[Interviewer’s Introduction: In March 2011, I was contacted by a Japanese wargamer and ASL player, Suzuki Takuya. Takuya had reached out to me, as well as Pete Phillipps, publisher of the British ASL newsletter View from the Trenches, to ask for permission to translate and reproduce some content from my website/Pete’s newsletter for publication in a new Japanese language wargaming newsletter he was creating. Takuya said that any profits he might get from the newsletter would be donated to help survivors of the recent earthquake.
In the course of our correspondence, I asked Takuya if he might be interested in giving a brief interview via e-mail. ASL is a popular wargame that has long had an international audience (responsible for contributions such as Kampfgruppe Peiper, for example). The Internet has brought ASL’s world audience closer together than ever before. However, the small but active Japanese ASL community has still largely remained separate, and most Western ASLers have no knowledge of ASL in Japan at all. I thought, therefore, that Takuya might be able to provide to readers a novel perspective on the game we all play and love. Before I conducted the interview, I had checked with MMP and they were interested in printing it in the ASL Journal. However, I was informed at the last minute that it would not appear in Journal 10, so I am printing it here instead. The interview was conducted in late 2011.
Suzuki Takuya (his name rendered in this article in the Japanese order of last name first) named his newsletter The Last Stand and it has published four issues so far, the last of which is an “all ASL” issue with Japanese translations of the Windy City Wargamers scenarios, thanks to Louie Tokarz. He also has a blog at ameblo.jp/thelaststand.]
MP: Tell us a little bit about yourself, including your background and how you discovered wargaming.
ST: My first encounter with wargames (in a broad sense) was a simple strategy PC game by Koei. That was more than 20 years ago. I didn’t even know that board wargames existed then; I only recognized them about 15 years ago. The first board wargame I played was solitaire ASL. Before playing, it took me three years to relearn English, and then another two years to read through the rule book (only Chapters A – D). I’ve enjoyed playing board wargames for ten years.
I’m the author of two books and translator of another, and also a director of a small company in Sapporo, Hokkaido. I’m now planning to write another book: The Battle History of the Falklands War. You may be surprised to learn that only a few books about that war have been published in Japan. I’m also a regular contributor to Command Magazine Japan [A Japanese wargaming magazine. –MP].
MP: How did you discover Advanced Squad Leader?
ST: By pure accident. One day, about 13 years ago, I walked into a hobby store to see what the game Magic: The Gathering was all about. The card game was showing the signs of a boom. At that time, a fat three-ring binder attracted my attention. It was the beginning of a nightmare for me, in the sense of a hard learning of English and the game rules. At first, I was looking forward to the ASL PC version. But, as you know, the development project was cancelled, and as a reaction I got deeply involved in the “paper” ASL.
MP: What about Advanced Squad Leader do you most like?
ST: Replayability: the combination of unlimited tactical options and massive scenarios is very attractive.
MP: How often do you play ASL? When you play, do you play face-to-face, on-line, or solitaire?
ST: I’ve played various scenarios more than 150 times in total, including the campaign game of Red Barricades. However, at present, I only play ASL once a month at most. The reason is that I have become busy with other wargames, and some of my opponents have retired from ASL. Of course, I want to increase the frequency of play. I prefer to play face-to-face. On-line play tires me out more quickly.
MP: Do you play other wargames, too, or do you mostly play ASL? If you play other wargames, what are your favorites?
ST: Yes. I play Triumph of Chaos, Down in Flames – Aces High, Spearpoint 1943, and Spanish Eagles. These are excellent games. Before too long, I’ll try to play Spanish Civil War as well as some of MMP’s new non-ASL products. Also, I’m interested in some of the PC wargames developed by Gary Grigsby.
MP: We know there is a community of ASL players in Japan, but westerners know little about it. What is ASL in Japan like?
ST: The number of “active” board/card wargamers in Japan is very small. There may be around several hundred persons..? [There is an interesting English-language history of wargaming in Japan available at http://www.geocities.jp/xod2006/sghistoryinjapan_e.html. –MP] Among them there may be about 50 to 60 ASL players. I’m not sure about the exact figure. Because they are scattered throughout Japan, holding a tournament is difficult. There are no clubs dedicated solely to ASL. The number of general wargame clubs is less than 20.
MP: How many people do you know who play ASL? Have you ever played ASL against a non-Japanese?
ST: I regularly attend a game club in Sapporo. I sometimes attend game clubs in Tokyo when I am there on business. I know five or six ASL players firsthand. I haven’t played ASL against a non-Japanese, due to the language barrier. Writing English and speaking English are very different things!
MP: Have any Japanese published ASL scenarios?
ST: Probably not. [ST recently submitted a scenario to MMP. –MP]
MP: Is it easy to get Western ASL products in Japan?
ST: Yes. But most Japanese cannot read (or find it very difficult to read) such a large amount of English text.
MP: European and North American ASLers frequently are together, at least on the Internet. It is extremely rare for Japanese ASL players to participate in such discussions. Why do you think that is?
ST: The language barrier is a big problem. Also, most Japanese working adults are too busy with their work and family to join worldwide ASL communities.
MP: When you play ASL, what types of scenarios do you like to play?
ST: Being choosy can hamper enjoyment. I like everything other than tiny scenarios where victory is often controlled by just a few rolls of the dice.
MP: What do you dislike about ASL? Is there anything you would change about it if you could?
ST: I believe some rules could be refined. For example: main armament could be disabled by a shell hit; a vehicle’s turret could be swiveled according to the movement of an acquired target; and some of the complicated rules should be simplified.
MP: Do you think more people in Japan would play ASL if there were an official translation into Japanese?
ST: The unofficial translation of the ASL rules is excellent :-). [Takuya is, of course, its translator. –MP] So I think that the publication of an official Japanese ASL rulebook wouldn’t cultivate new players. However, there is a potentially strong demand for detailed ASL tutorials in Japanese. And of course we Japanese ASL players want to read ASL Journals and scenarios in Japanese.
MP: How much ASL stuff do you have?
ST: I used to own almost all the ASL modules, but I parted with them when I got ill. So I have had to start buying new products from scratch.
MP: Have you ever thought about going to an ASL tournament in North America or Europe?
ST: Yes, I’d like to enter one someday.
MP: Finally, what should Western ASL players know about the Japanese ASL scene?
ST: Thanks to the advent of ASL Starter Kits, the number of Japanese ASL players is growing slowly. Maybe Japan will become the center of ASL culture in Asia in the near future. Because of the globalization of the world economy, a few players will break the language barrier and will hope to join in the development of ASL products.
Great interview, very interesting
Ian
Sapporo! A great city. I was there as part of an exchange program in the late 90s. Spent a lot of time at the local Yellow Submarine… If I ever go back, I’ll have to look up Mr. Suzuki.
Very nice Mark. Thanks for sharing.
Splendid insight Mark. Thank you and Mr. Suzuki for sharing.
Perhaps the publication (in the ASL Journal) of a scenario designed by a Japanese ASL player will help break the ice. I hope MMP can use Mr. Suzuki’s design.
It would also help if more ASL players with a working knowledge of Japanese were to approach Japanese ASL players for VASL games. It would be even better if regular visitors to Japan (or foreign residents living there) were able to bridge the divide and play face to face with local enthusiasts. IIRC, Mr. Fleming was trying to increase his Japanese word power. And I am certain that there are other ASL players like him who live in, or travel regularly to, Japan.