Tacticians or Lawyers?

[jorge]

In my opinion, the most beatiful thing that can be say about ASL is the interaction between rules/tactics. You are no limited to study the sistem to know how to win a campaign/scenario. Once you have a "medium" knowledge of the rules, your imagination can begin to fly. Not the same in another good wargames.

If you play games in company of your friends, no sleeaze tactics employed ( we need no to say "No vehicular bypass freeze allowed", nobody employ it ), the tactical posibilities are endless, and so we love it

 

[Legion]

In the light of the recent article on 'Sleeze Moves' i find the fact that 2 thirds of those polled think Advanced Application of Tactics is more important than Advanced Application of Rules to be reassuring!
:bounce:

 

[Legion]

Wow, having this thread dragged up after so long is a blast...

Despite the result of my latest CG being settled by a better understanding of a single rule than my opponent, and the continuing maturity of my own understanding of the rules, i still feel that tactical awareness gives an edge to one's game that mere rules understanding cannot...

 

[SlyFrog]

I think the interesting part of this question breaks at the margins. "Rules knowledge" seems to mean a lot of different things to people. I have seen comments in here that suggest it is everywhere from having a good understanding of game basics (phases, how smoke works, the fact that taking an initial defensive fire shot then locks you into to nearest unit only fire for subsequent fire, etc.). Others discuss more esoteric matters (the ability banzai charges against out of range units to wipe CX and get increased movement, remembering to use anti-personnel grenade launchers on German tanks when possible, etc.).

Though not from a lot of experience at this game, based on others, I would suggest that there is usually a "stepping stone" type pattern of progression, where getting down the possibilities and tricks based on the fundamental rules (e.g. drawing fire with half-squads to lock defending units into subsequent fire, allowing other movements to move) is most important initially. But those are simple (relatively) tricks to pick up, and once they are gained, good, solid tactical application, adapting to the circumstances on the ground (gameboard) is what comes next. After this stage 2 (which never comes in completely for many people, myself included), stage 3 probably differentiates the best players, which is a grasp of the esoteric rules combined with having the memory and tactical foresight of knowing when to use them to provide that extra edge.

 

[Stacks]

Where lies the 'edge' in the game of ASL?

Where lies the 'edge' in the game of ASL?

In the Scenarios that is for me the edge of the game,
poor scenarios - poor game.

Take a bunch of three-legged dogs - with poor written SSRs
VCs and set up instructions then imagine that they were
the one´s included in the Beyond Valor module realesed
for 20 years ago.

 

[Stacks]

I am interested to know what people consider to be the most important part of an ASL game...

Yet i also see that that some players place more emphasis on the rules than the tactics of the game...

So no middle ground here, which is more important?

For me i said the Tactics... as i play mainly HASL's and a long drawn out game will quickly have the balance turned by even a small edge in tactical understanding

In the rules since the "tactics of the game" can only be found there.:smoke: