Will these ever end? Hollywood actor Peter Stormare ASL luminary Gary Fortenberry hanging on to a Stanhagen for dear life Looks like Russ Hall on left playing someone whose name I don’t know. Cardboard carnage Steve Pleva (on left) playing Joe Markham The hairless versus the hirsute: Derek Cox playing Dave Ginnard Anthony Flanagan on […]
10.08.12 ASLOK 2012 Photos Part 5
Rob Seulowitz (left) plays Phil Pomerantz JR Van Mechelen (left, of ROAR fame) plays Will Fleming of Japan. Will got pissed after one ASLOK when I did not recognize him, so please note I remembered what you looked like this year. Larry Zoet, meek and mild-mannered French ASLer Xavier Vitry (of LFT fame) plays Chris […]
10.08.12 ASLOK 2012 Photos Part 4
The ASLOK “annex,” probably mid-week. The main ASLOK room, probably mid-week. Attendance was smaller than last year. Andy Hershey (left) and Michael Rhodes enjoying some Budapleasure. Italian ASLer Andrea Pagni making a return to ASLOK. People still play DASL? David Goldman and Michigan ASLer Larry Zoet in David’s man-cave/nest. ASLOK tournament director and all-around nice […]
10.08.12 ASLOK 2012 Photos Part 3
A little HASL action. I can’t tell if that’s Red Barricades or Valor of the Guards. Setting up a very rubbly scenario. New York ASLer Randy Rossi, drawing the attention of Jeff DeYoung to his neon yellow shirt. Al Kirkpatrick, on left, wearing the same damn hat he wore last ASLOK. One ASLer’s counter (and […]
10.08.12 ASLOK 2012 Photos Part 2
Colorado ASLer Martin Snow getting ready for our game. It was the first time I played Martin and he turned out to be a really fun opponent. Canadian Michael Rodgers is on the right, playing a scenario from Purple Heart Draw with someone who I can’t quite make out (Pete Shelling?). Pennsylvania ASLer Roger Whelan […]
10.08.12 ASLOK 2012 Photos Part 1
ASLOK on the first Saturday morning. As many as 30 people would actually show up for the first day. Early arrivals David Goldman (Chicago) and Peter Struif (Canada by way of Netherlands) get their game on. This was only David’s preliminary nest; he would later set up a far more comprehensive nest. Some more Saturday […]
07.17.12 20 Rants: The Curator Responds to His Critics
The observant among the ASL audience may have noticed that the World of ASL compendium was just recently updated with a whole bunch of new entries. I thought this might be a suitable time to discuss some of the criticisms or observations made about the World of ASL compendium from time to time. I know […]
01.16.12 Winter Offensive 2012 Pictures
Well, the 20th annual Winter Offensive ASL Tournament just concluded yesterday in Bowie, Maryland. For the 131 people who made the trek, it was a lot of fun, and a lot of ASL was played. Here are some pictures to commemorate that august event. Three ASL-themed license plates right in a row! I must be […]
01.16.12 Balance-Testing the BattleSchool Precision Dice
Last year, Chris Doary debuted some ASL themed precision dice; since then, he has added a few more to the mix. Although I have never been one to be attracted to the precision dice lure, I don’t have much willpower where ASL themed items are concerned. Since he started offering them, I have acquired a […]
12.26.11 Desperation Morale Website Update
I have been getting a lot of questions recently about the status of the update of the World of ASL Compendium on the Desperation Morale website. I suppose an explanation is in order. I am almost through with the update. I finished taking all the pictures and cropping and resizing them during the holiday weekend […]
12.22.11 The Phase Before Christmas
‘Twas the phase before Christmas, when all through the house, Not a leader was stirring, not even the Youse. The PIATS were hung by the chimney up high, In hopes that a Panther might come lumbering by. The half-squads were nestled all snug in their trenches, With visions of ASLOK and wine and some wenches. […]
10.30.11 The Schwerpunkt Shortcut: Cheat or Genius?
Take a look at these victory conditions: The British win at game end if there are no Good Order German (non-vehicular crew) MMC(s) in any multi-hex building on/between hexrows H and P. The Germans win at game end if they occupy two or more buildings with a Good Order MMC. The Republicans win at game […]
10.15.11 ASLOK for First-Timers
Having just survived my 11th ASLOK, I thought I might write a few words about ASLOK generally, largely for the benefit of people who have never attended ASLOK and are wondering whether they might enjoy it. I want to do this because the bottom line is that you probably would enjoy it. I hope that, […]
10.15.11 ASL Oktoberfest (ASLOK) 2011 AAR, Part II
Hallo, boys and girls; here is the second half of my ASLOK AAR. As you will remember, your hero bravely battled back from an 0-2 start to win 5 games in a row and recover a measure of his self-respect. That takes us to Wednesday morning, when I matched up against Brian Brown, another member, […]
10.15.11 ASL Oktoberfest (ASLOK) AAR, Part I
This is part one of an after action report of ASLOK (ASL Oktoberfest) 2011, although given the Benjamin Button nature of blog post displaying, who knows in what order you may read this. If I still have the energy, after this AAR is through, I may do another post with some general thoughts about ASLOK, […]
10.12.11 ASLOK 2011 Pictures, Part IV
This is getting really tiring. Jeff DeYoung and, I think, Larry Zoet, played a big Kampfgruppe Scherer/Cholm scenario Veteran ASLer Gary Mei (left), his first ASLOK; on right, Brian Wiersma, if I have judged his profile correctly Part of the gaming room mid-week, getting more crowded. Geeks in their natural habitat. Paul Siddhu on right, […]
10.12.11 ASLOK 2011 Pictures, Part III
Some damn scenario or another. I think it is a Crete scenario from the HOB module. This may be a playing of Men of the Mountains, which was quite popular JR Tracy playing, I think, Klas Malmstrom, if I can make out his face well enough This may be a shot from the Schwerpunkt scenario […]
10.12.11 ASLOK 2011 (ASL Oktoberfest) Pictures, Part II
Here is the next batch of pictures. More or less in chronological order. Some more of the early arrivals Some insane dice rolling contraption later picture of the Nordic Twilight scenario ASLOK probably Sunday morning, still sparse attendance. Just wait. ASLOK attendees comprise two types: Nesters and Nomads. Here is an ultimate nester, complete with […]
10.12.11 ASLOK 2011 (ASL Oktoberfest) Pictures, Part I
ASLOK 2011 1st Sat Morning, Mostly empty 1st Saturday, “Wild Bill” vs. “Mild Hennie” JR Tracy vs. Steve Pleva, all the way from NY and they play each other. JR’s cap hides a conjoined twin. Some guys had the Wingen-Sur-Moden map from Nordic Twilight in play This looks like my Italians dying in Messervy’s Men […]
04.25.10 Same Old Same Old? The Presence (or Lack) of Innovation in ASL
As I write this entry, postal employees around the world are delivering copies of MMP’s latest ASL release, Action Pack 6: A Decade of War, into the greedy little hands of ASLers. The thematic notion of the pack—essentially a scenario per year (not quite achieved) for ten different years of war—is not its appeal; the […]