Episode 349: It Came in the Mail

Mike Ryzy brings the box for this show and he gives us a look inside Special Ops #12. Why Special Ops #12? Because it came in the mail. It has a new map and 4 scenarios (2 for Starter Kit), and a look at Jim Bishops article on the third die for R.O.F. 

Rule C10 finishes off the show for today. 

SHOW LINKS
Special Ops #12

SHOW TIMES
00:01 "ASL Edelweiss" Song
2:00 Much Chit Chat

12:00 Contest Winner Announced

13:00 What's in the Box?

29:00 Rules

49:43 Total Running Time

"ASL Edelweiss" Lyrics by Rich Spilky 

Performed by The 2 Half Squads Singers

A-S-L, A-S-L, Every die roll enchants me

Rule book thick, games not quick, Line of Sight is no problem

Eight on the eight is an N-M-C, Will my morale sustain me?

A-S-L, A-S-L, Special ammo forever!

A-S-L, A-S-L, Please save me from slow players!

Wind and rain, brush and grain, Each board looks lovely to me

A two is good and a twelve is bad, Yet target types perplex me

A-S-L, A-S-L, Skulking safely forever!

The 2 Half-Squads is brought to you by Bounding Fire Productions, and kind donations from listeners like you.

The views and opinions expressed on The 2 Half-Squads are not necessarily those of the hosts. You can also watch the show on our Youtube channel.

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Episode 348: Pleva Part Two

 Sleeze Freezer! An Advanced Squad Leader parody song replay from episode 180. It relates well to the Heretical rules Sleeze Freeze rule rewrite from last episode. From part one of the Pleva interview.  This show presents part one of said interview. Enjoy!

SHOW LINKS
None today

SHOW TIMES
00:01 "Sleeze Freezer" Song
4:00 Steven Pleva Part Two

59:07 Total Running Time

"I'm a Sleeze-Freezer" by Jim Bera and Dennis Donovan (not The 2 Half Squads Singers).

Victory is only true in fairy tales,
Earned by other guys, but not by me
Luck was out to get me. That's the way it seemed.
When I play Squad Leader I get creamed

Then I saw that page About our pet peever
It's D2.3, and it's quite the find
VBMmmmmmm, it's called sleeze-freezing But its not cheating, lighten up guys

I thought "maybe I should try a different game."
Seems the more I played, the more I lost.
What's the use in tryin'? I'll get crushed a-game.
When I need a victory, I get slain.

Then I read that page, now I'm a sleeze-freezer
Not a trace of shame in my mind
VBMmmmmmmm, I'm a sleeze-freezer I'm not a cheater, lighten up guys

Aaaarg. Luck was out to get me.
Well that's the way it seemed.
Disappointment haunted all my games
But then I used that rule, now I'm a sleeze-freezer
Not a trace of shame in my mind.
Bet your boots, I'm a sleeze-freezer . . . But not a cheater, lighten up guys...

The 2 Half-Squads is brought to you by Bounding Fire Productions, and kind donations from listeners like you.

The views and opinions expressed on The 2 Half-Squads are not necessarily those of the hosts. You can also watch the show on our Youtube channel.

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Episode 347: Positively Pleva

The marvelous Steven Pleva is our guest today. Steve is one of the better players of the game and has won many tournaments during his storied career. In part one of this interview Steven discusses the Pleva Heretical Rules and several other topics. 

We are unworthy!

SHOW TIMES
00:01 Right into the interview.
8:00 Pleva Bidding System

21:00 ASL Memories of Opponents

25:00 What Makes a Great Player pt. 1

31:00 Heretical Rules
45:14 Total Running Time

The 2 Half-Squads is brought to you by Bounding Fire Productions, and kind donations from listeners like you.

The views and opinions expressed on The 2 Half-Squads are not necessarily those of the hosts. You can also watch the show on our Youtube channel.

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Episode 346: ASL After Midnight

ASL After Midnight! Finally an Advanced Squad Leader parody song that is about the victorious side of the game, rather than all of our wargaming foibles and faults. Donovan's game must have improved over the years. We finish off our coverage of the rules in section A with rule 26: Victory Conditions. Now you will be able to go back to all those games you  have on hold and tally up the winner of each one.  That only took us 16 years. 

