ASL Starter Kit Group on Facebook:

I have created the Group ‘Advanced Squad Leader Starter Kit’ on Facebook for those of you that want your own arena to post and ask questions in a strictly SK forum.  It is an open group so you don’t have to join to read the posts, but we would be happy if you did. Please copy and paste the link below or click on the image below.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1923357254560397/

 

Making Labels for my counter storage containers:

Below is a short video on the process I use to label my counters.  The label maker in the video is a Brother PT-2730.  You can use other label makers but I suggest that you get one that can be edited on your pc so you can insert nifty images.

 

 

Battledice- Some of the common questions I frequently receive in regards to the Battle Dice (please note that the answers are based on observations of my own experience as a user of the BattleSchool dice):

Q – Are BattleSchool Dice  truly precision Dice?

A – Yes and No.  While no dice including backgammon dice are infinitely precise, the Battledice are much more precise than the stock dice that are supplied with the core ASL modules for two reasons. 1. The Battledice blanks are produced at he same factory and to the same specs as backgammon dice.  2. The pips in non precision dice are drilled out without being filled in with equally dense material. Because of this, the ‘one’ surface will be heavier than the ‘six’ surface as the six surface has 6 times more material removed from it.   If true precision is your desire, please check out the backgammon dice that we carry as well.

Q – Why are they so expensive?

A – This is a matter of perspective.  Although it seems like $10 a die is an exorbitant amount to pay for a little square piece of plastic, in comparison to backgammon dice, they are very reasonably priced.  True backgammon dice run from $20 to $35 a pair.  The Battleschool dice, which are backgammon dice to begin with,  then custom made in small batches with great WW2 themes, are around the $20 mark for a pair.

Q – Are they necessary to play the game?

A – No.  While none of the dice are truly needed to play, they do heighten the enjoyment for myself and others. If I had to pick one set that was the most useful I would say the Dust Devils, hands down.

Q – Why do people collect them?

A – I can only speak for myself but I will say this this;   When someone asks me if I need Polish dice to play a Polish scenario, I say ‘no, but then again I don’t need a new action pack filled with 8 more scenarios to add to the 5,400 scenarios that I have yet to play either, but no one gives you grief about that, do they?’.  The dice make me happy, so I buy them.  It’s really that simple for me.

 

Where the Iron Crosses Grow team tournament less than a month away now.  We although players always have a choice on scenario selection, this year we will also have some themed rounds that are completely voluntary.  Also, Saturday night, we will be having a viewing of the Estonian movie ‘1944’.  I already had a chance to see this movie and imho, it was fantastic.  I am really looking forward to getting everyone’s opinion on it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIqt9y4bhoU

1. Derek Ritter
2. Tim Brieaddy
3. Dylan Ritter
4. Ray Woloszyn
5. Ken Knott
6. Jeff Jordan
7. Peter Ortega
8. Jeremy Busby
9. Mika Harviala
10. Mike Rickman
11. Tim Deane
12. Dave Stephens
13. Hayes Wauford
14. John Dober
15. Kevin Conley
16. Mike Johnston

 

 

 

BFP is reprinting their two greatest modules ever!  The Magnus Opus’ of the Pacific and Kursk.  Revamped in this second edition with grey core counters and all known errata, these two giant modules have a combined 79 scenarios and the equivalent of 16 mapboards.  We have them at the special pre-order price of $110 each.   As a special bonus, we will be giving away a free limited edition PTO and Kursk t-shirt with each pre-order.   And as always, shipping is free.

 

 

Podcast #173 from The Two Half Squads – Into the Rubble 2

We just received 6 copies of Le Franc Tireur #12 focusing on the PTO.  Xavier tells me that these are all but sold out so this may your last chance to get a copy before they are gone forever.

 

Write up on LFT 12 from Desperation Morale

 

Starter Kit Expansion Pack #1 is in Stock and ready to ship.  This long OOP item has finally made it back into circulation.

