jrv
Forum Titan
Pretty much everyone knows that ASL was designed as a "beer & pretzels" game to be played while your opponent(s) worked out his/their next move in "It" (see page 24).
JR
What boardgames have you played recently?
- Thread starter Gunner Scott
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JR
wrongway149
Forum Guru
But I've found I lose a lot of these 'simple' games by over-thinking.
During vacation, played 'Las Vegas' (nice dice game), Roll For It (dice game) , Cards Against Humanity, Hanabi, Cockroach Poker
von Marwitz
Forum Legend
In fact over-thinking them is what I am accused of when playing them with some friends and significant-others. To mock me, they have bought a sand glass... :angry: On the other hand, I win about half the games when I play them for the first time in that circle of people.
von Marwitz
Blackcloud6
Forum Guru
Playing World in Flames Guadalcanal scenario both on the board game with friends and also on the MWiF computer version. This is all for learning the games systems before we take on the wholes war.
I also putzed around with computer Campaign Eckmuhl this past weekend while on travel.
I also putzed around with computer Campaign Eckmuhl this past weekend while on travel.
von Marwitz
Forum Legend
Interesting. Are you using WiF on VASL? Might be a chance for me to learn something if I could watch.
von Marwitz
Blackcloud6
Forum Guru
No, I'm using the Matrix War in Flames computer game.
thedrake
Elder Member
Continuing on my Vietnam kick I solo-played a scenario for Lock N Load Forgotten Heroes module,titled "Of Mines and Men" (lifted straight from the pages of Capt.Francis West's book "Small Unit Actions in Vietnam,Summer 1966",which has this action as one of the chapters.)
USMC platoon on patrol with two LVTP5 amphib tractors come under fire from local VC as they approach a small cluster of farmhouses. Victory hinges on VP's for each side,and one critical VP objective for the Marines is to use the LVTP's to tear down a 5-hex long bamboo fence (since the VC often rigged bobby-traps to these type fences.)
The first LVTP is Immobilized on the first hex of the fence and the second one gets blown to smithereens by a VC hs with an RPG-2,even though the Marine crew survives. VC units then proceed to KIA one USMC hs and Shake another. The Marines tried to press forward but VC had fire superiority so called it on turn 4. Will play this one again for sure.
Next up this evening will be Compass Games Bitter End--German attempt to relieve siege of Budapest. Will play with option for Additional German Forces (six more divisions re-routed to Hungary from the Ardennes) but will keep historical setup.Question will be which route will the panzers take to Budapest:shorter but more difficult terrain,or quicker more open southern route but possibly leaving their flank exposed?
USMC platoon on patrol with two LVTP5 amphib tractors come under fire from local VC as they approach a small cluster of farmhouses. Victory hinges on VP's for each side,and one critical VP objective for the Marines is to use the LVTP's to tear down a 5-hex long bamboo fence (since the VC often rigged bobby-traps to these type fences.)
The first LVTP is Immobilized on the first hex of the fence and the second one gets blown to smithereens by a VC hs with an RPG-2,even though the Marine crew survives. VC units then proceed to KIA one USMC hs and Shake another. The Marines tried to press forward but VC had fire superiority so called it on turn 4. Will play this one again for sure.
Next up this evening will be Compass Games Bitter End--German attempt to relieve siege of Budapest. Will play with option for Additional German Forces (six more divisions re-routed to Hungary from the Ardennes) but will keep historical setup.Question will be which route will the panzers take to Budapest:shorter but more difficult terrain,or quicker more open southern route but possibly leaving their flank exposed?
We call it analysis paralysis. Drives most gamers crazy when one player has to slow the game down and analyze very choice. We had one guy who was so bad that I would point to the other players and say, "Vroom, vroom, vroom!" Then "Screeeeerch!" when it was his turn. He finally got the message and quit ruining the game.
RZasl
Junior Member
I've played some "Civil War" by Victory Games via VASSAL a couple weeks ago. I've owned that game since it came out in 1983 and I still think it is a great game turn system, unique for a strategic level game. With the Command Point/Initiative DR you never know how much you will be able to accomplish in a game turn.
clavain
Waiting for Godot
Some guy named Carl was involved in it too IIRC...
