2006: Your Year in ASL

[Glennbo]

My ASL year went well. I had eleven of my scenarios published: 8 by East Side Gamers, and three by Critical Hit. (oh, and one zombie scenario)

I played once a week. Almost all of it was playtesting. I helped out with Few Returned, and Critical Hit (I even playtested a Holst scenario for CH's upcoming Axix Pack).

Tounament-wise I made it to ASLOK (where I hosted my first mini-tournament), and P.J. Norton's Officefest.

On the forum I went a little overboard and averaged almost three posts a day. On various polls I was voted 2nd funniest, 2nd worst hijacker, and 6th or 7th (I can't remember) most popular forumite. I had seven or eight threads moved, one thread shoved directly into the Toxic Waste Dump before anyone could even post on it, and about a dozen posts bannished there as well. My favorite thread was "Forced To Have Sex With A Tank", where I asked you all to choose an AFV to have sex with if a gun was put to your head (it quickly got moved from the forum). My most controversial thread was "Which ASL Hill Looks Most Like Poop" for which I was attacked viciously by more shocked and angry forumites than ever before, and my insulting replies back to them got the whole thing tossed into the Toxic Waste Dump. I got involved in several flame wars (over Starter Kit Boards, overlays, Critical Hit, and my tasteless threads mostly), and was berated by three different respected forumites for polluting the forum. I had Moderators "ask" me to refrain from posting several times. But surprisingly, I only got about ten negative reps or so. I made lots of friends here as well, and actually got to have a beer with one when he came to town.

 

[MrP]

Trying and almost succeeded to play once a week, apart from high days and holidays. Helped out on the Ortona playtest with many annoying questions to Mr McLeod and also PT'd a couple of MMP scenarios for Journals and the like.

Bought AOO and the Journal and not much else. Preordered VoTG and Few Returned in the hope that my credit card won't have run out before they're charged, although I'm not hopeful Also preordered the HoB triple pack thingie and await that. Bought nowt from CH. Even bought Glennbo's Dezign Pack 1 and Zombie ASl and will probably buy DP2 at some stage.

Went to Heroes, drank beer, played ASL and chased Dracula prior to having to leave early to try and get home before snow closed all the roads. Pity as I was one of only 4 or 5 with a 3-1 record.

Designed a couple of Burma scenarios, playtested them a bit and found them, well, pretty OK IMHO. If anyone wants to play one, drop me a line.

This year? Play some more. Play some VASL. Play some PBeM. Design more. Playtest some more. Go to Heroes again.

That's pretty much it for me

Ian

 

[Calimero]

That was a very average year for me.
Okay, we finally got AoO and I managed to play quite a few scenarios in it (despite the size), plus I also go loads of new products (the SP and RP, the Heropax4) plus some oldies (Melee packs, Tigers to the front and a load of old 'Tactiques'). I also had a fair bunch of games and managed to pull out a decent numbers of victories. Plus we did a bit of playtest for Ortona.
But my job and other activities kept me away from all (yes every single) European tournament. I usually go to two or three, and this year I couldn't do a single one. Everytime there was a professional constraint that had me fly away.
Thank God, I still could secure one week of vacation and went to ASLOK ... I had wonderful games there, and it's always a pleasure to meet the crew up in Cleveland (although it's difficult to explain to your firends and relative that you go to the US, not for the Grand Canyon or SanFransisco, but to Cleveland ).

Can't complain though because I expect 2007 to be worse in terms of gaming time. :OHNO: Ha well ....

 

[cryophobia]

A Good Year

2006 has been a good year i.t.o. ASL

- I managed to get a partner to play twice a week via VASL. This was a tremendous bonus and I think it's a great idea to get someone to play regularly. Nothing like actual play to learn the rules.
- I've managed to work through both SKs and now feel comfortable playing full ASL including AFVs.
- I've been fortunate to meet an excellent bunch of guys via PBEM. And have had some really exciting games.
- I've been able to introduce and re-introduce some guys down here is SA to ASL and hopefully we will be able to continue with this in 2007.
- I've managed to nearly complete my ASL core module collection. Still looking for ABtF, the later annuals and J2.
- Started purchasing some of the TPP ASL stuff out there, with varying, but interesting results
- Spent most of my time reading this forum!

My ASL ToDo list for 2007:

- Try and get the stuff I am still missing, I guess this will be part of 08 as well depending on the new releases for 07.
- Pick up all my PBEM games and try to get live VASL play going again.
- Get more FTF guys introduced to ASL
- Pick up Desert and PTO rules
- Try and get an ASL software application I'm working on up and running.

And in between all of this get ready to become a dad in June 07 and kiss my ASL time good bye till goodness know when ...

