out for size with the "printed out" early war Panzer Leader/Panzer Blitz - BEF counters, nice job!):

All Panzer Blitz bases were covered with four of these beauties (see below, all counters neatly tucked away into their box by nationality and function):

I can see myself going through some old favourites and de-bagging and boxing up the counters or by a combination of both bags and boxes have my board game collection in "ready to play" mode.

Talking about a "Matilda", but not the Roald Dahl one, even though it is Xmas!

The "Master of Leipzig" from Battleground 2019 placed a special request, to play some more Blitzkrieg France 1940 (Panzerblitz, Avalon Hill style) in early January 2020, with the BEF. To the spares box I went and found a covey Skytrex 1/200 Matilda I's and II's Battalion which beckons forth the Battle of Arras. A "Battalion of BEF infantry" and an "Infantry Tank Battalion" should suffice to represent "Frank Force". The only 'fly in t he ointment' being the Matilda I assembly process (see below, this tiny micro tank comes in 'four pieces' - out with the superglue):

The first company (Coy) of Matilda I's completed (see below, equivalent to the German Panzer I albeit much slower, armed with a single HMG - the redoubtable Vickers machine gun):

The 7th RTR had two companies of Matilda I's. Each model represents approximately 4-5 actual vehicles therefore the Company has three models [in the Arras battle 4th RTR had 35 Matilda I's and 7th RTR had twenty three Matilda I's and sixteen Matilda II's]. I have six Matilda I's and four Matilda II's tanks, along with two BEF Bren Carriers and a MkVI Light Tank to represent the 7th RTR (See below, that is thirteen models in total using Command Decision and Spearhead OoBs):

The three tanks of the heavy company (Matilda II's) are shown below, plus a fourth tank for the Battalion command tank (see below, the only issue I have with the metal models are the "Western Desert" external "extended range" fuel tank - I may have to "snip" them off):

The origins of this Order of Battle sates back to 1990 when I first started a rejuvenated interest into wargaming (a second birth) when I was living in Aberdeen, UK. I picked up Frank Chadwick's "Command Decision I" from Virgin Games on the high street, long before the Internet when you had to find stuff in shops. Inside the CD rule box was a quarterly newsletter (called The Command Post), in Section S-2 Intelligence the Order of Battle Section the British Infantry Tank Brigade, France 1940 by Jeff Glasco was given (see below, it seems to have lasted the test of time given my reading of France 1940 since 1990):

First Army Tank Brigade

• HQ: 1 x Matilda I (Command Tank)

4 RTR (Battalion)

• HQ: 1 x Matilda I (Command Tank), 2 x Carriers, 1 x MkVI Light Tank
• Light Squadron: 1 x Matilda I (Command Tank), 2 x Matilda I
• Light Squadron: 1 x Matilda I (Command Tank), 2 x Matilda I
• Light Squadron: 1 x Matilda I (Command Tank), 2 x Matilda I

7 RTR (Battalion)

• HQ: 1 x Matilda II (Command Tank), 2 x Carriers, 1 x MkVI Light Tank
• Light Squadron: 1 x Matilda I (Command Tank), 2 x Matilda I
• Light Squadron: 1 x Matilda I (Command Tank), 2 x Matilda I
• Medium Squadron: 1 x Matilda II (Command Tank), 2 x Matilda II

Note on actual strength: Prior to engaging in combat, total Matilda strength dropped to 58 Matilda Is (12 stands), and 16 Matilda IIs (3 stands) due to mechanical breakdowns.

Background References:
http://www.4and7royaltankregiment.com/1940-1941/

November Wargaming Show: Stockton Battleground

Looking back to November this year I had the good fortune to help out with an exhibition game at the Stockton Battleground Wargame Show. A 10mm epic Napoleonic feast, the last day of the 1813 Leipzig battle, the largest Napoleonic battle. The battlefield set-up and rules were a hex driven (Kallistra scenery) tribute to the Avalon Hill era  - you could say an Avalon Hill rule appreciation society. The goal being to be able to play epic sized Napoleonic battles "quicker" than they actually took (see below, these 10mm figures came from the Pendrakon stable, which seemed appropriate as they organised the show):

In addition to playing I managed to do some shopping between dice rolling and figure moving (see below, following on from the Wargames Illustrated "freebie" - after several good recommendations from friends I took the plunge and bought the starter set, yes yet another Napoleonic Naval scale!):

Catching the corner of my eye I saw a "must have" throwback to my childhood, 2000AD tribute to Judge Dredd (see below, get ready for Block War .. mine is the JRR Hartley Block, fly fishing anyone. Watch out from those no good perps from the Homer Simpson Block, they are trouble and they will catch some "rod"!):

The last purchase was looking forward to my communal 2020 project, the Western Desert in 10mm, my bag is the Italians (see below, a party pack from Pendrakon):

So plenty of painting planned for the festive break!