Starter Kit Boards and their place in ASL

Evan Sherry

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Aries said:
?????

<<So you bought an ASL Starter Kit, just for boards you are not thrilled with just for a few counters and you have no real interest in the rules, and plan to teach a new player YOUR way all the same?>>

Actually, I am excited about the boards. I am just not that pleased with the new way in which boards are going to be made. My main concern is the durability issue. My concerns may prove unfounded, but only time will tell.

And why would I be interested in starter kit rules? I've been playing SL/ASL since they were released. When I teach new players, I teach them the standard rules from the beginning. It's not "my way" it's just standard ASL.

<<Are you crazy, nuts, or just weird Evan?>>

The fact that I am even replying to your comments must confirm I am all three :)

<<I mean, the ASL Starter was made for newbies right?>>

Primarily yes, except that the boards are not available any other way. And apparently from Mr. Dalton's post, the boards are going to be used in future ASL non-starter kit scenarios. I have been redeemed :)

<<And the only reason for a veteran to buy one is to use it with a newbie right?>>

No, as I stated the starter kit is at its best for players who have to self-teach themselves to play ASL. Have you ever tried this? Perhaps so. I started doing that with Squad Leader in 1978 at 14 years of age. It was very difficult. Programed instruction was nice then, though we moved quickly to page 36 of the rule book and were ready for Cross of Iron well before it was even released.

<<So buying one just for some counters, and actually NOT planning to use the rules, that sounds like you just took a copy out of circulation that might have aided a newbie that might have had a chance of being an opponent for you.>>

I agree this is a valid point. I would guess that a great deal of starter kits were purchased by current players who bought them mainly for the boards. I am sure some potential players have missed getting a starter kit this way. MMP needs to make sure retailers are re-stocked quickly.


<<Are you nuts?>>

Seems to be a lot of misdirected animosity here :)

<<Yeah sure anyone can buy MMPs products blah blah blah.
But, I was there all through this game's market history. And nothing is more perplexing than the rabid collector just gotta have it if it has the ASL logo on it type.>>

I have been there too. And I am not one of those collectors. There are actually official ASL products that I have chosen not to purchase among them, Deluxe ASL, Solitaire and a couple others.

<<I hope you are at least going to offer the rules you don't have any interest in, to someone that might actually benefit from them. Not that you are obligated in any fashion.>>

Thanks for letting me off the hook...I was scared for a minute there.


<<I dunno Evan, you seem pretty willing to buy virtually anything no matter if you need it or not>>

Well, as a publisher of an ASL releated products myself, I find that I have to stay current with MMP developments. This was a logical step in that direction.

You are very quick with harsh judgement based on my few words. Are you going to ASLOK? I hope so. I would love to play you in person and show you a few things I have learned about ASL over the years :)

Good dicussion!

Evan Sherry
Editor, Schwerpunkt
 

Evan Sherry

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SGT HOLST said:
Guys-


<<As for SP and using the ASLSK boards for a few of thier scenarios, well I guess I wont be buying SP11 since I dont have ASLSK 1. Different strokes for different folks.

what a cluster f@#!k'ed hobby this is.>>
Scott
Scott,
Breath...breath, now relax. You can still buy Schwerpunkt Volume 10 on 10/6/04. There are 11 other scenarios in there that you can play. And if you want to play SP111 Why at Erp (because incidently it is quite a GEM if I do say so myself), I'll let you borrow my board Y.

Oh yeah, are you relly a cross dresser? Sorry, don't ask, don't tell.

Evan Sherry
former
CPT, AR
USAR
 

Robin Reeve

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I don't like the ASL SK boards for standard ASL playing (poor variety of terrain, no building levels, etc.), but I do appreciate them in the ASLSK context.
I already have initiated two newbies with ASLSK, and they seem hooked...
I don't think ASL SK will become a danger for standard ASL : one cannot compare the pleasure and variety offered by the latter to the former... and I bet a ASL veteran won't miss an occasion to underline all the possibilities (e.g. bypass, HoB, etc.) standard ASL offers that the ASLSK doesn't ! :)
 

cujo8-1

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If the SK boards become available for separate purchase, I'll buy them at some point, especially if MMP is going to design scenarios using them. I won't get the SK just for the boards.

We had a newbie buy the SK a few months ago. When he showed up at our group, we started teaching him the standard rules. It has worked out quite well. We didn't want to unlearn some of the things that are ingrained in us by using the SK rules.
 

graydo

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kdalton said:
It is my understanding that we at MMP are in the midst of designing ASL scenarios using the starter kit boards.
Are they going to be available for individual purchase or is the only way to obtain them to buy the SK?

dave
 

kdalton

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For right now, with the starter kit. We made just enough boards for the kits to contain costs.
 

