purchase suggestions

[chief2000]

Well, I have some discretionary cash and I want to probe the mind of your more experienced players.
What is, in your point of view (and I know they will vary!) indispensible for the ASL player? I already have the following

Pocket ruleboo, LFT rat pocket charts, BV, Yanks, CoB, Gung Ho, WoA, and CdG (v. 2), PB, Hatten, KGP1, all the starter kits and supps, most of the action packs and supplements, RB and VotG, ASL annuals and journals (downloaded from Wargamevault).

Is there anything missing or should I stop here?

Chris

 

[csiemers]

For me, lately, what I've found indispensable is all the downloadable resources that I've found on websites such as Texas ASL (there are others) that help me with the rules. I've been playing (me vs. myself) many years, and I still find things I wasn't playing correctly and folks have created some very nice charts or guides that help me.

 

[Ric of The LBC]

Armies of Oblivion. Get it while you can.
Doomed Battalions. It Will cost some coin.

 

[Sparafucil3]

IMO, the core modules and maps should be your priority. After that, it's up to taste and in matters of taste, there can be no disputes. -- jim

 

[Robin Reeve]

For King and Country would be a must.

 

[Michael R]

You might consider the Finnish module as well.

 

[TopT]

Dispatches from the Bunker is a must.

 

[von Marwitz]

Pocket ruleboo, LFT rat pocket charts, BV, Yanks, CoB, Gung Ho, WoA, and CdG (v. 2), PB, Hatten, KGP1, all the starter kits and supps, most of the action packs and supplements, RB and VotG, ASL annuals and journals (downloaded from Wargamevault).

Is there anything missing or should I stop here?

Dude, looking at what you have bought so far, you've already stepped into the swamp and you'll never get out anymore...

In your heart, you know that you are hopelessly lost and need, well, EVERYTHING.

The question that remains is merely the order in which to get EVERYTHING.

1. Everything currently regulary available from MMP (always buy, when regulary available to avoid absurd prices of OOP stuff on eBay or to have to wait for years upon end)
2. Everything currently available from quality Third Party Publishers. Make up your mind, which ones will make it to your 'list' (Friendly Fire, Bounding Fire Productions, Schwerpunkt, and Le Franc Tireur come to mind) and which ones will not.
3. Don't forget, that you'll need fancy kit: Storage system (RAACO), dice tower, tweezers, maybe special dice, etc.
4. If money is of no concern, you can start looking for 'out of print' stuff from MMP (first), and quality TPPs (later).

von Marwitz

 

[Kevin Kenneally]

Get the Red Factories HASL.

Armies of Oblivion (Axis Minors)

Doomed Battalions (Allied Minors)

Another copy of BV or extra German & Russian MMCs & SMC/Support Weapons.

 

[chief2000]

Wow! All these are so helpful. Thanks! I forgot that I did have Partisans and Last Hurrah. So, I take it that even though I have WoA I should still get FKaC. And Red Factories even though I have VotG and Red Barricades?

 

[Michael R]

Wow! All these are so helpful. Thanks! I forgot that I did have Partisans and Last Hurrah. So, I take it that even though I have WoA I should still get FKaC. And Red Factories even though I have VotG and Red Barricades?

FKaC is optional. I am buying it even though I have WoA because I want the new counters and because I am building a second air portable set from my old counters.

Red Factories is Red Barricades and Red October combined. When first released, one could purchase them separately. If that is no longer possible and you want Red October, then you need to buy Red Factories.

 

[Sparafucil3]

Wow! All these are so helpful. Thanks! I forgot that I did have Partisans and Last Hurrah. So, I take it that even though I have WoA I should still get FKaC. And Red Factories even though I have VotG and Red Barricades?

IMO, I would buy FKaC even though I have WoA (And I did that, twice!) The new counters are much better produces and are more easily readable for my aging eyes. When the new Italian module comes up, I will be buying that for exactly that reason. That's why I bought the new French one.

