Wanted: Scenarios for tournament

[WuWei]

A few friends and I are working on a concept for a small fun tournament. One problem is that we are fairly new to the hobby, and none of us has decades of collecting ASL stuff to draw from. So basically, we aim for scenarios that are playable with the material from BV, Yanks, and FKaC.

So: Can you recommend us scenarios that are
1. Tournament sized
2. Balanced
3. Fun (optional)
4. Playable with the material from BV, Yanks, FKaC

 

[Brian W]

2 and 3 can be found on ROAR. Concerning 4, which editions are we talking about (e.g. BVv1 comes with different boards than BVv3)? Boards and overlays will be the biggest limitation given the US, German, Russian, Partisan, and British OBs available. If a few people have the map packs, it might open up a lot more scenarios.

 

[Mister T]

So: Can you recommend us scenarios that are
1. Tournament sized

It depends how much time you allocate to each round and how fast/slow are the players scheduled to attend. Your expertise would then be important.

2. Balanced

ROAR is your friend. Go to the 'most balanced' section of the site

3. Fun (optional)

This is where the flair of the TD should come into play, again taking account of the perceived tastes of those scheduled to attend.

4. Playable with the material from BV, Yanks, FKaC

Use the ASL Scenario Archive to screen the potential scenarios (a lot) that pit these nationalities.

Selecting scenarios for an event is a pretty enjoyable task.

 

[Delirium]

If all attendees are relatively new to ASL I heartily endorse an approach which seeks to introduce some of the classics. Take a look at ROAR and the scenarios included with the modules you have, weed out overly long scenarios, those with fewer playing and those with evident balance issues. There are several short tournaments worth of excellent, storied scenarios in FKaC and BV alone. For starters, I suggest looking at:

3rd RTR in the Rain
Going to Church
Acts of Defiance
Commando Schenke

If memory serves, they are well balanced, but check on Roar.

I think a certain element of the enjoyment of ASL is the shared experience across the community of having played the classics.

 

[M.Koch]

Selecting scenarios for an event is a pretty enjoyable task.

Depends.... From time to time it also can be pita.

 

[Mister T]

Depends.... From time to time it also can be pita.

The general logistics of an event would be more of a hassle for me. If one does not like scenario selection, one can always delegate the task, this is done in several tournaments, with one general organiser and one "listmeister".

 

[Hennie van der Salm]

The general logistics of an event would be more of a hassle for me. If one does not like scenario selection, one can always delegate the task, this is done in several tournaments, with one general organiser and one "listmeister".

I'm with Mister T on this.

I always liked doing the scenario selection for the Arnhem tournament and the actual running the show at the tournament (even if that meant not being able to play) but the logistics leading up to the tournament wasn't my cup of tea.

 

[takai]

Marc Blume has done a simple calculator to determine playing time, which I found to be surprisingly accurate. You can find it at this link.

 

[RobZagnut]

Beginner tourney scenarios:

Gavin Take
Zon with the Wind
Tettau's Attack
Silence that Gun
Lost Opportunities - balance fixed in Yanks v2
Defiance on Hill 30

A little more detailed:

Hill 253.5
Rockets Red Glare
Ace in the Hole

 

[witchbottles]

don't underestimate the freebies online also- anyone ccan get them. Look at View from the Trenches and the General magazines, then try "Bone of Contention" for a 50/50 tourney size scen that is VERY fun, with a unique flair of LATW - immoble captured tanks, and partisans.

 

[WuWei]

Thanks for the recommendations. Especially the free online ones are greatly appreciated, since those would probably fly under our radar.

I have here an old excel file with a lot of ASL scenarios in it, all with boards used, overlays, nationalities and ROAR balance. I don't know where I got it, but does someone happen to have a current version of this? This would be a great help to make a first pre-selection.

 

[msoong38]

Lenin's Sons also a good one...

 

[tunixx]

Thanks for the recommendations. Especially the free online ones are greatly appreciated, since those would probably fly under our radar.

I have here an old excel file with a lot of ASL scenarios in it, all with boards used, overlays, nationalities and ROAR balance. I don't know where I got it, but does someone happen to have a current version of this? This would be a great help to make a first pre-selection.

