If this weren't enough, Kibler also introduced a new way to play ASL:  the campaign game (Red Barricades includes three).  Campaign games are a series of linked scenarios; each new scenario takes place where the previous scenario left off.  Although players can purchase a variety of reinforcements, they primarily fight with the forces left over from the previous scenarios, introducing an element of conservation of forces largely absent in ASL.  The campaign games allowed ASLers to experience an entirely new level of strategic thinking; the largest Red Barricades campaign game includes 30 campaign dates, and even though most campaign games are decided before the final date, a Red Barricades campaign game can take months to play and is highly suitable for team play. 

It may not be too much of an exaggeration to say that Red Barricades has been the most popular ASL module ever.  There are a number of ASLers who play Red Barricades campaign games over and over, rarely venturing into other areas of ASL.  Even people not so fanatic about campaign games will surely appreciate what they have to offer. 

If Red Barricades has a flaw, it is that its campaign games play fast and loose with history.  It is hard to reconcile the forces available to the players with the actual units fighting in the area at the time.  Later HASL modules had more attention to historical detail (some would argue, with correspondingly less attention to quality of play).

A 2nd Edition of Red Barricades (with little substantive change other than the incorporation of some errata and a change to a slightly larger font size) was incorporated into the 2nd Edition of Beyond Valor.  However, it was NOT incorporated into the 3rd Edition of Beyond Valor.

Red Barricades is out of print, but probably not permanently.  Charlie Kibler is working on a sequel to the game, which can be played separately or mated with Red Barricades to form a humongous section of Stalingrad.  It would not be surprising if Red Barricades were reprinted to coincide with the release of the sequel, or shortly thereafter.  One hopes the original artwork is still in good shape.

Unfortunately, Kampfgruppe Peiper has never enjoyed the popularity of its predecessor, Red Barricades.  For one thing, the module itself was split in two (Kampfgruppe Peiper II was released subsequently), which was frustrating for many ASLers.  Others did not feel the module, which had only four scenarios, offered sufficient value.  The counters that came with the game also had problems.  The printing on many countersheets was somewhat off-kilter, and the German counters were oddly-colored, resulting in the infamous "purple" Germans.  And for many ASLers, the historical situation represented was not the best (especially the thick mist which pervaded the battlefield).  Perhaps most frustrating of all, Kampfgruppe Peiper I had many problems with the rules (so much so that Kampfgruppe Peiper II basically replaced all of the rules from the first module).

Ownership of Kampfgruppe Peiper I is required to play the sequel.

The game's reputation is mixed.  While it has its supporters (many of whom like playing elite British paratroopers and glidermen), detractors tend to dislike the map graphics and the play of some of the scenarios.   At only $40, though, it is a relative bargain.

Blood Reef: Tarawa is not for everyone.  Although the designers were careful to include scenarios that did not involve any beach landings, the game is really for ASLers who have an urge to storm the beaches with their Marines.  For such people, BRT is the pinnacle of ASL, and the game definitely has its devotees (some of whom have written a guide to the game which may be published by MMP).  It is a striking sight to see the invasion of Betio in all its glory--even though there are not enough counters between BRT and Gung Ho to do so, and more have to be scrounged, stolen, or created.   In addition to missing counters, some of the counters in BRT also had errata on them and had to be reprinted (appearing in ASL Journal #2).

Blood Reef: Tarawa was originally a third party product, Blood Reef, published by Heat of Battle.  MMP, while working for Avalon Hill, made arrangements to make a revised, official version of the module; luckily, this survived the fall of Avalon Hill.

Because it will not be reprinted, USMC and/or PTO aficionados should definitely get their hands on this module while they can.

ABTF is another city-fighting module, pitting elite SS against elite British paratroopers (except for Red Barricades and Operation Veritable, all official HASLs/HSs have emphasized elite troops, typically SS, paratroopers, or US Marines).  Its campaign games do not have the attractiveness of many others, because the British are basically surrounded; not only can they not purchase reinforcements, but as the campaign wears on, their force continually disintegrates (due to ammo shortage, walking wounded, etc.).  It accurately portrays the desperate, "last stand," nature of the conflict, but that very realism may make some people less willing to try the campaign games. 

It is interesting to compare ABTF to its Critical Hit "competitor," Arnhem: The Third Bridge.  The latter product has a much more attractive map than ABTF, but even its designer has admitted dissatisfaction with the way its scenarios and campaign turned out.  Overall, ABTF looks like the better buy.

In one respect, ABTF is controversial:  it includes a complete (squads, support weapons, guns and vehicles, although certain units were missing and appeared in ASL Journal #2) SS order of battle featuring black counters with white lettering.  For the uninitiated, it may take some explaining as to why this was controversial.  When SS units first appeared in the original Squad Leader series of games, they were featured with black counters with white lettering.  However, when Beyond Valor introduced the SS to Advanced Squad Leader, SS units were now treated just like every other German unit--they appeared on blue counters with only a small "SS" symbol to indicate that they were SS units.  This did not sit well with some ASLers, a few of whom may have been over-fond of the SS, who called out for white-on-black ASL counters for the SS.

