Tournament Likes / Tournament Hates....

bprobst

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the best way to fight against biased dice
The best way to "fight against biaised dice" is to recognise that the vast majority of dice being rolled in ASL tournaments are not biased, no matter how many snake-eyes your opponent is currently rolling, and if you are complaining about "biased dice" you are actually complaining about "being diced" which is an entirely different matter -- and beyond anyone's control, including your opponent. Spend more time worrying about how you are playing the scenario, and stop wasting time obsessing over your opponent's choice of random number generators.

It doesn't matter if you spend thousands of dollars on precision dice and make sure that all of your opponents use them, you will still end up being diced at some point or other. (Sod's Law would suggest that the more you spend on your dice the worse their performance will be.)
 

STAVKA

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The best way to "fight against biaised dice" is to recognise that the vast majority of dice being rolled in ASL tournaments are not biased, no matter how many snake-eyes your opponent is currently rolling, and if you are complaining about "biased dice" you are actually complaining about "being diced" which is an entirely different matter -- and beyond anyone's control, including your opponent. Spend more time worrying about how you are playing the scenario, and stop wasting time obsessing over your opponent's choice of random number generators.

It doesn't matter if you spend thousands of dollars on precision dice and make sure that all of your opponents use them, you will still end up being diced at some point or other. (Sod's Law would suggest that the more you spend on your dice the worse their performance will be.)
You write "Vast majority" then you go on like you mean "all". How is it?

I do not mind the dicing aspect of the game. But, Many players prefer dice that have no symbols on them and only regular dots .

But if the - annoy-your-opponent-trend is afoot. Let me introduce my new Battleschool dice
https://astraquill.wordpress.com/2015/08/20/bone-origins/
My pal suggest copy the Battleschool svastikas and pen drawn them on the serpent eyes lol.
 
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Vinnie

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Likes: very limited choice of scenario each round; I dislike having to decide.
Variation in theatres each round; I would never have played pto if it did not have a round in the first heroes I went to.
Good lighting
Decent beer and a place to chat not too far from the gaming area but not right within it too. Comfortable chairs as well.
NO DAMN AIR CONDITIONING!
The welcoming of people who want go play something larger than normal.

Dislikes

sharp cornered precision dice. I don't like the way they feel in my hand.
Rules on what dice may or may not be used and the way they are to be rolled.
Bad weather forcing me to cancel my trip.
Spiders.
Rice pudding, tapioca, custard and pomegranates. I've tried guys, I really have, but I just don't like them.

A requirement that all gaming is to be tournament. There should be room for both.
 
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Ray Woloszyn

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A requirement that all gaming is to be tournament. There should be room for both.
Après-game where any variety of non-ASL action late at night can occur will not go away and is nothing new. As far back as the 80's one would often see Magic the Gathering being played. Nowadays it could be anything. Just make sure to finish your last round early or pick a corner in a room where four to six players can't set up Circus Maximus or Terrafarming Mars. Otherwise invest in ear plugs.
 

Ric of The LBC

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Après-game where any variety of non-ASL action late at night can occur will not go away and is nothing new. As far back as the 80's one would often see Magic the Gathering being played. Nowadays it could be anything. Just make sure to finish your last round early or pick a corner in a room where four to six players can't set up Circus Maximus or Terrafarming Mars. Otherwise invest in ear plugs.
a place for a game of Quarters. Adds to the glass clinking sounds
 

Sparafucil3

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The best way to "fight against biaised dice" is to recognise that the vast majority of dice being rolled in ASL tournaments are not biased, no matter how many snake-eyes your opponent is currently rolling, and if you are complaining about "biased dice" you are actually complaining about "being diced" which is an entirely different matter -- and beyond anyone's control, including your opponent. Spend more time worrying about how you are playing the scenario, and stop wasting time obsessing over your opponent's choice of random number generators.

It doesn't matter if you spend thousands of dollars on precision dice and make sure that all of your opponents use them, you will still end up being diced at some point or other. (Sod's Law would suggest that the more you spend on your dice the worse their performance will be.)
Never ascribe to malice that which can be explained by simple fate. If I played the same people over and over, bad dice would be sussed out. Given how infrequently I play people at tournaments, the best I can hope to do is make sure the dice are as fair as possible. If you won't share dice, this is the best approximation of fairness I can get to. Having said that, I am not the guy who is going to get overly excited about your dice. I have a couple of different dice from different manufacturers. I will match your dice with my own if I believe the dice are suspect. -- jim
 

