PiF Update

[Paolo Cariolato]

My copy of PIF is underway, what i'm waiting mostra are those articles by Chas in the booklet. Can Someone tell me the exact subjects?

 

[kingruff]

Contents follow:
PiF Designer's Notes (7 pages covering boards, terrain and counters)
Pyromania: Fire in ASL (15 pages, including a list of scenarios with fire and a Fire QRDC)
Guns in ASL (19.25 pages)
Odyssey of the Black Brigade (3 pages, history of the Polish 10th (Mechanized) Calvary Brigade)
The Polish Campaign (10 pages)

 

[Paolo Cariolato]

Thank you for sharing

 

[FMFCB]

Got my PiF last week and the maps, scenarios cards and magazine all got damaged on one corner. I contacted BFP and Sam and Rick repleyed to my e-mail in under 2 hrs. Shipped me replacements and I have them in hand a week later. Unheard of on Canada's left coast! Great job guys!
Thanks again.
Dave

 

[MikeO]

Contents follow:
PiF Designer's Notes (7 pages covering boards, terrain and counters)
Pyromania: Fire in ASL (15 pages, including a list of scenarios with fire and a Fire QRDC)
Guns in ASL (19.25 pages)
Odyssey of the Black Brigade (3 pages, history of the Polish 10th (Mechanized) Calvary Brigade)
The Polish Campaign (10 pages)

I received PiF just the other day, a day after receiving the newest Journal. I have been working, and haven't had much time for reading yet, but I did read about the first third of Chas's article on Guns in ASL - what a fantastic article! Well written, and a terrific reference. Edward's article on Fire in ASL looks top notch, too, but I have only read the first couple of pages. These types of articles are a boon to players of almost every level.

 

[Nineteen Kilo]

Due to my decreasing play of ASL over the last 10 years (to the point where I'm now down to one or two games a year), over a year ago I determined that Poland in Flames would be my last ever purchase of a 3rd Party product - the official stuff being more than sufficient for me.

But now that I have this magnum opus in my hands I've changed my mind. Much like Blood & Jungle and Crucible of Steel this baby is Core Module status - and how could I possibly pass on that? So I am going to institute my 'no further purchases policy' but if Bounding Fire comes out with another of these beasts covering the Western Minors or the French, who am I kidding, I'm going to buy it.

Job well done Chas & Co!

Kev
<edit> Can someone provide the link to the thread in which the Bounding Fire Boys discuss the rationale for the two tone Polish counters and all of the new leader types? (Or perhaps this is covered in the magazine which I have yet to read?)
<post edit -edit> I found the answers in the magazine on page 4. "The two tone counters are provided to present the Poles as their own nationality rather than just lumped with the generic Allied Minors". The leaders are not given a specific reason d'etre for their existence on page 4, so it appears to be a case that Chas just felt they were needed.

 

[rreinesch]

The leaders are not given a specific reason d'etre for their existence on page 4, so it appears to be a case that Chas just felt they were needed.

Basically, though they definitely fill a niche. No reason why a 7-1 shouldn't exist in the system, and not every 10 morale guy was a great (i.e., -2 or -3) leader. It also reflects the early war (i.e., in this case the first campaign) and the untested nature of leaders at this time.

Rick

 

[Justiciar]

....... The leaders are not given a specific reason d'etre for their existence on page 4, so it appears to be a case that Chas just felt they were needed.

Here is my take on this as a SL player since 1982 and ASL from 1988+/-, I sort of forget the cross over time frame,...and as a ASL designer as well (from A Hill days to today, under a various producers official and TPP.)

If the desingers of ASL thought that the ASL game system would last and be so dynamic 30+ years from its inspection, I believe they would have added these other leader types in (not just for the Poles/Russians)...and likely given the Poles their own "characteristics," just as the Hungarians / Romanians have theirs. My gut tells me they were designing for a window of opportunity and time line.....during which a wide variety of leaders, SW, MMC or Polish character was not even on their radar.

The new leaders are no different than Tom Morin adding the 8+1 Commissar.

The point being it is not about Chas doing this or Tom doing that, it is about creating a better game dynamic, based upon the many attributes that make up leadership, tactical ability, morale, and guts...

In any case...I applaud these new counters, traits and the like...

Andy

 

[Paul M. Weir]

Look at another way, something is being added, nothing subtracted and all for quite plausible historical reasons.

Apart form the 8+1 commissars in VotG, HP added 8+1 Finns.

 

[Nineteen Kilo]

Basically, though they definitely fill a niche. No reason why a 7-1 shouldn't exist in the system, and not every 10 morale guy was a great (i.e., -2 or -3) leader. It also reflects the early war (i.e., in this case the first campaign) and the untested nature of leaders at this time.

Rick

I suspect the 7-1 leader is going to be "The Man" in scenarios that feature him.
19K