June 1, 1999 - Pulse on the Net
The Mystery Behind the ASL Mystique, Curt Schilling Gives Consim Fast-Pitch
The Mystery Behind the ASL Mystique, Curt Schilling Gives Consim Fast-Pitch
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June 1, 1999 - Pulse on the Net
The Mystery Behind the ASL Mystique, Curt Schilling Gives Consim Fast-Pitch |
Martin Deighton poses the following question on the ConsimWorld.COM Discussion Board "Desert Island Games" topic which touches upon a recurring theme regarding the great following of the Advanced Squad Leader system, which remains a mystery to many.
"What makes ASL such a religious experience for its players? I've always thought it was completely lacking in simulation value. But I'm ready to be convinced otherwise."
As straightforward as this question is, the answer put forth by ConsimWorld.COM member, Jeff Thompson, is refreshingly clearly articulated and definitely worth a look. It unravels the mystery behind what is known as the ASL Mystique.
"Ok, I'm up for the challenge. I've been playing ASL for about 3.5 years now. I am not an expert and consider myself an average to above average player. I am not going to try and sell ASL, just let you know how I perceive the game and why I play it.
Yes, it does lack quite a bit of simulation value. In fact, the dreaded 'reality argument' divides the group often. I think the number one reason it is played religiously by so many is the fact that you can play it religiously and never play the same scenario twice. Beyond that, I like the idea of finishing a complete game in under 5 hours. My regular FTF opponent, and most ASL players in Chicago, plays quickly. There is a steep learning curve to get to that level, but if someone truly enjoys the game, it is painless, (long, but painless). (I can sit down to a game, pull the counters and boards and play, no rules references, no charts. I might need to look something up prior to play, but after that, its move and roll.)
Another factor that many grognard wargamers might miss is the fun in learning the game, not the rules, but the tactics. The tactics used in ASL as a game are manifold and can take years to acquire. It is true that many wargamers will see these tactics as 'gamey', but it is a game after all, not a simulation. As a player, your repertoire of tactics increases as you play the game. These gamey tactics may not relate to real-world warfare, but they do give the player a feeling of accomplishment and progress toward a better understanding of the game. This parallels the experience of a battlefield commander, albeit from a safe distance where one can actually learn from mistakes. Each scenario is balanced, (ok, most scenarios anyway), based on these game tactics. Each player uses his order of battle, made up of WWII infantry, Vehicles, Guns and fortifications to accomplish an objective within the terms of the game.
With 47 geomorphic mapboards available and dozens of map overlays, the terrain can be very different for each action. ASL may not be a simulation, but all the rules fit together in a way to give a good feeling of the action. In ASL terms, fighting in Stalingrad feels like fighting Stalingrad as opposed to fighting in dense jungle against the IJA or in a whirling dust storm in the desert of North Africa. In relative terms, the differences among theatres and troops make playing the different games within ASL fun and exciting.
If a wargamer read an after action report about an ASL game without any knowledge of the game, they might think, wow, that must be an awesome wargame, I should play it. Once they realize the investment needed to play, they may be immediately turned off. Or they might take the plunge and play an initial scenario with someone only to find the rules quite gamey. For example, many new players will rip apart certain rules, saying they are unrealistic and ask to change them. They will be refuted then attack back saying that all ASL players are morons because they can't handle change. The ASL reality of this is that a new player will not be able to grasp the subtle ripple effect along hundreds of pages of rules and hundreds of scenarios. A new player must come to the grips that it is ASL, like it or leave it. Many people decide to leave it. Remember, I said it was a game, not a simulation.
If I may compare it to other games I have played, it doesn't seem that gamey to me. I think many wargamers get hung up on the dream of a tactical game with lots of flavor, the perfect game. It doesn't exist. Most wargames are pieces of cardboard fit onto a hex-grid superimposed over a map with terrain features stretched also to fit within the hex-grid. I have played other games, but not enough that I feel qualified to comment too strongly. From what I gather, the pieces of cardboard are pushed around one at a time. Bingo, not real. Is that a big deal? Of course not, it's part of the game that is necessary to facilitate the simulation. I think ASL falls short to many potential players because it falls short on what it promises, the perfect game. If I told you a story in 'reality speak' about a game I played with a Tiger Tank Assaulting a group of Russians holed up in a farm house, I could make it sound almost real, as if I was recalling a real WWII story. Of course when playing the game, something gamey might have happened. I like ASL, so I think of a 'reality argument' to use to tell the story. Again, you either love it or hate it.
To summarize, ASL is a hobby within a hobby and requires a large investment in time and money. It is not the perfect game even if it seems like the players think it is. It rewards good players of the game with stunning victories and can become a tense affair of swinging momentum as the players use every advantage they can muster from the game system and the pieces at their disposal. Many players will go to great lengths to describe a game they played with much enthusiasm only to admit they were defeated on the very last roll of the dice in the very last phase of the very last player turn when his opponent needed to roll a 4 or less and succeeded. This is the kind of a game where overwhelming victories can be fun and a learning experience. Those tense games, man, there's nothing like coming up with those final moves to eeck out every modifier to give you the balance on that last roll. So, yes, it is a game, and number crunching is a bigger part in it than some other games. But man, when walking around in public discussing the scenario you just played, the looks you get from people are priceless."
Curt Schilling Gives Consim Fast-Pitch
In a somewhat related story regarding ASL, we encourage our members to read some of the positive PR the hobby is garnering behind Philadelphia Phillies All-Star Baseball Pitcher, Curt Schilling (pictured right), who is an avid ASL Fan and President of Multi-Man Publishing. His comments regarding the hobby were published in a recent print issue of SI (Sports Illustrated).
Related Links 1. ADVANCED SQUAD LEADER Series Talk 2. Critical Hit 3. Multi-Man Publishing 4. ASL Crossroads 5. Bahadir's ASL Home Page
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Copyright © 1999-2002. ConsimWorld.COM. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited. Web Masters are encouraged to link directly to this page, this URL is not subject to change. For general site information: kranz@consimworld.com
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Copyright © 1999-2002. ConsimWorld.COM. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited. Web Masters are encouraged to link directly to this page, this URL is not subject to change. For general site information: kranz@consimworld.com
Headline News | Archives | New Products
Game Ratings | Clubs | Events | Discussion Board
Copyright © 1999, 2000 ConsimWorld.COM. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited. Web Masters are encouraged to link directly to this page, this URL is not subject to change. For general site information: kranz@consimworld.com
