Best Forum Post of 2008

[Whizbang1963]

That's right folks, it's time for you to submit your candidate for the best post of 2008! Let's see what you think the best ASL related post was

 

[Psycho]

That's right folks, it's time for you to submit your candidate for the best post of 2008! Let's see what you think the best ASL related post was

ASL related? Well, that leaves me out. :shy:

 

[Whizbang1963]

ASL related? Well, that leaves me out. :shy:

LOL..well we don't need another 20.000 post thread do we?

Has to be something that moved you in 2008 Psycho that was directly related to ASL...

 

['Ol Fezziwig]

JR Tracy

For a game play-specific pearl, nothing beats this by JR:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Roger
I was wondering if any of the playtesters (or anyone else) has any advise for the Americans. I am playing this FtF against someone who has just gotten better than me. I am the Americans. I am not great with tanks, OK, but not great, I am only a so-so attacker, so this just seems like a recipe for disaster. But it sure looks like its gonna be fun!

(I always worry when I need to the most out of my tanks)

Hey Roger!

This might prove to be a bit of a learning experience for you - the key to American success is solid armor play. They don't have much infantry so the Shermans have to do a lot of the heavy lifting, putting themselves at risk in the process.

Keep in mind how many ways your Shermans can die - your opponent has five tubes (I think - no scenario card handy): two Panthers, two assault guns/TDs, and a 76L ATG. Other than the 75LLs, they aren't quite hit-kill but close enough to force you to be careful. He also has a PSK out there somewhere plus the usual fireworks display of panzerfausts. Finally, he has his OBA, which must be respected. All that adds up to two major rules: first, don't bunch up! If you do, you'll offer a sweet OBA target where he can guarantee catching a couple M4s in the blast area even with a bit of drift. Second, don't offer a single (potential) tube more than a couple targets - in fact, one exposed Sherman per possible German gun/AFV is the ideal. With the ATG still HIP, you'll have to make some educated guesses, but by all means avoid setting up a shooting gallery. The terrain can be channelling, but given walls, buildings, crests, etc, this is possible with careful planning.

With the dangers discussed, what are your advantages? Smoke, numbers, and speed. Smoke is the big one here; you have four ways of generating it. OBA, 75/76L smoke rounds from the Shermans, sMs, and infantry smoke grenades. The OBA should be covering your infantry's approach. A couple Shermans should be sitting back and laying down Smoke and/or WP to cover both infantry and armor movement. Smoke mortars are vital for scooting across open spaces and setting up some dances o' death; don't be afraid to go CE to avoid that extra +1, a killer here in the sweet spot of the 2d6 distribution. Finally the infantry grenades are reasonably reliable with that sweet 3 exponent. You have no single 100% reliable smoke delivery system, but you do have enough options you should be able to get at least a little when you need it. On any given turn it should look like The Weather Channel out there with the map littered with clouds of smoke. If not, you'll have a different kind of cover: burning wrecks.

Now, numbers: if you're not careful, this particular advantage will decay to nothing with each TK DR. You can afford to be aggressive with your armor but don't equate aggressiveness with mindlessly throwing your tanks around to see what happens. You can't make an omelet without breaking eggs, but every Sherman that burns has to be part of a plan - don't let them die in vain. With 13 AFVs, they should be operating in teams of two or three - a 75 tube supporting a 76L with smoke, etc. There's no excuse for a Sherman left on its own and vulnerable to an opportunistic German counterattack. The infantry is another story - you cannot afford to lose much, if any. Always move in terrain or behind/through smoke - you need to control buildings and if you don't take care of your dogfaces you *will* lose the campaign.

Finally, speed. This is a campaign in which the Sherman really shines in all its glory. I mentioned the smoke and sMs, but now we get to discuss Gyros! You have five to distribute across your fleet of finely crafted fighting vehicles. The obvious choices are the three M4A3(76)Ws and a couple of the M4A1(76)Ws, but a case could be made for throwing one of the latter into a (faster) 75-armed M4A3 instead. Your Gyro'd vehicles will be your hunter-killers, keeping the German AFVs honest and ultimately dispatching them. They should hang back, particulary the armor leader vehicles, until you've sorted out the dummies from the real stuff. Now the fun begins. With the armor team concept in mind, use a combination of smoke, sMs, and the occasional sacrificial Sherman to set up a kill shot with one of your Gyro'd vehicles. Here's where one of the 75s can die an honorable death. The German player has to respect its killing ability from the flank and with luck will burn a VCA spin and ROF to deal with the threat. Then a Gyro'd vehicle can swing in and go for a BFF shot, almost certainly winning a gun duel. From six hexes away, a *buttoned up* Gyro-equipped Sherman hits a Panther on an eight! Go CE, add in an armor leader, throw in point blank, and you are almost certain to hit. It can be tricky, one of the hardest elements of ASL to get the hang of, but it's exciting, rewarding, and very satisfying if and when you pull it off.

That should get you started. You might be shaky with your armor game, but you gotta learn by doing, and this is a great situation to do so. I anticipate a wide range of results for the this campaign, with blowout wins for both sides. It's short enough that you can't let yourself get too frustrated - just formulate a plan and dive in. If disaster strikes, reset and try again. It's a cool map, a good attack/counterattack situation, and does a nice job of highlighting the strengths and vulnerabilities of the mainstay of the American armored divisions. Have fun, and be sure to let us know how it goes.

