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http://forums.gamesquad.com/showthread.php?t=46769
After extended discussion in the above thread, canadiansoldiers.com is pleased to announce the publication of Scenario Designer's Handbook (ISBN 978-0-9782646-8-0).
Some of the comments from the above thread:
Paolo Cariolato:
No disrespect to Randall intended, but those articles he mentions (and which I've listed on page 22 of Scenario Designer's Handbook) deal mainly with special operations forces (airborne, commando, marines). The hobby press doesn’t seem to have detailed breakdowns of, for example, a US Armored Infantry company in ASL terms. In a broader sense, one can read about a panzergrenadier division or a Motor Rifle Brigade and not have any real idea what is being talked about. This book will be a guide to placing these formations in context, and I’ve attempted to give some idea of the rarity of the various formations.
What SDH offers is a breakdown of the standard infantry battalions/regiments/divisions, with suggested company makeups in ASL terms. This is the meat of the book, about 50% of the 216 pages. ASL scenarios seek to present a sense of historical events rather than nuts and bolts recreations of them, but it is felt that there is some value in having a starting point. One can read that “A” Company of such-and-such battalion took part in an action, but have no idea what that should mean on the game board. With this reference, they can look up what an infantry battalion and its component rifle companies might look like in ASL terms, and also have a divisional reference to be able to suggest possible OBA or other support.
Detailed information on ordnance and vehicles are not included; ASL Rulebook handles that information admirably. In fact, all information found in the ASL Rulebook has been left out of the Handbook to avoid duplication (or copyright issues). The Handbook will hopefully complement the ASLRB in that regard.
The unit listings may prove controversial, but they are merely a starting point to prospective scenario designers who will naturally have their own research to do for any project. As one example, while the guidelines established in ASLRB by the Leadership Generation numbers and the SW charts were followed, the book does not follow the practice of Swann, Hershey, et al in assigning specific types of Leader SMC to the various companies and platoons. The scenario designer himself is the best judge of what kind of leadership modifiers and morale to use, and there is little truth to the convention that a 7-0 = a corporal, or that a corporal = a non-influential leader. To that end, there is an entire chapter devoted to heroism and leadership in which the subject of rank and leadership is discussed in detail.
The other half of the book has general information about scenario design with some hopefully useful tools, including such things as an example of the Australian Balance System, a chart of moon phases for 1939-1945 to help with NVR, and a detailed listing of all "official" maps and overlays and where they are from so scenario designers can list in detail what prerequisites are necessary for play of their scenarios. There are tips on designing a logo and on how to create a historical map.
There are also some detailed walk-throughs of the research and design process, including a detailed discussion of a playtest.
The URL to preview and/or obtain the book is http://www.lulu.com/content/1170795
The book is in full colour, softcover. The approach to the book is that it was written as if it was a military history. Extensive use was made of articles already in print, from The General, ASL Annual, ASL Journal, View From The Trenches, Moves, Fire & Movement, as well as online resources – all documented by detailed footnotes for those seeking to research more on their own. The project benefited from input and offers of help from several people approached via this forum; to them a word of thanks is given for their assistance and support.
The detailed information on forces shares its focus between the large militaries such as Germany, the Soviet Union, Japan, etc., and the smaller forces, including “partisan” and security forces, the minor nations, etc. Of particular note to designers are the number of foreign legions that just about everyone seemed to generate – the Germans had Cossacks fighting for them, the French Army had large numbers of expatriate Poles under command in their own formations in 1940, Brazil had an expeditionary force in Italy as part of the US forces there, Russian cavalry also served under Japanese command in Manchuria, there was a Dutch mechanized brigade under British command in NW Europe, etc. Hopefully brief notes on the existence of these forces will prompt interest in them among the scenario designers out there.
As for the scenario design discussions, once a designer has one or two successful designs under their belt, the value of the book will be more inspirational than educational, but there should always be something of value in it as a reference, be it for a first time designer or a veteran. If nothing else, it will hopefully generate some discussion.
