Interest in non-historical scenarios?

von Marwitz

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Fairly certain that's what most people mean when they're asking for ASL scenarios not founded on an actual time/place/OoB.
Cue Psycho:
"That's what she said..."


Here is a review from an unknown critic:

"I've never even thought about playing ASL until I stumbled upon this extremely intriguing historical piece! This Psycho person, who I obviously do not know anything about, seems a genius! He took a complicated & chaotic mess that was warfare & managed to weave a beautiful work of art out of it!
He is obviously a person of great knowledge & imagination for to behold his wondrous creations startles me to my core & leaves me with an emptiness that could only be filled by someone so majestic!
He surely works very hard to achieve such perfection. The massive historical research he must delve into to pluck these seemingly insignificant skirmishes from among the billions of such fights & to breathe life into them with such care. The meticulous attention to detail he attains with each & every scenario is truly beyond anything anyone has ever done in any field in the history of mankind. And to think he provides these scenarios for free to everyone to enjoy!
This Psycho person must be a vast well of knowledge that we should look to with great reverence & try to be more like him. For he sees a spark, nay, a flame, where others only know cold & darkness.
Overall, it was a humbling experience & one I know I shan't forget! If only once I could perchance peek inside the windows of your ivory tower I would be enlightened by your subtle genius. "



Looking at these non-historical scenarios, no one can guarantee for your mental health... :eek:;)

von Marwitz

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footsteps

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I would be cool with hypothetical, meaning historically plausible, not something with zombies. :rolleyes: :)
Are you suggesting that zombies aren't real????

I mean, how else can you explain Congress?
 
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holdit

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What about scenarios based on generic situations rather than specific historical actions? I've had a copy of Charles S. Grant's "Scenarios for Wargames" for years and never did much with it. I have an urge to tinker with scenario creation and I bought Pitman's excellent book on the subject and was thinking that SfW It might make a good source of inspiration for some ASL scenarios. Sample situations (from memory) include rearguard action, reserve demolition, assault vs prepared position, firebase, helicopter assault, city fighting, assault river crossing, etc. They could be more hypothetical than ahistorical in the sense that they could be set in the context of a historical campaign.

Is it necessary to be an experienced player before starting to design scenarios?
 
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sswann

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No, not necessary.
I designed my first scenario after being a part-time player for only 6 months.
I will admit that I was extremely lucky with the design in that it was and is the most balance initial design that I have ever done.
It was published in the GENERAL magazine without editing or changes.


Is it necessary to be an experienced player before starting to design scenarios?
 

Michael Dorosh

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What about scenarios based on generic situations rather than specific historical actions? I've had a copy of Charles S. Grant's "Scenarios for Wargames" for years and never did much with it. I have an urge to tinker with scenario creation and I bought Pitman's excellent book on the subject and was thinking that SfW It might make a good source of inspiration for some ASL scenarios. Sample situations (from memory) include rearguard action, reserve demolition, assault vs prepared position, firebase, helicopter assault, city fighting, assault river crossing, etc. They could be more hypothetical than ahistorical in the sense that they could be set in the context of a historical campaign.

Is it necessary to be an experienced player before starting to design scenarios?
Check out the Wargamer's Digest group on Facebook (used to be on Yahoo til they pulled the plug). McCoy would put in a "generic" scenario every issue, for tabletop games, but certainly didn't stop anyone from enjoying them.

I've used the Wargamer's Digest "Battle Stations" features as inspiration for tactical level games in other systems.

It's a bit of a myth that ASL is only "historical" scenarios in any event. Certainly the original Squad Leader game system had some fictional scenarios masquerading as historical. But even most ASL scenarios are like that, given the geomorphic boards and the way orders of battle are set up. I discuss some of this in more detail in my own book on scenario design, but what I didn't dare say in print was that the majority of ASL scenarios are more fiction than non-fiction. But you add an actual historical write-up and it sells people. Also scares people off of wanting to design their own, probably. As Steven says, you shouldn't feel intimidated.

Glenn Houseman admitted, IIRC, that he would sometimes put together a good ASL scenario for sale by his TPP, and then flip through history books to find a good writeup to attach to it.
 

Michael Dorosh

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And a quick Google finds the Battle Stations features discussed in an ASL context here:

 

sswann

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G8 RECON IN FORCE
sometime around 1987 or so. (I thgink... long time ago.)
 

holdit

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No, not necessary.
I designed my first scenario after being a part-time player for only 6 months.
I've just started re-reading Pitman's guide and the introduction says the same. I'd forgotten that bit.
 

von Marwitz

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It's a bit of a myth that ASL is only "historical" scenarios in any event. Certainly the original Squad Leader game system had some fictional scenarios masquerading as historical. But even most ASL scenarios are like that, given the geomorphic boards and the way orders of battle are set up.
I support this point of view.

As long as there are geo-boards involved, it is quite daring to claim that a scenario would be 'historical'. The landscape that defines the battlefield will have at least have a comparable impact as whether you have, say, a 37mm PaK or a 50mm PaK in an OoB.

While interestingly nobody gives a fuss about the geomorphic terrain, there might at the same time be an outcry if a particular type of unit was not present in an action which is present in a scenario design 'representing' that action.

IMHO as long as the scenario design is more or less plausible and the tactical situation could have happened just in the manner which the design portrays, then design for effect rules supreme over historical "accuracy" which is mostly a chimera for the typical ASL scenario in the first place.

I believe the main benefit of 'historical' background presented on scenario cards is that it might ease to some extent the immersion to the story. Personally, I don't need the background for that function and read it more out of general interest or because it sometimes gives a hint on how the scenario might be intended to work.

von Marwitz
 
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