Eventually, a third party publisher, Heat of Battle, responded to this perceived desire and published two products featuring the Waffen SS that included a white-on-black SS countermix.  It was apparently in response to this move that MMP decided to include an entire white-on-black SS order of battle with A Bridge Too Far.  The decision pleased some, who finally had their "official" black SS counters, but it dismayed many other ASLers, who could not help but observe that of all the combat forces of World War II, only the SS had been given their own set of counters with their own unique color scheme.  These detractors argued, with some merit, that this glorified the Waffen SS.  Others complained simply that all these extra counters needlessly added to the price of A Bridge Too Far.

Operation Watchtower was much anticipated by PTO enthusiasts who wanted more jungle fighting (as opposed to the beaches and palm trees of Blood Reef: Tarawa).  OWT certainly provides that, in spades, especially the relatively small but tense campaign game.

Overall, however, OWT was one of MMP's less successful releases.  The original map had significant printing problems, so much so that MMP had to have it reprinted.  Even fixed, the map (confusing titled Edson's Ridge rather than Operation Watchtower) is problematical because it is so large--it should have been cut into two maps.  It is the largest single ASL map, though needlessly so, and may not fit on every gaming table.  Some ASLers were not very happy about the scenarios, either; many of them are night scenarios, and quite a few of them use a large number of overlays (one uses a very large number).  Moreover, some of the scenarios have been revealed over time to be quite unbalanced (in particular, HS4 (High Water Mark), HS7 (We Know Where They Are), HS10 (Government Property), and HS 12 (Chesty's Turn).  However, one scenario, HS 15 (Hill 27), has become a classic.  Two of the scenarios are actually reprints of scenarios previously published elsewhere; HS3 (Tasimboko Raid) originally appeared in an ASL Annual, while HS9 (Ambitious Plans), originally appeared in MMP's magazine Backblast.

For PTO enthusiasts, Operation Watchtower is well worth getting.  For others, this can be lower on your ASL shopping list.

Addendum:  One of the less well known aspects of Operation Watchtower is that it was originally going to be published by Front Line Productions, the third party publisher that produced Baraque de Fraiture.  Designer Nadir El-Farra had actually designed two HASL maps for the project--one for Edson's Ridge, which made it into Operation Watchtower, and another for "Hell's Corner," where the Matanikau River meets the ocean (see map image below).  The Hell's Corner map did not make it into the final cut for Operation Watchtower, to some degree due to a miscommunication between designer and MMP over the number of scenarios that had been created for that map.  Several of the geomorphic mapboard scenarios in Operation Watchtower were originally intended for the HASL Hell's Corner map. 

Another curiosity is not something which wasn't printed, but something that was printed.  Before coming to an agreement with MMP for "official" publication of Operation Watchtower, El-Farra actually printed a small number of copies of a Watchtower countersheet.  Because MMP ended up publishing the module, these counters were never used but were apparently given away (see images below).  This countersheet is one of the true ASL rarities.

OVHS represents a significant improvement over Operation Watchtower.  The map is both more manageable in size and more attractive, while the farmland terrain depicted had not previously been seen in a historical module; this terrain also gives the module's campaign game a rather unique feel and is a refreshing alternative to Red Barricades.  OVHS also continues the inexplicable trend introduced in Operation Watchtower of giving the map a different name (in this case, Riley's Road) from the game itself.

The late war setting insures lots of interesting toys for all sides, while the non-historical-map scenarios include the very inventive HS17 (Water Foul), which does not even use a map!  Instead, it uses overlays to recreate the flooded terrain in which the action too place.  Probably the most popular scenario in the module is HS32 (A Few Rounds), which uses Sturmtigers. 

The only significant drawback to OVHS is that some of the scenarios are quite unbalanced (most noticeably HS18 (To the Matter Born), HS20 (Married Up), and HS23 (Tussle at Tomashof).  Overall, though, it is a very worthy purchase.

For years, players could occasionally see playtesting of the module going on at ASL events, or hear references on-line to work being done on it, but it seemed like a never-ending project.  Finally, however, Tom Morin turned the game in to MMP and ASLers around the world rejoiced, thinking that its release would finally be imminent after MMP put the game up for pre-order and it had thousands of pre-orders in virtually no time at all.  However, ASLers did not realize that VotG had simply entered Vaporware 2.0, as it languished for two more years at MMP as credit card numbers expired and countenances became crestfallen. 

Finally, however, just as in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, when people began to notice signs that Willie Wonka might have re-started his chocolate factory, ASLers began to see signs of VotG-related activity at MMP in 2007 and it seemed that the long-awaited module might finally debut.  Debut it did at the Winter Offensive ASL tournament in January 2008, to great acclaim.

It is impossible to say that any game that took so very long to come out is truly "worth the wait," but VotG is nevertheless undeniably of great value (literally, too, in the sense that it is underpriced!).  It is chock full of components and every aspect of the module seems filled with tender loving care.  VotG is an impressive offering.

What is Valor of the Guards?  It is a historical module set in Stalingrad depicting German attempts to capture sections of downtown Stalingrad, from Pavlov's House to the Stalingrad-1 Rail Station.  Scenarios range from the early German attacks in September 1942 all the way to the reduction of the final pockets of the encircled 6th Army by the victorious Soviets in January 1943.   Most ASLers, of course, will know that the first and most famous ASL historical module, Red Barricades, was also set in Stalingrad, and may wonder what this module has to offer that is truly different.

