Have so many other tactical systems hurt ASL?

RobZagnut

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No, because ASL has what the other systems do not have; opponents.

You can go to just about any decent sized city or on Vassal and find someone who wants to play ASL.

ASL has the background, variety and strength in numbers. It’s hard to knock off or even try to compete with the top dog.

Case in point, how many ‘new’ football leagues have tried to complete with the NFL over the past 25 years? Starting up and playing a few seasons (publish a few modules) is easy. Maintaining the initial synergy after someone’s curiosity has been peeked is another matter...
 

Warhammer

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I'd say it is in better shape than it was when the SKs came out. When I lived in Memphis, there were no ASL players, or they were in their own group. Now there is a regular ASL day in Memphis. In Ohio, yes there is the OH-KY group, but they were largely drawing from Cincy and NKy, there is now an active subset of that group in Dayton that was not active even 6 months ago. Some are returning players, but I got in as part of the SKs and another local player did as well.
 

cwillmer

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"Greenwood also, in one of the replies to Collier in the Volume 20, Number 1 issue of The General, described this project as "...a rewritten, succinct and complete compilation of the entire game system in one rulebook." "

-- well, one out of three is ... um ... pretty bad actually.
That kind of batting average will get you in the Hall of Fame
 

Tater

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Going back to the original question for a moment, how is ASL hurt by people playing ASLSK or LnL or CC? Every freaking ASL printing seems to go OOP. If demand is greater than supply, show me the hurt.
A matter of opinion...marketing SK as a stand alone means that many potential ASL players never go beyond SK. Does that hurt?
 

zgrose

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A matter of opinion...marketing SK as a stand alone means that many potential ASL players never go beyond SK. Does that hurt?
When the rulebook and core modules are nearly always OOP? No, it doesn't hurt one bit. Unless people think it's a bait-and-switch.
 

dreenstra

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A matter of opinion...marketing SK as a stand alone means that many potential ASL players never go beyond SK. Does that hurt?
I seriously doubt that the number of SKers who have the level of love for the full game but decide to just stick with SK out numbers those who moved into full ASL solely due to playing SK first and realizing that the game was enjoyable and the rules weren't so cumbersome that they couldn't be digested if taken in small increments. IMHO of course, but backed up by the number of times (dozens) I've heard, "I started with SK and now play full ASL" and the number of times (zero) I've heard, "I really always planned to play full ASL but decided ASLSK was enough for me so I'm staying here".
 

Varn

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New ASL Player. I arrived here because I don't normally like tactical games but MMP publishes OCS. I got the itch to explore something aside from my usual and bought the SK because I knew ASL was the "only choice" for tactical level combat. I've seen it for years, ignored it the entire time because it was too crunchy and way further down the decision making chain then I wanted to be at but it's always been there....staring. I discovered that they made a Starter Kit (during my exploration of the OCS system and running across it on MMPs website) and said, well I guess I could try this. Played the SK, bought the pocket edition and BV after two plays. Then I bought Yanks, then X, Y, and Z. I still play my Operational/Strategic/Grand Strategic games but ASL has consumed my gaming life.
 
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