The primary source research that went into CA and its supplements is pretty astounding. There is a story there that is partially told in the designer's notes, but I would love to hear the full version some day of what happened along the way that this did not end up completed as a thesis somewhere. Sadly, have the whole series but have never had time to actually play it, let alone grok the rules. It sits on the shelf with my neglected FW collection <sob/>.
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Steven Pleva
Elder Member
Fighting Wings is also a great game. Unlike ASL, the rules evolve from time to time. This evolution is slowing, but JD is not afraid to change the rules if it materially increases realism. He never makes the game less playable. If you are interested in playing FW then make sure you join the Yahoo group. There is a great support network for the game and they start games for newbies fairly regularly.
Steve
clavain
Waiting for Godot
Agreed. I was on the Yahoo group back in the day (probably still am, have not looked at my Yahoo group subscriptions in ages). We had a FtF group in Ottawa of five or six of us playing AS! and OtR when they first came out, and played it to death. We suffered a bit from having one player of the "Screeech!" category that Rob discusses above. Unfortunately overseas deployments put paid to that, although I carried on briefly with PBeM in the mid-90s at one point when I was in the UK for a couple of years. By the time I was back in Ottawa "permanently" the group had moved on to other things, and four of us focused on ASL. Still bought JDs stuff as it came out (even have the "simplified" Finnish-Russian version from a magazine, and the Aussie magazine more recently, names escape me) just have not had time to get back into it (barely have time for ASL at the moment). I did find the "simplified" version was not really that simplified, compared to say Simple GBoH, which was sort of what I was expecting. It left out some of the optional rules as I recall and that was about it. Still love it though, nothing like a good multiplayer furball moving at pace to get the blood pumping.
clavain
Waiting for Godot
A subset of the same group also played ASup, AStr, and TSOH to death as well.
dlazov
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My son Kenny (14) and I just played the very basic game of Up front! I have not played it in 30 years...lol
I thought he was beating me pretty bad, until we looked at the VC and I had to push my four dudes off my hill at range 2 to get to range 4 and then the next card I drew was a building for a German win!
We had a blast, made a lot of mistakes but so what.
I thought he was beating me pretty bad, until we looked at the VC and I had to push my four dudes off my hill at range 2 to get to range 4 and then the next card I drew was a building for a German win!
We had a blast, made a lot of mistakes but so what.
I Kickstarted $125 for the new version of Up Front. The goal was $30,000. They got $340,000. Not a word for 6 months. I wonder if I'm out $125?
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There was a copyright issue. The KS guy used the money of the funders to pay his legal defense.
It is quite sure that the funders won't see the game at all - and getting back their money is uncertain...
There have been some debates onthe web about that.
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I have been playing some Legend of Drizzt (D&D boardgame).
Plays fast. Quite simple - I would call it a gateway dungeon crawler - but entertaining.
Plays fast. Quite simple - I would call it a gateway dungeon crawler - but entertaining.
dlazov
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Thanks Robin,
Good thing I never will ever use Kickstart, and this is the reason why, kickstarter just seems like a big rip off scheme.
Good thing I never will ever use Kickstart, and this is the reason why, kickstarter just seems like a big rip off scheme.
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It depends.
I used it for Kings of Israel and things are going fine.
With a good trademark, such as Sodapop for super dungeon explore's new expansion, there is no problem.
And MMP used KS for Lincoln's war with success.
But UF met an unexpected copyright problem.
All in all, one simply must be wary about who is crowdfunding. I recently pulled out my funding from MERCS as the producer was the same one as for MYTH, which was a design catastrophe, as it was produced without serious testing of the game and the rules were unfinished.
Played our ongoing Descent - Sea of Blood campaign last night with my twins and 3 of their friends. We recently hit Silver level, and I'm the Overlord, so I've upgraded my Beasts to Gold level and my Eldritch to Silver. I've attempted to raze two cities at least 25 times with my Lieutenants. I need a Surge symbol, which is on 2 of 6 sides of a d6. I have not roll a Surge a single time!