That is a difficult question to answer.  The creators of VotG, of course, assert that it has a very different feel, and it is true that whereas the Red Barricades map was dominated by large factory buildings, the VotG map contains smaller buildings and more open areas.  Nevertheless, the module is reminiscent of Red Barricades in many respects, from the map artwork to the basic situation (Soviet-German urban combat in Stalingrad in 1942).  And the terrain in both VotG and Red Barricades contain a similar rubble/debris/shellhole strewn landscape.  People who have played Red Barricades will feel instantly at home in VotG; even one of the scenarios, VotG1 (The First Bid), contains a title reference to RB7 (The Last Bid).  Though the two games do not connect (the two areas were far apart geographically), Valor of the Guards is indeed a "sequel" to Red Barricades.  People who disliked Red Barricades are not likely to embrace Valor of the Guards. 

In another sense, the question of how much the two modules are different is somewhat irrelevant, simply because even if they were hardly different at all, the subject matter itself is so popular among ASL players that another Stalingrad-related module would attract considerable support and interest.

The large two-part map, hand-painted by Don Petros (in what may well be the last hand-painted official ASL map  release), is attractive (though that seems like a strange word to use for the rubble strewn terrain of Stalingrad).   Like Red Barricades, it depicts a stretch of Stalingrad adjoining the Volga River (including ferry crossing points, which can play an important role).   The attention to detail is admirable.  In a nice touch, geographic areas such as streets and significant buildings are labeled, so players can easily identify the Brewery, Pavlov's House, the State Bank, and other features.  Even the standing buildings have a distinctly battered appearance, as the shapes of some suggest corners sheared off,  while many other building depictions are actually Gutted Buildings, the artwork for which closely resembling the look of such buildings from aerial photographs.  Overall, the map is very nice. 

VotG comes with 5 full countersheets.  Sheet 1 contains hex control markers and a few other markers, but primarily contains German and Soviet (mostly the latter) units and weapons.  The Soviet markers include a new squad type, the NKVD squad, which is a 6-2-8 squad (note no assault fire) with a hammer & sickle flag on the counter.  Its reverse side morale is 9 (and all its officers are commissars!).  There is also a new, "crappy" commissar (8+1).  Sheet 2 contains a few German AFVs (nothing interesting; there is only one new vehicle type, a modification of a German AA halftrack), but mostly markers, ranging from No Move and Trench counters to new items such as "Interdicted" markers (for ferry piers) and "Fanatic Strongpoint" markers.  Sheet 3 consists mostly of control and other markers, but also introduces special counters for German and Soviet Assault Engineers (presumably to differentiate them from other, similarly valued counters on the mapboard); these counters depict a DC in the upper left hand corner and include increased smoke exponents.  Sheet 4 is just a passel of extra German and Soviet squads and SW.  Sheet 5 is another informational marker sheet which looks as if it came from Red Barricades.

The VotG rules explain the new counters and features, but focus on the terrain.  Strangely, rather than incorporating rules for terrain types such as debris into Chapter V, the rules simply reference the relevant Red Barricades rules.  However, since MMP could not guarantee that purchasers would actually have Red Barricades (which has gone in and out, mostly out, of print), they reprinted those pages of the Red Barricades rules for inclusion in VotG, which as a result comes with about 6 Chapter O pages.  It would have been more convenient simply to incorporate the debris, etc., rules into Chapter V.  New features include rail cars, partially collapsed buildings, gutted buildings, fountains, ciy squares, and Volga piers.  However, it only takes 4 pages of rules to explain all of this (plus the 6 Red Barricades rules pages, of course).  The vast majority of the rules are reserved for the campaign games (although a few of the campaign rules seem to get used in scenarios as well).

VotG comes with 4 campaign games, one more than Red Barricades.  Campaign game rules introduce fanatic strongpoints (of three types) and ferry landings.  Campaign Game I (The Central Railway Station) is 8 CG dates long and features the German attack on the Stalingrad-1 Rail Station and the Nail Factory in mid-September 1942.  It only uses part of the map area.  Campaign Game II (Drive to the Volga) is 9 CG dates long and apparently uses the entire map area; it seems to be a wider version of CGI.  Campaign Game III (Battle along the Riverbank) is a shorter CG set later in September; it has only 5 CG dates and uses the whole map.  The fourth campaign, CGIV (Savage Streets of Stalingrad), combines CGII and III into one larger campaign from September 14-27, 1942.   

Like Red Barricades, the campaign games all depict periods of German attacks.  Perhaps some day someone somewhere will set an ASL module in January 1943 when the Soviets were on the attack.  Don't hold your breath.  At least VotG does have a scenario from the last days of the encirclement, which is more than any other project has.  Overall, from its title to its arwork, VotG is refreshingly un-Germanocentric, unlike so many other ASL products. 

One area in which VotG differs--and in a positive way--from its predecessor Red Barricades is in the number of scenarios that come with the module.  VotG comes with 17 scenarios of a variety of sizes which collectively offer more and better playing opportunities than did the scenarios in Red Barricades (which had a weak collection of scenarios).   The scenarios tend towards the very large in size; only 6 could be considered small or medium-sized, while another 6 are large in size, and 5 more are what could only be considered "extra large" scenarios.  VotG1 (The First Bid), for example, is 19 turns long and features 100 Soviet squads, 10 guns, and 13 AFVs defending against an attack by 81 German squads, 2 guns, 21 AFVs, plus OBA and Air Support.  VotG12 (Siberian Shockwave) depicts a Soviet attack with 44 squads and 4 guns against German defenders that include 36 squads, 2 guns, and 4 AFVs.  The Soviets have OBA while the Germans have Stukas.

