ASLOK XXXI Official TD AAR

[Jacometti]

In an odd occurrence the Grofaz finale was Saturday night.

That setup a final of Steve Pleva versus Randy Shurtz and they picked a playtest version of a new Friendly Fire scenario from Peter Struijf & Chris Mazzei with lots of colors in the name involving Romanians attacking Russian factories in 1941 on a terra-formed board 1. Looks like an interesting scenario that was getting good reviews already. Randy had a great turn 1, but Steve's Russians stemmed the tide and his mostly conscript force held on long enough for the Russian reinforcements to arrive and stem the tide for a Russian win.

Steve wins his 10th Grofaz title in 31 years which is a rather amazing accomplishment and Randy finishes 2nd in his first return to ASLOK in 14 years.

The FrF scenario played as GROFAZ final is called "Red Tears Shed on Gray", which is a line from the Killing Joke song "Love like Blood". Oh how young we all were when that played on the radio.

I have to congratulate Steve on an incredible run......7 GROFAZ wins out of the last 10 years......

 

[Gunner Scott]

I playtested that one Saturday and it felt like Liberating Basserabia but with different boards.

The FrF scenario played as GROFAZ final is called "Red Tears Shed on Gray", which is a line from the Killing Joke song "Love like Blood". Oh how young we all were when that played on the radio.

I have to congratulate Steve on an incredible run......7 GROFAZ wins out of the last 10 years......

 

[Sparafucil3]

Wild Bill pointed out we had 4 games going at 7AM Sunday including the annual Epic "Battle for Rock Boy" which raged all night. Once again Tommy Cvetinovich & Pete Mudge triumphed in To the Last Man over Wes Vaughn & James Taylor in their annual overnight battle of somewhat drunken ASL which always yields some epic stories and exciting moments.

Once again?!?!?!?! Tommy and Mudge have never won to my knowledge. Did they finally win one this year? Of all the things at ASLOk, I miss this the most. -- jim

 

[chris_olden]

In a first, the battle for 3rd & 4th place plaques was a 3 way duel of J171 Whom Gods Destroy. We had 3 players at 4-1 all interested in playing for a shot at 3rd/4th (which yields a plaque & $50) rather than going to tie-breakers and/or a dice off to see who got to play for 3rd, a 3 player scenario was suggested. Whom Gods Destroy ended up the winner as the FB one likely would have presented a slight advantage to Mr. Cirillo who designed it. Early Bill's troops were pounding on Aaron which effectively precluded Aaron from having a real shot at winning while John moved out in front. At that point Aaron decided to play for a plaque and Bill moved to play for the win and John slid from the front to the back of the pack. It sounded like an epic 3 way battle which resulted in Bill Cirillo placing 3rd, Aaron Cleavin 4th & John McDiarmid 5th.

Thanks for that report Bret! Totally made my day!!!!

 

[bendizoid]

I ate some dog food, I thought it was some kinda snack sitting on a table. It was kinda dry and could probably use some ketchup.

 

[Bill Cirillo]

Thanks for that report Bret! Totally made my day!!!!

Too funny. Around 9PM Saturday I stated "this is going to totally make Chris Olden's day". Glad to read that I was correct!

I will try and post an AAR tomorrow!

Bill

 

[von Marwitz]

I ate some dog food, I thought it was some kinda snack sitting on a table. It was kinda dry and could probably use some ketchup.

Better some dog snack than a dog of a scenario, I reckon...

von Marwitz

 

[bendizoid]

Once again?!?!?!?! Tommy and Mudge have never won to my knowledge. Did they finally win one this year? Of all the things at ASLOk, I miss this the most. -- jim

Tommy and Mudge have won two years in a row.

 

[John_McDiarmid]

Hose on the plaque, but what can you do. Next time lose the dice roll and have to suffer a 5th with no game played...

Congratulations again to Steve for another Grofaz.

Thanks a ton to Bret, Bill and everyone for running yet another (albeit slightly smaller this year) wonderful tournament.

See you again next year.

 

[davegin]

My thanks to all who attended this years ASLOK...without you, the intrepid players who journey to Cleveland every year, this would not be the same...also, my thanks to Bret and Bill for their untiring efforts to make this event the largest and most enjoyable ASL experience ever...and finally, congrats again to Steve for continuing his outstanding Grofaz run

 

[Ray Woloszyn]

My thanks to all who attended this years ASLOK...without you, the intrepid players who journey to Cleveland every year, this would not be the same...also, my thanks to Bret and Bill for their untiring efforts to make this event the largest and most enjoyable ASL experience ever...and finally, congrats again to Steve for continuing his outstanding Grofaz run

Ditto on the thanks to Bret and Bill but also to you for making this a social event as well making an early arrival very worthwhile.

 

[Chas Argent]

A special thanks to Mike Faulkner, who drove me to the airport Sunday afternoon after the hotel shuttle driver magically vanished off the face of the Earth.

