Apparently one third of all ASL players play solo the most.

Honza

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On FB I started a poll which asked ASL players whether they played FtF, VASL or solo the most. There have been over 300 votes and 1/3 of them are the solo option. It really surprised me.
 

hongkongwargamer

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On FB I started a poll which asked ASL players whether they played FtF, VASL or solo the most. There have been over 300 votes and 1/3 of them are the solo option. It really surprised me.
Why? Because people who choose to learn and to play one of the most detailed and complex board wargame tends to be naturally gregarious and sociable?
 

TopT

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On FB I started a poll which asked ASL players whether they played FtF, VASL or solo the most. There have been over 300 votes and 1/3 of them are the solo option. It really surprised me.
Don't forget that the pandemic has also hit FtF play really hard and not a lot of people choose to play on their computers as well as work on them.
 

Jazz

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On FB I started a poll which asked ASL players whether they played FtF, VASL or solo the most. There have been over 300 votes and 1/3 of them are the solo option. It really surprised me.
One third of the people who responded to your poll...which in general is different than "all" people that play ASL.
 

Jwil2020

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Add me to the solo player list (at least since Covid). Though obviously not the same experience as FTF, playing any game solo can still be quite compelling and rewarding. It allows a slower place, opportunity to experiment with different strategy and tactics, learning the rules at one's own pace- to name just a few positives. But YMMV.
 

von Marwitz

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On FB I started a poll which asked ASL players whether they played FtF, VASL or solo the most. There have been over 300 votes and 1/3 of them are the solo option. It really surprised me.
This surprises me, too.

For the record - for my first 15 years of ASL, I played almost exclusively solo as well (with the exception of one tournament a year). But this was mainly for the lack of FtF opponents and because back then VASL was very far from what it is now.

This really only changed in 2010, when I "rediscovered" VASL and found this forum. Needless to say, that the time since 2010 has been vastly more fun and extremely more effective with regard to improving one's play.

von Marwitz
 

csiemers

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Solo has been my go-to for any board game for the last 40 years. I never found folks that wanted to learn the complex games I played. Eventually, it became my own preference because I could setup a game and play on my schedule.
 

VonHutier

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I'm lucky to have a regular oppo, thanks to the VFTT, and I haven't managed to get to a UK tournament ( yet) . VASL isn't an option, I don't do technology very well. I'd love to play SASL but where am I going to find an affordable set ??
 

kcole4001

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I'm lucky to have a regular oppo, thanks to the VFTT, and I haven't managed to get to a UK tournament ( yet) . VASL isn't an option, I don't do technology very well. I'd love to play SASL but where am I going to find an affordable set ??
Keep checking the various second hand marketplaces, I got lucky and scored a SASL 2nd Ed.
SASL has a very different different feel compared to regular solo play, both are rewarding.
There is even a SASL RB campaign setup I have yet to try. I'm currently doing a SASL personal leader campaign (based on the OG Squad Leader campaign rules) which I started in Poland 1939, just finished scenarios in Norway.
 

Cult.44

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FtF play is definitely more fun and exciting and better in terms of improving your game. But solo play has its charms -- it's relaxed, you can take as much time as you want, or try out a hair-brained tactic or two, or study up on rules, etc. But as much as anything, for me, solo play lets my imagination roam in the historical situation and the action of the battle.
 

Paul John

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That surprises me too. I am glad y'all like the solo fun, but personally I find it mind-bogglingly boring.
I rely on VASL most of the time. Luckily I don't mind the computer issues and found that once I got used to those that VASL has features that beat cardboard hands-down.
Best part is there is always a handy opponent somewhere in the world.
 

jwaldron

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Since 1974 have predominantly played solo (all my games, from Panzerblitz, through AH, SPI, GDW and finally ASL in 1991) due to lack of FtF. Back solo again now as it allows a decent rules review before venturing out on the VASL arena.
 

kcole4001

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It's odd, I have noticed that the scenario attacker (which I tend to favour because I generally feel they have the more interesting role) always has the absolute worst dice rolls of any game I've played. That doesn't happen when playing ftf, or if it does usually we both have equally crappy luck, things even out better in ftf.
I have crushed or burned the original SL dice, the original ASL dice and 4 sets of generic 1/2" white dice while either playing RB or Guns of August solo.
The streaks of rolling a 1 on the CRT playing GoA topped out at 8 in a row once. :censored:
 
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