The Canadian ASL Open Prize Table

CASLO XV is only a few weeks away. The prize table is not big enough to do justice to all of the ASL candy on hand. The tournament runs 16-18 September in the Nation’s Capital (Ottawa). This post provides 30 compelling reasons to attend.

We are still waiting on a number of prizes from our sponsors, but I did not want to delay publishing a photograph of the prize table any longer. At last count there were four plaques (not shown), 26 prizes and a number of certificates (not shown) up for grabs.

Nine door prizes give everyone a chance to take something home. In addition, there are four sponsored raffles, and two special raffles. The prizes are also quite varied. We have everything from counter sheets and precision dice to a cool new historical module from Le Franc Tireur (LFT). In between these extremes are a host of scenario packs from five publishers. Multi-Man Publishing (MMP) has provided three prizes, including Action Pack 7. In addition to KGS: the Shield of Cholm, LFT has donated a fine selection of scenario packs, and their latest 80-page magazine.

The CASLO

The top-three finishers in the CASLO, or main event, will receive some terrific prize packages. 

The CASLO: First Place Prize Package

The winner of the CASLO will be a happy fellow. The grand prize is a copy of Kampgruppe Scherer: the Shield of Cholm, donated by the publisher, Le Franc Tireur. You can read more about this awesome module—designed by Andrew Hershey—in my earlier posts: KGS, and DHL. Were this not enough, the first-place finisher will also walk away with a plaque, a $25.00 gift certificate from Gamer’s Armory, and a set of precision ASL Anniversary BattleDice.

The CASLO: Second Place Prize Package

The second-place finisher also takes home some “wood.” In addition to a plaque, the CASLO runner-up will receive a copy of MMP’s Out of the Attic 2, a scenario pack from Bounding Fire Productions (BFP), a $15.00 gift certificate from Gamer’s Armory, and a set of precision ASL Anniversary BattleDice. I cannot say which pack BFP is donating, but all of their scenario packs contain cool map boards.

The CASLO: Third Place Prize Package

The third-place finisher will receive a plaque, and three prizes. The main prize is issue 12 of LFT magazine. The magazine comes with a semi-geomorphic mapboard, and ten scenarios, the latter on A4 cardstock. Complimenting the magazine is a set of two counter sheets from Countersmith Workshop, and precision BattleDice from BattleSchool. The sheets contain turret counters for every turreted vehicle in the American and Commonwealth orders of battle (as found in chapter H of the ASL Rule Book). The BattleDice will differ from those shown in the photograph because I intend to supply some cool, new dice that I designed in June. If received in time, one of these will be the new sniper die.

Sponsored Rounds

New for this year are sponsored rounds. Four sponsors have kindly provided prizes for rounds two through five. The idea is simple. If you play one of the sponsor’s scenarios in the appropriate round, you are eligible to win the sponsor’s prize. The winner of each prize is determined by raffle. It does not matter if you win or lose the scenario. Of the five scenarios in a sponsored round, three are published by the sponsor. Although the tournament staff encouraged the sponsors to recommend scenarios, we ultimately selected the scenarios based on merit, interest, perceived balance, and “fun-factor.”

Round I Free-for-all

The photograph above is of a gift certificate provided by Key’s Games and Hobbies. Alex Key has once again provided an attractive keepsake. If you win this certificate, you may keep it. We will contact Alex on your behalf and advise him that you have a $25.00 credit. Unlike the remainder of the rounds in the CASLO, everyone who participates in the first round is eligible to win the raffle for this gift certificate.

Round II Le Franc Tireur

From the Cellar 6 is the latest scenario pack from LFT. It contains ten scenarios, all of which play fast and furious. In addition to this round, one of the scenarios in this pack—"The Price of Persia"—is featured in the second round of the Mini tournament. I have played several of the scenarios already. They are perfect for playing in the evening, especially during the work-week, when time is limited.