VotG9 (Eviction Notice) is the tournament-sized scenario that will probably see the most play.

OBA is present in 4 of the 17 scenarios, Air Support in 6, Night Rules in 3, and Boats in 3.  Interestingly, Soviet attacks far outnumber German attacks in the scenario selection, so scenarios rather than campaign games may be the preferred option for people who want to see the Soviets on the offensive in Stalingrad in VotG.

Three more VotG scenarios, designed by the makers of VotG, are included in Issue #23 of Dispatches from the Bunker--an issue that appeared long before VotG itself actually did! 

Overall, the production quality and attention to detail is extremely high.  Assuming the scenarios and campaign games are as good as advertised, this module is likely to be one of the more popular ASL modules.  Red Barricades fanatics in particular may be attracted to this module, as it offers variations on their tried and true Stalingrad battleground.  It is a very impressive release and well worth the price.

ASLSK1 provides German, American, and Soviet counters, as well as six fast-moving scenarios, the first of which is a perfect introductory scenario, as it does not use any support weapons and introduces units onto the map a few at a time.  Its two geomorphic mapboards debuted the "new style" of ASL maps.  Older geomorphic maps were printed on paper, which was then glued onto cardboard to create mounted mapboards.  The new geomorphic maps are printed directly onto a thick cardstock.  As a result, they are thinner (and presumably less durable) than the old style maps.  MMP announced at the time that all its future geomorphic maps would use this new style; a decision that was unpopular in some circles, but seems clearly justified by the extreme cost of printing mounted mapboards (few other wargaming companies use any mounted mapboards).  The new maps also use computer graphics rather than the handpainted style of earlier maps; many ASLers were sorry to see this development.  With regard to the particular maps in ASLSK1, they are nothing to write home about--the terrain is necessarily limited, to keep the rules limited (later ASLSK maps are more varied).

ASLSK1 was originally priced at $24, but was frequently sold at a sale price of $18, making it one of the best wargaming values anywhere.  This was one factor which accounted for its success--many players were willing to try it out, because they had little to lose.  Once they purchased it, most found that there was an incredible little game inside.  The ASLSK is a better way to get into ASL than the original Squad Leader was, because the ASLSK and ASL are far more compatible than SL and ASL were; people moving from the Starter Kit to full ASL will have very little they will have to "unlearn."

MMP planned, assuming ASLSK1 was well-received, to release two future ASLSK games, one that would introduce guns to the system and a third that would introduce vehicles.  As the ASLSK popularity grew, MMP has made it clear that the Starter Kit has a future beyond the first three modules.  This has led to some uneasiness among ASLers, most of whom were happy with the Starter Kit as a successful vehicle to bring "new blood" into the hobby but fewer of whom would equally embrace a more comprehensive system that actually threatened to become a rival to ASL.  Yet this is more likely than not the future for the ASLSK.

MMP has made French (http://www.cote1664.net/article.php3?id_article=74), Spanish (http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/9823  and  http://http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/15126), and Japanese (http://www.multimanpublishing.com/downloads/ASLSK1_jpn.pdf) language rules for the ASL Starter Kit available, but as downloads rather than as printed products, marketed and sold in those countries. 

Click here for a full review of Advanced Squad Leader Starter Kit #1 by Mark Pitcavage.

Although it introduces new rules, ASLSK2 neatly sidesteps the trap into which original Squad Leader fell (wherein each subsequent expansion module introduced a new rulebook and made the series more confusing) by including a new rulebook that incorporates all of the ASLSK1 material (highlighting any changes to the original manual for ease of transition).  As a result, should someone be so inclined, they could even skip the purchase of ASLSK1 and start with ASLSK2; it stands completely on its own.  It is a nice solution to the problem.

ASLSK2 introduces two more geomorphic maps to the system, one of which is boring, but the other, a hilly urban board, actually offers some real possibilities to scenario designers. 

The big draw for the third Starter Kit are the AFVs, allowing novice ASLSK players to duke it out with Shermans and Tigers.  Only a small number of AFVs (all tanks except for two German and one British armored cars) are represented in the module.  There are 14 U.S. tank counters (all of which are Sherman variants), 4 Italian tank counters (representing two types of vehicle), 44 German tank and armored car counters (including two Tigers and four Panthers), 9 British AFVs (most of which are Shermans or Stuarts), and 32 Soviet tanks (most of which are T-34s or Shermans).

MMP also provides the full Chapter H notes for each AFV in a small booklet.  Unlike Chapter H, however, it is printed in black and white. 

As in previous ASLSK modules, the scenarios are a mix of actions, including Crete 1941, Hungary 1944, Lithuania 1941, Sicily 1943, Arnhem 1944, Soviet Union 1943, Soviet Union 1944, and France 1944.  Not all of the scenarios use AFVs; one is infantry only (so a player who buys ASLSK3 as his first module will not have to learn all the vehicle rules immediately).  One scenarios is an all-AFV scenario.  Because of the addition of vehicles, Starter Kit players will probably find that the scenarios play a little bit more slowly than previous Starter Kit scenarios.

One of the scenarios has errata:

S22 Another Summer's Day ERRATA:  German Group 1 should have only 1 50mm MTR, not 2.

The General covered ASL regularly from the game's publication until the magazine's demise.  The most common feature was a long-running "column" on SL/ASL, Squad Leader Clinic, by Jon Mishcon; however, its actual useful content was slight.  However, from time to time more substantial articles would appear in The General (many of these were later collected and published as "ASL Classic." 