People which are more skilled with computers than me have found a way to download ROAR statistics and reformat them:

http://www.friendlyfire.se/asl/roar/pdf

 

[Brad M-V]

Take two identical geoboards and join them together so they present the same terrain format from either side of the table, then select a force from the same nationality which are also exactly the same for each side. The counters will be played upside down against each other so will remain distinguishable from one another. Then, decide on victory conditions that will also be identical for both players and you will have the most balanced & fair tournament setup ever played.

Use different board & unit setups each round to present different challenges.

 

[Mister T]

The "T" series of AH scenarios provide good enough stuff for such an event (EXC: Hill 253.5 too large/complex for newbies)

Gavin Take [T1] American 240 German 240
The Puma Prowls [T2] Russian 160 German 178
Ranger Stronghold [T3] American 72 German 127
Shklov's Labors Lost [T4] German 205 Russian 172
The Pouppeville Exit [T5] German 43 American 51
The Dead of Winter [T6] Russian 69 German 95
Hill 253.5 [T7] Russian 86 German 66
Aachen's Pall [T8] German 60 American 76
Niscemi-Biscari Highway [T9] German 80 American 64
Devil's Hill [T10] American 66 German 83
The Attempt to Relieve Peiper [T11] German 25 American 31
Hunters from the Sky [T12] German 22 American 15
Commando Raid at Dieppe [T13] German 16 British 7
Gambit [T14] New Zealand 24 German 49
The Akrotiri Peninsula [T15] German 7 British 15
Strayer's Strays [T16] German 113 American 72

 

[witchbottles]

T14 Gambit is unbalanced nearly 2:1. T15 Akrotiri Peninsula is the same thing. T12 Hunters from the Sky same thing. T13 Commando Raid at Dieppe same thing.

Just because they are listed as a "T" series scenario does not mean they are balanced. some of these scenarios are real war-dogs of imbalance. The OP criteria did specify a desire for balanced scens.

KRL, jon H

 

[Mister T]

T14 Gambit is unbalanced nearly 2:1. T15 Akrotiri Peninsula is the same thing. T12 Hunters from the Sky same thing. T13 Commando Raid at Dieppe same thing.

Just because they are listed as a "T" series scenario does not mean they are balanced. some of these scenarios are real war-dogs of imbalance. The OP criteria did specify a desire for balanced scens.

KRL, jon H

Don't worry, they are not as stupid you think they are. They'll sort out the wheat from the chaff with ROAR stats.

 

[witchbottles]

Don't worry, they are not as stupid you think they are. They'll sort out the wheat from the chaff with ROAR stats.

truth be told, it wasn't them I considered stupid.......

A few friends and I are working on a concept for a small fun tournament. One problem is that we are fairly new to the hobby, and none of us has decades of collecting ASL stuff to draw from. So basically, we aim for scenarios that are playable with the material from BV, Yanks, and FKaC.

So: Can you recommend us scenarios that are
1. Tournament sized
2. Balanced
3. Fun (optional)
4. Playable with the material from BV, Yanks, FKaC

 

[jrv]

Play "Guards Counterattack" over and over. First player to get twenty victories wins the tournament.

JR

 

[RobZagnut]

The "T" series of AH scenarios provide good enough stuff for such an event (EXC: Hill 253.5 too large/complex for newbies)

Gavin Take [T1] American 240 German 240
The Puma Prowls [T2] Russian 160 German 178
Ranger Stronghold [T3] American 72 German 127
Shklov's Labors Lost [T4] German 205 Russian 172
The Pouppeville Exit [T5] German 43 American 51
The Dead of Winter [T6] Russian 69 German 95
Hill 253.5 [T7] Russian 86 German 66
Aachen's Pall [T8] German 60 American 76
Niscemi-Biscari Highway [T9] German 80 American 64
Devil's Hill [T10] American 66 German 83
The Attempt to Relieve Peiper [T11] German 25 American 31
Hunters from the Sky [T12] German 22 American 15
Commando Raid at Dieppe [T13] German 16 British 7
Gambit [T14] New Zealand 24 German 49
The Akrotiri Peninsula [T15] German 7 British 15
Strayer's Strays [T16] German 113 American 72

Poop Exit is boring. Probably why it has the least number of plays from T1-10. Pre-determined defensive setup and really only one choice for the attacker.

No thanks to Gambit or Ranger Stronghold.