ASL Lovers...why ASL?

[JudgeDredd]

ach...I'm getting it. It's only £24!!

It'll give me something to unbox for you lot...so just remember, I'm doing this for the site...selfless I am.

[Tolstoi]

It'll give me something to unbox for you lot...so just remember, I'm doing this for the site...selfless I am.

Sort of "taking one for the team" then? 

[bob48]

 

[ojsdad]

 

https://twitter.com/SockwellMark/status/1304559287482683397?

[thecommandtent]

I've got SK1 but really struggled to get into.  But that was a few years ago and life was pretty upside down then and I don't think I had the concentration to learn it. I should give it another shot...

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

I loved Squad Leader back in the day but it really was the only game in town.  I player a lot of SPI's Sniper as well but preferred SL.   I wouldn't recommend getting into it now though.  It's kind of like viewing a classic movie for the first time decades after it was released.  It's usually a let-down because others have taken the good bits and built upon them while leaving the dross behind.   I find the newer tactical games are much more approachable and enjoyable but you can definitely see the influence SL had on them.

[JudgeDredd]

Too late. I'm giving it a go.

[Bison]

I really like ASL. I think if I would have gotten the SKs prior to the full rules, beyond valor, yanks, for king and country....I would most likely not moved on to the full rules. The series really hits my ASL sweet spot. Fewer rules overhead and generally smaller skirmishes.

[trailrunner]

The first scenario in SK1 is Retaking Vierville.  It only has squads, half squads, and leaders - no support weapons, no guns, no vehicles.  That scenario has been played a million times, so there are probably some good playthrough videos out there.

The first time I played this scenario (solo), it probably took me two weeks, because I was constantly looking up rules.  Now, with an experienced player, we could probably finish it in two or three hours without looking up any rules.  What was daunting and confusing at first will become second nature.

[JudgeDredd]

ASL Starter Kit 1 turned up today.

II don't know if I'll be getting anymore - the counters are very small

I'll give it a read and a play through though.

[trailrunner]

SK2 has larger counters for guns.  SK3 has larger counters for vehicles.

[Staggerwing]

Even King Agamemnon dressed as a firefighter can't save him now...

[hongkongwargamer]

Here's perhaps one of the best articles on the case for Advanced Squad Leader (by Eoin Corrigan)
https://hongkongwargamer.com/2014/04/05/advanced-squad-leader-is-the-greatest-wargame-ever-published/?wref=tp

[JudgeDredd]

I'm going to read the article and all will likely become clear - but I'm going to ask before I read...but why?

There are so many out there that now "appear" to do things similar and better (from my initial reading of the ASL Starter Kit rule book...which I assume is everyone I need for infantry combat?

[bayonetbrant]

When was the last time your wargame was used in a church sermon?!

(seriously....  you gotta stick with it thru at least the 3-min mark)