The General was also a regular source of ASL scenarios.  At first, such scenarios appeared irregularly, but in its last years, nearly every issue of The General would feature one or two ASL scenarios.  Almost 90 ASL scenarios were published in the pages of The General, including a number of classics such as G6 (Rocket's Red Glare),  T1 (Gavin Take), T4 (Shklov's Labors Lost), and the Squad Leader remakes, A (Guards Counterattack) and E (Hill 621),  among others.  The scenarios also included a fanciful scenario making use of a map appearing in an Avalon Hill Civil War game.

One issue of The General, Volume 28 Number 6, contained a small countersheet with variant counters for several Avalon Hill games, including several German and French ASL counters to fix errors in their original versions.

Another issue, Volume 30 Number 3, included corrected DASL overlays.  They had originally come with the ASL Annual 95, but had been printed at the wrong size.  The overlays in The General corrected the sizing error.

The 16 scenarios included A (The Guards Counterattack), B (The Tractor Works), C (Streets of Stalingrad), D (Hedgehog of Piepsk), E (Hill 621), F (Paw of the Tiger), G (Hube's Pocket), H (Escape from Velikiye Luki), I (Buchholz Station), J (The Bitch Salient), T1 (Gavin Take), T2 (The Puma Prowls), T3 (Ranger Stronghold), T4 (Shklov's Labors Lost), T5 (The Pouppeville Exit), and T6 (Dead of Winter).  These are solid scenarios worth getting. 

The ASL Annuals--for the most part--were of high quality, with good articles combined with strong scenarios.  Some of the issues are definitely stronger than others.  The final two Annuals, 96 and 97, were produced by MMP under the auspices of Avalon Hill, and this is immediately obvious; these issues resemble MMP's old magazine Backblast with higher production values.   Altogether, eight ASL Annuals were published, one for each year except 1993 (which saw two) and 1994 (which saw none).  Some ASLers produced a satirical "ASL Manual 98" in 1998, featuring Mad Magazine's Alfred E. Neuman on the cover and a scenario featuring Godzilla.

Highlights

ASL Annual 89.  64 pages. The articles are not particularly interesting, though "One-Half FP:  The Incremental IFT Variant," introducing the IIFT, is printed herein.  Scenarios include two Squad Leader scenarios--which look remarkably anachronistic to modern eyes--and 15 ASL scenarios, including the following noteworthies:  A1 (Tavronitis Bridge) and A7 (Slamming of the Door).  All in all, not one of the better Annuals.

ASL Annual 90. 64 pages. The Annual's second outing once more has a weak article offering, although it does have an ASL "series replay," a very popular type of article in which two players and a neutral observer play out an ASL scenario, offering comments along the way.   However, its 16 scenarios include some nice ones, such as A15 (Stand Fast the Guards), A17 (The Penetration of Rostov), and one of the all time ASL favorites, A25 (Cold Crocodiles). 

ASL Annual 91.  64 pages.  Another Annual weak on articles, although one of the articles is a very good and meaty series replay of a Red Barricades campaign game.   Good scenarios include A28 (The Professionals), A29 (A Meeting of Patrols), the classic A32 (Zon with the Wind), A33 (Tettau's Attack), A35 (Guards Attack), A37 (Dreil Team),  and A38 (North Bank).  The strength of the 16 scenarios makes this Annual one of the ones worth picking up first.

ASL Annual 92.  80 pages.  The fourth ASL Annual is the fourth in a row weak on articles.  Too many of the articles in the early Annuals are historical articles or overviews of some sort (many of dubious quality), with very few articles on game play (this would improve in later Annuals and in the ASL Journal).   The 15 scenarios in Annual 92 are a mixed bag, with no true classics among them, although some of the PTO scenarios included are memorable, including A41 (OP Hill), A47 (White Tigers), and DA10 (The Tiger of Toungoo). 

ASL Annual 93a.  48 pages.  What would have been Annual 93 was instead split up into two smaller magazines, Annual 93a and Annual 93b.   Annual 93a was the first issue with a strong article selection, including an article on tank warfare by Bruce Bakken, a scenario crossfire by Robert Banozic and Mark Nixon, and a look at bypass by Philippe Léonard, among others.  Annual 93a has 11 scenarios, including some very strong actions that include two genuine classics, A59 (Death at Carentan) and A60 (Totsugeki!), one of the all-time great ASL scenarios. All in all, this is one of the better Annual issues.

ASL Annual 93b.  48 pages.  A mediocre mix of articles and some indifferent scenarios might have let Annual 93b drop to the bottom in terms of interest, but it is redeemed by the inclusion of a historical mini-campaign game designed by Dan Dolan on the invasions of Gavutu and Tanambogo, two tiny islands off Guadalcanal, in 1942.  The maps are essentially designed as overlays that can be cut out and used with ocean overlays to create the terrain needed for the scenarios and campaign game.  This was the first time Avalon Hill had tried anything so inventive and it was well worth it.  The issue does have a few good scenarios, notably the massive A63 (Action at Balberkamp) and A66 (Counterstroke at Stonne). 