Mister T

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Let's get back to scenario selection. I struggle with this. I MUCH prefer to play new, never seen scenarios. However, as I get older I am getting much more selective in what I want to play and what I think is balanced. Frankly I have been disappointed in the balance of many recent publications. Of course I can be wrong, and may very well be on balance opinions. So I generally prefer a pre published list. Not so that I can play them all three times and develop the perfect plan/set up. I just want to check them out, make sure they look and smell right when I have time to review them properly, not during a 20 minute set up period as your opponent twiddle his thumbs. I just don't want to lose a scenario in the side selection process/DR. I would love to hear some solutions for new/hidden scenario lists and getting the scenarios properly vetted.
Publication of the scenario list two months before the event seems to be the right compromise IMO. People can have time to look at scenarios, but not too much. Also releasing the list too early removes the possibility to add fresh scenarios, which is always a big plus.

This is only an issue if the number of players is capped and the cap is reached before the scenarios are issued. At the same time, it is not an issue for the organizer as he has reached its target.
 

Steven Pleva

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Let's get back to scenario selection. I struggle with this. I MUCH prefer to play new, never seen scenarios. However, as I get older I am getting much more selective in what I want to play and what I think is balanced. Frankly I have been disappointed in the balance of many recent publications. Of course I can be wrong, and may very well be on balance opinions. So I generally prefer a pre published list. Not so that I can play them all three times and develop the perfect plan/set up. I just want to check them out, make sure they look and smell right when I have time to review them properly, not during a 20 minute set up period as your opponent twiddle his thumbs. I just don't want to lose a scenario in the side selection process/DR. I would love to hear some solutions for new/hidden scenario lists and getting the scenarios properly vetted.

Just loaded the ASL gear in the truck. Off to KC and the March Madness tourney in the morning.
Agree here. Friendly Fire is probably the only publisher that I would trust with a "new scenario dice for sides" situation. Other publishers have a varying degree of reliability here. I usually try to publish the Albany list a week or two after ASLOK. That allows me to incorporate any new products released there. Generally speaking, guys like to play new stuff - as do I. Finally, I developed PBS so that in the end, the balance is in the hands of the players. We get plenty of cross bids and some high bids every year. I think this is pretty cool. YMMV...
Steve
 

Mister T

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Never ascribe to malice that which can be explained by simple fate. If I played the same people over and over, bad dice would be sussed out. Given how infrequently I play people at tournaments, the best I can hope to do is make sure the dice are as fair as possible. If you won't share dice, this is the best approximation of fairness I can get to. Having said that, I am not the guy who is going to get overly excited about your dice. I have a couple of different dice from different manufacturers. I will match your dice with my own if I believe the dice are suspect. -- jim
I prefer to share dice but if people stick to theirs it is okay provided they are precision. Given the sensitive nature of the topic, i would prefer tournaments edict rules and let the market decide which rule is more popular. I asked players at Copenhagen not to play with dice with non-pips and they accepted (more generally non-standard game components should require the assent of both players).
 

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March Madness 2018 was my 8th tournament since attending the Texas Team Tournament in 2013. My number one dislike is the Mulligan. I've had it used against me twice and it hurt the game in my estimation. Bad things happen in the game and a Mulligan played at a critical time could change the outcome of some contests. I would suggest that each tournament player be given a Luck Card, which they can play one time during the tourney. When played, it rallies a squad, fixes a MALF'd weapon, or makes a squad fanatic...that kind of thing.

I enjoy some structure as to what scenarios are played in what Round, but would prefer they were not based on theater or nationality. I would like to see Round 1 - Infantry Only and amp up the scenario complexity each Round. I think this would help even the odds in the first Round between the weaker and truly great players. We tend to see the same names at the end of tournaments, which is a testament to the awesome skill of these ASL'rs, but it might be nice to see some new names with the trophies.
 

Grumblejones

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What’s a mulligan? (In ASL context, I know generally).
You can redo a die roll essentially. In one game I played, I was running a squad across the open. My opponent's MMG fired...boxcars and malf'd the gun. I had taken a huge risk and made it. Ah...but then the mulligan was played, reversing the boxcars. He re-rolled and waxed my unit. It didn't alter the game overall, but certainly changed the result of that particular turn.
 

Steven Pleva

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Aaron talks of using a "mulligan light" that changes one of your DR to NE. Basically, it saves you from the negative effects of a 12. It won't reverse a result...
 

Spencer Armstrong

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You can redo a die roll essentially. In one game I played, I was running a squad across the open. My opponent's MMG fired...boxcars and malf'd the gun. I had taken a huge risk and made it. Ah...but then the mulligan was played, reversing the boxcars. He re-rolled and waxed my unit. It didn't alter the game overall, but certainly changed the result of that particular turn.
Thanks.

