Do you remember the magazine, and the bookstore chain?

Thanks, and keep up the great work! BF

http://media.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cupola

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cupola

Hakkaa paalle is a direct translation from the Swedish words Hacka På or Gå på. I will let some native Swedish speaker to translate thet.

http://www.kevos4.com/Fire_and_Ice_The_Winter_War.htm

There is another Finnish movie called Ambush about the Continuation War.

Check them out! Is there a Finnish beer?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qm9cjgR9WaQ

It’s very good!

Thanks!!!

whooo whooo whoooo whoooo,nyuck nyuck nyuck.

I’ve also been able to manage any anxiety I might have experienced during the interval in which podcasts are posted. It’s been tough, but my medication has helped me cope during the interludes.

Thanks once again for a hugely enjoyable and informative podcast!

Your hard work is really appreciated – please keep it up.

Would it be ok if I offered a tip to all those newbies out there to help them learn the rules?

I have read the Starter Kit rule books many times (1,2 and 3) but even so, when I sit down to play a scenario, it is not long before I have to stop play to find a rule or to clarify my understanding of a rule.

Sometimes I even abandon a game before I have even finished the first turn! (Most of this is due to a lack of confidence because of constantly stopping and starting – and because I play solo I have no one to bounce ideas off).

Yesterday I sat down to go through the rule books again – but this time I was going to make some notes as I went along.

What I did was read through each section and then write my own short summary of that section, mostly using brief bullet points.

I have end up with an A4 double sided sheet of paper for the Turn Sequence and another for the rest of the rules such as Terrain, Support Weapons, ELR, etc.

What I realized was that when I had been reading the rules there were things that I did not fully understand but I continued reading. By having to summarize a rules section it meant that I had to understand it to summarize it.

Suddenly the gaps in my understanding have gone and I am now more confident and able to actually play a scenario all the way through and actually enjoy it.

I have my notes to refer to, which are short and clear and very easy to look up quickly to ensure a smoother flow of game play.

I think one of you may have mentioned making notes/bullet points in an early podcast. I would really recommend anyone out there learning the rules to do what I have done – you will be surprised at how much you do already know and you will end up with tailor made play aids just for you!

I hope this helps someone out there.

Best wishes

Phil from the Sunny Welsh Valleys – Wales

For anyone who wondered, the text of the attachment to my e-mail to Dave follows. I made a few small changes, mostly because, hey, I could.

A POLEMIC ON BEHALF OF SQUAD LEADER CLASSIC: or HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE PRE-ASL

A common bit of advice I hear from the ASL crowd is, “Don’t waste your time and money on basic Squad Leader.” I find this advice troubling for several reasons.

Which Squad Leader?

First, it’s hard to know which game or games are even meant by this advice. Like ASL, Squad Leader was a game system. Unfortunately, there is no general consensus on terminology for the original Squad Leader system, or “pre-ASL.” When an ASL player says “basic Squad Leader,” he or she probably means the entire pre-ASL system: Squad Leader, Cross of Iron, Crescendo of Doom, and G.I.: Anvil of Victory. A pre-ASL player would likely interpret “basic” as meaning the original Squad Leader game played with 4th ed. Rules.

As the need for these sorts of labels should indicate, the two systems are not compatible (aside from maps). Also, the pre-ASL system earned its reputation for poor organization. ASL players often claim that the pre-ASL system requires a gamer to “unlearn” it in order to play ASL. Unfortunately, this belief ignores the fact that Squad Leader consists of four truly separate games. In other words, this criticism simply isn’t true of Squad Leader itself, and probably isn’t true of Cross of Iron or even Crescendo of Doom.

How Complicated is Squad Leader in Comparison to ASL?

Second, gamers today have forgotten what an incredibly elegant game the original Squad Leader truly was. Out of all of the SL/ASL products released, the original game from 1977 ranks as the best overall game, but the worst simulation. Squad Leader originally focused on the “design for effect” philosophy. ASL shares many of the basic concepts of its parent; however, ASL dedicates considerably more detail towards “realism.”

Whether or not a game is “realistic” is somewhat dependent on our preconceptions of what the rules ought to be. Examining one of the “unrealistic” features of the original Squad Leader is helpful. In my mind, the failure to model casualties is a glaring fault in the original game, as compared to ASL. However, it does make sense when we consider the “design for effect” philosophy and the level of detail in the original game.

For example, the original Squad Leader rules specifically state that the higher firepower of a U.S. squad reflects issuing a B.A.R. at the squad level (i.e. an “organic” LMG). Let’s assume we are considering a squad of eight men and a sergeant (no leader counter). In terms of the likely “actual” firepower, this means a Thompson SMG or M-1 Carbine, a B.A.R., and 7 M-1 Garands. Let’s further assume that this squad takes two casualties (two riflemen). At the level of detail used in Squad Leader, this really shouldn’t affect the squad’s firepower. The U.S. example is particularly “realistic” for two reasons: (1) If the squad is using standard U.S. fire-and-movement tactics with two teams, this is effectively only one casualty; and (2) The casualties could be two replacements, rather than two veterans.