 

[commissarmatt]

Great thread, Mark. But geez, do you have a day job, or is ASL your full time job? How the heck can you get that much stuff done? Wow.

Overall 2006 was a fairly decent ASL year for me. I only went about .500 or so at the Austin ASL tourney, but managed to win a couple of small prizes. I went 15-4 for the year, which is not a bad pace for me. I hosted a couple of game days. For much of the year I was unable to play due to other constraints. Sam and I got Banzai 11.1 out, which was pretty cool. Thanks for the kind words about it, Mark. For this year I hope to play a bit more and knock out another Banzai or two, and of course to attend the Austin tournament.

 

[soggycrow]

When you're catching up on ASL products it's easy to have a good year.

AoO
BRT
RB (Black Friday leftovers)
SASL (same)
Out of the Attic
Journals 5-7
PB
CdG
HL
RB2ndEd
FKaC scenarios (I have WoA, and even CoB/GH)

Also preordered
SKMapSet
DB reprint
VoTG
AP3 - FR

But compared to a lot of you I have a long way to go. I really don't have any third party stuff yet. But a lot of it seems to have a good reputation.

Still missing boards 9,11,33,42,43,44,45,46,47. Looks like there are identified paths to get all of them except 46 and 47. And of course the SK mapset will have everything.

Question: Is there any future product known that will revive boards 46 and 47? If there is I haven't found mention of it. Perhaps one of the future Action Packs.

On to 2007. This year I intend to get out in public and get beat up a lot playing the game.

 

[Pitman]

Great thread, Mark. But geez, do you have a day job, or is ASL your full time job? How the heck can you get that much stuff done? Wow.

Actually, ASL is the pressure valve without which my full time job would probably drive me crazy.

 

['Ol Fezziwig]

Actually, ASL is the pressure valve without which my full time job would probably drive me crazy.

That's funny; when I was self-employed the same was true for me. Now that I am...erm...under-employed, ASL doesn't have the same urgency it once did. I still love ASL, talking(some would say, arguing:hush: )ASL, but I haven't gone out of my way to schedule ASL as I once did.

I did play a fair amount this year, particularly AoO scenarios, but nowhere near the volume of years past. That, I hope to change.

 

[Fritz]

"If you're are going to go to the trouble of casting me in the gay porn classic "Chuikov's General Staff" you damned well better get the credits right."

I was going by the box cover art for the Albanian version. Mea culpa!

Brien- unfortunately various occurances and expenses have made a WW weekend unlikely. Wish it wasn't so, but Life bites the Weenie.

 

[rdw5150]

Hi!

Well my year in ASL was pretty good. I went somewhere in the neighborhood of 20-10-1 in FtF games, including 6-3-1 at the latest ASLOK (the one tie was in the finals of a mini), but did horribly VASL PBEM (1-10). I started my first CG (PB CGII) which is stalled since one of my FtF buddies had new child.

I wanted to learn Night and did play one Night game at ASLOK, but have not moved on since that, though I have a VASL PBEM Night game set up now.

I tried to be nicer on the forums, sometimes I was successful, other times I was too thin skinned (happens to us all).

Bought a lot of stuff at ASLOK (WAY TOO MUCH), but really did not buy much other than AOO and J7 the rest of the year. I also bought the NP 3D map from Jeff DeYoung, which was a great purchase (I thought anyway).

Met a lot of great people here and at ASLOK.

All in all a pretty good year in a great hobby (despite all our bi%^&ing and complaining).

Peace

Roger

 

[Brien Martin]

Brien- unfortunately various occurances and expenses have made a WW weekend unlikely. Wish it wasn't so, but Life bites the Weenie.

We shall miss your musings ... we shall miss your gracious manner ... we shall miss, most importantly, those five guaranteed wins you always seemed to provide to the others in the tournament field

Brien

 

[Brien Martin]

I played two games of ASL at Winter War (got to play the esteemed Mr. Trezza ... although he refused to play any scenario set on Board 9 ...)

Missed the ASL Open due to work (and it looks like 2007 is not going to fare much better)

Sold my ASL kit over the summer (wasn't using it much, anyway)

Played two games at another "SteveFest" in Milwaukee ... and came very close to beating Herr Etzelmueller ...

That's about it ...

Brien

 

[James Taylor]

Thank God, I still could secure one week of vacation and went to ASLOK ... I had wonderful games there, and it's always a pleasure to meet the crew up in Cleveland (although it's difficult to explain to your firends and relative that you go to the US, not for the Grand Canyon or SanFransisco, but to Cleveland

Hey man, I live in the Detroit Metro area, (about 2.5 - 3 hours by car from ASLOK), AND you should see me try to explain to my friends/co-workers that I'm spending my vacation in Cleveland!

