Travel Log: Copenhagen
COPENHAGEN--I am just finishing up with the ASL Scandinavian Open here in the "New Orleans of the North" and I wanted to pass on a few things.
If you have never been to this tournament, strongly consider it. The venue is really good. The Danhostel is unique, but ideally suited for ASL, venue. The rooms are comfortable and clean. The staff is really, really welcoming. The food (keeping in mind that I live in France) is second rate, but certainly better than the fare that ASL players have become accustomed. It is a little bit remote from the city, but a light rail station is within (healthy) walking distance. The rooms and the playing area are all connected with a kind of hamster-trail twisting-turning warren of glassed-in hallways. There is also a lot of room to walk outside if you need a breather. Remember, however, European ASL'ers are more likely to be smokers.
The tournament itself is really well run, with a good plan, a few surprises (too few) and built in flexibility that allows people to drop-in and drop-out without destroying the structure. In terms of planning, marketing, cornering sponsors and providing a venue, there really isn't anyone better than Michael Hastrup-Leth and Bo Siemsen, These guys work various EU tournaments and it really is only because I personally met these guys that I considered attending ASO. The manners are very, very good and sportsmanship impeccable.
The tournament is played in five rounds. There are two on Friday (including a late start group for those arriving in the afternoon.) There are two rounds on Saturday and one on Sunday. The two rounds on Friday is rather grueling, but it seems to me like it's better to start fresh. Sunday is just too much for a five round tournament. As in most European tournaments, you receive three scenarios per round and each player ranks them in order of preference. This eliminates one, if not two scenarios by crossing off both players' last choice. If it remains deadlocked the players have a fistfight. I don't really mind this system so much except it rewards players that do a lot of preparation. Almost all the players I played selected a scenario they'd played before. I don't like getting ready for tournaments by playing a bunch of scenarios the TD's have selected for me for weeks beforehand.
Some of this, obviously, is necessary to get all the equipment in place, The volume of growth in the game (in terms of the number of counters, mapboards, etc. prohibits bringing complete sets anymore. If printing costs continue to decline, it's possible that TD could pre-print VASL maps to make it unnecessary to bring maps. I will also be re-thinking my counter storage to make it more handy for me to fly in with German, Soviet and American counters (because I have an excess of all three) into a special travel pack. A tightly-packed counter tray where I could bring two boxes would end my counter trouble except maybe for information counters. Don't even get me started about my TWO shock/UK counters. However, I think I will buy some blank counter sheets to make my own information counters as I need them. At any rate, I don't think the day where we can drop this justification for announcing scenarios beforehand is very far away. As far as I am concerned, that will be a good thing.
After selecting the scenario, both players bid for an ABS level. Again, this rewards players that prepare beforehand. It's really advertisement for ROAR. Far, far better would be to develop Catanzaro BS victory conditions. If you want to reward the best players, give them points for making the scenario as difficult as possible for themselves. As a non-competitive player, I don't like giving up balances and some balance provisions can be marginal while others can be devastating. I had an opponent give up the third balance (because he didn't want to play the Italians) that allowed me to enter reinforcements a turn earlier. This almost certainly was decisive as my German tanks had an extra turn to rumble around and grind brave Red Army soldiers beneath the treads without interference from heroic (but tardy) T-34's. This kind of makes a mess of ROAR.
I'm not sure how Micheal and Bo handled the brackets, but with mini-tournaments and people dropping in and out, it was pretty complicated. The winner had won six times before (next year is the 20th Anniversary), so it's safe to say that the tournament produced a worthy winner.
There was also a presentation on a Warsaw uprising historical module in development by LFT. It's a big city fight with lots of rubble. A bit different than Stalingrad, Berlin and Budapest, though because this is a partisan uprising. Armored trains and fortresses as well. The concern I will express is the tendency toward complexity which LFT often forces upon ASL players. There is also the issue of fighting in the Jewish Ghetto and the promulgation of the myth that the Red Army merely waited for the Germans to finish off the Polish resistance before advancing across the Vistula. The map looks interesting (a bit too much like Budapest, perhaps), but this is not my cup of tea. Playtesting is going to be starting soon, as the Tom-Repetti map is in its final stages, allegedly. If you are interested in playtesting this, let me know and I'll put you in touch with the proper folks.
,
There were also other projects in development, including Swedes doing MORE Finland and a Middle East battle between Britain and Vichy France. I didn't look these over too carefully, but the Finnish map was enticing. I may have pissed off Klas by griping about Haaka Palle, and if I did I am sorry (if he reads this.) No one has more respect than me, honestly. There is a lot of ASL in the pipeline.
Personally, I was looking forward to a couple of scenarios my opponent ruled out and was generally pretty accommodating. Three eastern front scenarios, two played as the Axis. Perhaps I fell into some traps, because not giving the balance probably made me vulnerable. I think I played pretty well, but Scandinavian players are monsters and my Scandimojo was atrocious. One opponent rolled six critical hits against my armor! Another BURNED a Pz35t with a MMG. But enough dice whining. It was a good time with some really good folks. I'm only going to mention Rich "the Bitch" Dagnall as the representative of Her Majesty's (former) empire. Always great to see Richard and his gravitational pull is drawing me toward "Double One" in Cheltenham this summer.
Next year? We'll see. This is a really good tournament, but Post-Schengen Europe may make this a tough one. I'll also have to check out rail routs, because driving to Frasne, training to Geneva and flying to Copenhagen isn't going to work. As my buddies in Lyon know, I get lost really easily. However, this is a really good tournament and with cheap and easy flights on Iceland Air people in North America should really think about making it next year. Bring your own soap and shampoo.
