Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Episode 140: Aesthetic Arrest

Ost Front Pack from
Lone Canuck Publishing
Let's see now, what we're we saying? Oh yes . . . Somehow we managed to keep our attention focused long enough to post another exciting episode of this podcast -- not an easy feat in these days of Tweets, sound clips, 6 second videos, and snappy chats, but we did it. And you know what helps? The fact that Advanced Squad Leader is the greatest game in the world!

You know what else helps? New ASL stuff. Yes, there's nothing that grabs the attention more than coming home after a long day amidst the world's distractions to a package from some exotic, far-off land. We love the anticipation as the family gathers around, eager to see the wonders contained therein. We also love it when they learn it's more ASL stuff and they suddenly remember something important they need to do and scurry away like mechanical mice from an AT mine.

In today's episode we see What's In The Box and discover treasures from exotic Canada. The folks -- or is it "folk'? -- at Lone Canuck Publishing have long been on our radar, and today we take a look at a couple of their offerings. We also have some lovely new dice from Battle School, guaranteed to spice up any ASL play -- and perhaps induce aesthetic arrest in your opponent such that he won't notice your tanks skirting up his flanks.

Hey, if you're finding you have less and less spare time for ASL, be sure to check out Rich Spilky's excellent player aids. The time you save looking up rules will add more gaming to your life, and more life to your gaming.

SHOW LINKS
Lone Canuck Publishing
Battle Dice
ASL Module Dependency Chart
Flames of War podcast
Spilky's Boats player aid

SHOW TIMES
13:00 Letters
31:30 What's in The Box?
1:08:45 Total Running Time


Download this episode (right click and save)

6 comments:

  1. Just when i made it out of ASL rehab, you post another podcast.
    Well, if I'm gonna go... It'll be listening to the 2hs...
    Big relief... Take any break to need, just don't go away.

    Take care of yourselves... That means you too,Dave!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Relieved to hear a new podcast - a whole 4 weeks without one & was starting to panic. Now I would really go for a D&D or Robert E. Howard show!

    I've recently started playing on Vasl & while it has taken some getting used to, I have no face-to-face players in my city (Auckland,New Zealand) so it's the only way to avoid playing with myself(.....?....). Plus I can play scenarios for which I don't have the physical components.
    (For a minute I thought you'd gone "Soprano's last episode" with that last bit.........)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hey Guys,

    Helen and I had a good chuckle listening to the BattleDice banter around the 45 to 50 minute marks. (Btw, I routinely ask her to send me a text "Sit" "rep," or situation report, whenever she has been MIA for more than a few hours.)

    FYI, the Elite Canadians scenario pack (Jim McLeod's designs) you mentioned was published by the Winnipeg ASL Club in 2012. (BattleSchool is the main distributor of the pack. Maybe you bought it at ASLOk.) George Kelln had a hand in play testing some of the designs. In fact, at one point, Lone Canuck released earlier versions of six of these scenarios in the Canada at War 1 pack. (The pack was available as a tournament prize.)

    A couple points re the BattleDice. The 12.5mm white die with the lion on it is actualy a Norwegian die. Compare, for example, the scenario cards in HP with say DB3. The Norwegian and Finnish lions are quite different. The Finnish lion is so detailed that we used only an enlarged portion of the lion for the 16mm (blue) die with "Soumi" on it.

    The "Avanti!" on the white 16mm Italian die translates as "Onward!" I'll leave it up to you to decide where this is meant to mean "Onward to victory!," or "Onward to the Trattoria!" ;-)

    The fasces on the black die doubles as an "I" to read "Italia," as in "Onward Italy!" Market research led us to believe that the more confusing the design on the one-spot was, the more likely that the opposing player would miss his SAN. :/

    The idea for the Wound-Severity die came from Mike Peebles of Ohio. I added the Sniper-Effects elements after receiving numerous requests for a 16mm Sniper die. In retrospect, the two functions work well together, not least because if a leader is wounded by a Sniper, one can use the same die to determine the severity of his wound. I find that this die gets a lot of use when playing the Japanese. (Japanese leaders don't break, they only wound or die.)

    @ Andrew Stewart

    Sorry to hear that there are still not enough Jafas playing ASL. (I lived in Red Beach for four years.) I know a guy near "Hobbiton" who plays. We have played a few times on VASL, as his shift work allows. You guys might be able to meet for some face-to-face play, or just a feed at Burger Fuel in Hamilton. My wife and I miss Burger Fuel. :(

    Drop me a line at battleschool at rogers dot com, and I will put you in touch. (There are also players in Wellington, and Christchurch, but you probably know that.)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hey Guys! thanks for the Shout Out for PanzerFunk Radio. Ive got my own sub-podcast I do on there now called "The Grognards Corner" that covers hex and chit games..and as in all things..alot of times it comes back to ASL in one way or another. Also-you guys need to get more podcasts out! Ive been listening to you for some time during my daily walks...but im coming to the end of the episodes! I don't know what to listen to on my walks anymore! so get to it...more recording! =)

    ReplyDelete
  5. @ Chris Doary
    Thanks Chris, Dale from Matamata("Hobbiton") was actually my first VASL opponent! He is popping up to Auckland for a game at some stage. The other guys are so far the only other 2 players I have found in the whole country!

    ReplyDelete