Holy Grails of ASL Collecting

daveramsey

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What are the modules/scenario packs constitute the Holy Grail for a players collection?

I'm not really a collector, but I think from my collection perhaps the German Rare Vehicles and possibly the March Madness '97 pack?

If I could add anything to my collection, I think it would have to be KGP1, as everytime I catch a glimpse of it on ebay or for sale somewhere it disappears, and it's the only official item I don't have.

So, what's your rarest item, and what in general are the highest value/most sought after/most difficult to find packs around?
 

tekay44

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How about any of the Core Modules, that us newbs can't get?
 

Pitman

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March Madness 97? Surely you mean 98?

March Madness 98, German Rare Vehicles, British Rare Vehicles from KE

Windy City Wargamers Pack

maybe now this ****** Pusan thing
 

daveramsey

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How about any of the Core Modules, that us newbs can't get?
The question's still valid you newbies as much as hardened grogs- what's the top thing in your collection- what's the one thing you'd add?

March Madness 97? Surely you mean 98?
<shrug> Hence the question, I really don't know what I have that's rare and what's not.

Anyway, don't you give people a hard time for not justifying your responses, or ignoring the original question, Mark? :) Come on man, answer the question already!
 

tppytel

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With ASL it's kind of weird, because there are highly "collectible" items that have a lot of play value (Red Barricades and HASL's in general, Code of Bushido, AP1 before they reprinted the boards) and others whose rarity counts for much more than their game value (Kinetic Energy stuff notably, but old HoB stuff is getting there too). So the definition of a "Grail" item is going to depend very much on the player/collector's situation. If you're a new player with a keen interest in the Pacific Theater, then CoB is going to rate really high, even though it's not as expensive as some of the really collectible stuff.

Out of my own collection, probably the most "collectible" item I have is HoB's High Ground, which I acquired for the whopping sum of $50 alongside another item I got via eBay. But that illustrates a point I think a lot of new players overlook - you can acquire the vast majority of ASL stuff for fairly reasonable prices if you keep your eyes open, make deals, and network with people. I obtained all the core modules, HASL's, AP's, Annuals (except `96), and Journals (except 2) for extremely reasonable prices - *way* less than eBay. But it took 8 months spending lots of time watching the Depot, CSW, and BGG, along with lots of wheeling and dealing.

As for current Grails, I'm not sure. I'm sure I'll find a deal on the `96 Annual eventually and finish off my Annual collection. Most of the other stuff seems to be priced *way* above its value to me (personally), though I'd like to get the German Rare Vehicles pack at some point in order to get Dogs of War. If anyone's got a spare Aussie `96 pack, I'd love to grab that, too - it's not all that expensive, but doesn't seem to show up for sale very often.
 

Pitman

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I can't see how any official product--all published in the thousands to tens of thousands--can be considered a "holy grail of ASL collecting."
 

Sparafucil3

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I can't see how any official product--all published in the thousands to tens of thousands--can be considered a "holy grail of ASL collecting."
Tell that to those desparately seeking Code of Bushido. Sure, we may have it, and there may have been thousands of copies printed, but if you want to play the IJA and can not find it, I am quite sure it must seem like a Holy Grail to them. Just because you have everything known to ASL-kind ... ;) -- jim
 

Faded 8-1

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My own holy grail is a complete collection of all official ASL crap.

I have everything except KGPII, boards 15 and 46 (both of which I lost), a couple annuals, and a couple journals. Unfortunately, all of that stuff costs an arm and a leg nowadays.
 

Faded 8-1

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I can't see how any official product--all published in the thousands to tens of thousands--can be considered a "holy grail of ASL collecting."
Well if Mark can't see it, then I guess my holy grail is invalid.

I'm off to sob and weep now.
 

tppytel

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I can't see how any official product--all published in the thousands to tens of thousands--can be considered a "holy grail of ASL collecting."
Oh, for Pete's sake, Mark... you really can't possibly see how something like CoB would be a prize to a new player? You can't for a moment imagine being anything other than a long-time collector that was able to buy most of the currently rare items when they were initially released? Step down from your throne for a bit, please. It's really no surprise why you catch so much flak from people when you make comments like this one.
 

Pitman

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Tell that to those desparately seeking Code of Bushido. Sure, we may have it, and there may have been thousands of copies printed, but if you want to play the IJA and can not find it, I am quite sure it must seem like a Holy Grail to them. Just because you have everything known to ASL-kind ... ;) -- jim
Anybody who wants Code of Bushido can get it. It is offered for sale on a routine and regular basis on E-bay.