 

[ecz]

A special thanks to Mike Faulkner, who drove me to the airport Sunday afternoon after the hotel shuttle driver magically vanished off the face of the Earth.

these inherent drivers that do not know the rules...

 

[Aaron Cleavin]

Was a truly amazing ASLOK.

Had 22 games over 9 Days, + a morning and an evening.
Brett and Bill (and Dave Ginnard) are the most self sacrificing and wonderful hosts one could want.
All are welcome and embraced.

We are so fortunate to have the game and the people who love it, to be able to embrace it fully.

All hail ASLOK (and ASL)!!

This production has been bought to you courtesy of 4 pints of eclectic Great Lakes Brewing company beer at John Hopkins International Airport!

(A Nosferatu (Deep Red ALe), an Eliot Ness Amber, an Edmund Fitzgerald Porter, and a Commodore Perry IPA)

 

[Aaron Cleavin]

Hose on the plaque, but what can you do. Next time lose the dice roll and have to suffer a 5th with no game played...

Congratulations again to Steve for another Grofaz.

Thanks a ton to Bret, Bill and everyone for running yet another (albeit slightly smaller this year) wonderful tournament.

See you again next year.

The game was a lot of fun but not really ASL per see, look forward to having a two player game against you any time VASL or FTF. You are both a quality ASL player
and a fantastic person.

 

[chris_olden]

The game was a lot of fun but not really ASL per see,...

I'm really pleased that you guys had a good/fun game!!
Yeah...it's isn't really traditional hardcore cutthroat ASL.
I think it's more like Diplomacy/RISK disguised as ASL.
(Which was my intention.)
However, I do like that it can, apparently, be played as a
serious tournament scenario, as well as a beer fueled blood feud
amongst friends.(Which was also my intention.)

 

[Michael R]

ASLOK summary: Sixteen scenarios played; only three of them I had played before, and one of them was updated since I last played it. I won eight of them. Of my sixteen opponents, I was playing against six of them for the first time. I made three tries for a mini-plaque and did not succeed.

 

[ActionBurk]

Thanks, Bret. Great job as always. The hotel wasn't ideal, but it was quite serviceable, IMHO...
Steve

Nice job Steve, you da' man!!!

 

[KYCATS7]

Aaron

I owe you a couple of cold beverages, thanks again for bringing me the book!

Sorry I had to leave early. I make good the next ASLOK I see you.

Russ

Was a truly amazing ASLOK.

Had 22 games over 9 Days, + a morning and an evening.
Brett and Bill (and Dave Ginnard) are the most self sacrificing and wonderful hosts one could want.
All are welcome and embraced.

We are so fortunate to have the game and the people who love it, to be able to embrace it fully.

All hail ASLOK (and ASL)!!

This production has been bought to you courtesy of 4 pints of eclectic Great Lakes Brewing company beer at John Hopkins International Airport!

(A Nosferatu (Deep Red ALe), an Eliot Ness Amber, an Edmund Fitzgerald Porter, and a Commodore Perry IPA)

 

[James Taylor]

Tommy and Mudge have won two years in a row.

Last year Tommy and Mudge won for the first time as the Germans, who they had played for 10 years straight, making them 1-9 as the Germans.

Because they finally won, (against myself and Dave Ginnard standing in for Wes Vaughn who had gone deep in the Grofaz), they got to play the Russians this year.

Because it was clear to us after the first year that the German side is very much "unfavored" we started giving the Germans more and more balance provisions successively through Tommy's & Mudge's losing years.

When they won, the balance was reduced for the Germans, (Tommy and Mudge wanted Wes and I to "feel their pain").

So we had the following provisions:

- All Germans are SS.
- An extra 658 in the OB.
- Ammo Shortage SSR is removed.

Wes and I managed to take the "comrades" to turn 8, which is pretty good comparatively, and it was a very exciting game, but in the end our supermen fell to the horde. The *critical* moment (pun intended) was when Tommy bounding fired an IS2m at our 9-2 stack in a fortified factory location and rolled 1,1. It was an improbable hit, but Tommy confirmed it by following it up with a 1. That equated to a 36 -5 shot (the extra -1 for heavy payload)... and even though Tommy rolled an 11 on the effects DR we still suffered a 2kia which the 9-2 and a 548 squad got selected for...

Our loss means we have the Germans again next year, but we get to add the following to the above balances:
- An extra 548
- A Flame Thrower that only the German 7-0 leader (Mudge) can use.

This game was unusual in that the Russian sniper (3) was far more active than the German sniper (6). First blood went to the Russians when their sniper went off on Turn 1 and killed the 7-0 Mudge. Later, revenge was extracted when the 8-0 Cvetinovich leader was killed by the German sniper.

All told the Russian sniper killed 4 of the German leaders--- which really made it difficult for the Germans to keep up a valid defense.

Despite the loss it was one of the most enjoyable ASL experiences ever.

JT