Round III Lone Canuck

George Kelln of Lone Canuck Publishing does not sell Panzer Aces. You can only win the pack at a tournament. Here is your chance. Panzers, as the title suggests, are to be found in each of the six scenarios in the pack. There is also no shortage of armor leaders. To be fair, two of the scenarios in this pack were published recently in MMP’s Out of the Attic 2. I have played both of these more than once. So all is not lost if you come up short in the raffle.

Round IV Friendly Fire

We are hoping to receive the latest pack from Friendly Fire in time for the tournament. If not, we will substitute a copy of Friendly Fire Pack 6. This explains the lack of a picture for the Friendly Fire Round. However, Pack 6 is hardly a consolation prize. The pack contains eight scenarios and a geomorphic mapboard. Board FrFA is used in several scenarios in the pack. “One Last Mighty Hew” in this round, and “Totensonntag” in the Mini use this board. I have played every scenario in this pack at least once since its release last October. I highly recommend the pack. Friendly Fire is a popular Swedish producer of scenario packs with an international cast of designers.

Round V Multi-Man Publishing

The latest Action Pack from MMP includes ten new scenarios and three new boards to play them on. I am particularly fond of board 60. I have only had time to play three of the scenarios in this pack. I even managed to win a couple. The boards alone make this pack a priority purchase.

The Purple Heart Mini

Lone Canuck Publishing has sponsored the Mini this year. The single-elimination format has only enough spots for eight players. We selected the scenarios with newer or less experienced players in mind. Two of the scenarios in the first and second rounds do not involve vehicles. None of the scenarios require knowledge outside of the first four chapters of the ASL Rule Book (exception: chapter H notes for the scenarios with ordnance and vehicles). The Mini starts Saturday morning and runs until Sunday afternoon. 

The winner of the Mini will receive a customized plaque, a copy of George Kelln’s Battle of the Hedgerows:  Purple Heart Draw, and a set of precision BattleDice (the actual dice will differ from the ones shown in the photograph). Purple Heart Draw consists of a well-rendered historical colour mapsheet, five scenarios, and a campaign game with all the necessary rules pages.

Mini raffle prize

Lone Canuck has also provided a scenario pack entitled The Battle for the Abbaye des Ardennes. With one exception, all of the scenarios feature Canadian troops battling 12. SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend. Any one who plays at least one round of the Mini is eligible to win the raffle for this unique scenario pack. And before you ask, no, George does not sell this pack. Good luck in the draw!

Door prizes

Everyone who registers and attends the Canadian ASL Open is eligible to win a door prize. To date, five producers have supplied prizes.

Le Franc Tireur

Xavier Vitry, the editor of Le Franc Tireur, has been very generous in providing prizes for our event. Along with providing three desirable prizes for the CASLO, Xavier has donated two scenario packs as door prizes. From the Cellar 4 is a themed pack that focuses on the Russian Civil War. The pack is bursting with 20 scenarios, a historical booklet, and a small counter sheet with commissars for various factions, hasty roadblocks, ice sangars, Taczanka, and more. The scenarios feature American Marines, Bolshevik Partisans, British, Czech Legion, Japanese, Magyar (Communist Hungarians), Manchu Chinese, Mongolians, Red Russians, Social-Revolutionary Party, and White Russians. There are even nationality characteristics for Red Koreans. From the Cellar 5 is only slightly less grand. It has a couple of articles on the Battle of La Horgne (France, 1940), 14 scenarios, and a reprint of mapboard LFT2. One of the scenarios, “Avanti!,” is featured in the LFT round of the CASLO. The author of one of the articles, and designer of the scenario, “La Horgne,” is the late Ian Daglish.

