Matrix Games Forums

Jeffrey, I think you summed it up nicely. Attracted another sort of gamer

I sometimes wish I could turn back the clock, unbuy ASL, and just enjoy the experience that Squad Leader is.

I have even pondered just playing Squad Leader with ASL counters and ignore the details on the counters not relevant to Squad Leader rules and just use them as if ASL had never been made.

Sorry I am one of the other sort. I started playing SL in '78 and by the time GI came out it was a complete and utter mess, thank GoodNess for Don Greenwood and ASL.

Oh, lets play this SL scenario, wait which version of SL 3.5 or 4.11? Oh, we need some COI, which version? 2.5 or 3.3, wait you got 4.0? Cool, okay how about COD, 1.91? Nope, I don't have 2.3, GI. 1.0, oh wait 1.75, okay what about the errata from the Generals? Four hours later...wait Errata which?

ASL is the deal man and and has been for 25+ years.

Yep ASL. only costs you about 2000 bucks to play it, assuming you can find it as it is generally out of print right when you need a piece of it

ASL. likely THE most substantial example of over tweaked and over rules lawyered in all of wargaming. Although the A3R system and World in Flames can be impressive for that too.

It is possible, the RIGHT choice for Squad Leader might have been to never do anything past it and just hand out sets of new counters and boards of missing nations. But a wargamer not fiddle with a design? That's like asking a woman to be brief

Nope, I started collecting ASL in 1986. Not over tweaked or over rules lawyered at all. In fact anyone that says such has no idea of how ASL is played.

You sound very much like the other fellow that hates ASL, he has never played ASL and wrote a book on how to design ASL scenarios and yet he does not play the game just yaps his mouth. Hum...

Nah I like ASL, I likely could play it all the time, if I had a FTF opponent. It loses something by itself though. Played most of my games during the 80s as well. My collection is mainly first editions.

But I disagree, I think they took a great idea, and added a bit too much to it. Then forgot why it was called Squad Leader I think. I bought the HASLs but in retrospect, I think I had more money than common sense at the time.

But I think I have bought a lot of wargames before thinking long enough too All that glitters isn't golden.

ASL. I loved it. But I never played with all the rules. I played solitaire like all my games, computer or board, and simply used the rules I liked. An example. No prisoners. Ever. I just ignored those rules and other rules I didn't want to deal with. It worked fine for me. A brilliant game, but I think if someone tried to play using all the rules accurately is was very rules lawyered.

At the ASL Open (held in the spring in Chicago) there normally is about 50 to 75 people that show up. At the annual ASLOK held every October in OH, around 150 to 200 show up to play ASL.

There is still a vibrant alive community playing ASL, without the 'rule lawyering', there is at least two to three groups in Canada, a couple in Australia, one to two in France, one in Germany, at least one in Italy, and one help up in the northern regions of Europe. There is also two groups that meet in Asia.

Plus there is VASL and Skype.

ORIGINAL: dlazov66

Nope, I started collecting ASL in 1986. Not over tweaked or over rules lawyered at all. In fact anyone that says such has no idea of how ASL is played.

You sound very much like the other fellow that hates ASL, he has never played ASL and wrote a book on how to design ASL scenarios and yet he does not play the game just yaps his mouth. Hum...

I agree with you dlazov66. I started buying, and playing, ASL in 1988. ASL is THE tactical game.

Ask Paradox..they bought the digital rights a fair few years ago and did nothing.

ORIGINAL: wodin

Ask Paradox..they bought the digital rights a fair few years ago and did nothing.

Oh be careful about what you say about Paradox the wrath of Kahn will be upon you. lol[:D]

ORIGINAL: wodin

Ask Paradox..they bought the digital rights a fair few years ago and did nothing.

Yeah, and that breaks my heart.

ORIGINAL: parusski

ORIGINAL: wodin

Ask Paradox..they bought the digital rights a fair few years ago and did nothing.

Yeah, and that breaks my heart.

Cmon, did you really want "PARADOX" to do the true to life squad leader game? [:'(]

ORIGINAL: wodin

Ask Paradox..they bought the digital rights a fair few years ago and did nothing.

I don't think so, as far as I know only MMP is authorized to produce anything ASL. But with Hasbro who knows.

Google it...

ORIGINAL: dlazov66

ORIGINAL: wodin

Ask Paradox..they bought the digital rights a fair few years ago and did nothing.

I don't think so, as far as I know only MMP is authorized to produce anything ASL. But with Hasbro who knows.

I KNOW MMP is the sole provider of the BOARD game. The digital rights, well I have heard a lot over the years. There's been a lot of blather about an emanual, but then 'digital rights' always comes into the discussion, and in the end, the ASL community is fully aware you can get any of several really well made emanuals. All you have to do is ask in the clear the right way.

But with VASL existing, I would not hold your breath waiting for computer ASL.

A. people will expect it to have an AI.
B. the idea of an AI for a game like ASL is completely hysterically funny.

LINK

ORIGINAL: aaatoysandmore

ORIGINAL: parusski

ORIGINAL: wodin

Ask Paradox..they bought the digital rights a fair few years ago and did nothing.

Yeah, and that breaks my heart.

Cmon, did you really want "PARADOX" to do the true to life squad leader game? [:'(]

Dear GOD NO. I meant I was broken hearted because they bought it.

We are still waiting for it because I am not rich enough to do anything about it. [:(]

Actually I downloaded something years ago about Squad Leader. It wasn't vassal though. It was basically a teenie tiny map or maps but it had the actual squad leader units on these maps. I even think it had an AI but I could never figure it out or get it to work as it didn't come with any instructions. I'll see if I can find it again and maybe some of you guys have tried to play this. I think it is an individual work by some independent who really love squad leader. It's primative but it really looked and reminded me of the origional squad leader.

Heh, it's by a company named "Scamsoft" lol I don't like that name at all and when I downloaded it there was nothing about it in the icon link for download it just said squad leader.
It's .062 looks like and is a java based game about 5.33mb I got it in apr of 2010 from god knows where.



http://computer-squad-leader.software.informer.com/

The above looks like a legimate site. But man I sure could think of a lot better names to name my company than that. Who's gonna be our guinea pig? [:D] and look at it again and tell us what it's about?

Things change. The Paradox announcement indicated in the link is from 2004.

The reason for my doubt, is in the last decade, because that is the time duration eh, things change.

I have heard rumbles and comments about the shifting and the wandering of the rights.

Now if you have evidence to the effect the rights REMAIN with Paradox is 2014 that would be interesting. If it really mattered to know of course, a person could just as over at Gamesquad. Because that is the home of ASL as MMP doesn't maintain a forum on their own site.