It is no Holy Grail.

It is merely expensive. It is not hard to find.

You want March Madness 98? It's been offered for sale on E-bay about four or five times in six years.

That is rare.

An ASL Holy Grail is something you have to search for, not something you can get any old time you want.
 

Pitman

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Oh, for Pete's sake, Mark... you really can't possibly see how something like CoB would be a prize to a new player? You can't for a moment imagine being anything other than a long-time collector that was able to buy most of the currently rare items when they were initially released? Step down from your throne for a bit, please. It's really no surprise why you catch so much flak from people when you make comments like this one.
For Pete's sake yourself. Don't be a doofus. I am not a long-time collector. I started playing ASL in 2001. While I had most of the official stuff before I started playing, I did not have lots of it, and had very little third party stuff. As a result, I had to search for and hunt down scores of ASL products, often having to pay a high premium. I still don't have a few items.

So next time make sure you know what you are talking about before you spout off with stupid comments like the ones you made above.

And with regard to your first question, of course I can see how getting CoB would be a prize to a new player.

But the question asked was NOT "what would you consider a prize addition to your ASL collection?"

The question asked was "What are the modules/scenario packs constitute the Holy Grail for a players collection?"

And it is just a plain fact that Code of Bushido, with a print run of probably at least 15,000 is nowhere near as unavailable as something like March Madness 98, which might not have had more than 150 printed and was never sold in stores but only given out to people who attended a single event.
 

Sparafucil3

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Anybody who wants Code of Bushido can get it. It is offered for sale on a routine and regular basis on E-bay.

It is no Holy Grail.

It is merely expensive. It is not hard to find.

You want March Madness 98? It's been offered for sale on E-bay about four or five times in six years.

That is rare.

An ASL Holy Grail is something you have to search for, not something you can get any old time you want.
Shockingly, I am familiar with the term "Holy Grail." I know it is rare to find on with command of the English language in both its written and spoken form. And I maintain, just because it is common does not make it seem impossible to obtain for some. It may be on eBay often, but with all the sniping that goes on at the end, it is hard to get. And who said eBay is the only source for MM 98? While there are limited copies, eBay is not the only source. Clearly Jesus found a way to sell his outside eBay so it is possible find them elsewhere. -- jim
 

alanp

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That Pusan thing that just went for $455 is not the Holy Grail; the Holy Grail is something worthwhile. A $455 scenario pack is more like that castle full of young, nubile women. The ToT German Rare Vehicles packet or even J2 are much more usable, IMHO, and less expensive (I think.)

I'm missing ABtF. This year I was offered a copy for $100. I found out how little I wanted it and turned it down.

The ASL Holy Grail is time and the right opponents--enough time to play as much ASL as you can, having fun while you do it.
 

Faded 8-1

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To somebody that doesn't care about March Madness 98, it's not a holy grail item.

You apparently have a very specific, very narrow definition of what the term holy grail means. A definition that conflicts with the one in common usage.

Do you have some support for the notion that your definition is absolutely correct and others are absolutely wrong? Or is that just your default assumption?
 

Pitman

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To somebody that doesn't care about March Madness 98, it's not a holy grail item.

You apparently have a very specific, very narrow definition of what the term holy grail means. A definition that conflicts with the one in common usage.

Do you have some support for the notion that your definition is absolutely correct and others are absolutely wrong? Or is that just your default assumption?
A Holy Grail is something rare, valuable, and much sought after. The March Madness 98 pack has long been the most sought after ASL item. This is because of its combination of rarity and desirability. It may be that, since the release of AOO, the desirability has decreased slightly, but I haven't seen evidence of it yet.

Code of Bushido is sought after, but not rare (relative to most other ASL products) If you wanted it, you could get it with little effort. Monty Python would never make a movie about that.
 

Bigkayeh

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What are the modules/scenario packs constitute the Holy Grail for a players collection?
....
So, what's your rarest item, and what in general are the highest value/most sought after/most difficult to find packs around?
But the question asked was NOT "what would you consider a prize addition to your ASL collection?"

The question asked was "What are the modules/scenario packs constitute the Holy Grail for a players collection?"
A Holy Grail is an extremely personal idea with cultural foundations. The grail was never adequately described in the Grail stories and that ambiguity made the quest for the Grail a highly personal quest.

The question indeed hade two parts (see Dave's quote) and "sought after" would definately be a matter of personal opinion. Granteed in the second part of the question it doesn't ask about modules, mentioning only packs but one could see from the first part of the question that he wanted to include them.
 
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