MMP 2024 ASL Production Forecast released:

[Robin Reeve]

I want Belgian squad counters with assault fire now!

 

[Blaze]

I want Belgian squad counters with assault fire now!

Yeah, but no raised morale. But, why not!!! Eventually we will need an OOB for neutral Swiss MMC's Along with St. Bernard counters to assist in Rally! I'm pre-ordering the plano right now in expectation of this!

 

[von Marwitz]

To me, that is part of the hobby, punching and organizing. But if I were a utility player just wanting the ease of storage and "Less is More" attitude, I could see this driving me up a wall.

First of all ASL is about playing the game, not sorting it.

von Marwitz

 

[von Marwitz]

I agree that punching and organizing is a necessary part of ASL, and yes, I have also dumped a lot of time into devising my storage system and even more to clip the counters. Yet, this was tedious and I took the time to spare others some of the work by writing an article on how to tackle it. I really wish that I had found something like it, when I started off.

Complaining about a "less is more" attitude of people who believe that something between 20,000 to 25,000 counters is enough - seriously, I for one cannot follow that.

Unless there is a very good reason for introducing new counters (I think the German late war 5-3-7s are one such example) more counters are otherwise a burden.

Additional counters may make sense from a business perspective, because after 100+ geoboards and 25,000+ counters what else will you want to make money with? You can't earn much by scenario packs alone. But if we are honest, we could get along just fine if not a single new counter and zero extra geo-boards would be produced for the next 5 years. Scenario packs and smallish HASLs would be sufficient for some time. Mind me, I am not saying that publications should stop or anything. Just saying that the system itself very much covers all that needs to be covered.

A bad reason for new counters IMHO is just to slap a unit logo on them. Skip that, give me just the scenarios and cut down on the price. That is more of a players perspective.

That said, is that Assault Fire underscore enough of a reason to warrant a new set of Polish counters?
My personal answer is no.

von Marwitz

 

[Blaze]

Complaining about a "less is more" attitude of people who believe that something between 20,000 to 25,000 counters is enough - seriously, I for one cannot follow that.
von Marwitz

To clarify:
That is not a complaint. It is empathy and understanding to that point of view. My life is lived by "less is more" in about all aspects. Just not ASL.

I was relating to his opinion about enough is enough, without criticism.

Not a complaint at all. If I had to complain about other people's ASL opinions, I'd have to walk away from it altogether.

 

[DVexile]

When are we going to get SS rune cow counters?

Oh, and I have opinions about whether said counters should be black or not...

 

[footsteps]

I want Belgian squad counters with assault fire now!

 

[Vic Provost]

First of all ASL is about playing the game, not sorting it.

von Marwitz

Amen to that! I play 2 or 3 times a week and only organize when I have to, I don't need tons more stuff, I already can't play what I got last year there is so much of it. You do have options BUT I will be more frugal with my ASL $ going forward, if you can't play it, don't buy it...

 

[Bill Cirillo]

First of all ASL is about playing the game, not sorting it.

von Marwitz

What?!

Actually, I would LOVE to see some sort of graphic (a pie chart should suffice) on the ASL community's cumulative time spent per year on varying activities. While I would LOVE to see "playing" as the #1 ranked ASL activity, I'm now really curious on where it would actually rank. Anybody have any data on this subject?

 

[Vic Provost]

For me, playing has to be 80 - 90% of my ASL time, most of the rest is committed to Dispatches to get the newsletter out twice a year. Organizing is less than 1% of my total time spent with ASL. I play way more since I got sick and retired in 2018 so much more time spent playing with counters as opposed to sorting and organizing counters, much of that was done long ago...

 

[Blaze]

First of all ASL is about playing the game, not sorting it.

von Marwitz

No Chit man. I actually do play this. ALL FTF using the counters and maps with a real live opponents sitting across from me. With a decent player base locally since I got back to being active, I get maybe 35 to 45 FTF games a year. I do not play often via VASL, as I spend my day looking at a computer. I'm not opposed to VASL, I just prefer not to play my board game on a PC. I certainly GIVE massive kudos to Kinney for making VASL as it, IMO saved ASL.

That said about 95% of my ASL time is spent playing.
So:
Forgive me for wanting to see POLISH counters.
Forgive me for formulating my own opinion in a respectful manner.
Forgive me for having JOY by organizing a game I purchased in the way I see fit.



All I said and I say again... Part of the fun FOR ME (emphasis on for me)
And if someone hates the idea of more counters, and hates the idea of Polish counters, I might not agree with it, but I do respect their own opinion.
At any rate I'm going to RE-SORT my ASL countermix!

Cheers

 

[Blaze]

What?!

Actually, I would LOVE to see some sort of graphic (a pie chart should suffice) on the ASL community's cumulative time spent per year on varying activities. While I would LOVE to see "playing" as the #1 ranked ASL activity, I'm now really curious on where it would actually rank. Anybody have any data on this subject?

