Which rule do you want to change?

Steven Pleva

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A few I threw together some years back for the Heretical Mini at ASLOK. I especially like 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 & 11. 11 should be a standard rule - many players use it as a house rule...
  1. 3rd Die ROF – Use a separate die for ROF purposes. Use a different sized die to make processing the shot easier.
  2. Suppressed – When a Good Order unit fails a MC by exactly one it becomes Suppressed instead of broken. Mark the Suppressed unit with TI and Pin counters. The effects of TI and Pin both apply during the CCPh. If a vehicle crew is Suppressed it immediately stops and ends its MPh in delay.
  3. FPF for Broken/Suppressed units – A non-disrupted broken or Suppressed unit may FPF at half FP (not halved again for the Pin marker) and with a +1 DRM. Any losses on the firing unit(s) from the FPF MC may be taken as prisoners by the moving side. If prisoners are not taken, this will not invoke No Quarter or Massacre. For example, a broken 4-6-7 firing at a unit moving in OG would be resolved as a 2FP (FPF, Broken, Point Blank) shot with a -1 DRM (FFMO, FFNAM, Broken); if the 4-6-7 rolled a 10 on the IFT DR, it would be immediately replaced with a 2-4-7 and the opposing side could optionally take the eliminated HS prisoner.
  4. Detection Casualties – When an Infantry unit attempts to move into a Concealed/HIP unit’s Location (as per A12.15) roll for Search Casualties as per A12.154 only using the units that are actually revealed. If the Attacker was using non Assault Movement apply an additional -1 drm. SMC wound drm gets an extra +1. Regular Searching gets an additional +1 drm; however, an original 1 always results in casualties.
  5. Malfunction – If a Weapon malfunctions while using Intensive Fire or Sustained Fire use the rules as written for repairing. Place an extra malfunction counter on the weapon to indicate this. Otherwise, all Weapons or Radios repair on a 1 or 2 [EXC: if the normal repair is 1-3, a 3 will still repair] and will not be disabled on a 6.
  6. Repair Timing – You may make the one repair attempt on a Weapon/Radio at ANY point in the Player Turn. I suggest making counters that say “Repair” on them and mark all of the eligible weapons at the beginning of the RPh. Remove the counter when the repair attempt is made. This way, there will be no confusion as to which units can still attempt repair and which ones may not. You may NOT attempt to repair a Weapon/Radio in the same Player-Turn it malfunctions.
  7. Foxholes & Crest –The 1 MF for exiting a Foxhole (or Crest as per B20.93) is considered spent in the next Location entered for DFF if the unit is Assault Moving. Concealment loss per the ASLRB.
  8. Sleaze Freeze – The +2 for motion does not apply when CCing a vehicle in bypass. Also, a unit that has an enemy vehicle in bypass of its Location may fire at an ADJACENT (note the CAPS) Location. BMG are not considered “usuable” in CC for A11.61 purposes. Infantry may take a PAATC to retain concealment as per A12.41 which overrides the provision of A12.42.
  9. Special Ammo – Instead of the TH DR also being the same as the Depletion DR, make two separate DR. Apply a -1 DRM to the Depletion DR. For example: an AFV has an A4 depletion number; if the Depletion DR is 2-4 the AFV has APCR and it does not run out, if the DR is a 5 the AFV has APCR, but has run out; if the DR>=6 the AFV has no APCR.
  10. Insta-Berserk! – Except for the RPh, all Berserkers will charge instantly once the marker is placed. If a unit starts the turn Berserk, it will only charge at the normal time. Units that go Insta-Berserk! in the RPh will charge at the end of the RPh with the Phasing Player going first and alternating between players. Any unit that has prep fired or moved is assumed to be marked with a First Fire counter for fire purposes.
  11. Pleva OBA Rule – Every time you draw a red card (including the first red card), put it back along with another red card. The battery is never lost due to drawing two red cards. Extra card draw mechanics remain the same.
  12. OBA Transverse Drift – When OBA drifts >1 hex, after the drift roll, make another dr and subtract 1. Move the AR clockwise around the “wheel” keeping the range equal to the original AR hex.
  13. Stop Attempt – Works like a Motion attempt except in reverse [EXC: No free VCA facing change]. The now stopped vehicle must pay the appropriate case C modifiers for any shot(s) taken in the same player turn. MG/IFE FP is halved for moving for any shot(s) taken in the same player turn. The now stopped vehicle is no longer considered a moving target.
  14. Shock/UK – After recovering from Shock/UK roll on the following table. +1 drm when recovering from UK.
dr
Result
1
NE (crew is temporarily shaken but unharmed)
2
NE (crew is temporarily shaken but unharmed)
3
+1 reverse side of stun (commander or loader is hit)
4
+1 reverse side of stun and Disabled BMG (radio man hit)
5
+1 reverse side of stun and Bogged (driver hit)
6
+1 reverse side of stun and Malfunctioned CMG (gunner hit)
7
+1 Recall reverse side of STUN (multiple casualties)
 

