07.1986 On All Fronts

Publisher/Date:
On All Fronts (1982-1997)

Product Type:
Newsletter with Scenarios, Periodical

Country of Origin:
U.S.A.

Contents:
Newsletter, usually several scenarios per issue

On All Fronts (OAF) is the oldest “third party” publisher of ASL products; in fact, it pre-dated ASL.  OAF began in 1982 as a Squad Leader newsletter published by Arkansas gamer Terry Treadaway, who proceeded to churn out issues and more issues for the next decade and a half.

It is hard properly to characterize OAF.  On one hand, it was undeniably a crude publication, both in terms of production values (well into the 1990s it was printed on a crude early Macintosh printer) and writing (articles tended to be both short and poor).  On the other hand, it was a true pioneer.  It was the first, and for some time the only, source of ASL scenarios and variants outside of official sources.  It also brought many ASLers together from around the country long before the Internet made it easy.  In evolutionary terms, OAF was that fish that crawled out onto dry land.  Unfortunately, eventually there were all sorts of cool dinosaurs running around, while that fish was still crawling around in the sand, gulping air through its gulls.

Issue #62 (January 1988) is a fairly typical OAF issue.  It was 12 pages long and featured a letter to the editor, a scenario analysis by ASL veteran Rick Troha, an option for Recon Leader (itself a variant published in OAF), a scenario analysis by Vic Provot (who, many years later, would start his own ASL newsletter, Dispatches from the Bunker), a Recon Leader scenario, want ads, one ASL scenario (a tournament scenario designed by Rick Troha with the help of luminaries such as Mark Nixon, Bill Conner, Bill Sisler, Kurt Nordquest, Ed Schroeder, Russ Hall and Troy Galloway), one SL scenario (also a tournament scenario), and a morale check play aid.  Typical of a latter-day OAF issue is Issue #105 (February/March 1993).  It included a scenario design contest, an article helping SL players transition to ASL, Allied Minor gun listings, playtester updates, tournament announcements, two ASL scenarios (P02, Chesty Puller to the Rescue, and a DASL scenario, A Gleam of Bayonets), and a page of crudely printed unmounted Allied minor gun/vehicle counters.

OAF wasn’t just rough around the edges, it was often rough right through the middle.  Scenarios were frequently unpolished, not infrequently inadequately playtested, and sometimes not playtested at all.  Articles tended to be poorly written and short.  Yet for all that, OAF was a great innovator, accepting of any sort of variant, optional rule, or new way to play ASL.  Among the things that appeared in OAF over the years were a set of Sturmovik rules, Recon Leader, a play by mail system for ASL,  mini-Campaign Games, Personal Single Man Counters (sort of like the SL campaign game), an Operational Level ASL campaign game (Armor Leader Normandy), an Eben Emael mini-HASL game (with black and white historical map), French ASL counters (before Croix de Guerre), scenarios for Korea and Vietnam, a Japanese scenario (before Code of Bushido), Solitaire ASL scenarios (before SASL), new DASL AFV cards, overlays (sort of), the Central Railway Station mini-HASL, Allied minor counters (before Doomed Battalions), and more.

Because OAF wasn’t widely distributed, because it was published in the pre-Web days, and because, quite frankly, many of its scenarios were not of great quality, most OAF scenarios have not been widely played.  Some of the better ones were republished by Critical Hit in its OAF Pack 1 (there was never an OAF Pack 2).

In 1997, after 123 issues and 15 years of publication (not to mention nearly 300 scenarios for Squad Leader and Advanced Squad Leader), On All Fronts ceased publication.  The apparent reason was simple burnout; Treadaway told subscribers that “Fifteen years is a long time to devote to publishing a newsletter and I feel that it is enough.”

