Out of Nowhere!

I just finished a nice gaming session with the Prawn this morning. Since he transferred to a new school we just don't get in as much ASL (if any) as usual. Today we rocked The Fires of Midway -- a game by The Hell of Stalingrad designer Steven Cunliffe. The Prawn's IJN sank Midway Island, USS Hornet and USS Yorktown whilst taking only one carrier loss and a whack of planes. Highly recommended for anyone who likes the PTO. Just plain fun!

So I checked the mailbox upon the Prawn's leaving and discovered Out of the Attic 2 from MMP! Nice! I love surprises (I forgot I had pre-ordered). What was an even better surprise was the way my mail carrier enjoys envelope origami.

Now, I know that the envelope doesn't explicitly say "Do Not Bend" but that doesn't grant carte blanche... It was very difficult to pry it out. Good news though, the magazine itself is in excellent shape.

What's in there that would interest ASLSK newbs? Here's a pic of the contents:

I've scanned the magazine which is meant to serve as a kind of "best of" compilation of scenarios and articles for ASL from various sources over the years. For example, there's a couple of scenarios from Lone Canuck's George Kelln (Go Canada!).

For newbies, the most obvious content is the "Tactics 101" article by Mike McGrath who exhorts new players to "kick their opponents while they are down". Good stuff. There are a couple of articles on AFVs -- a ruleset that sometimes boggles the new ASLer. The "Squad Leader Clinic" looks very interesting.

Newbs looking to step up or to get a preview of full ASL (other than looking through the scenarios) can check out the article on Snipers and the one on Bypass -- two very important rule additions when moving from ASLSK to full ASL.

Overall, it looks like a new bit of "must have" stuff for ASLers. Kudos MMP.

p.s. Here's the back cover -- can't wait to see PTO ASL!

What's in Rising Sun?

For those of you who don't frequent the user-unfriendly atrocity known as CSW, here's the latest on what's going to be in that frickin' box. It looks like a lot!

- 1,300 ½” counters and 592 5/8” counters (1,892 total)

- boards 34-39, 47 in “Starter Kit” style

- overlays 1-6, B1-B5, Be1-7, Ef1-3, G1-5, GT, M1-5, O1-5, OC1-4, P1-5, RP1-5, Wd1-5, X6

- 32 scenarios: • Smertniki • On The Kokoda Trail • Shoestring Ridge • Bungle in the Jungle • The Eastern Gate • Hazardous Occupation • Red Star, Red Sun • The Bushmasters • Cibik's Ridge • The Rock • Today We Attack • KP 167 • Jungle Citadel • Sea of Tranquility • Hell or High Water • Bloody Red Beach • Grabing Gavutu • Tanambogo Nightmare • Take Two • A Stiff Fight • Battlin' Buckeyes • Broken Bamboo • Last of Their Strength • Munda Mash • OP Hill • Orange at Walawbum • Ramsey's Charge • Shanghai in Flames • Smith & Weston • The Drive for Taierzhuang • Totsugeki! • White Tigers

+ the Sand and Blood CG (Gavutu/Tanambogo)

Source: The Chas

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And more! This was from a quote from Brian Youse about how MMP is considering the packaging of core ASL:

The point is to make the system smaller. Easier to keep the core in stock. One PTO module. One Desert module. Hell, if it wasn't too late i'd stick the Americans in with the British and call the module "The Good Guys".

The Ethiopians are going in Hollow Legions which will have the Italians and in all likelihood the Desert and anything else we can squeeze into the box. Despite the fact that I just cringed because I implied the Ethiopians are somehow "core module".

Source: Ultimate Evil

Code of Ho no longer...

Looks like the combined PTO ASL module will be called "Rising Sun". So says Chas here.