 

[rdw5150]

Re: JR Tracy

For a game play-specific pearl, nothing beats this by JR:

Agreed for game play it maybe the best post ever

Peace

Roger

 

[Darrell Andersen]

Wrap it up, send it to JR.

Runaway winner.

 

[Whizbang1963]

that was too quick and easy....hmmm...
what is the next "Best of 2008" thread?

 

[RobZagnut]

That's right folks, it's time for you to submit your candidate for the best post of 2008! Let's see what you think the best ASL related post was

I'm partial to Gary Mei's ongoing 'Votg Cg4 Aar'

It's entertaining and highly informative.

 

[King Billy]

I this like the Gerbil awards? I liked the gerbil awards. We only ever had one Gerbil awards but it was fun.

What ever happened to the Gerbil awards?

Bill

 

[Psycho]

I this like the Gerbil awards? I liked the gerbil awards. We only ever had one Gerbil awards but it was fun.

What ever happened to the Gerbil awards?

Bill

They disappeared up Richard Gere? :hmmm:

 

[MrP]

I this like the Gerbil awards? I liked the gerbil awards. We only ever had one Gerbil awards but it was fun.

What ever happened to the Gerbil awards?

Bill

I think Brian (Bryan? Brien?)'s computer died and he lost the will to live after that.

Bring back the Gerbils! The public demand it.

 

[RobZagnut]

I change my mind. I vote for this recent post by Mr. Dalton. Pretty much speaks volumes.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Gunner Scott
You should really do your home work Dalton, call hasbro and ask them who pay for the license to publish ASL...............Go ahead. And they will say Mr. Schilling does..............

Scott

And how would you know this, exactly? Do you have a look-see into our books on a regular basis? No, you don't. MMP's license fee comes out of the profit we make on each ASL release, nowhere else.

And trust me, there is no way YOU talked to anyone there to get information on our business dealings. Corporations aren't in the habit of releasing such CONFIDENTIAL information.

Oh, I am sure you could fabricate some "proof" given your penchant for assuming other people's identities and engaging in misrepresentation, fraud, identity theft and copyright infringement, but don't honestly think you have any credibility with anyone who even remotely knows you.

 

[AZslim]

I think Brian (Bryan? Brien?)'s computer died and he lost the will to live after that.

Bring back the Gerbils! The public demand it.

Spuddies! Spuddies! Spuddies!

 

[AZslim]

I change my mind. I vote for this recent post by Mr. Dalton. Pretty much speaks volumes.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Gunner Scott
You should really do your home work Dalton, call hasbro and ask them who pay for the license to publish ASL...............Go ahead. And they will say Mr. Schilling does..............

Scott

And how would you know this, exactly? Do you have a look-see into our books on a regular basis? No, you don't. MMP's license fee comes out of the profit we make on each ASL release, nowhere else.

And trust me, there is no way YOU talked to anyone there to get information on our business dealings. Corporations aren't in the habit of releasing such CONFIDENTIAL information.

Oh, I am sure you could fabricate some "proof" given your penchant for assuming other people's identities and engaging in misrepresentation, fraud, identity theft and copyright infringement, but don't honestly think you have any credibility with anyone who even remotely knows you.

Nah, there ain't s**t here about ASL. Plus it's not even funny.

BTW, Rob, relax, it's only cardboard.

 

[Count_Zero]

Wrap it up, send it to JR.

Runaway winner.

Personally, I have to agree with your sig...

"Hey everybody! I'm back." Psycho- 04/18/08 Greatest. Post. Ever.


It's just not ASL related....but still....

 

[rdw5150]

Nah, there ain't s**t here about ASL. Plus it's not even funny.

BTW, Rob, relax, it's only cardboard.

Hi!

Agreed I am tired of reading the feuds....:OHNO:

put 'em on your ignore list if they bother you that much, it does not really need to creep into all threads now does it:clown:

Peace

Roger

 

[rdw5150]

Personally, I have to agree with your sig...

"Hey everybody! I'm back." Psycho- 04/18/08 Greatest. Post. Ever.


It's just not ASL related....but still....

This is a great one too!

I would have to give the ASL related post to JR, hands down

but in terms of "importance to what really matters" 4/18/08's post is 2nd to none.

Peace

Roger

 

[Tork]

Personally, I have to agree with your sig...

"Hey everybody! I'm back." Psycho- 04/18/08 Greatest. Post. Ever.


It's just not ASL related....but still....

I'm going to go with this one too.

 

['Ol Fezziwig]

Who says it has to be THE best? A top 10 list would be more fun!:nuts:

 

[Barber]

Personally, I have to agree with your sig...

"Hey everybody! I'm back." Psycho- 04/18/08 Greatest. Post. Ever.


It's just not ASL related....but still....

Oh come on! Psycho's a big enough pain in the butt without giving him an award just cuz he was dumb enough to have a stroke.

He's given me strokes lots of times and let me tell you, it ain't award winning.

JB