After extended discussion in the above thread, canadiansoldiers.com is pleased to announce the publication of Scenario Designer's Handbook (ISBN 978-0-9782646-8-0).
Some of the comments from the above thread:
Paolo Cariolato:
Alessandro Canevese:
Randall Glesing:
Mark Pitcavage:
JoB:
So to that end, I have.
No disrespect to Randall intended, but those articles he mentions (and which I've listed on page 22 of Scenario Designer's Handbook) deal mainly with special operations forces (airborne, commando, marines). The hobby press doesn’t seem to have detailed breakdowns of, for example, a US Armored Infantry company in ASL terms. In a broader sense, one can read about a panzergrenadier division or a Motor Rifle Brigade and not have any real idea what is being talked about. This book will be a guide to placing these formations in context, and I’ve attempted to give some idea of the rarity of the various formations.
What SDH offers is a breakdown of the standard infantry battalions/regiments/divisions, with suggested company makeups in ASL terms. This is the meat of the book, about 50% of the 216 pages. ASL scenarios seek to present a sense of historical events rather than nuts and bolts recreations of them, but it is felt that there is some value in having a starting point. One can read that “A” Company of such-and-such battalion took part in an action, but have no idea what that should mean on the game board. With this reference, they can look up what an infantry battalion and its component rifle companies might look like in ASL terms, and also have a divisional reference to be able to suggest possible OBA or other support.
Detailed information on ordnance and vehicles are not included; ASL Rulebook handles that information admirably. In fact, all information found in the ASL Rulebook has been left out of the Handbook to avoid duplication (or copyright issues). The Handbook will hopefully complement the ASLRB in that regard.
The unit listings may prove controversial, but they are merely a starting point to prospective scenario designers who will naturally have their own research to do for any project. As one example, while the guidelines established in ASLRB by the Leadership Generation numbers and the SW charts were followed, the book does not follow the practice of Swann, Hershey, et al in assigning specific types of Leader SMC to the various companies and platoons. The scenario designer himself is the best judge of what kind of leadership modifiers and morale to use, and there is little truth to the convention that a 7-0 = a corporal, or that a corporal = a non-influential leader. To that end, there is an entire chapter devoted to heroism and leadership in which the subject of rank and leadership is discussed in detail.
The other half of the book has general information about scenario design with some hopefully useful tools, including such things as an example of the Australian Balance System, a chart of moon phases for 1939-1945 to help with NVR, and a detailed listing of all "official" maps and overlays and where they are from so scenario designers can list in detail what prerequisites are necessary for play of their scenarios. There are tips on designing a logo and on how to create a historical map.
There are also some detailed walk-throughs of the research and design process, including a detailed discussion of a playtest.
The URL to preview and/or obtain the book is http://www.lulu.com/content/1170795
The book is in full colour, softcover. The approach to the book is that it was written as if it was a military history. Extensive use was made of articles already in print, from The General, ASL Annual, ASL Journal, View From The Trenches, Moves, Fire & Movement, as well as online resources – all documented by detailed footnotes for those seeking to research more on their own. The project benefited from input and offers of help from several people approached via this forum; to them a word of thanks is given for their assistance and support.
The detailed information on forces shares its focus between the large militaries such as Germany, the Soviet Union, Japan, etc., and the smaller forces, including “partisan” and security forces, the minor nations, etc. Of particular note to designers are the number of foreign legions that just about everyone seemed to generate – the Germans had Cossacks fighting for them, the French Army had large numbers of expatriate Poles under command in their own formations in 1940, Brazil had an expeditionary force in Italy as part of the US forces there, Russian cavalry also served under Japanese command in Manchuria, there was a Dutch mechanized brigade under British command in NW Europe, etc. Hopefully brief notes on the existence of these forces will prompt interest in them among the scenario designers out there.
As for the scenario design discussions, once a designer has one or two successful designs under their belt, the value of the book will be more inspirational than educational, but there should always be something of value in it as a reference, be it for a first time designer or a veteran. If nothing else, it will hopefully generate some discussion.
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