Winter Offensive Pack 2018

[von Marwitz]

I just noticed a nice feature on th hill board: where there are woods on the hill, a very fine crest line is drawn through the woods depiction.
Certainly works well on Deluxe, but I could also be done on geoboards rather easily, I would say.

I would apprechiate this as a general change for the maps (and - where present - treat woods in the "lower" portion of the hex as rising from the lower portion contrary to the current rules).

von Marwitz

 

[Robin Reeve]

I would apprechiate this as a general change for the maps (and - where present - treat woods in the "lower" portion of the hex as rising from the lower portion contrary to the current rules).

von Marwitz

I think that the current rules allow to do so, but only for recent boards.

 

[Will Fleming]

There is a footnote in the rules now suggesting that you estimate the line when you both can agree.

3.(A) 10.1 HILLS: In addition to having visible Crest Lines beneath some terrain, newer boards are much better at depicting where Crest Lines actually are by using gaps in the terrain. In many areas of these boards, most players will be able to agree on where the Crest Lines actually are underneath the other terrain of grain, brush, woods, or buildings even without visible Crest Lines. When players can so agree, we encourage them to use the actual Crest Lines to determine LOS.

 

[JRKrejsa]

A few years ago, I made color photocopies of the original AH DASL boards, but at a reduced scale.

Now I just need to remember what scale that was....

Made DASL scenarios much easier. I’ve got a big game table, but not big enough for 4 DASL boards.

 

[Robin Reeve]

There is a footnote in the rules now suggesting that you estimate the line when you both can agree.

3.(A) 10.1 HILLS: In addition to having visible Crest Lines beneath some terrain, newer boards are much better at depicting where Crest Lines actually are by using gaps in the terrain. In many areas of these boards, most players will be able to agree on where the Crest Lines actually are underneath the other terrain of grain, brush, woods, or buildings even without visible Crest Lines. When players can so agree, we encourage them to use the actual Crest Lines to determine LOS.

Yes. But the Deluxe boards of WO 2018 go one step further in drawing the crest line between the gaps, on the woods depiction.
You don't have to guess the firm of the crest line between the gaps.

 

[von Marwitz]

There is a footnote in the rules now suggesting that you estimate the line when you both can agree.

3.(A) 10.1 HILLS: In addition to having visible Crest Lines beneath some terrain, newer boards are much better at depicting where Crest Lines actually are by using gaps in the terrain. In many areas of these boards, most players will be able to agree on where the Crest Lines actually are underneath the other terrain of grain, brush, woods, or buildings even without visible Crest Lines. When players can so agree, we encourage them to use the actual Crest Lines to determine LOS.

Due to this footnote, I have gotten into the habit of asking my opponents before every game how they would like to handle it.
So far my experience is that the picture is divided: Some want to play like it "always was" (i.e. wood depictions on the "lower" part of the hex are considered to rise from the "upper" portion of it, which is in accordance with the current rules as given), some want to use the crestlines in the proposed manner of the abovequoted note only where they are printed on newer boards (which so far only applied to grain IIRC), some want to use guesswork for crestlines, but only where gaps in the artwork makes the guessing easier, and some at last want to use the guesswork approach for all boards (even the oldest ones, where determination might be difficult).

IMHO, the best strategic approach for MMP would be to publish all new boards with printed crestlines. This would create the basis of institutionalizing the approach so far encouraged by the footnote. Then eventually, at least for the boards with printed crestlines, the rules should be changed that their use is mandatory.

If there ever is a Map Pack v2, then the maps might be redone with printed crestlines. In case this is combined with a general rules change, this would create the problem of how to play all the old scenarios. As it would be rather easy to ignore the crestlines and to have a look at the publishing date of older scenarios, it would not be too hard to overcome.

For VASL it could comparably easily be implemented to blend in or out printed crestlines (however, a prerequitisite would be the availability of "official" boards that include printed crestlines.

von Marwitz

 

[Will Fleming]

That is one area where I would support VASL going beyond the original and putting those improvements in.

Sadly, I have a growing list of things to put down for new players and this will make it longer. Good suggestion however.

 

[Robin Reeve]

I won't miss the "hanging in the air" woods, brush, kunai, etc.

 

[klasmalmstrom]

I won't miss the "hanging in the air" woods, brush, kunai, etc.

But they are not hanging it the air - there is hill beneath them.

 

[klasmalmstrom]

I would apprechiate this as a general change for the maps (and - where present - treat woods in the "lower" portion of the hex as rising from the lower portion contrary to the current rules).

I wouldn't be surprised if we see that on the "normal" ASL boards for brush and woods as well in the future.

 

[Robin Reeve]

But they are not hanging it the air - there is hill beneath them.

With a crestline which looks like a bubonic tumor popping from a smooth skin. :happy:

 

[Honza]

Just ordered 2x WO2018 packs.

 

[Roy]

Got my pack in the mail a couple of days ago. Thanks to MMP, looks great, luv DASL, sad that it took so long. Very happy.

 

[Robin Reeve]

This is a close-up view, showing the fine crest line drawn through the woods depiction :

 

[Robin Reeve]

I just soloed WO24, with a very close IJA win (20 EVP and about no chance that the remaining units could make it - Watanabe was wounded a second time, survived the wound severity dr and hobbled out of the map for a twentieth EVP).
The gas FFE was accurate and hit the "pagoda on the hill", chasing the Chinese who left an MMG behind.
Most IJA forces moved west of the gas cloud - a little group tried to fix the Chinese on the east, declared some banzai charges and died in full honour in an epic hand-to-hand CC, indeed diverting a bunch of Chinese squads.
Things could have easily turned in favour of the Chinese.

 

[Steve E7]

"Board k : rural, orchards and a farmhouse, some woods and brush, no walls or hedges: thank you for moving us out of Bocage and offering a board which can fit with other rural settings - I would even guess that an SK scenario could use it."

This board is such a great addition to the DASL board mix. A non Bocage/City DASL board is very welcome.

 

[GeorgeBates]

... WO 27 Checking Out smells like a wet dog however. A limited first impression I know, but unless there are some SSR's which I'm unaware of, it sure sounds like yet another 'low quality U.S. Army-as-portrayed -in-ASL' getting schwacked by the SS scenario.

I won as the US last weekend. The squareheads have to cross a lot of roads, and with squad FP being equal CC is a crapshoot...

 

[Will Fleming]

With a crestline which looks like a bubonic tumor popping from a smooth skin. :happy:

You said boobs? Where?

 

[jrv]

You said boobs? Where?

Posting all over the forum.

JR

 

[Rock SgtDan]

So far my experience is that the picture is divided: Some want to play like it "always was" (i.e. wood depictions on the "lower" part of the hex are considered to rise from the "upper" portion of it, which is in accordance with the current rules as given), some want to use the crestlines in the proposed manner of the abovequoted note only where they are printed on newer boards (which so far only applied to grain IIRC), some want to use guesswork for crestlines, but only where gaps in the artwork makes the guessing easier, and some at last want to use the guesswork approach for all boards (even the oldest ones, where determination might be difficult).

How about getting out the drafting pen & drawing them in, whenever you pull out an old board? The additional advantage is that there would be random variation between boards, since everyone will draw it a bit differently.