• Issue #41 April 1986.  First issue with ASL content.
• Issue #42 May 1986.
• Issue #43 June 1986.
• Issue #44 July 1986.
• Issue #45 August 1986.
• Issue #46 September 1986.
• Issue #47 October 1986.
• Issue #48 November 1986.
• Issue #49 December 1986.
• Issue #50 January 1987.
• Issue #51 February 1987.
• Issue #52 March 1987.
• Issue #53 April 1987.
• Issue #54 May 1987.
• Issue #55 June 1987.
• Issue #56 July 1987.
• Issue #57 August 1987.
• Issue #58 September 1987.
• Issue #59 October 1987.
  • Includes “Partisan Leader,” a seven scenario campaign game with random Soviet partisans who attack a German convoy delivering supplies.
• Issue #60 November 1987.
  • Introduces “Recon Leader,” a scenario generation system.  Was later also offered separately as a $4.00 booklet (Special Edition #3; see below) with “all five situations plus variants A-G.”
• Issue #61 December 1987.
• Issue #62 January 1988.
  • More Recon Leader Rules
  • Recon Leader Situation 3: Road Junction
  • Scenario: A Partisan Raid.  Soviet Union 1942 (Soviet partisans vs. Germans).  Generic/fictional.
• Issue #63 February 1988.
  • More Recon Leader Rules
  • Recon Leader Situation 4: Meeting Engagement
  • Scenario:  Prelude to Fall Blau. Soviet Union 1942 (Soviets vs. Germans).  Generic/fictional.
• Issue #64 March 1988.
  • Recon Leader Situation 5: Mountain Pass
  • Scenario: Just Before Breakfast.  France 1944 (Americans vs. Germans).
• Issue #65 April 1988.
  • More Recon Leader Rules
  • Scenario:  The Attempt to Relieve Peiper. Belgium 1944 (Americans vs. Germans)
  • Scenario: Gavin’s Northern Assault. Netherlands 1944 (Americans vs. Germans)
• Special Edition #3 Spring 1988.  Recon Leader.  All the Recon Leader materials combined.
• Issue #66 May 1988.
  • Scenario:  Mamayev Kurgan. Soviet Union 1942 (Soviets vs. Germans)
• Issue #67 June 1988.
  • Scenario: Surprise at Kalfertshaus. Germany 1945 (Americans vs. Germans)
• The Walker File #1 Summer 1988.  SL only, no ASL content.
• Issue #68 July 1988.
• Issue #69 August 1988.
• Issue #70 September 1988.
  • Introduces “Armor Leader – Kursk,” an armor campaign game generator.
• Issue #71 October 1988.
  • Scenario: A Day on the Farm. Tunisia 1942 (Americans vs. Germans).  Scenario Design Contest, possibly not playtested.
  • Scenario: the Motti of Suomussalmi. Finland 1939 (Soviets vs. Finns).  Scenario Design Contest, possibly not playtested.
• The Walker File #2 Fall 1988. MSL only; no ASL content.
• Issue #72 November 1988.
  • Scenario: Istya’s Bridge.  Soviet Union 1941 (Soviets vs. Germans). Scenario Design Contest, possibly not playtested.
  • Scenario: Panzer Armee Popov.  Soviet Union 1942 (Soviets vs. Germans).  Scenario Design Contest, possibly not playtested.  Generic/fictional.
• Issue #73 December 1988.
  • Scenario:  A Midnight Stroll. Soviet Union 1941 (Soviets vs. Germans). Scenario Design Contest, possibly not playtested.  Probably generic/fictional.
  • Scenario: Mission Accomplished. Sicily 1943 (Americans vs. Germans). Scenario Design Contest, possibly not playtested.
• Issue #74 January 1989.
• The Walker File #3 Winter 1988-1989. Playtest scenarios.  Described as “ASL, COI, and GI mix.”
• Issue #75 February 1989.
  • Features “Riders on the Storm,” a sort of linked-scenario campaign game set in Crete 1941.
  • Scenario:  Crete #1 The Airfield.  Crete 1941 (New Zealanders vs. Germans). Glider landing.
  • Scenario: Crete #2 The Bridge.  Crete 1941 (New Zealanders vs. Germans). Glider landing.
  • Scenario: Crete #3 The Hill.  Crete 1941 (New Zealanders vs. Germans). Glider landing.
• Issue #76 March 1989.
  • Scenario: Hungarian Goulash. Hungary 1944 (Soviets vs. Hungarians).
  • Scenario: Attack on Hill 307 (Soviets vs. Germans)
• Issue #77 April 1989.
• The Walker File #4 Spring 1989. No ASL content.
• Issue #78 May 1989.
• Issue #79 June 1989.
