House Rules and Variants; Do you have any?

Cthulhu

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I'm gonna try bringing this up on this new forum and see if I can avoid getting flamed by the anti-variantizm, anti-realizm guys that usually hammer these ideas on the ASLML.

I thought this might be a good place to share house rules and variant rules that different players use in their games. I'm more interested in house rules that are more involved than "we always roll a third die to check for sniper activation when we roll attacks and morale checks".

I'm curious about geniune variants based on historical research, stuff like in Time on Target magazine (Bayonet Charges, Sandbag armor on AFV's, etc).

My own variant is a fairly detailed system that uses the cards from the game Up Front as a command control system for ASL. If you are interested, it can be found here...

http://www.cavalcadeofwhimsy.com/wargaming/asl/aslheretic.htm

I also have a version of the IIFT with a more logical Cowering mechanic on the same site.
 

Anonymous

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Mike
I know that you are the at the head of the anti-house-rule legion :)

But I know there must be some folks out there that play with house rules and variants...in the privacy of their own homes only...not at conventions and tournaments.

I just thought this would offer a place where they could offer their suggestions without cries of "Blasphemy" drowning them out. :)

Btw, thanks again for letting me swipe your book list to flesh out my ASL Reading List
 

sswann

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House Rules

Mike..
I like your writing, but there are cases where a well researched house rule can add to the tactical thinking part of a scenario without bogging it down.

Also, some scenarios are designed with just such a provision built in. In that case, the scenario can still be enjoyed using ASL Standard rules as well as a select set of House Rules.

Steve

p.s. If anyone is interesed, I have a few thhat I would share.
ss :eek:
 

Brien Martin

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Steve:

While I don't use house rules myself, I'm always interested in how the fertile ASL mind works. So, if you don't mind posting some of your house rules, I wouldn't mind reading them.
 

sswann

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House Rules

Here is a sample

SS

5: Aircraft Usage 6 (Optional - may called for by Special Rule.)
5.1 Prep Fire Usage: Once Air Support [E7.] is received; the owning player may opt to use the aircraft during either the Prep Fire Phase of his player turn or in the opponent's Movement Phase as per the normal aircraft rules. If Prep Fire usage is selected all normal Air Support rules are in place except as follows.

5.2 Sighting TC [E7.3]: The Sighting TC is made as per E7.3 with the following additional DRM.
-1 Target is marked 7 by a friendly ground unit that has fired during this Prep Fire Phase with the stated intention of "Marking for Air Attack" prior to firing Any result will mark the target. Snipers may be activated by this PF. The firing unit is marked with a PF counter.

-1 Target is Broken and still under a DM marker. The firing unit that is "Marking for Air Attack" is marked with a Prep Fire counter and is unable to move during the MPh but may advance normally. "Marking for Air Attack" is a Concealment Lost activity. The target of such fire suffers any IFT or IIFT result normally. Snipers may be activated by this fire attack.

5.3 Ground Support [E7.4]: Aircraft may attack an opponent's units during either the owning player's Prep Fire (PF) Phase as a form of Prep Fire or during the opponent's Movement Phase as a form of Defensive First Fire (DFF), but not both. This decision must be made at the start of every GAME Turn that the aircraft are on board.

5.4 AA Fire [7.5]: If aircraft are used during the owner's Prep Fire Phase, the opponent may use AA Fire against the attacking aircraft as per the normal rules governing AA Fire. Units performing AA Fire versus Prep Firing aircraft are marked with Defensive First Fire counters [EXC: ROF maintained] even though it
is the Attackers PFPh.

6. Hasty Roadblock 8
6.1 A Hasty Roadblock is a ½ level LOS hindrance. It provides a +1 'To Hit' DRM for IFE/Gunfire that crosses the Roadblock hexside.

6.2 Hasty Roadblocks may be removed by any vehicle having a Armor Factor > 0, expending ½ of its MP to do so. Removal of a Hasty Roadblock ends the MPh for that AFV.

Footnotes:
6 Normal ASL usage of aircraft has always been restricted to Interdiction usage. For anyone who has read any of the many books on military actions during World War II, it soon becomes obvious that air attack as a means of covering infantry assaults was an often used tactic. It is for this reason that the Optional Prep Fire usage of air support is being allowed. Now a player has the choice of using air support to support his move or to interdict his opponent's moving units. All air support rules as given in Chapter E are in play with just a few modifications to account for defensive fire by the non-moving player during the moving player's PFPh and a couple of adjustments for the sighting task check.

7 It may be assumed that the firing unit is using tracers or some other form of marking the target for the attacking aircraft.

8 Hasty Roadblocks were a collection of miscellaneous item and materials found locally at hand that could be placed across a road to impede and slow down a moving vehicle. Often these materials were carts and wagons found at nearby farms.
 

mlicari

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Re: House Rules

sswann said:
Mike..
I like your writing, but there are cases where a well researched house rule can add to the tactical thinking part of a scenario without bogging it down.

Also, some scenarios are designed with just such a provision built in.
I heartily agree Steve, with that second statement. There's a big difference between a Scenario Specific Rule and a "house rule". SSRs are a fine way to add some flavor to scenarios that otherwise would be indistinguishable from others. In fact that's the main attraction for me to HASL scenarios and CGs. "House rules" OTHO, tend to, well....you and everyone else knows the rest. :wink:

Mike
 

mlicari

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Anonymous said:
Mike
I know that you are the at the head of the anti-house-rule legion :)
I just thought this would offer a place where they could offer their suggestions without cries of "Blasphemy" drowning them out. :)

Btw, thanks again for letting me swipe your book list to flesh out my ASL Reading List
"Legion" makes it sound much more organized than it actually is. We're gradually building a loose organization at the moment, but we do plan on running candidates for the US Senate in 2006. :D

Anyway, I tried not to directly stuff the discussion by only linking to my essay rather than reposting it here.

Finally, no prob on the reading list. I've updated it since you set up your list, so if you want to grab more titles that's fine.

Mike
 

Cthulhu

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Steve
I like those two rules you posted. The one for using aircraft in the Prep Fire phase in particular is interesting...I'm going to have to give that one a try in my next game that has planes.

Those are the sorts of things I was hoping that people would post. Just to see what creative ASLer's have come up with.
 

Fritz

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house rules

Don't use any myself, but there was an "alternative critical hit" chart that was in one of the VFTT issues that looked interesting. Basically if you scored a CH on a vehicle there were 12 (I think) different results that you would roll for: they ranged from vaporization to dud, with things like jammed turrets, lost radios, and flaming wrecks distributed throughout.
 

Gunner

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Refreshing

This is such a refreshing change from the ASLML. Although I don't use house rules myself it is nice to see ASLer's talking about things without the blazing flame throwers and flame retardant suits! Let's all endeavor to keep the discussions on the high road. Long live ASL Forums!

Gunner
 

KevinG

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My friend Steve Etz and I started using some optional OBA rules in our latest PBM game. Since he has the OBA I haven't studied them too closely, but I gather they allow for less random availability of access. We have had a few games spolied by bad luck with OBA so decided to try to make it less variable since it can be such a determining factor in many of the sceanrios that have it.
 
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