Sunday, December 1, 2013

Episode 105: The Phone Lines Are Open

Happy Thanksgiving to our USA listeners. Just in time to cap off your celebrations, here is another episode of The 2 Half-Squads. Of course, this show is the last thing for which you should be giving thanks. If all the turkey, stuffing, casseroles, gravy rolls and pie didn't make you feel sick, this episode certainly will!
In this episode we take a close look at the 1990 ASL Annual. Now there's a great piece of Advanced Squad Leader history. Twenty-three years has not made this publication any less pertinent or valuable.
We also do a favorite segment called, "Terrain Time" in which we discuss Runways, Walls, Hedges, and Wall Advantage.  We hope that the information included herein, will help your game.

As usual we accept no responsibility if this episode doesn't help you one bit, but otherwise claim all accolades.

If it ain't the best thing in the world to be thankful for, at least it's 2nd best. Or maybe 16th . . . would you believe 23rd?

SHOW GUIDE
1:00  Banter.....does it ever end?
10:00  Letters
25:15  Old Man Dan's Funeral
26:30 What.... More Letters?
41:52 What'cha Been Playing Lately?
46:50 What's in the Box?
1:07:15 Terrain Time: Walls and Hedges.
1:38:16 Total running time

LINKS
FSB Prison (anyone know who created these? We want to give credit where it's due.)
Hong Kong Wargamer mentioned again.
ASL Annual '90 in the ASL Archive




Listen Now:
Download this episode: Right-click here and select to save the file.

13 comments:

  1. Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoyed your banter... Dave, I don't mind your occasional comment on politics in the banter. Makes the podcast seem more natural, like a bunch of fellows getting together to "shoot the sh*t". Nice review of wall advantage rules. I agree, cover on 90 ASL Annual the combatants do look like so sort of firemen. Keep em coming. Roll low and rally well!!

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  2. Spot on with the helpful comments about the content of Ann. 90.

    Few magazines offer strategy and tactics. This is what makes the Series Replays valuable.
    Maybe since players don't know all the rules to the"T", they are hesitant to provide strategy, beyond the basics.

    I think series replays need not include every roll, but rather a summary of the method and reasoning of moves taken per turn...we all can roll dice, whether you break from 4MC or aNMC. The end result is the same, so that small detail can be removed unless needed for dramatic emphasis (Italian conscript passes one)...

    Love the reading of a section of rules, it allows solitary players to"converse"with others about different rule sections...and hear others take on the rules, very important. This is why ID Jester on BGG / YouTube is received so highly.

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  3. I keep trying to download this episode and am consistently getting a 404 error code. Am right clicking and trying to save, like I always do. Anyone else having this problem? Even the play button on this page won't work for me.

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  4. Hi Christopher. We've tested it using 3 different web browsers and can find no problems. Here's the link to the download http://the2halfsquads.podbean.com/mf/web/6tibfq/the2halfsquads_105_ThePhoneLinesAreOpen.mp3 Please let us know if you continue to have problems.

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  5. Hi guys,

    I used that link and when I right click and hit Save Audio As, I get a file called error.html. Which is the 404 error I am still getting. Is there any other way to get the episode. It is weird as episode 104 and all earlier ones will download fine for me. The link will play the episode 105, but I can't download it and I can't sit and listen at my computer. I play it on my MP3 player.

    I'm addicted to your show! Help! Getting withdrawal symptoms!

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  6. I actually enjoy setting up a replay and going through it move by move and roll by roll although admittedly I don't do it all that often. I'm sort of in the middle in my knowledge of the rules and often I pick up small rules and tactics points that I might miss otherwise in a more general tactics overview. Also hope that politics doesn't intrude into the podcast very often, I think the focus needs to be on the game. Really dislike podcasts or game sessions where someone just has to make the occasional sniping political remark as if everyone agrees with them, they don't and it just introduces an element that does not need to be there. In my humble opinion, the podcast formula you have developed for the 2 Half-squads is the best one going and the true inheritor of the Point2Point tradition.

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  7. Hey, the download finally worked! Must have been something with podbean that was corrected. Can't wait to listen.

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  8. Well said Tom. Like a breath of fresh air to hear someone sees the same thing I am seeing. Said to say they still joked about it in this episode. It really detracts from the potential of the show.

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  9. Disagree with Tom and Anthony - it's their show, they put the hard work into it, so I think they can say what they like. It doesn't detract from the show - the show's always excellent!

    Robert.

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  10. Not telling them what they can say, only offering listener feedback. Really it's a very minor issue and not worth of stirring up any controversy. Actually I think their occasional Marxist interpretations of Ken Smith's Journal cover art are pretty humorous but I suppose those are politics too... well, Mad Magazine politics.

    Tom W

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  11. We appreciate hearing from everyone and all serious feedback is taken seriously. Thanks, all, for letting us know what's on your mind.

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  12. Yes minor point on the politics but like Tom said just constructive suggestions to try and make the show better and IMHO it would be much better with out the politics. Otherwise a good show.

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  13. Perhaps they could play Dance of the Knights by Sergei Prokofiev when there is a political view imminent?

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