National Contributions to ASL

Pitman

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Hello, everybody. Advanced Squad Leader was designed and published in the United States, and the bulk of ASL players reside in the United States.

However, from the earliest days of ASL, people from other countries have played a significant role in the development of ASL and the development of the ASL community. It is safe to say that ASL today would be substantially poorer were it not for the wonderful international ASL scene.

So my question to you is, aside from the U.S., which country has contributed the most to ASL?

Is it France? France debuted the second ever ASL-only magazine, in Tactiques, it created one of the longest-running publisher of ASL scenarios in Vae Victis, it generated one of the major third party publishers of today, Le Franc Tireur, it spawned a number of designers of scenarios and modules (official and unofficial alike), and it hosts various ASL events, among other contributions.

Is it Canada? Canada has had some of the longest-running ASL clubs, third party publishers such as Lone Canuck, and a number of ASL events.

Is it Great Britain? A number of ASL designers have come from the British isles and the longest current-running ASL newsletter also stems from there. There have been regular tournaments there for many years.

Is it Sweden? From the frozen tundra of Lambo field, I mean Linkoping and other places, we have seen things like Friendly Fire and ASL Sweden Magazine and Swedish Volunteers, not to mention tournaments and websites and the like.

What about Italy? Italian ASL designers have been beginning to make their mark, with Critical Hit and other products in progress, and they too have active events.

What about Australia? From Australia we have seen the popular Paddington Bears scenarios, products such as Those Ragged Bloody Heroes, the Break Contact packs, and much more.

What do YOU think? In the United Nations of ASL, who belongs on the Security Council? Whose contributions are you most grateful for?
 

Honza

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I've really no idea who is the most important international contributor. They all seem to do a good job. Can't make my mind up.
 

dlazov

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I want the Canucks to win something... :devious: I hate their hockey teams....

French are good ... but the French need to bring in more French women to the scene...
 

dlazov

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I'd rep you if I could... yes we need more French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Norwegian, Swedish (especially Swedish), Finnish, Polish, Rumanian, Hungarian, Slovakian, Yugoslavia, Crete, Maltese, Japanese, Chinese, Bulgarian, Portuguese, Canadian, Mexican, Icelandic, heck lets get all the girls in here!!!
 

Gunner Scott

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Japanese chicks are hot lol.


Scott

I'd rep you if I could... yes we need more French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Norwegian, Swedish (especially Swedish), Finnish, Polish, Rumanian, Hungarian, Slovakian, Yugoslavia, Crete, Maltese, Japanese, Chinese, Bulgarian, Portuguese, Canadian, Mexican, Icelandic, heck lets get all the girls in here!!!
 

RRschultze

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Hey let's do a poll - haven't seem one of these on this forum for ages!
 

Pitman

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I am seriously interested in the cases that people can make for different countries' ASL communities.
 

Robin Reeve

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"Here there is no Gentile or Jew, clipped or unclipped, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but ASL is all, and is in all."
(free adaptation from Colossians 3.11)
 

footsteps

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"Here there is no Gentile or Jew, clipped or unclipped, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but ASL is all, and is in all."
(free adaptation from Colossians 3.11)
You forgot IFT/IIFT.

To Mark: you've done a fine job of elaborating on the various national contributions, but I have to give a shout-out to the Germans and Soviets -- without them we wouldn't have Beyond Valor, the One that started it all!
 

Danish

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Since the rules are in English, it is natural that English speaking countries contribute most players. The US, Canada, GB, Australia, Hong Kong.
Also countries in the same language group tend to find it easy to grasp the big rules set. Those are Dutch, German and all the Scandinavian countries. Lot's of players comes from there.
The Roman languages are next in line, such as Italian, French and Spanish. Less players comes from these areas, relative to their population.
After that, countries with completely different languages produce almost no ASL players, unless a direct translation is worked out, such as Japan. One can argue that the early French translation helped to get more players into ASL from the French speaking areas.
So IMO it is more a language barrier thing, given the huge rules set, than anything else, that determines the number of players and thus the amount of contributions to the hobby.
 

Pitman

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I am not really talking about contributing players so much as I am about contributions to the hobby: scenarios, publishers, products, tournaments, newsletters, magazines, websites, software, etc., etc.
 

jrv

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After that, countries with completely different languages produce almost no ASL players, unless a direct translation is worked out, such as Japan.
This reverses the causality, I think. AFAIK, neither Avalon Hill nor MMP had ASL translated. That was driven by the players themselves (http://desperationmorale.blogspot.com/2012/10/hands-across-water-interview-with.html). There also seem to be a Spanish version and a Chinese version of ASLSK, all unofficial. Given that it is up to individuals, one can ask why there is a Japanese version but not, say, a Russian version. It may be as simple as there has to be an individual with sufficient language skills who is willing to undertake the project.

JR
 
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Robin Reeve

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There also is a French translation, but few French speaking players actually use it.
The fact that the rules are quite complex draws people with some intellectual level - and many educated people have learned English as a second language.
So I am not sure that many more French speaking gamers would exist because of the French translation.
 

fleitz3

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This reverses the causality, I think. AFAIK, neither Avalon Hill nor MMP had ASL translated. That was driven by the players themselves (http://desperationmorale.blogspot.com/2012/10/hands-across-water-interview-with.html). There also seem to be a Spanish version and a Chinese version of ASLSK, all unofficial. Given that it is up to individuals, one can ask why there is a Japanese version but not, say, a Russian version. It may be as simple as there has to be an individual with sufficient language skills who is willing to undertake the project.

JR
A question for you, sir: is the Chinese version of ASLSTK available online somewhere?
 

Danish

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I am not really talking about contributing players so much as I am about contributions to the hobby: scenarios, publishers, products, tournaments, newsletters, magazines, websites, software, etc., etc.
As I wrote in the last sentence, it is my opinion, that the amount of contribution to the hobby is relative to the number of ASL players, which in turn is largely affected by the language. That is my assumption anyway.
 

dlazov

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Tough, I still like the Canadians, but France has produced Tacquics, and LFT, but Canada has a lot to offer.
 

aiabx

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I'll vote for the Scandinavians - Swedish Volunteers, the IIFT and Friendly Fire are a pretty impressive track record.
 
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