As Squad Leader developed, the subsequent designers began to sacrifice playability for more detail, assuming this equated to greater “realism.” This is the basic problem inherent to both systems (ASL and pre-ASL). Since ASL is still a “living” game, at some point moving on to ASL is more practical and desirable than continuing to invest time and money in pre-ASL. On the other hand, ownership of all four pre-ASL sets isn’t necessary, so the real question to me is, “when does pre-ASL become complex enough to justify the move to ASL?”

Cross of Iron is generally considered the pinnacle of the pre-ASL system, or the perfect balance of game and simulation. Cross of Iron adds much more realistic rules for AFVs. Assuming the use of the latest rules for both Squad Leader and Cross of Iron (4th ed.), this roughly doubles the length and complexity of the rules. Still, Cross of Iron is a true expansion, and it resembles the original much more than what followed.

Crescendo of Doom marks the turning point of the pre-ASL system. The sheer number of new rules introduced meant that something like an ASL RB would eventually become necessary, if only for tournament play. Crescendo adds many important concepts found in ASL: half squads, cowering, pinning, inherent terrain, etc. At this point, the criticism that you will have to “unlearn” Squad Leader to play ASL may be somewhat valid.

G.I.: Anvil of Victory is best left to true “collectors” and people with no interest in ASL. I mention this because I personally wouldn’t spend $50-$100 on a LNIB copy of G.I. By that point, you are forced to learn an unwieldy “system” that seems more complex than full ASL Rules, if only due to the lack of proper organization and presentation. Both sets of rules are similar in that they cover the same issues, but the actual text and effects can be very different between G.I. and ASL. G.I.’s modeling of U.S. infantry is infamous, and even worse, it makes virtually all of the previous pre-ASL infantry counters obsolete. Even if you are buying G.I. for use with ASL, that’s a lot of money to spend on five mapboards.

I don’t see how the original Squad Leader and Cross of Iron could possibly impede someone from learning ASL. This is fairly basic stuff, and I would compare the original Squad Leader to PanzerBlitz as much as ASL. Despite the inherent similarities between Squad Leader and ASL, it’s sort of like saying playing Panzer Leader on a regular basis is an impediment to learning ASL. I don’t think you’d find many gamers willing to claim THAT. On the other hand, I would also admit that the time, trouble, and expense of acquiring, learning, and playing G.I. is better spent on digging up a copy of the ASL 2nd ed. Rules.

Availability and Support Problems?

Third, there are some purely practical considerations. Everything else aside, the original pre-ASL series is out of print, and most copies of the games are at least twenty years old. Since Avalon Hill went out of business, neither Hasbro nor MMP have supported pre-ASL. Instead, MMP developed products specifically intended to introduce players to ASL. On the surface, it sounds like MMP and ASL have sewn up every conceivable advantage for once and for all. In point of fact, the exact opposite is true!

To my knowledge, there are five ways to start playing ASL: (1) Buy ASLSK # 1; (2) Buy ASLSK #2; (3) Buy ASLSK # 3; (4) Buy an ASL RB and a copy of Beyond Valor 3rd ed. (includes the pre-ASL maps); or (5) Buy an ASL RB and a copy of Paratrooper. Option #5 still requires ownership of some of the pre-ASL series mapboards, one way or another.

Unfortunately, only ASLSK #2 is in print. The 2nd ed. ASL RB and Beyond Valor are currently out of print. Paratrooper is also out of print, and MMP has no plans to ever reprint this module. The complete ASL mapsets have been on pre-order status for years. In short, out of the five options that players hypothetically have to enter the ASL hobby, only one of these options is even in print at the moment. It seems that most players agreed that ASLSK #2 was the least attractive of these five options, since it has still not sold out. From a practical standpoint, ASL availability is at yet another all-time low, especially since the vast majority of the expansion modules are again out of print.

By buying on e-Bay, you could probably pick up used LNIB copies of a 2nd ed. ASL RB and the 3rd ed. of Beyond Valor for around $200-$300 shipped for both, assuming you were patient. I lost an auction today for a LNIB copy of Paratrooper, because I wouldn’t go over $40. In contrast, NM to LNIB copies of Squad Leader and Cross of Iron can be found almost daily on e-Bay for $20-$40 shipped (each). Crescendo of Doom is usually $5-$10 higher, and G.I.: Anvil of Victory can go as high as $75-$100 for a NIB, shrink-wrapped specimen. Even today, it is usually easier to find copies of the pre-ASL series (incl. G.I.) than it is to find a specific out of print ASL module or product on demand, because the first series had much higher print runs over the course of many more years.

