Dien Bien Phu 2nd Edition

[Cherper]

Maybe...OTOH, I don't recall ever seeing HoB or MMP (or any other ASL producer's) stuff going through the same slash and burn, got to get rid of it "sales"

I haven't seen too many stores that even carry MMP or HoB. Brookhurst Hobby in LA has some MMP and CH stuff as did Great Hall Games in Austin, Tx, but neither had any HoB stuff on the shelf when I was there a couple of months ago. Viking Hobby in Sacramento has no MMP or HoB stuff, they do carry CH. The couple of stores in Reno that have any board games carry nothing from MMP or HoB. Pretty much the same in Salt Lake City and the other places I have been recently.

 

[cjsloki]

I haven't seen too many stores that even carry MMP or HoB. Brookhurst Hobby in LA has some MMP and CH stuff as did Great Hall Games in Austin, Tx, but neither had any HoB stuff on the shelf when I was there a couple of months ago. Viking Hobby in Sacramento has no MMP or HoB stuff, they do carry CH. The couple of stores in Reno that have any board games carry nothing from MMP or HoB. Pretty much the same in Salt Lake City and the other places I have been recently.

Viking is where I bought all my ASL stuff. She has since stopped carring any ASL stuff including CH. Is the map different than in the 1st edition or are there just inprovements for playablility?

Charles

 

[Dave Lamb]

I haven't seen too many stores that even carry MMP or HoB. Brookhurst Hobby in LA has some MMP and CH stuff as did Great Hall Games in Austin, Tx, but neither had any HoB stuff on the shelf when I was there a couple of months ago. Viking Hobby in Sacramento has no MMP or HoB stuff, they do carry CH. The couple of stores in Reno that have any board games carry nothing from MMP or HoB. Pretty much the same in Salt Lake City and the other places I have been recently.

Same thing up here in Detroit. The largest local hobby shop just doesn't carry ASL-related materials at all. Sometimes something used shows up, but that is typically about it. They only carry special order material requested specifically by a customer. Some of the most expensive items are rare, out-of-print items. They have a rare, copy of Guerra Civil (which is marked up at $50).

I think most ASL fans buy directly from the game vendor or from discounted vendors like Alex Key, Boulder Games, etc.

 

[Portal]

Can't say not having basic official ASL stuff in the hobby shops is a good thing to grow the player base of this game.

 

[Houlie]

I think that's got more to do with the fact that most of us ASL'ers get our stuff straight from the source, and purchase very little from stores.

I think Croix de Guerre, when it was first released, was the last ASL product I bought from an actual store...since then it's all been direct from the producers, Gamers Armory or through the club. Brookhurst Hobbies, the largest hobby/game store in Orange County has had the same ASL stuff on their shelf for the past couple of years...both MMP and CH...it just does not move, and gets dustier and dustier.

Hmm. Just thinking, the last ASL item I bought in a "store" was an old OOP Annual 97 I found while browsing about three years ago. Prior to that surprise find, it was a KGP module when I was just getting into the game about six years ago.

I also order directly from the publisher or from an on-line dealer like Gamer's Armory. This is pretty typical with a specialty hobby like ours where more is sold on-line simply due to a retailer's economies of scale.

 

[Blackcloud6]

Dave, Mike and I will protect you at the next ASLOK for a fee.

 

[countermanCX]

wrt DBP2e, I produced a VASLization of the CH! DBP module (w/ the assistance of Carl Nogueira & the permission of Ray T.) My product included the HASL 'Eliane' map, 3 geoboard maps, 2 map-overlays, & the 5DBP.mdx extension, that added the DBP ctrs to the VASL ctr-trays, & is available here: http://forums.gamesquad.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=1398

In the near future, VASL is gonna switch over to newColors for the geoboard maps, so it's logical that the DBP geoboards will need to be re-colored & re-released.

Which would be a good opportunity to incorporate new artwork / new ctrs to the DBP.mdx file - is anyone 'in the know' willing to collaborate on this VASL project w/ me?

 

[Portal]

countermanCX,

We need Genesis '48 VASL content before any DBP re-work, dude.

 

[MrP]

Egads. I'll hate myself, but I may have to buy this.

 

[Jazz]

countermanCX,

We need Genesis '48 VASL content before any DBP re-work, dude.

If you're talking about the map, you need to talk someone into working on it.....which is different that stating that you think it needs worked on to the general public.

I would suggest going to the VASL Map Cabal Yahoo group and see who might be talked into working on it. Probably a good place to figure out who would be willing to generate any special counters needed. Actually, a good place to figure out how to generate the counters yourself mayhaps?

If you want something done around a free system that is supported mainly by volunteer efforts and a few donations, you're gonna have to be activist with that group of volunteers and you will need to hone your persuasive skills.

Just trying to be helpful.....

 

[James Taylor]

Oh sure, give your money to Tapio. Ignore your own home-town buddy - who barely has gas money to come to Officefest. No instead, send your money to that New York conglomerate. I was going to sell it to you with the "family" discount - but no pay full price instead!

All right, Taylor - I see how we're going to play this from now on...

Actually, since we're still in final development and awaiting counters back from the printers, I doubt this will be released much before the end of the month or sometime in July. Ray will make an announcement when it is actually released.

Ack! :OHNO:

I would have defintely gone through you Dave... especially if I'd known there was a discount.

Too tell the truth I was kind of suprised that you didn't mention the upcoming release at Officefest, especially AFTER I WAS ASKING ABOUT THE DIEN BIEN PHU MAP ON THE WALL.

You must have been too engrossed in your game....

JT

 

[countermanCX]

countermanCX,

We need Genesis '48 VASL content before any DBP re-work, dude.

