The basic nature of ASL is by original intent, that of a small scale tactical game. That weapons systems designed to be of an operational nature in their use would appear on board is as said, normally a condition brought about by unforeseen (and unwelcome) circumstance and usually not by doctrinal design. Even in grand tactical situations found in many HASLs, their appearance would be minimal given the operational ranges of several km/mi from their targets the systems were expected to perform at.
I tend to disagree based on the fabric of generalities within the ASL system itself. Let's take a prime example of Ost Front inherent heavy mobile artillery - the Russian 120mm Mortar. Used by every Russian formation from late 1941 on the battlefield, in the hundreds and by 1944, thousands, across the length of the entire front.
In ASL terms, this counter gets a ROF 2 and has a 12 hex minimum range. So it fires at around 480 meters (525 +/- yards) - if one assumes the hex is, as stated roughly 40 meters across - for a minimum shot drop, on a weapon meant primarily for indirect fire as designed. Yet 500 yards is nothing for range or visibility - one can quickly and easily see and lay such a weapon for direct fire without any special optics beyond a telescope or a pair of decent binoculars. By 1943, the Russians had figured this out, and the weapon found itself pressed into direct fire frontline use from the Kuban Bridgehead until the end of the war. Why? Weight of the HE shell it fired and its consequent destructive power made it extremely useful to do so for any Russian commander, becomes one good reason. Couple that with an ease of transportation from 1943 on, and its high ROF historically, it becomes an ideal direct fire towed assault gun. Finally, add in the ease of manufacture and limited costs for both the weapon and its ammunition - it is a no-brainer why this became such a standard "go-to" for ad hoc artillery direct fire support.
Turning to ASL - good luck finding it in many ASL scenarios. I doubt it exists in more than 50 of them ever printed, by any manufacturer. ( meaning perhaps 50 out of 7000 + scenarios so far) - not to mention its almost total scarcity in CGs.
Why?
It's too damn powerful of a weapon in ASL terms. in a two board scenario, it can drop 120mm fire (ATT 12 FP, Critical hit 24 FP) with a 2 ROF on 5/8s of the map space in play. and that within its CA if set up towards a back corner to provide a supporting fire, so it need not even turn its CA to fire. If its a three board scenario - forget it, this thing in a back corner can cover 66% + of the map in play, inside its CA and range limits.
Yet this is precisely what the weapon was used for in combat actions from 1943 on. It simply is not depicted in ASL terms. It can be depicted and presented well. To do so requires a design more carefully planned, developed and playtested than many others - and the resulting project, in order to balance that destructive fire in ASL terms - becomes a larger scenario than one that would be classified as "tournament sized".
This is a triple whammy for this artillery piece. Larger than tourney size means a smaller number of playings and therefore, less demand by publishers. Those that do get published fail to live up to their expectations as fewer players find enjoyment within a larger design than those who prefer smaller ones. Finally, a string of decent luck at an opportune moment with such an amount of firepower on map can result in a lopsided win and quickly so.
In this instance, the 120 MTR becomes at least, if not morre, deadly than any 10-3 kill stack HMG team on an overwatch position.
( and it doesn't even require a leader.)
KRL, Jon H