ASL Annual 95.  96 pages.  Depending on whom one talks to, Annual 95 is either the best annual ever published or the worst; opinions are highly polarized.  It is easy to see why.  On the one hand, Annual 95 was sloppily composed--it is full of errata, including an entire sheet of DASL overlays that are useless because they are the wrong size.  On the other hand, this issue contains probably the highest proportion of good and/or classic ASL scenarios of any Annual.  On the third hand, many of those scenarios were not original scenarios but reprints of scenarios first published in third party publications--which is to say that many ASL grognards already had them.  But on the fourth hand, the article content is strong and the issue is the longest of all the ASL Annuals.  These sorts of controversies were typical of Gary Fortenberry's relatively brief reign at the helm of ASL before Avalon Hill brought MMP in to handle the series.  Good articles include a "crossfire" analysis by Robert Banozic and Mark Nixon, an article on routing by Steve Tinsley, and a Kampfgruppe Peiper I series replay.  Annual 95 includes many impressive scenarios, including the all-time classic A68 (Acts of Defiance, reprinted from Critical Hit), A69 (Broich Bash, reprinted from In Contact), A70 (Wintergewitter, reprinted from At the Point), A72 (Italian Brothers, reprinted from At the Point), A80 (Commando Schenke, reprinted from Tactiques), and A88 (Surprise Encounter, reprinted from The Route Report).  Well, at the very least, Gary could pick a winner.  Despite the errata, the tremendous scenario strength in this issue makes it well worth getting.

ASL Annual 96.  64 pages.  The MMP-produced Annual certainly looks like it; the scenario content is overwhelmingly rules-related, including articles explaining snow, moving/motion/non-stopped status, CX limitations, gliders, and caves and cave complexes.   The scenario selection is average, but does include the gems (some of them unpronounceable) A93 (Faugh A' Ballagh!) and A98 (Crossing the Gniloi Tikitsch), and the classics A103 (Mayhem in Manila) and A104 (In Front of the Storm).  These scenarios make this issue worth getting.

ASL Annual 97.  64 pages.  The last Annual, this issue featured a wonderful going away present--a small historical map of Nhpum Ga in northern Burma, and scenarios (but no campaign game) to accompany it.  That fact alone has made Annual 97 a prized possession, and hard to find.  The article content is not bad, including a series replay of G28 (Ramsey's Charge) and an interesting article on early war anti-tank strategies by Tate Rogers.   Among the better scenarios are the exciting A110 (Shanghai in Flames), A115 (Blockbusters),  and A117 (Maggot Hill). 

Highlights

ASL Journal 1.  64 pages.  The Journal set the bar high with its first issue.  The article content was an extremely pleasing mix of every sort of article:  rules articles (such as one on SMOKE by Tom Huntington), a series replay (of A109 (Scouts Out), by J.R. Tracy, Chris Kavanaugh, and Michael J. Puccio), a new SASL mission, a new Red Barricades campaign game, articles on learning and playing the PTO, and more.  The scenario content was equally strong, with 12 scenarios that included one of the all time ASL classics, J1 (Urban Guerillas, designed by Pete Shelling), as well as the gems J2 (Battlin' Buckeyes),  J7 (Slow and Steady), J8 (Block Busting in Bokruisk), J9 (A Stiff Fight), and J12 (Jungle Fighters).  ASL Journal 1 is a must-have.

ASL Journal 2.  70 pages, 2 countersheets, historical map.  How do you top Journal 1?  How about making Journal 2 longer, with more scenarios, plus a historical map and some countersheets?  That is just what MMP did, which made ASL Journal 2 one of the best ASL bangs for the buck.  Its main feature was a beautiful historical map of Kakazu Ridge on Okinawa drawn by Don Petros and accompanying scenarios designed by Dan Dolan (of Gavutu-Tanambogo fame) that allow some late-war PTO cave-fighting action.  The countersheets that come with Journal 2 primarily provide fixed counters to replace errors in Blood Reef: Tarawa and Doomed Battalions.  Articles include features on Kakazu Ridge, designer and developer notes for Pegasus Bridge, a comprehensive rout example (later included in the 2nd Edition ASL Rulebook), and good articles on armor use by Matt Shostak and Chas Smith.  ASL Journal 2 includes 24 (!) scenarios, which include some real classics (a number of the scenarios are reprints from Hell on Wheels, a scenario pack from Bounding Fire Productions designed by Chas Smith).  Noteworthy scenarios include J19 (Merzenhausen Zoo),  J20 (The Guns of Naro), J23 (Kampfgruppe at Karachev), J24 (Smashing the 3rd), J27 (High Tide at Heiligenbeil), J28 (Inhumaine), the classic J32 (Panzer Graveyard), J33 (The Slaughterhouse), and J35 (Siam Sambal).  This combination of value makes ASL Journal 2 one of the great ASL products--unfortunately it is out of print and very pricey on the secondary market.

ASL Journal 3.  80 pages.  The longest of all the Journals, it also sported by far the ugliest cover.  It also had a weak article selection, with a plethora of historical articles as well as rules articles on obscure subjects such as trucks and anti-aircraft guns.  It did provide a mini-campaign game of sorts, designed by Pete Shelling, in the form of several linked scenarios, and an SASL mission.  The meat of Journal 3, though, was in its 30 (!) scenarios, the most that would ever be included in an ASL Annual/Journal.  These include some nice actions, such as J37 (Tretten in Flames), J41 (By Ourselves), the classic J43 (3rd RTR in the Rain), the classic J44 (Audacity!),  J45 (The Last Roadblock), J46 (Strongpoint 11),  the classic J59 (Friday the 13th), the classic J60 (Bad Luck),  and J63 (Silesian Interlude).  The strength of the scenarios make this an issue well worth getting.