If you have never been to this tournament, strongly consider it. The venue is really good. The Danhostel is unique, but ideally suited for ASL, venue. The rooms are comfortable and clean. The staff is really, really welcoming. The food (keeping in mind that I live in France) is second rate, but certainly better than the fare that ASL players have become accustomed. It is a little bit remote from the city, but a light rail station is within (healthy) walking distance. The rooms and the playing area are all connected with a kind of hamster-trail twisting-turning warren of glassed-in hallways. There is also a lot of room to walk outside if you need a breather. Remember, however, European ASL'ers are more likely to be smokers.
The tournament itself is really well run, with a good plan, a few surprises (too few) and built in flexibility that allows people to drop-in and drop-out without destroying the structure. In terms of planning, marketing, cornering sponsors and providing a venue, there really isn't anyone better than Michael Hastrup-Leth and Bo Siemsen, These guys work various EU tournaments and it really is only because I personally met these guys that I considered attending ASO. The manners are very, very good and sportsmanship impeccable.
The tournament is played in five rounds. There are two on Friday (including a late start group for those arriving in the afternoon.) There are two rounds on Saturday and one on Sunday. The two rounds on Friday is rather grueling, but it seems to me like it's better to start fresh. Sunday is just too much for a five round tournament. As in most European tournaments, you receive three scenarios per round and each player ranks them in order of preference. This eliminates one, if not two scenarios by crossing off both players' last choice. If it remains deadlocked the players have a fistfight. I don't really mind this system so much except it rewards players that do a lot of preparation. Almost all the players I played selected a scenario they'd played before. I don't like getting ready for tournaments by playing a bunch of scenarios the TD's have selected for me for weeks beforehand.
Some of this, obviously, is necessary to get all the equipment in place, The volume of growth in the game (in terms of the number of counters, mapboards, etc. prohibits bringing complete sets anymore. If printing costs continue to decline, it's possible that TD could pre-print VASL maps to make it unnecessary to bring maps. I will also be re-thinking my counter storage to make it more handy for me to fly in with German, Soviet and American counters (because I have an excess of all three) into a special travel pack. A tightly-packed counter tray where I could bring two boxes would end my counter trouble except maybe for information counters. Don't even get me started about my TWO shock/UK counters. However, I think I will buy some blank counter sheets to make my own information counters as I need them. At any rate, I don't think the day where we can drop this justification for announcing scenarios beforehand is very far away. As far as I am concerned, that will be a good thing.
After selecting the scenario, both players bid for an ABS level. Again, this rewards players that prepare beforehand. It's really advertisement for ROAR. Far, far better would be to develop Catanzaro BS victory conditions. If you want to reward the best players, give them points for making the scenario as difficult as possible for themselves. As a non-competitive player, I don't like giving up balances and some balance provisions can be marginal while others can be devastating. I had an opponent give up the third balance (because he didn't want to play the Italians) that allowed me to enter reinforcements a turn earlier. This almost certainly was decisive as my German tanks had an extra turn to rumble around and grind brave Red Army soldiers beneath the treads without interference from heroic (but tardy) T-34's. This kind of makes a mess of ROAR.
I'm not sure how Micheal and Bo handled the brackets, but with mini-tournaments and people dropping in and out, it was pretty complicated. The winner had won six times before (next year is the 20th Anniversary), so it's safe to say that the tournament produced a worthy winner.
There was also a presentation on a Warsaw uprising historical module in development by LFT. It's a big city fight with lots of rubble. A bit different than Stalingrad, Berlin and Budapest, though because this is a partisan uprising. Armored trains and fortresses as well. The concern I will express is the tendency toward complexity which LFT often forces upon ASL players. There is also the issue of fighting in the Jewish Ghetto and the promulgation of the myth that the Red Army merely waited for the Germans to finish off the Polish resistance before advancing across the Vistula. The map looks interesting (a bit too much like Budapest, perhaps), but this is not my cup of tea. Playtesting is going to be starting soon, as the Tom-Repetti map is in its final stages, allegedly. If you are interested in playtesting this, let me know and I'll put you in touch with the proper folks.
,
There were also other projects in development, including Swedes doing MORE Finland and a Middle East battle between Britain and Vichy France. I didn't look these over too carefully, but the Finnish map was enticing. I may have pissed off Klas by griping about Haaka Palle, and if I did I am sorry (if he reads this.) No one has more respect than me, honestly. There is a lot of ASL in the pipeline.
Personally, I was looking forward to a couple of scenarios my opponent ruled out and was generally pretty accommodating. Three eastern front scenarios, two played as the Axis. Perhaps I fell into some traps, because not giving the balance probably made me vulnerable. I think I played pretty well, but Scandinavian players are monsters and my Scandimojo was atrocious. One opponent rolled six critical hits against my armor! Another BURNED a Pz35t with a MMG. But enough dice whining. It was a good time with some really good folks. I'm only going to mention Rich "the Bitch" Dagnall as the representative of Her Majesty's (former) empire. Always great to see Richard and his gravitational pull is drawing me toward "Double One" in Cheltenham this summer.
Next year? We'll see. This is a really good tournament, but Post-Schengen Europe may make this a tough one. I'll also have to check out rail routs, because driving to Frasne, training to Geneva and flying to Copenhagen isn't going to work. As my buddies in Lyon know, I get lost really easily. However, this is a really good tournament and with cheap and easy flights on Iceland Air people in North America should really think about making it next year. Bring your own soap and shampoo.
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