CTKnudsen

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Do you find that the cumulative effects of #s 2 and 3 change the pacing and time requirements in scenarios? I have always felt that from a certain perspective ASL pins too infrequently, but I see from a design perspective why it is the way it is. I would think that these rules would tend to make defenses a bit more tough.

Would you play #s 5 and 6 in a CG? Totally get it in a scenario, where the loss of key weapons can make a scenario virtually unwinnable, but I don't think the same would apply in a CG.

Really like 4, 7, 8, 11, 12, and 13.

I like the idea of 1, divorcing rof from how good a shot is, but I would need to see how it handles first.

Not too sure on 9, 10, and 14.

9 just seems to make special ammo more plentiful, and I am a bit hesitant to do that, as I'm not too sure of the benefit. I get the argument that one doesn't want to make a whole plan that counts on having APCR and then not get the DR, but it seems to me that a scenario that a side can only win if they make an APCR roll is lacking a key SSR somewhere.

I kinda like 14, introduces some randomness into the stun/uk process, but I wonder about the balance implications.

10 seems neat, but it seems really dependent on when it happens. An DEFENDER unit berserking in the RPh, no problem. A DEFENDER unit berserking at the end of the AFPh? Big issue for the ATTACKER, as almost all his units will be limited to PBF/TBPF/PFP. For ATTACKER berserks, I feel the inability of the player to prep his berserkers into the objective is a bit of a loss. What do you feel this rule adds to play?

Absolutely no criticism implied here, just wondering what led you to adopt some of these, and how you feel they change the game.
 

olli

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Being able to dismount from a vehicle that is stopped in the advance phase!
 

mgmasl

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Fully agree with Pleva proposed changes.. IMHO they are an absolutely needed change after so many years of ASL playing.. I still miss some change for guns (75+) vs buildings.. when combined with low ammo make big guns very unuseful in game effect.. I proposed time ago reversing B Numbers for vehicles with low ammo.. I mean using low Numbers for ammo depletion in place of high numbers, so some good shots are expected before ammo is off , but not too much to have an excessive effect in any scenario.. something I believe was the expected effect in real combat
 
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Justiciar

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Malfunction – If a Weapon malfunctions while using Intensive Fire or Sustained Fire use the rules as written for repairing. Place an extra malfunction counter on the weapon to indicate this. Otherwise, all Weapons or Radios repair on a 1 or 2 [EXC: if the normal repair is 1-3, a 3 will still repair] and will not be disabled on a 6.)
So this makes MA Recall NA.
 

Stewart

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12.42 BYPASS: A vehicle entering a concealed enemy's Location using Bypass may not attempt an OVR as part of that entry or even be informed of any hidden unit(s) therein. Concealed unit(s) in the Location are revealed due to the vehicle's presence only voluntarily, or if the vehicle/its-Passenger(s)/Rider(s) end its MPh in that Location [EXC: a "broken " vehicle cannot cause concealment loss; 12.1]. Since a Bypassing vehicle occupies only the hex containing the terrain being Bypassed (C.5C), it has no effect on the concealment of any unit(s) in an adjacent hex.
 

Sparky

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a couple I've noticed over the years in conjunction with HASL and especially large scale HASL that I would humbly suggest..

1) OBA which I believe works well for what it was designed for, smallish scenarios on a couple of geoboards but not really for showing the power of the queen of the battlefield with larger scale actions. We did up some rules to improve them years ago which were lost when my father passed away but have been sort of reconstructing them in part to use with the HASL I've been working on and hopefully finish this next year.

2) again on the theme of working well on small scale and failing on the larger scale. Berserk and having units within LOS. I would put a limit on that. Nothing more funny (or silly) than having a unit go berserk and having an LOS to the closest unit and making a charge of some 50 hexes. I would slap a 16 hex limit on the LOS to the closest unit. Anything more than that no berserk, but in another minor tweak, not battle hardening. I'd do an break result or perhaps that nice 'suppression' that I saw someone suggest earlier.