Write up on SK Expansion #1 from Desperation Morale

 

 

The wonderful people in our community of ASL’ers:

I would like to make a shout out to Craig Houliston.   I ran out of stock on Journal 12 and he has waited patiently for over a week for me to ship him his order.  I created a $10 coupon as an apology and this was his response:

No worries, Derek, really. I wasn’t upset. I was just wondering what was up. I figured you might have sold out or something. Thanks for being gracious with the coupon code, though it really isn’t necessary. In fact, would you please do this instead? How about we call it “good” with the shipping update and you pay the $10 forward down the road to someone else that needs a helping hand, or is maybe just a little short.

Your heart will let you know when the time is right.

Best,

Craig

 

 

This month’s  FREE t-shirt features a Spencer Armstrong themed StugIV .  For every $150 spent * on this site, you may add a free t-shirt to your cart.

*NA to pre-orders/W.O. packs/Pocket Rulebooks

 

Festung Budapest back IN STOCK!

Photo courtesy of Desperation Morale,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Festung Budapest is showing SOLD-OUT on MMP’s site but we have a limited few copies left over.  Get yours now before they are gone forever – and don’t forget that this purchase qualifies you for a free t-shirt too.  Also, don’t forget your Festung Budapest series precision BattleDice (I only have one set left).

Review and additional photos of Festung Budapest

Into The Rubble 2 in stock:

So you like to play with fire?  Jump into the factories with your demo charges and flame throwers in the newest release from the good folks at Bounding Fire Productions.  Here is a short video showing the contents of the package.

 

 

 

KG Scherer: The Shield of Cholm is en route from France in very limited quantities.  Xavier tells me that these are the last units available as he is piecing together the individual components to scrape together a few copies before it is OOS and OOP.  I am not putting them on pre-order, I am selling them on back-order.  If interested you may purchase a copy now but it won’t ship for at least a week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Possibly the greatest release from LFT including summer and winter maps for the campaign games and scenarios depicting the battle of Cholm.

Write up on the module 

The Battle of Kholm (Cholm)

 

 

A very sincere thank you –

I want to take a moment to thank the ASL community.  You see, about three years ago I began a project to create some OBA cards.  I invested some money that I didn’t really have into producing 500 sets of the cards. I didn’t know if they would be a flop or people would consider them  useful and collectible.  Well tonight I sold the last set.   For anyone that has ever produced anything for this wonderful hobby, you know that it is a labor of love.  Thanks to all of you.

Derek.

Into The Rubble II – Now shipping to pre-orders. The good folks at BFP have started shipping to pre-orders and I am supposed to receive my stock this week so I am sending out the pre-order invoices now.

ITR: Into the Rubble

Into The Rubble offers players the opportunity to do cardboard battle in cities and railroad yards. The scenarios range from 1938 to 1945 with a variety of forces including American, Chinese, German/SS, Hungarian, Japanese, Nationalist Spanish, Republican Spanish, Romanian and Russian.

Into The Rubble 2 builds on BFP’s initial offering, adding 12 new and exciting scenarios in addition to the 8 which came in the original pack, in addition to new boards, overlays and counters. Everything from the original ITR is here, all known errata has been incorporated, and some of the original scenarios have been adjusted for play balance.

Into the Rubble 2 includes the following:

• 20 action-packed scenarios in full-color print
• 140 Full color, die cut 1/2″ counters
• 88 Full color, die cut 5/8″ counters
• Two 8″x22″ geomorphic mapboards (BFP A and B) printed on heavy card stock, depicting city and railroad yard terrain. BFP B contains an errata update from the original ITR board
  
• One 16″x22″ geomorphic double-wide mapboard (BFP DW-7) printed on heavy card stock, depicting dense city terrain
  
• One 8″x12″ rubbled city overlay (BFP RC-1), 1 large factory overlay, 1 sheet of debris overlays, and 1 sheet of rubble/rubbled building overlays
  
• Rules pages describing new terrain, including Railroad Factories, and new unit types.