That sounds awful.

Aaron talks of using a "mulligan light" that changes one of your DR to NE. Basically, it saves you from the negative effects of a 12. It won't reverse a result...
That sounds somewhat less awful.

I’m generally of the opinion that house rules are fine and dandy among consenting gamers in the privacy of their own homes or a mini tourney they’ve chosen to sign up for with that intention, but don’t belong in general tournament play.
 

Doug Kirk

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March Madness 2018 was my 8th tournament since attending the Texas Team Tournament in 2013. My number one dislike is the Mulligan. I've had it used against me twice and it hurt the game in my estimation. Bad things happen in the game and a Mulligan played at a critical time could change the outcome of some contests. I would suggest that each tournament player be given a Luck Card, which they can play one time during the tourney. When played, it rallies a squad, fixes a MALF'd weapon, or makes a squad fanatic...that kind of thing.

I enjoy some structure as to what scenarios are played in what Round, but would prefer they were not based on theater or nationality. I would like to see Round 1 - Infantry Only and amp up the scenario complexity each Round. I think this would help even the odds in the first Round between the weaker and truly great players. We tend to see the same names at the end of tournaments, which is a testament to the awesome skill of these ASL'rs, but it might be nice to see some new names with the trophies.
Just discuss it with your opponent before the game starts. In my many years of going to KC MM tourney only a few times was the Mulligan used, usually by a KC guy. It wasn't used at all in any of my 5 games this year. I hate it too...

As for getting other guys on the podium, rather than the same ole names, infantry only scenarios will help, but the real solution is small scenarios. You have to bring more luck into. A bigger scenario will always favor the better player. The trend lately has moved away from 3 scenarios per day, to the 2 per day format. This allows for bigger scenarios and more relaxed play, but will ensure the same group of names keep showing up on the leader board. I am not against 2 scenarios per day, but likewise I am not sure it is good for the hobby. I think 2 scenarios also encourages slow play, which is a whole other topic of discussion.
 

Steven Pleva

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That sounds somewhat less awful.
As a general rule, a mulligan light is not necessary. However, there are some scenarios where a single 12 could doom the scenario. One could argue that the scenario designer should have put in a provision for that, but the reality is that there are some scenarios that need this to make them tournament worthy. This mechanic should only be used for certain scenarios, IMHO...

Steve
 

Spencer Armstrong

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As a general rule, a mulligan light is not necessary. However, there are some scenarios where a single 12 could doom the scenario. One could argue that the scenario designer should have put in a provision for that, but the reality is that there are some scenarios that need this to make them tournament worthy. This mechanic should only be used for certain scenarios, IMHO...

Steve
I mean, I've PTed scenarios where there's something that essential (turn 1 smoke, etc.) and more and more it gets SSRed in. Older scenarios, I guess I can see it. I'd certainly trust your judgment if you put it in for a scenario, but would likely avoid such anyway (not least because most scenarios that brittle fall below my "too small, even for tourney" threshold).
 

von Marwitz

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The trend lately has moved away from 3 scenarios per day, to the 2 per day format. This allows for bigger scenarios and more relaxed play, but will ensure the same group of names keep showing up on the leader board. I am not against 2 scenarios per day, but likewise I am not sure it is good for the hobby. I think 2 scenarios also encourages slow play, which is a whole other topic of discussion.
Personally, I hate being required to rush through scenarios and for that reason would not attend tournaments that are in the 3-per-day format. I want to enjoy my self while playing not to put time pressure on me - the standard workday has more than enough of that and I don't need that in my spare time.

Likewise, I don't see how the 2-per-day format could be bad for the hobby. As a newbie especially, I would not enjoy being steamrolled by that AFV-playstyle of: "Ok, start 1, 2, 3, 4, bp6, turn 7 bp9, sD - no, 9, up 14, stop & HD, 2 sides, CE fire, miss, Bow, CMG to turn 1MC. Done. Anything? Next." When "next" moves, he might still be wanting to consider if he had LOS on 4 and what his TH chances might be...

I believe there are simply different styles of play - the quick one and the deliberate one. Neither one is better or worse. They are simply different and ASL works for both styles of play very well. That said, the quickest and the slowest players might not go together very well, the former being bored, the letter being stressed.

In part, the 2-per-day format can cater to both if the scenario selection for each round includes smaller and somewhat larger scenarios. The slower players will tend to select the smaller ones as they realize they won't be able to finish the bigger ones. And if the TD has a rough idea which players prefer to go slow and fast, he can match the types together according to their current win/loss ratio. This won't work all the time, but it can go a long way.

von Marwitz
 
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