New members introduce yourself here

[Mr. Omaha]

Greetings

Hi all,

I am new to this forum and I thought that I would go ahead and introduce myself. My name is Vince DiMaggio and I am from Omaha, Nebraska although I was originally born and raised in Monterey, Califorinia on the central coast.

I have been wargaming since I was 11, when for christmas in 1978, I recieved much wanted copies of Panzerblitz and Panzerleader (still have them). I was introduced to Squad Leader in 1980 and also enjoyed Pacific Theater games such as Flat Top and C.V.

A transitional period out of high school into my current profession got me away from wargaming for almost 20 years due to the high amount of travel time and as such I missed out on the beginning and subsequent evolution of ASL. What a surprise when I found out that Avalon Hill had been consolidated into Hasbro (bye bye Victory Games - a personal favorite).

Anyway, I fortunately have found one of the original ASL jedi's to learn from and I am amazed out how deep and rich this system is (and that is coming from a greenhorn who has just scratched the surface). The euphoria I feel about this system reminds me of when I was 11 and the same feeling that got me into wargaming in the first place.

Although an experienced wargamer, I am new to this system (fresh meat, right fellas?) please be patient if from time to time I ask or say something out of inexperience that may sound stupid to you all. Hopefully I will have the priveledge and the opportunity to meet some of you at future con's.

Regards,

Vince

 

[Jack Dionne]

please be patient if from time to time I ask or say something out of inexperience that may sound stupid to you all.

Regards,

Vince

Ask all the questions you want, don't be afraid to ask because someone has a need to feed thier ego. I am sure you're going to have lots of fun with ASL.

 

[King Billy]

I did it

Who said you can't teach old dogs new tricks.
After reading the forums for some time I finally decided to join.
With the help of my long suffering (and considerably less technology challenged) partner I have managed to fumble through the maze required to register and am now here !!
If only I can talk her into setting up VASL for me.
Been playing ASL for a long time. Didn't get a purple box, but did get one which had the broken sides printed on top of the counter. Still not very good, my win loss rate is about 1 to two, but enjoy playing the game.

Bill

 

[Robin Reeve]

Welcome here, Bill.
I hope you'll quickly feel at home.
We hope you will find this forum useful and entertaining (even if some flamewars could seem impressing, things aren't really serious most of the time).

Robin

 

[KeithU]

Hi. I'm new. In case the post count didn't give that away.

Not new like just born, just new here. And to ASL.

I've owned some AH games since the early 80s (PB/PL/SL) but (seriously) didn't read the rules or start playing until late last summer. Then in the fall I got a chance to buy one ASLer's collection locally, and jumped on it. Then the holidays kept me hopping, and I've just started sitting down and sorting counters and reading the rules.

Lots of great reading here. I am having a hard time figuring out some stuff about you guys, though, like whether or not there are any strong opinions regarding overlays*. And I just opened six different user accounts**. That's okay, right?



Keith

* just kidding
** still only kidding

 

[Robin Reeve]

Welcome Keith.
This forum rhymes with asylum, sometimes.
But that is a natural side effect if you get hooked at ASL.:nuts:

 

[M1 Garand]

Another New Member

Hello,

Here is my ASL story:

Several years ago on a rainy day my sons (7 & 11) and I broke out an old copy of the Russian Campaign and played it. To my surprise, they liked it, and soon we were playing some old classics as our busy schedules permitted: Midway, War in the Pacific, Bulge, and then Squad Leader. We played Squad Leader thru Hill 621...

I had played Squad Leader versus my brother many years ago. I liked the game, bought the expansion packs thru Crescendo of Doom but never played it much because of a lack of opponents. For many years they gathered dust in the attic.

Since the kids enjoyed playing and the wife considered SL a step up from computer games, I decided to update my SL collection into ASL. At the time, I could only preorder the rule book, but also bought Paratrooper for my youngest son's birthday present. I remember being disappointed about Avalon Hill's demise and worried about MMP's future.

His birthday came and went, without a rulebook, but he got some enjoyment from making his own rules and playing against himself moving the Paratrooper counters around. (he was 8 at the time).

The kids interest moved on to warhammer. Fantasy plastic models that you paint and fight against each other.

However, out of the blue 6 months later the rulebook showed up. There, in that binder lay the rules to Paratrooper. What an undertaking! Just wading thru Chapter K took a long time. Our interest renewed, I looked to buying Beyond Valor for all the German/Russian counters but it was not available. We played one or two scenarios but let ASL drop off again in favor of the simpler Warhammer.

While shopping for Christmas presents this last year (where we buy Warhammer figures), the store had a copy of Beyond Valor and ASLSK#2 in stock. Better news yet: SK#2 was a complete game (I didn't have to have SK#1 to play - a good thing since it was out of print). I promptly checked MMP website and ordered both. They also had FK&C in stock, and I subsequently placed an order for that (glad I did!).

Wow! The counters were great, much better punched than Paratrooper. The rulebook for the SK was just the right size too.

So this Christmas, my kids got the SK#2, and BV and FK&C. It helps that one sons birthday is on New Years Eve.

We worked our way thru most of the SK#2 scenarios, having a blast. We make lots of mistakes, but keep trying to play fast and frequently. It is kind of funny, coming home from work and seeing my 9 year old reading the bindered rulebook, while the 14 year old devours examples of play downloaded from the web.

So, I am currently playing two games: Commissar's House (as German) against son #1, and 88's at Zon (as German) against son #2. We just finished a three way game of Priority Target -- I never had more fun.

A long story, the ASLSK#2 & web resources has fired up two new and one rusty squad leader.

 

[Canadian Dude]

Woot! New Blood! Thats right man! Keep the kids away from war hammer. I used to play Warhammer 40k but have since abandonned it for ASL.