 

 

OBA Cards – I have 5 sets left.  These cards will almost certainly never be reprinted.  If you want a set, this may be your last chance to buy them before they are gone forever.

 

Free t-shirts.  Don’t forget to claim your free t-shirts.  I am getting orders that hit the $150 mark and no free t-shirt added!?!

 

Episode #172 from The Two Half Squads:

 

 

Where the Iron Crosses Grow Team Tournament…

3rd Annual ‘Where the Iron Crosses Grow’ Team Tournament:

The Third Annual ‘Where the Iron Crosses Grow’ ASL Team Tournament will be held April 6th-9th, 2017.  World renowned as being the best and oldest ASL Team Tournament in the entire Kernersville, NC Area.

Spirit Of The Event:  This event is held for fun.  If you are the type of player that never looks up from the table to make eye contact with your opponent, doesn’t make small talk or tell stories, will only play scenarios that you have mastered, or get’s offended by jokes about Ken’s mom, then you might not have a good time being here and we probably won’t have a good time having you here.  Sorry to be so blunt but we take our lack of seriousness very seriously.

Format:  Team Tournament. Each team is made up of 1 Veteran, 1 intermediate, and 1 Novice player.  Each player plays round-robin games against the other players in their class gaining points for their team.

Location:  918 Maxine St. Kernersville, NC. 27284.

When: Saturday April 6th – 9th, 2017 (Carnage begins Thursday  night but official tournament begins Saturday morning).

Cost: Free (but bring money for for Pizza. Also bring singles for Ken’s mom).

Accomodations: Ray Woloszyn and I may both have room for travelers to stay with us at our homes (Ray lives in the neighborhood next to mine) unless you are really creepy.

Scenario list: None.  Play something that you would like to play not what I would like you to play.  All scenarios choices are upon mutual agreement of the players.

Prizes: Too many to mention.  Plus some participation awards so everyone feels like a  winner.

Limited Space and Availability:  There are 16 spots total for this event so register early as it always books up very early.

Players confirmed.

1. Derek Ritter
2. Tim Brieaddy
3. Dylan Ritter
4. Ray Woloszyn
5. Ken Knott
6. Jeff Jordan
7. Peter Ortega
8. Jeremy Busby
9. Mika Harviala
10. Mike Rickman
11. Tim Deane
12. Dave Stephens
13. Hayes Wauford
14. John Dober
15. Kevin Conley
16. Jamie Cribbs

Contact information:

Derek Ritter 336-462-4035 or E-mail

 

 

 

Do you own the Winter Offensive Packs?  Here are three great reasons to grab them:

1. The profits go to charity.
2. They each include small very playable tournament sized scenarios.
3. Most come with mapboards that are not available anywhere else.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Festung Budapest – MMP has re-released this monster campaign in very limited quantities.  The game pits the Germans and Hungarians against the Russians and Hungarians.  MMP only sent me enough copies to cover my pre-orders so if you did not pre-order this from me, I do not have any to sell.  If you did pre-order this from me, I sent you an invoice today (if you can’t find the invoice, check your junk folder).  I will hold your copy in reserve until the 27th of January and then I will sell it to the people that are on the waiting list to buy one.  I am so sorry that I can’t hold it longer but I have to sell the stock before the CC bill arrives 🙂

 

ASL Journal 12

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Winter Offensive #8 – 2017

This product is not discounted to retailers which means that we lose money on every one that we sell so it will not hurt my feelings if you buy another item at the same time you purchase this 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

Back In Stock:

ASL Rulebook

 

 

 

LFT Rat Charts

 

Free t-shirt:

As mentioned in a previous post, we are offering a free t-shirt with any purchase of $150.00 or more .  Just go to the Free T-shirt section under the product tab and add it to the cart.  The design is subject to change without notice.  Not applicable to pre-orders.