Robin Reeve

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Note that many counters can be added to your ASl ones. I think of the leaders, as these tend to suffer from overuse...
I was already glad to have new German ones in OVHS.
Now I am happy with more Soviets (and Germans also).
US leaders are, I believe, already very numerous... strange, isn't it? ;)
 

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zgrose said:
I'm confused, why do you need 4 starters?
From my understanding there will be 4 starter kits. Ero, it is reasonable to assume there will be board(s) with each kit.
 

da priest

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WaterRabbit said:
From my understanding there will be 4 starter kits. Ero, it is reasonable to assume there will be board(s) with each kit.
Vague recall of only 3. Infantry, Guns, and finally tanks.

What would 4th be?
 

kdalton

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There will be 3 starter kits:

1. Infantry and support weapons
2. Guns, and possibly some more terrain types
3. Vehicles, and possibly some more terrain types.

:cool:
 
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M Faulkner

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"What would be 4th?"

OBA, Bocage, Routing??? You could have a whole kit just on one of these topics. :D
 

Aries

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Evan, zero hostility intended and apologies if it came out sounding harsher than planned :)

I gotta use more smilies I guess :) :) :) :)

Sprinkle those around that post for me hehe.

I teach the way you teach actually, I doubt I will get the Starters for much that reason.

I don't hate the new board method, I hope it cuts costs.
Possessing all the boards already though (well damn near all), places me in an advantaged position.

I own all the fringe items myself. Although I originally bought Paratrooper as ASL Mobile (its easier to cart around when travelling). I never go ANY where with the whole collection, I determine what I will need and just carry that.

Alas no cons nor events in my future, total lack of viable mobility external to home town (and lame finances).
 

zgrose

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WaterRabbit said:
From my understanding there will be 4 starter kits. Ergo, it is reasonable to assume there will be board(s) with each kit.
Ah. Well since I'll already shown (above) that the price per board isn't that bad maybe you'll feel better about said purchases. And, of course, only half you the veterans need to buy the boards anyway. The trick is getting the right half. :cheeky:
 

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Robin said:
I don't like the ASL SK boards for standard ASL playing (poor variety of terrain, no building levels, etc.), but I do appreciate them in the ASLSK context.
I like them for exactly that reason. In the case of Board Z the multi hex buildings will have a ground and first level in ASL. Too many terrain types on every board is not always a good thing IMO.
 

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ASLSK As Part of ASL

Hi,

Here's my .02. If SK can bring people in great. But, if they have to decide on $80 for BV 3 or 2 more SK @ $48 which would you choose? Especially since the only way to get the counters and boards that you need to play full blown ASL is to go BV. If money is tight why pay $120+ for the whole thing?

Joe
 

Chas Argent

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Because if you want to play ASL, then the extra money won't really matter. Unless you don't have it, of course. :cheeky:
 

Aries

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ASL is not a poor man's game.

Don't bother starting if the idea of spending hundreds of dollars scares you.

There really in no such thing as economy ASL.

You can buy the Starter if you want the easy entry, but the truth of the matter is, a Starter is only a Starter.

If you like the game, you are in for an expensive journey. Worth every cent, but forget penny pinching tactics, there aren't any.
 

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zgrose said:
Ah. Well since I'll already shown (above) that the price per board isn't that bad maybe you'll feel better about said purchases. And, of course, only half you the veterans need to buy the boards anyway. The trick is getting the right half. :cheeky:
If the boards were the standard mounted boards used through out the rest of the system, your analysis might be correct. However, $20 for two "cheap" boards doesn't seem like much of a bargain.

I don't understand why only half would need to buy the boards. I have played and will play with many different people who have different amounts of stuff. If enough good scenarios are designed with these boards in mind, well it will eventually force us to buy them just to play them.

This whole mentality of producing just enough boards to fill the starter kits, but then start producing scenarios for ASL with them is irritating. For crying out loud, what is the whole point of the preorder system? Put them up for preorder and see if you get enough bites.
 

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WaterRabbit said:
If the boards were the standard mounted boards used through out the rest of the system, your analysis might be correct. However, $20 for two "cheap" boards doesn't seem like much of a bargain.
Not mounted, but certainly not unmounted, if you know what I mean.

WaterRabbit said:
I don't understand why only half would need to buy the boards. I have played and will play with many different people who have different amounts of stuff. If enough good scenarios are designed with these boards in mind, well it will eventually force us to buy them just to play them.
If 1/2 of the ASL population has a map, then the other half can play on that map, assuming a rather uniform distribution. I would guess at any given tournament there is greater than 200% of the needed material available to play. Surely you must know *someone* with an ASLSK.

In any case, why worry about the handful of scenarios you can't play. The ASLSKers can't play on the 100s of scenarios you can play. Who is really getting the short end of the stick here?
 
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