Squad Leader vs. ASLSK #2

Of course, I have been neglecting ASLSK #2. ASLSK #2 retails for $30 before S&H. The best internet deal I have found is $32 shipped. Although you will have to deal with the auction process, it is pretty easy to get an unpunched copy of 3rd or 4th ed. Squad Leader for that price on e-Bay. “Player’s copies” are much lower.

In my mind, SK #2 has a lot of advantages over the original Squad Leader as an introduction to ASL. Although you are miles away from full ASL Rules, the SK rules are like the Cliff Notes version of ASL. In contrast, the Squad Leader rules are more like an early outline. Similarly, the Starter Kits do not provide many counters, but at least they are actual ASL counters. There is some official product support for the ASLSK environment in Operations and on the MMP website. Based on Action Pack #4, it appears that future official MMP full ASL scenarios will use the SK maps (t-z).

Even with all this in mind, the original Squad Leader game still has some advantages to recommend it. For one thing, it is a complete, self-contained game. The counter mix is adequate to simulate ETO scenarios on both fronts. There are counters and rules for squads, leaders, support weapons, artillery, and AFVs for three nations: Germany, Russia, and the U.S. Squad Leader also includes the mounted versions of the four original maps (1-4), which are critical for playing many published ASL scenarios.

Most importantly, the pre-ASL system features “programmed instruction.” That is, the rules directly apply to the scenarios in published order. The player reads a section of the rules, and then plays the corresponding scenario that illustrates those rules. The player then reads the following rules section, plays the next scenario, etc. ASL has never used this approach.

Currently, there is more aftermarket support for the original Squad Leader game than there is MMP and aftermarket support for the Starter Kit environment. One might argue that this is not a fair comparison, since the original game has been around for over twenty-five years longer. However, its longevity speaks for itself, and it seems unlikely ASLSK support will catch up anytime soon. The problem becomes trying to predict the future of the ASLSK with MMP. Is it really the next big thing, or the next Deluxe ASL?

Some Conclusions

I would argue that the claim: “Don’t waste your time and money on basic Squad Leader” is not very good advice at the moment. With only ASLSK #2 readily available, the prospective player doesn’t have many other options. Yes, ASLSK #2 makes more sense for someone committed to playing full ASL. However, MMP’s inability to keep the core components of its games in print should be a major concern to everyone at this point.

I have played Squad Leader for several years, and I recently finished my last Cross of Iron scenario. Last month, I finally bought Crescendo of Doom. I have played ASL five times, so I am no expert on either system. I have been considering breaking into ASL for well over twenty years, or since my teens. Personally, I was never able to get into ASL because back when everything was readily available, I had no money. Whenever I can afford ASL, it seems like no new copies are available. (That is 100% true, not sarcasm.)

Most gamers assume MMP abandoned the pre-ASL line to avoid direct competition with ASL. In other words, the hypothesis was that by continuing to print Squad Leader, Avalon Hill had actually lost ASL sales to Squad Leader in the short-term, even if some of those customers eventually bought ASL in the long-term. Ironically, MMP’s decision to discontinue pre-ASL may still hurt ASL sales for related reasons. Logically, when little or no new MMP products are available, the demand and prices for used pre-ASL games, used ASL, and third-party ASL publications all increase. (I have noticed the average price of an unpunched copy of Squad Leader rise by about $10 on e-Bay over the last month.) More money spent in the “used” market or aftermarket means more money that didn’t go to MMP. It appears that MMP needs to break this vicious cycle.

Squad Leader was the “first step” to learning ASL for an entire generation of gamers. It still has a lot to recommend it, and it is still among the ten or twenty best-supported war games on the internet.

Links

Virtual Squad Leader: VSQL is the Squad Leader version of VASL. http://www.wargameacademy.org/sqla/Vsql/

Squad Leader Academy: Pre-ASL news and databases, including scenarios, articles, etc. http://www.wargameacademy.org/SQLA/

Board Game Geek Entry: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/1035

Good question, Andy, because normally the complete lack of a box wouldn’t stop Dave. He’d just substitue something else. But I drew the line when he grabbed the Rice Krispies box. “Notice how Snap, Krackle and Pop form a perfect triangle, thus pulling the attention to the heaping bowl of toasted rice goodness.” Egad! Please don’t encourage him!

Jeff (and Dave [who’s not here right now!])

Hi Paul.

Jeff (and Dave)

To answer the question on the opening humor. That is something that I always look forward to and enjoy a lot. I am sure it takes time to come up with but they almost never fail to bring a laugh from me atleast.

One comment on the twitter updates. I would almost prefer that you did not update on when you have recorded the shows as it makes the waiting time for it to show up on itunes even more brutal. Especially the time between ep. 19 and 20 was very bad.

Same with the newbie do episode 2!

But you once again managed to produce and excellent show that was both informative, humorous and just an all around great experience to listen to.

Cheers Stephan Rasmussen

Hi Stephen. Thanks for your response. You make us feel like proud parents. The comedy bits are fun to do.

Jeff (and Dave)