According to Luanne, Festung Budapest has begun shipping to MMP pre-orders.   She told me that they have very few copies so I am halting the pre-orders on Ritterkrieg as she cannot guaranty how many, if any I will be receiving.

 

3rd Annual ‘Where the Iron Crosses Grow’ Team Tournament:

The Third Annual ‘Where the Iron Crosses Grow’ ASL Team Tournament will be held April 6th-9th, 2017.  World renowned as being the best and oldest ASL Team Tournament in the entire Kernersville Area.

Spirit Of The Event:  This event is held for fun.  If you are the type of player that never looks up from the table to make eye contact with your opponent, doesn’t make small talk or tell stories, will only play scenarios that you have mastered, or get’s offended by jokes about Ken’s mom, then you might not have a good time being here and we probably won’t have a good time having you here.  Sorry to be so blunt but we take our lack of seriousness very seriously.

Format:  Team Tournament. Each team is made up of 1 Veteran, 1 intermediate, and 1 Novice player.  Each player plays round-robin games against the other players in their class gaining points for their team.

Location: My house. 918 Maxine St. Kernersville, NC. 27284.

When: Saturday April 6th – 9th, 2017 (Carnage begins Thursday  night but official tournament begins Saturday morning).

Cost: Free (but bring money to pitch in for Pizza. Also bring singles for Ken’s mom).

Accomodations: Ray Woloszyn and I may both have room for travelers to stay with us at our homes (Ray lives in the neighborhood next to mine) unless you are really creepy.

Scenario list: None.  Play something that you would like to play not what I would like you to play.  All scenarios choices are upon mutual agreement of the players.

Prizes: Too many to mention.  Plus some participation awards so everyone feels like a  winner.

Limited Space and Availability:  There are 16 spots total for this event so register early as it always books up very early.

Players confirmed.

1. Derek Ritter
2. Tim Brieaddy
3. Dylan Ritter
4. Ray Woloszyn
5. Ken Knott
6. Jeff Jordan
7. Peter Ortega
8. Jeremy Busby
9. Mika Harviala

Contact information:

Derek Ritter 336-462-4035 or E-mail

 

 

Facebook Live Stream-

Tim Brieaddy and I are going to attempt a live video stream of ASL Scenario BtB11 Bosq Barbeque from BFP.  We will go live at Saturday January 7th at 3:30 pm est.  I think you have to be friends with me on FB to join in, watch, and comment.  My FB identity is ‘Ritter’s War Table’.

 

 

Tim Brieaddy and I have finished another awful video replay.  This time we take our  massive production team all the way to the Pacific for a taste of the PTO.  This scenario has the Japanese trying to take a hill against a totally HIP USMC OOB that includes 2 HMG’s, 2 MMG’s, and a 9-2 leader.  In case Tim and I didn’t forever sour you from the PTO by watching this horrible video,  Rising Sun can be purchased almost 25% off by using coupon code ‘Turkey’ ’till Monday.

Click this link for some interesting reading on the battle for Bougainville in the Solomon Islands.

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In case you missed post #51, we are reminding you that everything (exc. pre-orders and pocket rulebook) are an additional 10% off until midnight on the 28th.  As always, shipping is free.

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Back in stock:

Battle Dice: SS, Normandy, Panzerknackern, backgammon

 

 

LFT: KG Sherer, LFT13 The Crimean Campaign, Rat Charts

Countersmith Workshop: Turret Counters

 

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Recently added to pre-orders:

Custom Ammo Crate (Map Case)

BFP’s Into The Rubble 2

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New Post by Hong Kong Wargamer     

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Episode 168 of The Two Half Squads   

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What are we doing at Ritterkrieg:

I am hoping to start a series of video scenario replays that can be watched in an hour.  The scenarios will have to be short and I will have to edit out the down time (Tim getting up to raid the liquor cabinet).  Tim and I have discussed playing some Speed ASL again, and even Drunk ASL (one drink per turn).  I just purchased a new Gopro so hopefully some of the issues with recording and sound quality will be addressed in the new series.

