MaxTheBlueMoose
Member
Primarily what makes a good subject. But many of the other comments have been great too.
I think a good HASL subject is a battle(s) that:Primarily what makes a good subject.
Please refrain from discouraging Lars. I am looking forward to Suomussalmi. ?Without it being compelling to many, it's not worth doing (for example - the Finnish war...
Are they/ he working on a HASL for this?Please refrain from discouraging Lars. I am looking forward to Suomussalmi. ?
nice post! Agreed completely on the first as I would suspect most would, that is of course the single most important aspect of HASL play that geoboards can't deliver upon. Unique and interesting terrain unconstrained by the need to mate with other boards.A HASL, to be good, has to:
So far, Red Barricades still holds the top spot.
- have unique and ASL interesting terrain that can't be replicated using the standard boards
- have a decent CG that covers the terrain over multiple turns
- should appeal to a wide audience (ie. a Finnish HASL may not work well) so that it's economically viable and interesting to many
- given the complexity caused by the larger terrain size and attendant OB should have simple - not complex SSR
Good commentary. In reply -...however CG, much as i love them, are not really mandatory to be considered a good product. ...CG's are great and can separate a good HASl from a great one and there is also the large elephant in the room that it seems many simply do not have the time or space or the patience to play them and it is the scenarios that come with the HASL, ..
wide audience? i don't buy that especially in the terms you put them. ... I strongly suspect there is an even larger audience for the more off the beaten track actions and combatants. Goes back to your first point man... unique and interesting.
The last point? I've read enough here and had enough experience with the undisputed king of the complex HASL to understand opinion is quite divided on that. simple or complex SSR? really depends on what one wants out the playing experience. ...The trick is of course to do them well. Keep it the realm of extra pages, not booklets haha.
oh top spot. Red Barricades might still be considered perhaps the single most influential and important HASL but I think it has long been surpassed as best. As it should have been as designers took what that product hinted was possible and ran with it. IMO I'd have to give it up to its big brother. VOTG as the single best and especially best supported HASL. Not the most fun, the evil HASL empire has a stranglehold on the top spots for that IMO, but overall design,attention to historical detail and gaming quality. VOTG easily
Omaha? Seriously? Well, Omaha did make someone a lot of money, I guess... as to quality gameplay provided, well... there is the all-too-obvious reality of its, ahem, publisher...Omaha is a great example of a first class (in my top 3 alltime HASL)
, but overall design,attention to historical detail and gaming quality. VOTG easily
I will assume that the question is "what makes a great HASL", and will attempt to answer said question.With the recent releases of Hatten in Flames and Red October, along with several other HASLs in the works, I'm curious what elements in a battle designers look for when selecting a subject for a HASL. (HASLing? HASLification? HASLization? HASLed?)
Are there any requirements? (Other than the dedication of designers and playtesters, balance, accuracy, proof-reading, nice map art, etc...)
Multiple phases?
Unique elements?
Historical significance?
Historical balance?
Allied victory? (Okay this one is tongue in cheek, but there appear to be fewer Axis victory HASLs)
What makes something like Hatten a good choice?
Will... not... take... bait...... And, there is, IMHO, one HASL, that, in this regard, stands head and shoulders above all the others.
Hi.With the recent releases of Hatten in Flames and Red October, along with several other HASLs in the works, I'm curious what elements in a battle designers look for when selecting a subject for a HASL. (HASLing? HASLification? HASLization? HASLed?)
Are there any requirements? (Other than the dedication of designers and playtesters, balance, accuracy, proof-reading, nice map art, etc...)
Multiple phases?
Unique elements?
Historical significance?
Historical balance?
Allied victory? (Okay this one is tongue in cheek, but there appear to be fewer Axis victory HASLs)
What makes something like Hatten a good choice?
Andy, I would say on this last part you most definitely nailed it. Best balanced selection of scenarios in a HASL that I can recall. Kudos. I am enjoying playing the CG a great deal as well. Very nicely done module.The best bit of chrome is making sure the scenarios are balanced, so lots of playtesting (which is very very boring in the end!).
Regards,
Andy Rogers
I say - you really nailed this thing. Right sized, good subject, well designed, great components.. Should be a model for future HASLs.Hi.
The following are some of the historical aspects I looked for when designing Hatten. A lot of these have been touch on in previous comments.
(...and lots of other good comments)
- A battle fought over several days where both sides attacked and counterattacked.
- Being able to present the combat as close to its actual scale. That is a battalion-sized encounter over a terrain roughly the size of a village.
- Being able to access history of the encounter from both sides.
- An element of combined arms.