To say that I was surprised when MMP asked me to write an article for their Operations magazine about their Advanced Squad Leader Starter Kit (ASLSK) series of games is perhaps an understatement. MMP does not keep me around for my prose. My good looks, maybe, but having seen the final results of the several introductions and aftermaths to Advanced Squad Leader (ASL) and Starter Kit scenarios, as well as the rulebooks I write, I know that it is definitely not my ability to turn a phrase.

So it is with some trepidation that I undertake this task. They gave me no agenda, other than to have it done by the weekend, so my hardest task was to figure what to write about. Well, my attention span is about as long as my ... well lets just say it's short. So, I thought I would write about some of the considerations involved about ASLSK tactics and then launch into what can only be described as a plug for the Advanced Squad Leader Starter Kit-Guns (and yes, I wanted to call it Gunz!).

First of all, ASLSK is what you want it to be. I've heard a bunch (or more literally read a bunch) of hooha on the various web sites that describe ASLSK as NOT ASL. Well, of course not. Was never meant to be. But, and it's a big Butt. It is close enough to be ... well, close enough. As such, not surprisingly, much of what are considered good tactics in ASL are also good tactics in ASLSK. Hey, don't stack your units together and then move them in open ground, unless you are looking for a way to handicap yourself. Generally, your opponent will be glad to remove those offending troops from your force pool and place them in the dead pile. I myself have a 2 squad handicap. So I'm going to launch into a discussion of some basic infantry tactics that can be applied to ASLSK that I have learned in my years of playing ASL. Hopefully, I don't lose you in the process by making assumptions that you, kind reader, have a clue as to what I am writing about. Although if I don't have one, I'm not sure why I expect you to.

The key to any scenario of ASLSK, just as it is in ASL, is to make the right choice more often than your opponent. See, you ASLSK players aren't too far from ASL. A corollary of this rule is that if you force your opponent to have to make more choices than you make during a game, eventually, unless you're playing one of the anointed ASL greats, your opponent is going to make a mistake before you make a mistake. If you are really lucky or good, maybe you have forced your opponent into a position where either choice he makes is going to be the wrong choice. Of course I have never been either that lucky or good, so while I am speaking from experience, it is from the receiving end of that experience.

ASLSK, like ASL, is a highly interactive game that has a base core of I-go/you-go. This means there is an ATTACKER (a side that can win the game by achieving results) and a DEFENDER (one who wins the game by denying the other side those same results). Within each turn however, there is one player who sets the pace for a half turn (termed a player turn) and is the player doing the shooting and the moving.

The other player can react during the first player's turn. Then the player turn switches and the second player sets the pace and the first player gets to take revenge. Thus, there are two player turns that make up a full turn. The second player in each player turn is usually responsible for making cool sound effects. Squads as well as leaders are the standard playing piece, and each side normally gets multiple units with which to play the game and either achieve or deny the victory conditions. By the way, read each victory condition, nothing is more annoying than losing a game because you misunderstood the victory conditions ... and yes, I know this first hand. Each side also usually gets some form of Support Weapons (such as machine guns) which represent weapons not normally organic to the squad organization. Squads are the maneuver and attacking units while leaders tend to modify the squad's behavior by use of leader modifiers (generally a negative modifier that "helps" the squad achieve its desired end). In ASLSK, rolling low is good, rolling high is bad, although rolling high a few times in a row does give the satisfaction of whining, a skill that both ASL and ASILSK require.

Ok, enough setting the table ... MMP made me do it, I wanted to write as if everybody was already in the club. Let's take a specific example of some of the tactics and decision making process. In every scenario, especially as the attacker, you have a decision to make right from the get go. Shoot or Move? Move or Shoot? If you do one, you can't do the other. Sure there are some half measures, but I never count on the mulligan. Is it better for you to take a whack at the enemy's strong point from where you are or is there a better position? If the former, shoot. If the later, move. But how do you know? Check the odds. I don't mean literally, although you can. The math is not that hard ... it's just beyond me. I like the 8 table on the "attack table" called the Infantry Firepower Table (IFT).

Does not take that much to get there (generally two squads or a squad and a decent support weapon). Plus, it has always seemed to me that getting to the 12 table was a lot harder than the 8 table. You can do it, but it usually happens as a multiple hex fire group, which will just as often remove any leadership benefits you might get. Would you rather have a fire group shooting at the enemy in the stone building (+3) terrain with an 8 firepower attack and leader direction of - 1 making the final shot an 8+2, or a multi-hex fire group at a 12+3?

Really, if you check the Infantry Firepower table (IFT) it is the same shot (really, pull your IFT and roll a hypothetical 6, add the modifiers and check the results), except, that with the 8+2 shot, given the same force structure as the 12+3 shot, you still have another squad to either shoot somebody else with or exploit a good shot and move with. This is a very basic example that you can grasp within one or two playings of ASLSK.

There is a similar example on the defensive side of things. Termed skulking, this tactic has generated heated realism debates over the years. (More advice, avoid realism arguments ... they are a quagmire that you can't get out of and serve no useful purpose). Skulking generally involves some form of movement out of the line of fire during your Movement phase (MPh) and then an advance back into the line of fire during your Advance Phase (APh) in order to continue to defend the position. Skulking allows you, mainly as the defender, to avoid the attacker's fire for a player turn forcing him to waste time, which he usually has precious little of in the first place.

