ASL is a game and any serious attempt to simulate a battle " precisely" how it happens is obviously impossible. This is even more true when we use geo-boards that approximately represent the terrain with no serious chance to recreate the exact position of the main elements of the battlefields. See for example the board configuration of scenario J1 Urban Guerrillas (one of the best scenarios ever designed), and see how far is in the real world the Danube from the St. Stephen cathedral.
Having this in mind, I appreciate scenarios where important terrain elements change from game to game. This enhaces the replayabilty of any scenario at the very cheap cost of a simple SSR. I remember a few scenarios where the board changes at each playing, but they are not enough, probably because they make more difficult the playtest. Besides often the SSR is a little too long or complex.
Instead in any urban scenario this can be done very easily (and no overlay is required). Just add random (burning) wrecks or rubbles in key (road) hexes where the presence of a (burning) wreck can make the difference.
SSR example:
SSR: After all setup is complete the Attacker makes a dr for each of the six following hexes: ... Place a burning wreck for each 1; a wreck for each 2 or 3; NE for a 4-6.
so you could have from several to none (burning) wrecks in key hexe(s) that could force the defender to adjust his defensive position and/or suggest the attacker a different path to approach his objective. Every playing changes and the designer can modulate the parameters of the random drs according his taste.
You can make something similar also with Rubble or Debris ( see O1 from RB ) to random occupy some key points to create problems to the FL the defender would otherwise classically and automatically place.
Note however three things:
1) (burning) Wrecks are something rather unxpected for both attacker and defender and "mobile" by nature. The setup should be done BEFORE any dr for their random placement.
2) Rubble is a terrain more stable. Thus nobody should be surprised by its presence: the setup should be done AFTER their random placement.
3) Avoid if possible any blaze in spreading terrain. It's boring roll buckets of dice every AdFire ph. If you want the chance of permanent smoke somewhere, use burning wrecks in non burnable terrain...
please comment and suggest any improvement of this basic idea.
Having this in mind, I appreciate scenarios where important terrain elements change from game to game. This enhaces the replayabilty of any scenario at the very cheap cost of a simple SSR. I remember a few scenarios where the board changes at each playing, but they are not enough, probably because they make more difficult the playtest. Besides often the SSR is a little too long or complex.
Instead in any urban scenario this can be done very easily (and no overlay is required). Just add random (burning) wrecks or rubbles in key (road) hexes where the presence of a (burning) wreck can make the difference.
SSR example:
SSR: After all setup is complete the Attacker makes a dr for each of the six following hexes: ... Place a burning wreck for each 1; a wreck for each 2 or 3; NE for a 4-6.
so you could have from several to none (burning) wrecks in key hexe(s) that could force the defender to adjust his defensive position and/or suggest the attacker a different path to approach his objective. Every playing changes and the designer can modulate the parameters of the random drs according his taste.
You can make something similar also with Rubble or Debris ( see O1 from RB ) to random occupy some key points to create problems to the FL the defender would otherwise classically and automatically place.
Note however three things:
1) (burning) Wrecks are something rather unxpected for both attacker and defender and "mobile" by nature. The setup should be done BEFORE any dr for their random placement.
2) Rubble is a terrain more stable. Thus nobody should be surprised by its presence: the setup should be done AFTER their random placement.
3) Avoid if possible any blaze in spreading terrain. It's boring roll buckets of dice every AdFire ph. If you want the chance of permanent smoke somewhere, use burning wrecks in non burnable terrain...
please comment and suggest any improvement of this basic idea.
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