3) Case K and buildings. Another one in which HASL has perhaps advanced further than the rules have with it. Targeting buildings was a standard tactic by large caliber guns. I would clarify teh rules to make Case K only apply if there are HIP units in conjuction with C3.4 Multiple Targets. You can hit the building but not affect the HIP unit but since a building is a viable target it should be able to be independently targeted (and acquired) regardless of what else may be in the hex. If not, the rules reference in C3.41 should be removed. It seems confusing and contradictory as currently written.

4) in conjunction with 3. Heavy Payload C.7. Unless there has been errata I'm not aware of. It only applies to bombs, and OBA. I would add ordnance to it as pieces greater than 250mm have been added to the game and suspect most play them as having C.7 apply, but the rule itself by the word of it doesn't support it.
 
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mgmasl

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About guns..
1. Change SMOKE -2 modifier in the To Hit Area Target numbers to “non-mtr” ie any non-mortar shot using area target type at 0-6 range has a to hit Number of “9”. Mortar fire is always penalized at this range, including for SMOKE shots..
2. Any to hit attemp on the IFT target type missing by an amount equal or less than target in-hex TEM is considered a near miss shot and resolved with halved FP and full TEM..

Those modifiers for greater effect of guns vs units in obstacles.. Missing by TEM is considered a hit on the hex and so with a probable effect vs attacked units... 1. Is representing suppresing fire vs the obstacle at Close range, obviously hitting more easily the covering obstacles.. with these two modifiers big guns improve effectivity IMHO getting closer to real expected effects..
 

mgmasl

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About CH vs vehicles.. As noted time ago, IMHO there is a big problem when analysing the number of CHs per normal shot in reference to the final number needed to hit. If needing 3 or less, 1 of each 3 hits is resolved as CH, and this ratio is decreasing when needing greater numbers until reaching 1 of each 36 hits when needing 12 or less to hit. So actual CH rule favours the dicey aspect of the game decreasing the value of better game.. My proposed rule is based on the event that good gunners try to hit the weakest areas of known enemy AFVs.
1. If final number rolled is less than a half of Final to Hit number, reduce the AF of the targeted aspect by one level to resolve the shot.. If final number rolled is less than a quarter of Final to Hit Number, reduce the AF an additional level. (representing aimed shots to more vulnerable áreas in AFV aspect by using the ITT CH procedure..)
2. CH is not automatic if rolling "2" needing 3 or less to hit. Roll again a die needing a "1" to get a CH result. CH is resolved increasing the Kill number by 1,5 times, not doubling.. (to compensate 1. and to reduce effect of low to hit numbers).
3. Any shot vs a HD vehicle needing 2 or less to hit may result in a turret hit by a subsequent DR deciding if hitting the upper or low case as normally resolved.. ie colored die less tan white die.
 

klasmalmstrom

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Being able to dismount from a vehicle that is stopped in the advance phase!
I would instead introduce a "voluntary unload without paying 1/4 MP" rule, allowing one to "jump off" from a non-turreted vehicle as well.
All such "unloading" units would have 7 ML for that Bailing Out NMC, and possibly a +1 DRM if the vehicle is non-stopped (maybe even a +2).
 

Justiciar

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I would instead introduce a "voluntary unload without paying 1/4 MP" rule, allowing one to "jump off" from a non-turreted vehicle as well.
All such "unloading" units would have 7 ML for that Bailing Out NMC, and possibly a +1 DRM if the vehicle is non-stopped (maybe even a +2).
Who knew? Klas has heretical leanings himself! The thin edge of the wedge has been found! Now we have to use it. So the first rule change has* to be Klas'. From there we can work our way forward.
 

von Marwitz

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Many interesting proposals here.

Though more than wanting to change rules, I want to remember them for starters... :)

von Marwitz
 

Paul M. Weir

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Who knew? Klas has heretical leanings himself! The thin edge of the wedge has been found! Now we have to use it. So the first rule change has* to be Klas'. From there we can work our way forward.
Aha! We are finally seeing concrete evidence of the New ASL World Order conspiracy coming to light.
 

Justiciar

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It can't be a conspiracy...we are talking about it in the open over an un-secure commo-channel..."New ASL World Order Movement" might be better.
 

jrv

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It can't be a conspiracy...we are talking about it in the open over an un-secure commo-channel..."New ASL World Order Movement" might be better.
I don't believe a conspiracy requires secure communications. A secret conspiracy might.

JR
 
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