Why Don't ASLers Play Other Wargames?

Pitman

Forum Guru
Joined
Jan 27, 2003
Messages
14,165
Reaction score
2,629
Location
Columbus, OH
Country
llUnited States
Let me say right off the bat that I know many ASLers play other wargames.

However, I am regularly surprised at how many ASLers I encounter who have played ASL for many years, but do not play any other wargames at all--in fact, who may not have even ever tried another wargame.

I wonder why this is the case? Does anybody have any ideas?

One effect, I've noticed, is a general ignorance of wargaming and the wargaming industry in general, with a resulting tendency to "blame" or "condemn" MMP for things that are industry standards.
 

da priest

Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2003
Messages
2,783
Reaction score
11
Location
Lebanon, Mo., turn r
pitman said:
One effect, I've noticed, is a general ignorance of wargaming and the wargaming industry in general, with a resulting tendency to "blame" or "condemn" MMP for things that are industry standards.
Hmmm, don't see this myself? you got some examples?
 

Nat Mallet

Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2004
Messages
270
Reaction score
4
Location
Canada
Country
llCanada
It's been my experience that the contrary is true. I have a lot of friends who are wargamers, but they haven't taken on ASL yet, with "too many rules" as the most common excuse.

Granted, a lot of these wargamers are computer wargamers, but a few are board-only.

I have thought about giving up several other wargames I play to focus more on ASL, as it is my favorite, and it does take a significant amount of my time (playing, reading rules, participating in the online discussions, maintaing/building the website, etc). I may drop them all at some point, except for Combat Mission. My guess would be that time is an issue for most one-game wargamers.

Nat
 

apbills

Elder Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2003
Messages
3,513
Reaction score
1,043
Location
Pewaukee, WI
Country
llUnited States
I played and owned hundreds of wargames when I was younger. As time and age have changed various aspects of my life (read WORK, FAMILY) I have slowly gravitated to playing just one game, the game I most enjoy. I still have several old wargames in the closet, but they haven't seen the light of day in years. It really comes down to best bang for the buck (the buck meaning available time in this case).

If I lived in an area where I had FTF opponents, and I had more available time, then I could see playing something else as well, but that is doubtful given the strong desire to actually play 50% of the available ASL material.
 

ASLgord

Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2003
Messages
446
Reaction score
2
Location
Brighton, Nova Scotia
Country
llCanada
pitman said:
Let me say right off the bat that I know many ASLers play other wargames.

SNIP

I wonder why this is the case? Does anybody have any ideas?
For me it's just a time factor. I started playing later in life in the early 80's and had already been married and a child. I started playing Russian Campaign then Fortress Europa. I found them boring after a while because of the lack of variety.

I found that SL/ASL was right up my alley. I love playing it, I'm not very good at it and oft times struggle with a great deal of the rules but I've been loyal to the game since ASL came out and have almost every "official"

Later

Gord
 

Pitman

Forum Guru
Joined
Jan 27, 2003
Messages
14,165
Reaction score
2,629
Location
Columbus, OH
Country
llUnited States
Ron, I've met a number of ASLers who don't play other wargames.
 

Brien Martin

Panthera oncia
Joined
Jan 27, 2003
Messages
2,106
Reaction score
64
Location
In the boondocks
Country
llUnited States
Used to be an "ASL-Only" type of player.

Then, I discovered Paths Of Glory ... and For The People ... just bought Barbarossa to Berlin ... I love the card-based games.

I've also discovered that my family (wife included) love playing Euros ... Carcassonne, Settlers of Catan, Torres, Bohnanza, Rome, et al.

Since I spend more time with my family than with my ASL friends, I have to play other games, or none at all.
 

Jazz

Inactive
Joined
Feb 3, 2003
Messages
12,302
Reaction score
2,891
Location
The Empty Quarter
Country
llLithuania
pitman said:
I wonder why this is the case? Does anybody have any ideas?

.
I can only speak for myself....

I used to play a lot of other wargames. I, sometimes feeling burned out on ASL, have also tried on a number of occasions to play other wargames since I started play ASL.

Somehow it just isn't the same. I cannot play the games I used to play as well as I used to. They don't seem to be as much fun as I remember them. The new games that I've played don't seem to live up to the promise they seem to show when reading the rules/scenarios.

Also, it takes me time to get my poor little eastern european brain back around the ASL rules when I start playing again. With life being as packed as it is, I just can't seem to justify the time to get back up to speed on ASL it takes when I play another game.
 

Pitman

Forum Guru
Joined
Jan 27, 2003
Messages
14,165
Reaction score
2,629
Location
Columbus, OH
Country
llUnited States
From conversations I've had with ASLers who have criticized MMP for design or business practices when in fact most or all wargame companies do those things.
 

Toedwy

Recruit
Joined
Jan 28, 2003
Messages
24
Reaction score
2
Location
Columbus, Ohio
Country
llUnited States
Hey Mark!

One effect, I've noticed, is a general ignorance of wargaming and the wargaming industry in general, with a resulting tendency to "blame" or "condemn" MMP for things that are industry standards.
In my opinion I disagree with this, if I understand what your trying to say. For decades Avalon Hill produced, supported and were the mainstream wargaming industry leader, (IMO). You couldn't go into a hobby store without seeing their wargames readily stocked on the shelves including ASL/SL. It has not been until recently(Last 3ish years) that you could not find ASL on the shelves for the regular user.

For the other wargames that had trouble with stocking or availability of their products. Where are they now? They are all out of business or barely alive. ASL is/was on that same path, but was given a golden parachute 'A baseball star'.

I guess also, If the wargaming community has been like this. I have enough ASL items to last me a life time now. I don't know what I am complaining and or upset about! :)
 

da priest

Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2003
Messages
2,783
Reaction score
11
Location
Lebanon, Mo., turn r
pitman said:
From conversations I've had with ASLers who have criticized MMP for design or business practices when in fact most or all wargame companies do those things.
I've never run into more than a hand of these...
 
Top