A. Playing 95%
B. Clipping organizing 4%
C. Daydreaming cluelessly at the map board 1%

Although to be honest A, and C might be reversed...

Now, what percentage of Bill Cirillo Scenarios consume your total playing time?

 

[klasmalmstrom]

What's not to like are more duplicated counters with a graphic in the corner. By all means have them as part of a HASL or whatever, but enough with the counter bloat.

I think they will be part of some HASL involving such "special" Polish troops.....

 

[von Marwitz]

That said about 95% of my ASL time is spent playing.
So:
Forgive me for wanting to see POLISH counters.
Forgive me for formulating my own opinion in a respectful manner.
Forgive me for having JOY by organizing a game I purchased in the way I see fit.

Mate, all is good!

No need to justify, no need to excuse, no need to repent.
(Unless you use nailclippers to clip your counters, that is... )

Each of us shall form the ASL hobby in a way that makes it the most fun for him.

• Some play only.
• Some use VASL, some FtF.
• Some do more designing and playtesting than actually playing "normally".
• Some so more WW2 reading than playing.
• Some are most interested how real tanks might be reflected in ASL (Taking a bow to the late but unforgotten @Paul M. Weir).
• Some dabble with hypothetical DYO
• Some spend a lot of time sorting and organizing, some have (no s***, I once saw an example of that one universal box for all counters. Shudder...).
• Some swear on RAACO, Plano, matchboxes, plastic bags.
• Some use the IFT.
• Some are distressed without precision dice.
• Some play competitive, some always play friendly, even in tournaments.
• Some spend more time in the forum or on Discord talking about ASL than actually playing.
• Some only play "official" MMP stuff.
• Some are collectors more than players.
• Some enjoy the socializing aspect associated with the game and the hobby.

The list could go on.

We all are doing some combination of what is found on that list, which is related to ASL.

And this makes us the ASL community.


von Marwtiz

 

[clubby]

Spanish bombs yo te quiero infinito, yo te quiero, oh mi corazon (The Clash)

Never explain the joke.

 

[Blaze]

Mate, all is good!

No need to justify, no need to excuse, no need to repent.
(Unless you use nailclippers to clip your counters, that is... )

von Marwtiz

All is most excellent! I wasn't any bit offended at all. My retort was sarcastic humor. Of course, written text mostly never conveys the attitude of the writer.

Those here that know me personally would tell you I'm the reason donkeys don't go to school. Because nobody likes a smart ass...

 

[Jplott94]

What?!

Actually, I would LOVE to see some sort of graphic (a pie chart should suffice) on the ASL community's cumulative time spent per year on varying activities. While I would LOVE to see "playing" as the #1 ranked ASL activity, I'm now really curious on where it would actually rank. Anybody have any data on this subject?

Be careful what you wish for...

IMHO the number one activity for many of the ASL gamers on such a graphic would most likely be "complaining about rules/interpretations of rules/the MMP production schedule/delivery times for said games/and why wasn't my scenario picked up for publication".

But I'm just a n00b...with no relevant data

 

[von Marwitz]

Be careful what you wish for...

IMHO the number one activity for many of the ASL gamers on such a graphic would most likely be "complaining about rules/interpretations of rules/the MMP production schedule/delivery times for said games/and why wasn't my scenario picked up for publication".

But I'm just a n00b...with no relevant data

Even as a n00b, the accuracy of your observation is astonishing!

von Marwitz

 

[pwashington]

Posted by Peter on CSW 2/6, edited for ASL content:

ASL

• Marco Polo Bridge HASL will go on preorder;
• Slaughter at Ponyri HASL will go on preorder;
• Doomed Battalions reprint will go on preorder;
• Polish Eagles module will go on preorder;
• A Spanish Civil War package will go on preorder;
• Burma Action Pack will go on preorder;
• Drop Zone: Chef-du-Pont, a follow-on HASL to DZ:SME will go on preorder;
• Solitaire ASL module reprint will go on preorder.

ASLSK

• The Starter Kit version of the Marco Polo Bridge HASL will go on preorder;
• ASLSK Magazine (see ‘Periodicals’)

• Periodicals
  • ASL Journal 15 will go on preorder;
  • An ASL Starter Kit magazine will go on preorder.

Edit: Polish Eagles added to Forecast.

No Spec Ops magazine this year (checked the full production list as well)? It normally has a couple of ASL scenarios included.

 

[PTY]

Be careful what you wish for...

IMHO the number one activity for many of the ASL gamers on such a graphic would most likely be "complaining about rules/interpretations of rules/the MMP production schedule/delivery times for said games/and why wasn't my scenario picked up for publication".

But I'm just a n00b...with no relevant data

Does this include complaints about the numbers of maps, counters and SSRs?