07.2023 New England Volunteers Play Pack 2

Publisher/Date:
New England Volunteers (2023)

Product Type:
Scenario Pack

Country of Origin:
United States

Contents:
5 scenarios on color cardstock

Commentary:

Play Pack 2 (PP2) is the second product from New England Volunteers.  Its first product, Play Pack 1, was a small scenario pack with 5 ASLSK scenarios.  PP2 is very similar, in that it also contains 5 ASLSK scenarios designed by Joe Gochinski, although these scenarios are all meant to be played with the first ASLSK HASL, Decision at Elst, published in 2014. That product is thus required for playing all of these scenarios, as are the ASLSK modules.

The production quality of PP2 is similar to that of the first pack: scenarios are printed in color on cardstock, but using VASL graphics, which are not the greatest graphics to use, inasmuch as they were not intended for print.

Decision at Elst is a historical module using ASLSK rules to depict fighting between the British and Germans around the village of Elst in the Netherlands in September 1944.  The scenarios of PP2, however, are not actually set during this battle.  Rather, the map from Decision at Elst is used generically to represent several different locations in France and Belgium in May 1940. The scenarios depict tactical actions between the advancing Germans and retreating British during the France 1940 campaign.  This “alternative” use of HASL maps is relatively rare in ASL, though it occurs from time to time (see tag below this review for other products that also make alternative use of historical maps).

The scenarios include:

• NEV 6 (Duriez Farm). Le Paradis, France, 1940. In this action, 17 Waffen SS squads (6-5-8 and -4-4-7) attack 13 British squads (4-5-7, 4-4-7, 4-3-6) with an AT gun. The Germans must choose which of two “battle objectives” they must achieve for victory.
• NEV 7 (Taking the Fight to the Germans). Le Cornet Malo, France, 1940. In this very small scenario, 9 British squads with a single LMG attack 4.5 Waffen SS squads (4-4-7) who also have a single LMG. The British are on the attack here and win if there are 2 or fewer unbroken German MMC in play.
• NEV 8 (Close Quarters). Le Cornet Malo, France, 1940. Another British attack, this scenario features 16.5 British squads attacking 10.5 Waffen SS squads (including two captured  British mortars).
• NEV 9 (Holy Boys). River Escaut, Belgium, 1940. This large scenario uses about 2/3 of the Elst map. Once more, the action here is a British counterattack, this time against a German bridgehead across a river.  The British have 55 squads and 14 leaders (!), but no weapons more powerful than Bren guns.  The defending Germans–poor quality non-SS (4-4-7 and 4-3-6) have 51 squads and 13 leaders, as well as 2 tanks.
• NEV 10 (Le Cornet Malo).  Le Cornet Malo, France, 1940. This scenario uses the entire Elst map, though it is not as large in size as the previous scenario.  It’s a two-part scenario, with each segment consisting of 7.5 turns. In the first segment, the British set up first and the Germans move first; in the second season, the order is reversed.  Between the two phases there are rules for “redeployments.”  The Germans have 27 squads and 13 leaders, while the British have 36.5 squads and 14 leaders. The British have 18 SW, while the Germans have 10 SW; both sides have a form of offboard artillery.

 

Obviously, Play Pack 2 is a niche product, designed not merely for ASLSK players, but ASLSK players who own Decision at Elst. However, owners of Elst can certainly get some additional play value out of their purchase by getting this product as well.

 

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