Hi Portal!

Ain't I got probs enough, w/o gettin' into those Arab-Israeli wars? Plus, I'm rilly behind-hand, needin' to finish up Guerra Civil from back in the late 30's!

NTM that G48 reminds me of one of my fav'rite sci-fi stories, included in one of Harlan Ellison's 'Dangerous Visions' collections. The story was called "With the Bentfin Boomer Boys in Little Old New Alabama," in which the 'furgem Jewrabs' had finally patched it up & gotten together, then they threw ev'ryone else off the planet!

Apparently a 'bentfin boomer' was one of those StarTrek breastpocket NikeSwoosh symbols. & then, you bet'cha, New N'Haiti was still at war w/ little ol' New Alabama. As I recall, New N'Haiti won, 'cos they got heavily into zombie-tech for infantry replacements.

A-and lest you forget, I'm pert' much absolutely not interested in spending my hours producing game-modules that I've not got much interest in. OTOH, those folks've who've expressed an interest in doing the work to produce a usable .mdx for their own preferred project will often find me to be a knowlegeable, helpful advisor to their efforts - but when I don't own the product, or don't have much interest in it, I'm prob'ly not your best resource to provide an Extension for it - unless I've got an active collaborator as a partner.

If you're hot to see Gen48 in VASL form, try me out w/ the work you've done so far, so's I might give you the benefit of my lights or advisements to improve your efforts. There's one thing that I'm done w/ for sure, & that's with user-Y's demands that I should immediately get to work on his preferred 'project X' - when user-Y has never been the least use wrt actually doin' some or the work his ownself.

Most recently, you had a great deal of noise about gettin' 5BFR.mdx into VASL - yet it was Jim Bishop who actually helped me out w/ the scans, info, testing & comments - the e-collaboration I needed to VASLize the 'Berlin: Fall of the 3rd Reich' ctrs - you didn't help out at all.

So if you want some specific stuff from me, you're just gonna have to come up w/ a bit more action than mere exhortation. What have you got to offer?

 

[countermanCX]

If you want something done around a free system that is supported mainly by volunteer efforts and a few donations, you're gonna have to be activist with that group of volunteers and you will need to hone your persuasive skills.

heh!
At the moment, Portal's persuasive skills are, hmm, non-persuasive.
Not that I don't share his ideal that "ev'rything ASL should also be VASL", but, fuhChrissakes, if that's his 'tude, why ain't he a stalwart in the cabal?

Over in the vaslmapcabal, the folks who produce product carry lots more weight than those who don't.

That's harsh, OTOH, newbs that join, learn, & make an honest effort will also get respect.

 

[Darrell Andersen]

"Over in the vaslmapcabal, the folks who produce product carry lots more weight than those who don't."

Umm...I'm not sure if you're paying attention or not but sadly that is not a very popular sentiment these days.

 

[James Taylor]

Well...

That's strange. I have no idea what Darrell is talking about.

But on a similar note...

I understand and applaud CountermanCX's response wholeheartedly.

When it comes to volunteer efforts, if you want an opinion on how things are done, then get in and help out. Otherwise you are just another bleating sheep.

(Disclaimer: I'm just as much a bleating sheep as Portal, but I totally get CCX's response. Loved the Harlan Ellison reference as well.)

JT

 

[Darrell Andersen]

"I have no idea what Darrell is talking about."

No knock on Counterman and the rest of the evil vasl minions at all, they rock.

More of a comment about the state of work ethic in this country.

I am both grumpy and off topic.

DBP rocks. buy it. Now.

 

[Houlie]

Ain't I got probs enough, w/o gettin' into those Arab-Israeli wars? Plus, I'm rilly behind-hand, needin' to finish up Guerra Civil from back in the late 30's!

I'd be willing to help on this -- Guerra Civil -- that is. Please drop me a PM and let me know how I can help.

Keepin' the Love real...

 

[Portal]

Just teasing the counterman, guys. No need for excitement.

countermanCX,

I forwarded styrk's Gen 48 counter scans to you over e-mail a few months back to re-rout to your buddy who was going to work on the *.mdx. What happened to them?

I still have the hi-quality JPEG counter scans (large files). I just don't have any technical briefing on how to build VASL counter extensions from them.

I believe styrk can also prepare a good scan of the Gen 48 map. Once we have some progress on the counters, I'll talk to him again about it. I know he has some RL stuff on the radar these days taking most of his attention.

BTW - Thanks for your Berlin: FTTR extension work. I know a number of VASL players have been using it. :thumup::

 

[Houlie]

I am thinking of picking this up when it's released. Partly because I know diddly squat about this theater/war -- what better way to learn, right? I also respect and want to support Carl Noguiera's contribution to our fine hobby.

Nevertheless, I'd like to get a better sense of what makes this so "Funding Worthy?" For those that have played it, why is it such a must have? It seems there are not a lot of playings of the first edition. Why so special?

 

[Darrell Andersen]

I've played almost all the scenarios and have played the CG twice. Some of the scenarios are outstanding, most are above average, just a couple haven't begged for another playing. There is 1 big swiring whirligig of a scenario that just confused me.

The CG has gone to the wire both times, desperate Vietnamese paratroopers in French livery and Foreign Legionairres (sp?) clinging to the Eliane strongpoint against hordes of Viet Minh led by bangalore torpedo armed sappers and commisars.

To quote our western Michigan contingent (and their sleeveless mascot/butt boy) it is "Rock Hard".

Grab Bernard Fall's book Hell In A Very Small Place for a good overview of the situation. There are other books on hte topic but this is required reading.