Glad I did, because ASL > 40K :laugh:

- The Canadian Dude

 

[alanp]

Welcome, M1 Garand! That's a great story. Looks like you solved your 'no opponents' problem.

 

[Telpierion]

Hello, I'm just getting back into ASL after not playing for a number of years, nobody else played. I have a few questions.

Is there any reason to buy FKaC if I own West of Alamein? Was the Brit OB updated or just separated from the desert stuff?

While searching the net for ASL stuff I have seen references to a dedicated Finn module, Hakkaa Paale. Or something like that the spelling is different every time I see it. I was very excited about this since another hobby of mine, collecting and shooting military rifles, has given me a lot of interest in Finland's roll in WWII. However, I see no reference to it on MMP's web sight. Is this a dead project or postponed or what?

What is the overall opinion of the quality of the "start kit style" maps?

I have some friends who are interested in trying out ASL. How effective are the starter kits for teaching new player?

 

[Robin Reeve]

Welcome here!
I hope you'll find the resources you need for ASL:

Is there any reason to buy FKaK if I own West of Alamein? Was the Brit OB updated or just separated from the desert stuff?

No need to buy FKaC if you own WoA.
Some rules have changed for the Chruchill tanks movement across double-crests (downloadable at MMP's site).
Scenarios are remakes of old Annuals' scenarios (errata on MMP too).

Finn module, Hakkaa Paale...I see no reference to it on MMP's web sight. Is this a dead project or postponed or what?

It is not dead, but other projects are being produced (Few Returned action pack, Valor of the Guards, SK3, ...).

What is the overall opinion of the quality of the "start kit style" maps?

Opinions differ.
One advantage is the uniformisation of OG green.
Quality depends how you use the boards, but I don't see it as bad.

I have some friends who are interested in trying out ASL. How effective are the starter kits for teaching new player?

You can teach the rules and play the first scenario within an evening.
The SK has brought new blood to the hobby and has led some people who had tried ASL, but had stopped playing it, being impressed by the mass of the rules, to come back to the hobby.
The SKs are a real success : SK1 is at its second reprinting.

 

[Leixxiel]

Hi
Just a short intro. I have been gaming for many years (boardgames, esp. Avalon Hill, miniatures, RPGs, CCGs and CMGs). My introduction into SL/ASL was when I bought SL 4th Ed. Played a lot of solo games and a couple of HTH games. Bought the AH ASLRB 1st Ed later, but did not get into ASL.

In Dec '06, I bought the ASLSK#2 to have a read. Got hooked, took out my ASLRB and started reading it. A week later, I bought the MMP ASLRB and BV3. Sold my AH ASLRB to a friend and here I am.

We have played several scenarios form ASLSK#2 so far and I am planning to introduce ASLSK#2 to Eurogamers this weekend. Wish me luck.

 

[alanp]

Hi
Just a short intro. I have been gaming for many years (boardgames, esp. Avalon Hill, miniatures, RPGs, CCGs and CMGs). My introduction into SL/ASL was when I bought SL 4th Ed. Played a lot of solo games and a couple of HTH games. Bought the AH ASLRB 1st Ed later, but did not get into ASL.

In Dec '06, I bought the ASLSK#2 to have a read. Got hooked, took out my ASLRB and started reading it. A week later, I bought the MMP ASLRB and BV3. Sold my AH ASLRB to a friend and here I am.

We have played several scenarios form ASLSK#2 so far and I am planning to introduce ASLSK#2 to Eurogamers this weekend. Wish me luck.

Welcome! and good luck

 

[GF of Seoul]

Hi Guys and Gals,

Just checking in as a new SZO member and ASL gamer in the Kansas City Area. I've long been on CSW and only just recently learned of SZO so thought I would check it out.

I'll be shilling for March Madness attendees as I am helping Dan Best and Paul Works run the tourny this year.

Tom Meier

 

[Robin Reeve]

Welcome here, Tom.
I hope you'll find what you are looking for (but don't dream about Gals : they are not a lot around here).
Note that the site is now named Xtreme-gamers.

 

[smiley777]

Hello all!
I'm from Salt Lake City, Utah.
I've also been bitten by the ASLSK bug and just got the full 2nd ed rules
This board really looked like a good resource for ASL so I thought I might give
it a go!

Stan Smiley

 

[sswann]

Stan

WELCOME ABOARD! You are correct, this is a good (excellent) site for any and all news about ASL... the Good, The bad and the ugly. We have advice to MMP, TPP, Each other and about the world (in general) most of the time. There is humor as well as flamewars.

But in the final anaylsis, this fourm is great for ASL'ers.

Steve

 

[Canadian Dude]

Stan

WELCOME ABOARD! You are correct, this is a good (excellent) site for any and all news about ASL... the Good, The bad and the ugly. We have advice to MMP, TPP, Each other and about the world (in general) most of the time. There is humor as well as flamewars.

But in the final anaylsis, this fourm is great for ASL'ers.

Steve

Of course its a great forum. I'm here aren't I? :laugh:

Welcome aboard there smilie..... okay your avatar is creepeh but I'll get used to it suppose.

- The Canadian Dude

 

[alanp]

okay your avatar is creepeh but I'll get used to it suppose.

- The Canadian Dude

OK, CD, I'll forgive you because you're so young; ask your parents about Hogan's Heroes!

 

[Canadian Dude]

OK, CD, I'll forgive you because you're so young; ask your parents about Hogan's Heroes!

lol, I know what Hogan's Heroes is (and knowing my parent, they wouldn't) I actually haven't got around to seeing it yet, last movie with friends we were going to see it but it lost out to Dirty Harry, The Enforcer (and for the worst one in the series, it was pretty damn good).

Maybe next time we shall see Hogan's Heroes.

- The Canadian Dude