07.2024 Winter Offensive Bonus Pack #15

Publisher/Date:
Multi-Man Publishing (2024)

Product Type:
DASL Scenario/Map Pack

Country of Origin:
United States

Contents:
3 unmounted 11" x 26" (DASL) geoboards (p, q, r), 4 scenarios on cardstock, 1 page rules on cardstock (reprint of rules 5.3-5.34 from Chapter O).

Commentary:

Winter Offensive Bonus Pack #15, released at MMP’s Winter Offensive gaming convention and ASL tournament in Bowie, Maryland, in January 2024, continues MMP’s attempts to reintroduce Deluxe ASL (DASL) to the ASL world, following in the wake of the 2019 Deluxe ASL Module, which reprinted the original two Avalon Hill DASL modules, and the 2018 Winter Offensive Bonus Pack #9, which added 4 new DASL boards to the original 8.

WOBP15 adds 3 more DASL boards to the mix (p, q, r), as well as four scenarios.  The boards, of course, now come in the tri-fold unmounted style of the new DASL products, which are superior to the original bi-fold mounted boards, as they are easier to store. Board q is essentially one big factory building (the factory is 11 hexes long and from 1-5 hexes wide). Boards q and r are each only semi-geomorphic, in that they share one side, allowing the two boards together to create a “fat” factory, as well as two smaller factories.  As these descriptions suggest, these are all urban factory boards (which is why the product also includes a reprint of certain rules from Red Barricades/Red Factories/Red October, such as interior factory wall rules–however, other Chapter O rules are still also used for one of the scenarios. The graphics are much the same as in Deluxe ASL and WOBP9, looking very similar to boards a-d from the original DASL module.

These boards, despite being very large, have very few hexes on them.  The accompanying scenarios, as is typical for DASL, compensate for that by being large in size. Two are set in Stalingrad, the other two on the Western Front:

• WO46 (Can Opener). Soviet Union 1942. Soviets vs. Germans. This Stalingrad scenario features 45 German squads, very well led and armed, with 15 AFVs, attacking 30 Soviet squads, also pretty well led and armed, with 2 Guns and fortifications. It’s the longest scenario, at 7.5 turns. The Germans also have Air Support.
• WO47 (Hardened Veterans). Soviet Union 1942. Soviets vs. Germans. Also set in Stalingrad, this action features 30 well-led and heavily-armed German squads attacking 34 not-great quality Soviet squads with 3 Guns. The Soviets can also purchase fortifications.
• WO48 (Last Assault on the Steelworks). France 1944. Canadians vs. Germans. Small in comparison to the above scenarios, this action pits 15 Canadian squads and 3 AFVs against 13.5 German squads, 2 guns, and some fortifications.
• WO49 (Bout of the Century). Germany 1945. Americans vs. Germans.  This scenario features 28 U.S. squads and 4 AFVs against 20 German squads (ranging from SS to conscripts), 3 Guns, and 3 AFVs. The Germans may purchase fortifications, while the Americans may purchase SW. The Americans also get OBA.  This scenario is only 5.5 turns long and uses just two boards.

 

In addition to boards p, q, and r, to play all the scenarios one also needs boards b, k, and m.

Players who are not crazy about playing on the huge DASL boards or have limited table space can easily take their DASL boards to a Kinkos and make 50% reduced copies of them. This makes the boards far more manageable in size, while still preserving larger-than-normal hexes.

Obviously, this product is designed for people who are fans of DASL. Others may safely pass this by.

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