The Map Cases that were just put on pre-order are about 50% complete.  Hopefully they will be ready by Christmas.

Sniper ELR cards are in limbo because of a lack of photos of snipers from various nationalities including the USMC, Chinese, French, Minors, and Japanese.  There is the option to release the cards in two sets, with the first set including only the German, SS, Soviet, US Army, and Great Britain.  I would be willing to give store credit to anyone who could provide 6 sniper photos from the missing nationalities.

MMP isn’t having a Black Friday Sale?!? No problem because we are.  Use coupon code ‘Turkey’ to get an additional 10% off of your entire order (exc. Pocket Rulebook and Pre-orders).  This is in addition to our already discounted prices (usually 10-20%) off retail and as always, shipping is free (ConUS only).

Coupon Code: ‘Turkey’

 

 

 

 

 

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Into The Rubble 2 from Bounding Fire Productions is now  on Pre-order for the ultra low price of $68.00* shipping included.  Click on the image above for more information.

*The original price I posted was $65.00 but I was reminded by BFP that this was against BFP policy and cannot reduce the price lower than theirs.  In accordance, I have raised the price to match their $68 pre-order price.  My apologies for any confusion or trouble that this may have caused.

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We will be giving away a free t-shirt with any order over $150.  The t-shirts are courtesy of Tim Brieaddy at Redheaded T-shirts where you can choose from a large selection of ASL and WWII themed shirts.  Each shirt will be in limited quantities and a collector’s item, soon to be worth more than the Virgin Mary toast on e-bay.  This month’s shirt features a German  sniper in dot camo with a Gewehr 43, with his spotter in the background on a black shirt.

ASLOK XXXI:

This year I had the great privilege of riding up to Cleveland with my best friend Tim Brieaddy.  It was Tim’s first time to ASLOK and he was so excited to be away from all of the rigors of everyday life, meet some friends whom he had made through his t-shirt business.

 

We arrived Friday night where one of the first games in the USA vs. World was taking place between Wild Bill and George Tourmiere.

 

 

I started off Saturday with an all day marathon with my good friend John Dober.  We managed to get in four games, all from Fanatic Enterprise.  They were all quick firefights.

 

FE89 Crossing the Meuse – vs. John Dober

Oddly enough this is a battle on a mountain top with no water in sight.  I played the Germans and and routed the French from the mountains with the help of some flame throwers and satchel charges.

 

FE112 Old Tactics – vs. John Dober

New Victims which pitted the Finns against the Ruskies.  Being such a short scenario and having 4-2-6 conscripts, I wanted to fight it out at point blank range in the woods where those 4’s become an 8.  If I can just slow him down for a turn or two, his Finnish supermen will run out of time and be unable to take the village.

 

 

 

FE105 Reckless behavior – vs. John Dober

Definitely my least favorite scenario of the gang.  My Japanese convoy sets up in convoy in plain view of a ton of US nastiness that gets to prep fire on turn 1 before I can even move out of the way.  All I could do was wait for my turn to duck into alleys with what survived and unload and hunker down in stone buildings while the Yanks close in for the kill.  I managed to hold off the Americans long enough but the whole thing was just too choreographed for my liking.

 

 

FE125 Lessons learned the hard way, where the SS (that’s me) defended against a slew of Bulgarian tanks.

 

 

J175 Bedburg Bite – vs. Tim Brieaddy

It looks like I drove all the way to Cleveland to play my next door neighbor Tim Brieaddy.  I was the German player in this one.

This one swung back and forth several times and included snake eyes against my 9-1, 4-6-8, and mmg by his flamethrowing Badger followed by boxcars on the flame to kill table against my Jagdpanther thus recalling his most feared weapon.  ASLOK giveth and ASLOK taketh away!