Picture of Vincent Maresca's Dice Tower

SHOW LINKS
None today

SHOW TIMES
00:01 "ASL After Midnight" Song
7:00 Rules VC 

30:00 Dave's Digression

34:00 Rules VC Part 2
46:28 Total Running Time

ASL After Midnight
Lyrics by Dennis Donovan
Performed by The 2 Half Squad Singers

ASL after midnight, rolling dice till the dawn
AFVs all burning wreckage, they're gone, they're gone

I took the building 'bout 1 A.M. Rolling, rolling.
Close Combat phase skills showing again, rolling, rolling.

My squads lit up in his IR light
Its time to assault move to the right.

ASL after midnight, rolling dice till the dawn
AFVs all burning wreckage, they're gone, they're gone

Got T-34's, 1.8 inch thick steel, rolling, rolling
Ready to target a German Stug, rolling, rolling
The dice are heavy, the games at stake
Can't roll boxcars and see the MA break

ASL after midnight, rolling dice till the dawn
AFV's all burning wreckage, they're gone, they're gone

The air's electric, with Armored power, rolling, rolling
My dice are hotter, by the hour, rolling, rolling

The VC Buildings, are mine for the win
The buildings rockin' as my squads advance in

ASL after midnight, rolling dice till the dawn
AFV's all burning wreckage, they're gone, they're gone

The 2 Half-Squads is brought to you by Bounding Fire Productions, and kind donations from listeners like you.

The views and opinions expressed on The 2 Half-Squads are not necessarily those of the hosts. You can also watch the show on our Youtube channel.

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Episode 345: Can't Explain (the Rout Rules)

It's those scary rout rules! Yes, we finally

tackle them in the rules section. They read fairly easy but require that 2 page example in the rule book.  Must be a bit challenging. 

SHOW LINKS
None today

SHOW TIMES
00:01 "Can't Explain (the Rout Rules)" Song
3:00 Bantero

16:00 Letters
25:00 Rules
58:28 Total Running Time

Can't Explain
Lyrics by Dennis Donovan
Performed by The 2 Half Squad Singers

These rules here guys

A10 point five (can't explain)

Smartest guys in the world

Yeah, any Rout Rules, yeah

Grofaz (can’t explain)

Almost grokked them once

but they (hurt my brain)

Dizzy in the head when

reading Rout rules

They’re really complex,

you know that it’s true

They give me headaches

again and again

A Gordian Knot, dude

Can’t explain

Just what they mean

Tried to decipher them dude

But haven't a clue

And they hurt my brain

(can’t explain)

Yeah, they're giving me a headache, man

(can’t retain)

A bit of help would

make me real glad

From the Rosetta Stone?

That wouldn’t be bad

I get little glimpses every

now and again

About what they mean, but

Can't explain

A single word

I’ve studied those rules

Since ‘eighty two

And still can’t explain

(wracked my brain)

Even Oppenheimer,

(can’t explain)

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The views and opinions expressed on The 2 Half-Squads are not necessarily those of the hosts. You can also watch the show on our Youtube channel.

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Episode 344: In a Bitterest Stack

Jump with us into the box and land on a brand new Bounding Fire Production called Bitterest Day. It includes a wonderful map of the Sugar Loaf Hill area on Okinawa, a sheet of counters, scenarios and more.

SHOW LINKS
None today

SHOW TIMES
00:01 "In a Stack" Song
6:00 What's in the Box?
44:30 Contest Draw and New Announced
50:28 Total Running Time

In a Stack
Lyrics by Dennis Donovan
Performed by The 2 Half Squad Singers

I have three elite squads, I'll move them in a stack.
With the 10-3 leader, now no turning back

I need two more MF's to get across the road.
I'll chance the minus two and hope I don't get hosed.

I'm moving all my guys I'll move them in a stack.
If my mentor saw this, he'd have a heart attack!

My opponent shakes his head and chokes on his coffee.
No I'm not a newbie but it sure seems like it, eh?

I'm sure I'll kick myself and catch a lot of flack.
I'll probably cry poor if my guys all get kacked.

We might get blown away by ignoring all the facts.
It's not easy moving out, when facing a kill stack

My guys will hopefully survive 20 down 2.
I need to get into the woods in hex G2.

If I look hard enough into the rule book.
Maybe I will find an out before my goose gets cooked!

Maybe the Dice Gods will cut me a little slack.
No cover anymore it's too late to turn back!

I see the turns go by the end is getting close.
Desperate times they call for desperate measures dude.
----

The 2 Half-Squads is brought to you by Bounding Fire Productions, and kind donations from listeners like you.

The views and opinions expressed on The 2 Half-Squads are not necessarily those of the hosts. You can also watch the show on our Youtube channel.

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