  • Scenario: I Once Had a Comrade. Soviet Union 1942 (Soviets vs. Germans).
  • Scenario: Search and Destroy. Soviet Union 1944 (Soviets vs. Germans).
• Issue #80 August 1989.
• Issue #81 September 1989.
  • Scenario: The Devil’s Harvest.  France 1944 (Canadians vs. Germans)
  • Scenario: The Grim Reaper.  France 1944 (Canadians vs. Germans)
• Playtester’s Journal #1 Fall 1989. Playtest scenarios; 5 ASL scenarios.
• Issue #82 November 1989.
  • Introduces Armor Leader – Normandy, an attempt to create an operational level game that would generate ASL scenarios.
• Issue #83 December 1989.
  • Scenario:  Motorcycles at Zjitomir. Soviet Union 1941 (Soviets vs. Germans).
  • Scenario: A Time to Die. France 1944 (Canadians/British vs. Germans)
• Playtester’s Journal #2 Winter 1989-1990. Playtest scenarios; “1 French Foreign Legion scenario, 1 Korean Scenario, 2 Japanese Scenarios, plus others for a total of 8 scenarios and a counter sheet for the French Foreign Legion.”
• Issue #84 February 1990.
• Issue #85 March-April 1990.
  • Scenario: The Maoris Retreat. Crete 1941 (New Zealanders vs. Germans).
  • Scenario: Paratroopers in Oil. Crete 1941 (Australians vs. Germans).
• Playtester’s Journal #3 April 1990.  Described as “8 strange and unusual scenarios for GI-ASL.”
• Issue #86 May 1990.
  • Scenario:  No Name (ASL Tournament NanCon 1989).  Italy 1943 (Canadians vs. Germans).  DASL.  Fictional/generic.
  • Scenario:  No Name (ASL Tournament NanCon 1989).  Soviet Union/Finland (Soviets vs. Finns).  Fictional/generic.
• Issue #87 June-July 1990.
  • Scenario: Counterattack at Kustrin.  Germany 1945 (Germans vs. Soviets).
  • Scenario: Partisan Keep. Yugoslavia 1944 (Yugoslav partisans vs. Germans).
  • Scenario: No Name (ASL Tournament NanCon 1989). Soviet Union 1942 (Soviets vs. Germans). Fictional/generic.
• Issue #88 August 1990.
  • Mini-HASL:  Fort Eben Emael. 11″ x 17″ black and white hand drawn map (as newsletter center spread).
    • The Cupola Smashers of Eben Emael.  Belgium 1940 (Belgians vs. Germans).  Glider landing.
  • Scenario: Stonewall Gavin. Sicily 1943 (Americans vs. Germans)
• Issue #89 September-October 1990.
  • Scenario: Tiger by the Tail. Soviet Union 1943 (Soviets vs. Germans)
  • Scenario: Tiger Hunt. Soviet Union 1943 (Soviets vs. Germans)
• Issue #90 November 1990.
  • Scenario: Galatas. Crete 1941 (New Zealanders vs. Germans).
  • Scenario: On the Road to Kanev. Soviet Union 1941 (Soviets vs. Germans)
• Issue #91 December 1990-January 1991.
  • Scenario: Kharkov #1 Battle for the Square.  Soviet Union 1943 (Soviets vs. Germans). DASL.
  • Scenario: Kharkov #2 Collapse of the Tractor Factory. Soviet Union 1943 (Soviets vs. Germans). DASL.
• Issue #92 February 1991.
  • Scenario: Tiger’s Roar.  Soviet Union 1943 (Soviets vs. Germans).  Black-and-white overlay included.
  • Scenario: Kharkov #3 Fight for the Anti-Tank Ditch. Soviet Union 1943 (Soviets vs. Germans). DASL.
• Issue #93 March-April 1991.
  • Scenario:  School Daze.  Netherlands 1944 (British vs. Germans). DASL.
  • Scenario: Counterattack on Martinville Ridge. France 1944 (Americans vs. Germans). DASL.
• Playtester’s Journal #4 Spring 1991.
• Issue #94 May 1991.
  • Scenario:  The Glory Bridge. Netherlands 1940 (Dutch vs. Germans).
  • Scenario: Desperate Measures. Soviet Union 1941 (Soviets vs. Germans).  Labeled as “NRS Test Scenario #3,” so may not be fully playtested.
• Issue #95 June-July 1991.
  • Scenario:  Cold Fury, Sadzot #1: Night Attack. Belgium 1944 (Americans vs. Germans).
  • Scenario: Wings of Death. Yugoslavia 1944 (Yugoslav partisans vs. Germans). Airdrop/Glider Landing.
• Issue #96 August-September 1991.
  • Scenario: Road to Leningrad Scenario #3 Chance Encounters. Soviet Union 1941 (Soviets vs. Germans).  Generic/fictional. Solitaire.
  • Scenario:  Sadzot #2 Bloody Sadzot!  Belgium 1944 (Americans vs. Germans).
• Issue #97 October-November 1991.