 

J180 The Hour Zero – vs. John Dober

I had heard about this odd little fight and had been meaning to play it since I bought Journal 11.  This scenario features the Wehrmacht and British teaming up against some die hard SS that just won’t accept that the war is over.  The SS are held up in the forest and have few men but lots of fire power.  John chose to skulk his SS away instead of fighting it out with the attackers.  I managed to catch up to him around turn 4 and close in from all sides.  John admitted later that he probably should have just exchanged punches with me early on while he had the advantage of concealment, morale, a rout path, and firepower.

 

J86 Frontal Assault  – vs. Brian Martuzs

I always enjoy playing Brian as much for his stories of ASL past as for his great sportsmanship and kind friendship.  Now, If there is one thing I love in life, it’s Panthers.  If there is one thing that I hate in life, it’s Firefly’s.  I feel so inadequate in my masculinity having 18 factor of frontal armor hiding out of sight.  Truth be told, you have a good chance of surviving a hull hit, but it never seems to work out that way for me.  Somehow in this one, I managed to pull off the win while only losing one Panther.  Brian rolled one greater than the kill number on at least three occasions and one by one his  Shermans brewed up leaving a permanent smokescreen for my advancing grenadiers.  Without tank support, it turned into a one sided affair.

 

 

 

BOF1 The Marco Polo Bridge Incident – vs. Steve Pleva

I was really excited to get a chance to play Steve Pleva in a mini semi final game.  Steve is ranked #1 on the ASL Area ranking and handed me my lunch the only other time I played him a few years ago at ASLOK.  This was my title fight and I although I had him on the ropes early, his skill is something that is hard to explain and harder to overcome.  As the match wore on, it became clear why he is ranked #1 in the world, cutting off every possible route to a comeback.  I look forward to playing Steve again soon.

Game of Thrones:

Friday night I managed to convince some friends to play Game of Thrones.  Unfortunately, I got really sick with a headache so I missed most of the game.  It drew a lot of attention from the ASL’ers, some of whom have played it before and really enjoy it.

Final Tally:

20 games in 8 days, including 2 four game days and I was…ready for more ASL!  I ended up with a 15 and 5 record.  At one point I was 11 and 1, but then the heavy hitters put me in my place.  Regretfully, I didn’t get a chance to play Andy Beaton, whom I always look forward to matching up against.  I did get to play Dan Stanhagen twice which is always on my ASLOK to do list.  I look forward to next year and seeing all of my friends again.

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Dean and Sara Essig’s fight against pancreatic cancer.

Although I try to keep this page dedicated solely to ASL, I am making a worthy exception to make you aware and encourage you to give back to the Essig family for all they have given for our hobby.  Both in some of the best games made but also opening their home in past years to host Homercon.  Dean, the creator of the OCS, TCS, SCS, and countless other great systems and games is raising money to support Sara’s fight with pancreatic cancer.  Please click on the photo above and you will be redirected to their Go Fund Me page.

 

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New post from Hong Kong Wargamer.

In this blog, Jackson visits the War Museum in Bovington, UK. Panthers, and Tigers, and Lees, Oh my!

 

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Inventory news:

We have received many sold out items and even some that were believed to be out of print.

We received very limited quantities of LFT’s Rat Chart, LFT’s KG Sherer, ASL 30th Anniversary German and Russian Battledice.

 

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Woodworking:

I know you have heard this before but… I am resuming my woodworking products.  I have already started a small batch (4 units) of Ammo Box/Map Cases.  If interested in one, let me know ASAP as I won’t be making any more until I have made some tables and towers, so it could be a year before they become available again. You can contact me at dr******@*****.r.com.

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The third annual ‘Where the Iron Crosses Grow’ team Tournament is less than 5 months away.  I will release the date in the next post.