ASL Journal 4.  48 pages.  Following Journal 3, MMP made a concerted effort to tone down the size of Journal issues and make them more manageable to produce.  Starting with Journal 4, issues would have 48 pages and 12 scenarios each.  So Journal 4 definitely looks less meaty than Journal 3, and it is.  It is also, unfortunately, one of the weaker Journals, with historical articles on Indochina and obscure AFVs, and other light fare.  Many of the scenarios feature British Bren gun carriers, which are not exactly the sexiest vehicles in World War II.  Nevertheless, Journal 4 does have some strong scenarios, including J69 (The Army at the Edge of the World), J74 (Priests on the Line), and J76 (Ultimate Treachery).  Overall, though, despite the attractive cover art by Ken Smith, it is not the strongest of ASL Journals. 

ASL Journal 5.  48 pages.  Featuring another strong Ken Smith cover, ASL Journal 5 improved in article content, with a greater emphasis on gameplay, including an article on jungle tactics by Mark Pitcavage and an analysis of the campaign game in Operation Veritable by Oliver Giancola.  Pete Shelling provided another set of linked scenarios, this time in the desert, while Ian Daglish contributed a useful article on AFV passenger and crews.  Unfortunately, the scenario content was not as strong; some scenarios were just not interesting, while others were not balanced.  Best of the lot include J84 (Makin Taken) and J88 (Escape to Wiltz).   Strangely, two scenarios released when ASL Journal 5 were released were not published in the magazine but only online.  They can be downloaded for free at http://www.multimanpublishing.com/downloads/W1.pdf and http://www.multimanpublishing.com/downloads/W2.pdf.  Overall, Journal 5 is one of the weaker ASL Journals.

ASL Journal 6.  48 pages, HASL map and CGs.  After relatively weak issues in Journals 4 and 5, the ASL Journal makes a great rebound with Journal 6, which features the most striking cover illustration (by Ken Smith) to appear on any ASL magazine or game.  What makes Journal 6 so special is the inclusion of a attractive historical map, along with accompanying scenarios and campaign games for Primosole Bridge in Sicily.  This adds considerable value to Journal 6, even though the article content is weak.  Good scenarios include J92 (Your Turn Now), J94 (Kempf at Melikhovo), J98 (Lend-Lease Attack), and J100 (For a Few Rounds More).

ASL Journal 7.  48 pages, 8" x 22" unmounted geomorphic map (v).  The seventh ASL journal (with another excellent Ken Smith cover illustration) comes with a modest extra, an unmounted geomorphic mapboard (which later was included in ASLSK3), but articles and scenarios are the main content.  The article content is not particularly strong, with much of the issue taken up with part two of an over-lengthy historical article on the British Army.  However, there are gameplay articles on HIP and Commissars and a scenario analysis of HS26 "Got Milk" from Operation Veritable.  The magazine also includes the latest ASL errata, one piece of which (which adds an extra -1 TEM to bridge hexes) was particularly controversial. 

Of more interest, perhaps, are the 12 scenarios (one of which, confusingly, is a "missing" scenario from Armies of Oblivion and is thus numbered 122 rather than Jx).  The emphasis is on tournament-sized scenarios; almost every scenario is small or medium-sized, with only one that could be considered large.  Three of the scenarios are reprints of scenarios that originally appeared in the French ASL magazine Le Franc Tireur.  Thematically, the scenarios are very narrow; every scenario is set either on the East Front or in the Balkans.  However, overall, they are a decent set of scenarios.  Good scenarios include 122 (Extracurricular Activity), J103 (Lenin's Sons), J105 (Borodino Train Station), and J111 (Prussia in Flames).  Scenario J106 (Marders not Martyrs) is the scenario that uses board v.

Twelve of the 16 scenarios in Out of the Attic come from the long-defunct ASL newsletter In Contact.  One scenario, Sicilian Midnight, appeared in an ASL Annual, and apparently was included simply because there was a series replay of that scenario in the magazine.  Two scenarios came from the underappreciated Baraque de Fraiture/Parker's Crossroads module, while two more came from--no surprise here--Backblast.

Unfortunately, none of the scenarios in Out of the Attic are true standouts--perhaps that was why they were so long out of print?  OA7 (Celles Melee) and OA 13 (Brief Breakfast) are probably the best of the bunch.

Out of the Attic was originally intended to be an occasional publication, but apparently it did not sell well, and MMP has never expressed interest in a follow-up.

Inexplicably, MMP initially decided it would not include any ASL in Operations, even though they were assured additional subscribers if they included even an occasional ASL scenario.  Starting in 2005, with the advent of the ASL Starter Kit, MMP began including occasional articles and scenarios on the ASL Starter Kit in Operations--but still no regular ASL content.  In 2008, MMP announced that it would end its prohibition on ASL-related content in Operations Magazine.  The first issue to contain full ASL content was the first Operations Special Issue.

Since being taken over by MMP, Operations publication schedule has been irregular, though in 2008 MMP stated that its plan was to produce two issues of Operations a year plus a Special Issue.

Information on Special Issues of Operations Magazine is HERE.

In 2008, MMP announced that it would soon debut the first planned annual "Special Issue" of Operations, which would not only be larger than regular issues, but would also contain many extras, such as self-contained games as well as expansions, countersheets and other goodies for previously published products--including, for the first in Operations' history, ASL.

