ASL Lovers...why ASL?

[Sir Slash]

Church of the Emaculate Die-Roll! 

[bayonetbrant]

Seen today at gamer's armory

[judgedredd]

Question about ASL - are the counters in all the games (expansions) 1/2"? I really, really struggle to read them and have to use a magnifying glass

[Barthheart]

Question about ASL - are the counters in all the games (expansions) 1/2"? I really, really struggle to read them and have to use a magnifying glass

Vehicles are larger, but yes most are 1/2"... 

[judgedredd]

That is a bugger. They're really, really, really, really small

[bayonetbrant]

That is a bugger. They're really, really, really, really small

That was the industry standard when the original game was launched.  If they tried to change that now, after 40 years, there'd be a huge revolt for making people have to re-buy everything.  You saw people pitching a fit over the re-issue of the World at War '85 counters to enlarge them and make them readable.  Now multiply that player base by 20-25x and realize how many years of buying components people have invested in that system at that size.

There's a zero percent chance you'll get that changed at this point.

[judgedredd]

Understood. I simply cannot invest in it...even if I wanted to and I was genuinely considering it after reading the rules for the Stater Kit.

[trailrunner]

I don’t have much problem with the 1/2” counters because there isn’t that much info on them. The 5/8” vehicle counters have a lot of info on them and sometimes I have to pull out my magnifying glass for those.

[BanzaiCat]

So I just made a minor error. It's quite laughable, but it looks like I might be getting into ASL, despite my best efforts otherwise.

I did a trade in which I'm getting, among a couple of other games, one called Operation Neptune. I totally missed that it's an ASL module, but it's not a big deal I suppose.

The other two I got are not ASL-related.

I'd ask, where would I begin? By getting the Starter Kit #1?

[bayonetbrant]

I'd ask, where would I begin? By getting the Starter Kit #1?

By getting on eBay, and sell it, before it consumes your life

[bob48]

^+100

[trailrunner]

So I just made a minor error. It's quite laughable, but it looks like I might be getting into ASL, despite my best efforts otherwise.

I did a trade in which I'm getting, among a couple of other games, one called Operation Neptune. I totally missed that it's an ASL module, but it's not a big deal I suppose.

The other two I got are not ASL-related.

I'd ask, where would I begin? By getting the Starter Kit #1?

SK1 is a great place to start.  It's less than $30 and has a lot of replay value.  Electronic rules for all the SKs are free on MMP's website, but the have all the SK rules for SK1-4.. There are a lot of video tutorials for the first scenario (Retaking Vierville) and some of the other scenarios.  War of the Rats, Released from the East, Simple Equation are great scenarios.  And I highly recommend reading the tutorials written by Jay Richardson.  They are easy to find and very useful.

If you want to play the game with full rules, start with Beyond Valor (Germans and Russians) and a rulebook, either electronic or printed.  If you go printed, most people prefer the pocket version over the the 3-ring binder.

Operation Neptune is a Bounding Fire module.  Usually you'll need a fair bit of other ASL kit to play those. 

[Rekim]

According to the BGG page, Op Neptune requires the following ASL modules. BFP is a third party publisher of ASL materials. The stuff listed from MMP is core ASL.

BFP: Either of the following: Poland in Flames or Onslaught to Orsha 2 (2 counters needed)
MMP/Hasbro/AH: Beyond Valor, For King and Country (or West of Alamein)

[Rekim]

7 of the 10 scenarios included with Op Neptune are played on the included paper map. The other 3 scenarios need map boards that do not come with the HASL. I own all of the core ASL gear and do not have any of these maps. This isn't a show stopper as these boards can be found in VASL/Vassal.

[BanzaiCat]

Damn.

Thanks, guys. I think Brant's answer may be the best one.

But I'll check them all out - appreciate the input!