  • Scenario: Road to Leningrad Scenario #1 Nasty Business. Soviet Union 1941 (Soviets vs. Germans).
  • Scenario: Sadzot #3 Deadly Prey.  Belgium 1944 (Americans vs. Germans). Solitaire.
• Issue #98 December 1991-January 1992.
  • Scenario: Repoussage #1 Chance D’Une Affaire. France 1940 (French vs. Germans). Playtest SL-to-ASL conversion.
  • Scenario: Road to Leningrad Scenario #4 Boom Town.  Soviet Union 1941 (Soviets vs. Germans).
  • Scenario: The Stalin Line. Soviet Union 1941 (Soviets vs. Germans). Solitaire.
• Issue #99 February-March 1992.
  • Scenario: The Bloody Saber. Poland 1939 (Poles vs. Germans).
  • Scenario: Road to Leningrad Scenario #2 Ashes to Ashes. Soviet Union 1941 (Soviets vs. Germans). Generic/fictional?
• Issue #100 April-May 1992.
  • Black and white airstrip overlay
  • Scenario: A Bridge for Panthers. Belgium 1944 (Americans vs. Germans)
  • Scenario: Japanese Solitaire #1 First Blood.  Tulagi 1942 (Americans vs. Japanese). Solitaire.
• Issue #101 June-July 1992.
  • Black and white river overlay
  • Scenario: Duel in the Desert. Libya 1941 (British vs. Germans). Desert.
  • Scenario: Across the Meuse. France 1940 (French vs. Germans). Solitaire.
• Issue #102 August-September 1992.
• Special Issue #5 September 1992.
• Issue #103 October-November 1992.
• Issue #104 December 1992-January 1993.
• Issue #105 February-March 1993.
  • Scenario: P02 Chesty Puller to the Rescue. Guadalcanal 1942 (Americans vs. Japanese).
  • Scenario: A Gleam of Bayonets.  Soviet Union 1941 (Soviets vs. Germans). DASL.  Described as “DASL Scenario Design Contest” so probably not playtested.
• Issue #106 April-May 1993.
  • Black and white overlay.
  • Scenario: Brush Burn.  Guadalcanal 1942 (Americans vs. Japanese).
  • Scenario: Défense de Doubler. France 1940 (French vs. Germans).
• Playtester’s Journal #5 Spring 1993.
• Issue #107 June-July 1993.
  • Scenario: Babe Ruth, Go to Hell! Guadalcanal 1942 (Americans vs. Japanese).  Described as “1992 Scenario Design Contest,” so probably not playtested.
  • Scenario: The Zuid Willems Canal.  Netherlands 1944 (British vs. Germans).  DASL.
• Issue #108 August-September 1993.
  • Scenario: The Ruptured Duck. Tarawa 1943 (Americans vs. Japanese). Seaborne Assault.  Described as “1992 Scenario Design Contest,” so probably not playtested.
  • Scenario: To the Ferry. Soviet Union 1942 (Soviets vs. Germans).
  • Scenario:  Assault at Wadelincourt.  Belgium 1940 (French vs. Germans).
• Issue #109 October-November 1993.
  • Scenario: Midnight at the Champs Elyse’es. Indochina 1954 (French vs. Vietnamese).  Dien Bien Phu.  described as “Open Playtesting,” so probably not playtested.
  • Scenario: First Impressions.  Hungary 1945 (Soviets vs. Germans).
  • Scenario: Taking Popelevo.  Soviet Union 1941 (Soviets vs. Germans).  Described as “1992 Scenario Design Contest,” so probably not playtested.
• Issue #110 December 1993-January 1994.
  • Scenario:  Night of the Kitchen Sinks. Saipan 1944 (Americans vs. Japanese).
  • Scenario: The Dreadnaught.  Soviet Union 1941 (Soviets vs. Germans). Described as “1992 Scenario Design Contest,” so probably not playtested.
• Issue #111 February 1994.
  • Contains black-and-white hand-drawn blow-up of part of the Central Railway Station Stalingrad map from #103.
    • RS3 Enter the Dragan. Soviet Union 1942 (Soviets vs. Germans)
    • RS4 The Nail Factory. Soviet Union 1942 (Soviets vs. Germans)
• Issue #112 April 1994.
• Issue #113 June 1994.
• Issue #114 October 1994.
• Playtester’s Journal #6 Fall 1994.
• Issue #115 December 1994.
• Issue #116 February 1995.
• Issue #117 April 1995.
• Playtester’s Journal #7 Spring 1995.
• Playtester’s Journal #8 Summer 1995.
• Issue #118 October 1995.
• Issue #119 December 1995.
• Issue #120 February 1996.
• Issue #121 October 1996.
• Issue #122 December 1996.
• Issue #123 February 1997.

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