Of course, a good attacker will recognize the opportunities for skulking and will try to reduce its attractiveness by being in a position to bring attacks to bear on the hiding places also.

In general, I have always felt that if I am rolling the dice, I'm losing. Why would I say that? Well, first of all, it's a catchy phrase that makes a nice title and if you know me at all, you know I'm all about the title. Mainly though, if you are rolling the dice, you are clearly looking for some result. Whether it is to pass a morale check generated by a shot at you, or to make your opponent have to pass a morale check by getting a result on the IFT, it is still a result. If you gak the dice roll, then what do you have? Nothing except the removal of options.

Of course I'm being simplistic. Sometimes you have to roll the dice; the game is after all about achieving results. I guess if I had to break it down, it would really mean that the more rolling I am doing, the more I am doing what my opponent wanted or expected me to do. The less I do of that, the more successful I am likely to be. One final word on tactics, Smoke. Smoke is good. Smoke saves cardboard lives. I highly recommend the judicious use of Smoke. With the addition of ordnance in ASLSK-Guns, the ability to use ordnance fired Smoke is now available.

Make use of it if you are the attacker. I should probably also point out that taking advice about how to successfully play ASL or ASLSK from me is sort of like buying a ticket on the Titanic. Maybe the kindest thing ever said about my tactics is that at least I keep my opponents guessing, which is not hard for me to do since I'm usually guessing myself. Besides that, the point of this article was never to provide too much help regarding tactics, I'd rather chew off my arm; after all, you can discover tactics on your own. That's part of the fun.

So, how about some shameless plugging for the recent Advanced Squad Leader Starter Kit offering on MMP's website as a Pre-Order? ASLSK-Guns. As the name attempts to convey, this kit (#2 in the series) adds ordnance to the ASLSK experience. Imagine that dreaded German 88mm emplaced on the ridgeline, with a good field of fire along the approach axis. Your job is to capture the next building. Its job is to deny that, or at least make you pay the price.

The kit adds to the ASLSK world some of the ordnance of the Germans, British and Americans. The kit also adds the Italian infantry as they endeavor to hold the line against the encircling American and British forces. A new terrain type has been added too. Hills are included, opening up several possibilities for new boards and taking the ASLSK player even closer to full ASL. Of course the main part of this product is the rules.

The rules included cover the To Hit process, although not some of the more complicated aspects. We have attempted to minimize (it can't be eliminated) the downtime figuring out each To Hit number so that you can spend more time playing. Individual charts for each weapon type are included with a cross reference to range so that all you have to do is roll the dice and add in some of specific modifiers.

This should make it as easy as possible to teach the To Hit process, which is required to move on to the really sexy offerings such as armor in ASLSK 3 (Tankz!). Hey, you have to be able to shoot a gun before you can move a tank. The To Hit process is the same for each.

Eight scenarios cover actions during Sicily, D-Day, MarketGarden (what would MMP do if they couldn't publish a game without some relationship to Market-Garden in the game), and the Bulge. Six of the scenarios feature guns, while two of the scenarios are throw backs to ASLSK #1 (Dudez! I guess) and feature infantry only fights. All eight scenarios are good enough so that this module won't be the Two Towers of ASLSK (you know, the filler material that gets you from the beginning cool portion of a trilogy to the ending cool portion of a trilogy). No sophomore jinxes here. Fight your way over two new boards, board w and board x. Board w features a small town with several hills (a new terrain type for ASLSK) while board x features large fields of grain separated by thin stands of trees. Both have a unique feel that new players and even veteran ASL players will like.

I'm excited about ASLSK-Gunz and I believe it will be a great addition to anyone's repertoire of games, whether you have had an opportunity to play ASLSK or not. I have no agenda for the future of ASLSK except that for as long as MMP decides to publish it as an "easy entry method into ASU I will be there to support it if they keep me around (good looks don't last forever you know). As I write this, the final rules are being reviewed, and final playtesting is being carried out. I think that you will find that the rules adding ordnance to the Starter Kits are fairly easy to learn and subsequently master. It was a little harder to put the rules into a "conversational style" template (as I've heard the ASLSK 1 rules described) and it certainly took longer, but the end product is a good shot at taking the pain out of understanding the To Hit rules for ordnance and that was the objective, or least one of the objectives.

The other one was to offer scenarios that proved challenging to either side and that appealed to the new player and the veteran alike. It is surprising how few scenarios there are that feature infantry and ordnance together without tanks in ASL. So I am hoping that these scenarios will be fresh enough to capture everyone's attention. There are some proven scenario designers involved and their work has gotten a lot of attention during the playtest process. Additionally, MMP is taking steps to ensure that additional scenarios can be offered through the pages of this magazine so that new scenario supply can keep up with new scenario demand.

Lastly, as soon as I finish up with ASLSK-Guns, I am planning to start up with ASLSK-Tanks. So, I'll plug this now. If you think you have a scenario that can fit let MMP know. It is never too early to start thinking about scenarios. If you are interested in playtesting, let MMP know. Always need dedicated playtesters!

The weary veteran peered through the underbrush of the dense woods. It was only a matter of time now before the order came down. He knew what was expected of him. Assault the village using the grainfields for cover. Take the buildings and expel the defenders. Clear the high ground and prepare for the inevitable counterattack. His instincts told him something was wrong. Something new. Perhaps the village held ordnance. Something even he, the Squad Leader, hadn't dealt with yet. Well, he'd learn it like everyone else...