IMO:
-- All core modules when and if you can (I include the rulebook in here as a core module)
-- The board's you are missing if you can get them (this means SK's and WO packs, as well as all the AP's). IMO, boards are really a second "do this first". The game is nothing without counters and boards.
-- Some sort of storage system. Plenty of options out there, decide what meets your needs.
-- The overlay module when it becomes available
-- Good dice
-- A tower or a glass to roll in
-- Journals and Annuals available as PDF's when you can

Once you have the core, you can branch out as you need. I HATE campaign games. I am sort of unique around here in that from what I gather. If your tastes run to 200 turns on the same map, knock yourself out. A lot of people swear by them and really seem to enjoy (the boredom). For TPP products, for my money these days, this comes down to BFP and Friendly Fire. I have also really enjoyed the stuff from Advancing Fire. The absolute best value in ALL OF ASL is the Dispatches from the Bunker stuff. They don't cost too much money, have some high quality scenarios, and are dirt cheap for what you're getting. Don't sleep on the March Madness stuff or some of the other small run productions that are out there. If you have the money, you can dip your toes in to out of print materials but some of that stuff can run you hundreds of dollars. I had all of that before I left Germany, but when it came to having a smaller space to live in, I cut my system down to just the basics.

For something non-ASL related--but I use almost exclusively for ASL: A good two-sided scanner. I scan all of my stuff to PDF's. I have also ditched all paper copies of my Journals/Annuals/scenario cards etc. I also bought a MS Surface Go which has copies of all my scenarios, eASLRB, and some of the other electronic bits and bobs for ASL. I have a small hand truck and some straps for taking my stuff to tournaments. I used to carry a small printer to print the PDF's but since I can use my Go as a tablet I don't do this any longer (also the mooch factor can make ink downright expensive).

Just my .02 -- jim

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Well, I have some discretionary cash and I want to probe the mind of your more experienced players.
What is, in your point of view (and I know they will vary!) indispensible for the ASL player? I already have the following

Pocket ruleboo, LFT rat pocket charts, BV, Yanks, CoB, Gung Ho, WoA, and CdG (v. 2), PB, Hatten, KGP1, all the starter kits and supps, most of the action packs and supplements, RB and VotG, ASL annuals and journals (downloaded from Wargamevault).

Is there anything missing or should I stop here?

Chris

The Cadillac of scenario design guides is here:

Scenario Designer's Handbook (2nd Ed.)

Lulu

www.lulu.com

With plenty of background info on the various nationalities and the composition of various types of divisions in each.

Or a better suggestion would be donating to various charities in memories of ASL players who have departed the scene. I try and throw a little money that way each year - to Tinnitus causes in memory of Jim McLeod, British service charities in memory of Ian Daglish, and liver disease charities in memory of Gord Reid.

 

[von Marwitz]

The Cadillac of scenario design guides is here:

Is Pitman's the Mercedes?

von Marwitz

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Is Pitman's the Mercedes?

von Marwitz

Charitably, I see no evidence anything in it was over-engineered in typical German fashion, but I always thought Pitcavage was more Anglo than Saxon.

 

[chief2000]

I've noticed that no one mention Deluxe ASL.

 

[Sparafucil3]

I've noticed that no one mention Deluxe ASL.

As far as I am concerned, that falls under core modules or boards. Nothing worse than seeing something you want to play and not having the boards or counters. -- jim

 

[Chris Bryer]

The Cadillac of scenario design guides is here:

Scenario Designer's Handbook (2nd Ed.)

Lulu

www.lulu.com

With plenty of background info on the various nationalities and the composition of various types of divisions in each.

Or a better suggestion would be donating to various charities in memories of ASL players who have departed the scene. I try and throw a little money that way each year - to Tinnitus causes in memory of Jim McLeod, British service charities in memory of Ian Daglish, and liver disease charities in memory of Gord Reid.

Why isn't there a pdf version of this great book?

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Why isn't there a pdf version of this great book?

Thank you for the kind words.

A number of people, anonymous and otherwise, have talked about scanning their copies and distributing it without my knowledge on torrent sites or by request. I figured I didn't need to make it easier for them. Besides, for those who have paid for the full-colour physical copy, it would feel a bit like a betrayal for me to sell a pdf version for a fraction of the price after the fact, so I'm keeping it print only.

 

[Chris Bryer]

Thank you for the kind words.

A number of people, anonymous and otherwise, have talked about scanning their copies and distributing it without my knowledge on torrent sites or by request. I figured I didn't need to make it easier for them. Besides, for those who have paid for the full-colour physical copy, it would feel a bit like a betrayal for me to sell a pdf version for a fraction of the price after the fact, so I'm keeping it print only.

Sorry to hear about the piracy issues. In a hobby like ours, it's particularly reprehensible.

I respect your integrity, however I really don't believe those that paid you for a physical copy would be upset because you took advantage of the newest technologies available at a later date. Your sales would go up exponentially and you deserve the income, quite frankly.