I just tell them it is PERFECT... because I'm going to be indoors rolling dice for X days and if it was anywhere else (except maybe metro Detroit) I would be tempted to go visit something cool.

JT

 

[soggycrow]

Hey man, I live in the Detroit Metro area, (about 2.5 - 3 hours by car from ASLOK), AND you should see me try to explain to my friends/co-workers that I'm spending my vacation in Cleveland!

I just tell them it is PERFECT... because I'm going to be indoors rolling dice for X days and if it was anywhere else (except maybe metro Detroit) I would be tempted to go visit something cool.

JT

Well, I grew up in Cleveland and I like it just fine. I was there last week visiting the folks and my sisters. I would rather live there than where I do now - the Washington DC area, where the summer lasts from June to October. In Cleveland you get four seasons, and three months of each one. The only major league sport they don't have is hockey (Go LeBron). And the Cuyahoga River hasn't caught fire in years.:blab:

 

[Canadian Dude]

Well, I grew up in Cleveland and I like it just fine. I was there last week visiting the folks and my sisters. I would rather live there than where I do now - the Washington DC area, where the summer lasts from June to October. In Cleveland you get four seasons, and three months of each one. The only major league sport they don't have is hockey (Go LeBron). And the Cuyahoga River hasn't caught fire in years.:blab:

No Hockey!!! What kind of **** hole is that place :devious: :bite:

- The Canadian Dude

 

[Houlie]

Always a good time to reflect on ASL fo the year past. I was fortunate to complete 48 games of which I won about two of every three games. I was pleased to see the quality of my play improve with fewer times spent in the rule book during the game. I credit this improvement to the high caliber of opponents. As the proverb goes: "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

On the tourney front, I made The Open for the third straight year and attended ASLOK for the first time. Both were great experiences and are reminders of why I love this game so much -- great people. I was able to meet many folks at ASLOK and enjoy great gaming. It was especially fun (and sometimes frightening :laugh: ) to put the faces to the forumite names.

On the product front I picked up: AOO, J7, Schewerpunkt, Rally Point, Dezign Pack 2, Zombie Pack, Friendly Fire 2, Break Contact!, RBF3, Mark P's Scenario Design Guide, and I am sure a few other things that escape me.

I am hoping 2007 continues in the same fashion with regard to fun and quality products!

 

[soggycrow]

No Hockey!!! What kind of **** hole is that place :devious: :bite:

- The Canadian Dude

Well, Cleveland used to have the Barons, which was minor league hockey. But I don't know. The Barons may be gone. But there was at least a time when Cleveland was not puckless.

 

[Tork]

The year in review...

Probably the most significant accomplishment was finally finishing the BRT CGIII with Carl. It was fun, it went on for a long time, but the last year of having to put up with my bad decisions made during the setup was a serious pain. Along with that, wrote my buns off for the BRT guide as well as the Dispatches from the Bunker.

Only 18 entries on the P.I.S.S. for 2006, but a number of those were for monster sized scenarios. I spent more time gaming this year than before, with a couple of VASL sessions a week. Did some playtesting for the Bunker, excellent VotG goodness. Still waiting patiently for it to come out.

A good time was had at the Noreaster in March. Lost the first two games, but then won four in a row. Respectable. The quality of opposition around here is excellent, and I continue to get schooled on a regular basis.

I hosted an ASL session about once a month, plus or minus. So I did my bit for keeping the Game going in the Boston area. I did help one new guy get started, and helped another guy return to the fold from the purgatory of Euro-games...

For 2007, I hope to start another CG, whether BRV or KOTH, not sure. I really want to play one of the Uncommon Valor big cave scenarios. Hopefully after Stoumont is done.

 

[M Faulkner]

Well, I grew up in Cleveland and I like it just fine. I was there last week visiting the folks and my sisters. I would rather live there than where I do now - the Washington DC area, where the summer lasts from June to October. In Cleveland you get four seasons, and three months of each one. The only major league sport they don't have is hockey (Go LeBron). And the Cuyahoga River hasn't caught fire in years.:blab:

Well, why didn't you get ahold of the locals and get a game in? We better hear from you next time you are in town.

BTW, I am from Florida and moved to the Cleveland area after getting married.
People ask me if I miss FL and my answer is a resounding NO! I miss FL less and less after each time I visit family. (For the same reasons as stated in Soggycrow's message except that FL has summer from about April to November and sometimes beyond)

 

[soggycrow]

Well, why didn't you get ahold of the locals and get a game in? We better hear from you next time you are in town.
QUOTE]

It was a Christmas thing. The family actually expected me to spend time with them