Operations Special Issue #1	The first "Special Issue" of Operations debuted at the World Boardgaming Championships convention in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in August 2008.  Prior to its release, it was a somewhat controversial product because MMP announced that due to a peculiar agreement with the designer of the included (non-ASL) mini-game, MMP would print only an unspecified but limited print run described by MMP only as "more than an average Gamers print run."  As normal Gamers print runs are typically several thousand games less than the average ASL print run, this immediately raised concern among many ASLers that copies of it would disappear quickly and some ASLers might be unable to obtain a copy, or be forced to pay a high price on E-bay or elsewhere.  MMP further announced that they would not take pre-orders for the Special Issue but would sell them in person at WBC and subsequently on their website, setting up the prospect of a "run" on copies of the game.  Because of speculation of such a "run," MMP later announced that it would at first limit purchasers to one copy apiece. The major ASL-related item in Special Issue #1 is the Singling mini-HASL, designed by Chas Argent, MMP's newest ASL wunderkind, which follows in the footsteps of similar endeavors such as Nphum Ga, Kakazu Ridge, and Primosole Bridge.  However, despite its familiar-looking Chapter Z pages, Singling is strikingly unfamiliar in one area, because it features a map by Nicholas Eskubi which deliberately departs from the "traditional" official ASL map artwork conventions (which date from the 1970s) to use some of the more recent techniques and advances in computer graphics.  This is worth discussing in greater detail, as this is the first time that MMP has embarked upon such an "experiment."  Their rationale was that, because their map components need not be compatible with those of other HASLs or other ASL products, a unique graphic look could be used for Singling.  This is certainly true enough and one hopes that this will occur with future HASLs as well. The Singling map itself has both strengths and weaknesses.  It is well drawn throughout, with a careful attention to detail (Eskubi is a good artist).  Ironically, tiny details like the wheel ruts in the dirt roads actually are reminiscent of some of the unique details that appeared in the original hand-painted Squad Leader maps (such as sidewalks, etc.), which were dropped from later geomorphic maps.  Unfortunately, the map does not have enough such details; there are no front walks or paths or tiny bushes or backyard gardens or anything else.  Nor does the artwork necessarily take full advantage of its freedom from the constraints of "traditional" ASL artwork.  Since all of the buildings on the map are stone, for example, they could have been drawn more like the actual buildings of Singling, many of which had red roofs; this would have been a nice (and more colorful) detail. Perhaps the biggest complaint that could be leveled at the map is its essentially monochromatic nature.  Though the palette was presumably chosen to help represent a European village in December, the all-brown nature of the map makes Singling seem more like a town on a wind-swept Tunisian mountain plateau than a French village.  With regard to the way individual terrain types are represented, the crest line hexes stand out as appearing artificial and unnaturalistic--in contrast to the way other terrain types are rendered on the map. Despite these flaws, the Singling map is still attractive and is a good experiment.  Presumably future such maps can enhance the strengths and reduce the weaknesses.  It should also be noted that the map was printed on glossy paper, rather than matte.  Some gamers do not like the glossy paper because of the glare it can create under certain lighting conditions.  The Singling campaign game and scenarios feature firefights between the U.S. 4th Armored Division and the German 11th Panzer Division around the village of Singling, France, on December 6, 1944.  Oddly, neither the magazine nor the ASL content explain any of this; the only information about the action appears in the 4 paragraphs of the two scenario cards.  Singling comes with only two stand-alone scenarios, SG1 (Abrams' Charge) and SG2 (Fitzgerald's Fire).  The former uses the entire mapsheet and is a fairly large, armor heavy scenario; the latter is a very small scenario (4 squads and 3 AFVs against 8.5 squads and 2 AFVs) that uses a small portion of the map.  It looks like it would be very quick playing and is an easy way to try out the map. The Singling Campaign Game (A Pleasant Diversion) is a small one, with 3 CG dates (Morning/Midday/Afternoon), the first one of which is actually scenario SG1.  With a limited number of units and a shortened "refit" phase, the campaign game should play very quickly and could probably be easily completed in a weekend. Overall, the Singling materials look like a nice addition to the ASL oeuvre; kudos should go to Chas Argent. An additional, "bonus" scenario is included, VotG18 (In Sight of the Volga), adapting an old Beyond Valor scenario, ASL 5 (In Sight of the Volga), to Valor of the Guards.  Accompanying this is a "primer" on Valor of the Guards written by ASL veteran Jim Torkelson, which has useful tips in it, although it adopts a faux contemporary German "staff briefing" style rather than just being a straightforward article. In addition to the ASL scenarios, this issue also includes 2 (non-Singling) ASL Starter Kit scenarios, S30 (Ripples in the Pond) and S31 (Going to New York).  The issue also includes a relatively short scenario analysis for S30.
Contents: 60 page magazine 8 page rules insert (for non-ASL game on Iwo Jima), 2 pages ASL rules 2 countersheets (no ASL counters) 3 maps, 1 play aid (one map is ASL; see below) ASL Contents: 4 Chapter Z rules pages for Singling CG (Z59-Z62) Singling HASL Map (22" x 25") 2 ASL (Singling) Scenarios 2 ASL Starter Kit Scenarios 1 VotG Scenario 1 ASL article (on VotG) 1 ASLSK article (scenario analysis)
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