Countersmith Workshop

Countersmith Workshop is a new start-up based in Hong Kong. Not surprisingly, Countersmith specializes in counter sheets. They have kindly donated several sets of counter sheets. Four sets are door prizes. Two consist of German and Russian turrets, and two consist of American and British (Commonwealth) turrets. The German and Russian sets include three sheets, enough to provide a minimum of six turrets for each turreted vehicle in the German and Russian sections of the chapter H notes. The sheets in the second set are identical. There are enough turrets in these sets to provide a minimum of four turrets per vehicle type.¹

Multi-Man Publishing

MMP has provided a great little scenario pack called Out of the Bunker. The “bunker” of the title refers to the long-running newsletter Dispatches from the Bunker. Vic Provost and the rest of the “Bunker Crew” have been delivering quality ASL scenarios and articles since 1997. The pack has 14 scenarios that originally appeared in Dispatches. All of the scenario cards have been updated/amended and laid out in accordance with MMP standards. I cannot recall how many of these scenarios that I have played. I do know that I have played at least two within the past year. What I like most about this pack is the variety, including a couple of rare “desert” scenarios. “First Clash in Tunisia” is a must play.

Lone Canuck Publishing

Included with one of the scenario packs from George was a small set of scenarios originally published in the Maple Leaf Route (MLR). Canada at War is a collection of six scenarios designed by the late Jim McLeod, the editor of the MLR. For those who are not aware, Jim was largely responsible for creating the Canadian ASL Association (CASLA) and the Canadian ASL Open (CASLO). I thought that someone would appreciate owning this piece of Canadian ASL history.

BattleSchool

One lucky attendee will go home with some nifty, new BattleDice. I will post pictures of these new dice when they arrive (hopefully) later this month.

Play options

I have had a few questions regarding how the CASLO will work this year, specifically what events and activities are available to attendees. There are four.

1. Open play

2. Mini + Open play

3. CASLO + Mini

4. CASLO

Here is how it works. The first option is to play whatever you like, including scenarios from the tournament lists. However, you do not actually participate in a tournament. This is referred to as “open play.” You remain eligible for all door prizes. Because you are not scored on your performance, you are ineligible for the prizes specific to each tournament. This includes the raffles for the sponsored rounds of the CASLO, and the Purple Heart Mini raffle.

The second option is to participate in the Purple Heart Mini tournament and engage in open play. What this means in practice is that you would engage in open play on Friday. On Saturday, you would enter the first round of the Mini. If eliminated in either the first or second round, you would return to the open play format thereafter. In this case, you are eligible for all door prizes, as well the two prizes associated with the Mini.

The third option is to participate in both of the tournaments. If you opt to do so, however, you are requested not to engage in open play for the duration of the weekend. Instead, you would play two rounds of the CASLO on Friday before entering the Mini on Saturday. If you are eliminated from the Mini, you would return to the CASLO for the following round. If you chose this option, you will have an opportunity to win prizes associated with each tournament, in addition to the door prizes. Note, however, that a handicap may apply to higher-seeded players while playing in the Mini.

The fourth option is to play in only the CASLO, or main tournament. In this case, the only prizes that you will not be eligible for will be those associated with the Mini. Players registered for the CASLO are requested to commit to playing all five rounds. That said, players posting two losses on Friday, retain the option to enter the Mini on Saturday. One advantage of this option is that you will likely accrue more points toward winning the CASLO, as you (usually) will be facing tougher opponents in the later rounds.

Who is coming?

The treasurer of the Canadian ASL Association is currently away on vacation, but the last I heard, about 15 players had paid their registration fees. About a half dozen local players, who are expected to attend, have yet to register. I also have received word that a number of players from Montreal, and possibly New Brunswick, are planning to attend. There is a western contingent flying in for the weekend, including the current President of the CASLA, Steffen Knippel. The usual suspects from south of the 49th parallel have already registered, but we hope to see a few more. When all is said and done, we could have as many as 24 players this year. 

The Rideau Canal in September

Our downtown venue is about 100 metres from the Rideau Canal and a short stroll from the Parliament Buildings and many other Ottawa landmarks. Come help us set a new attendance record.

Notes

1. I took the liberty of removing one sheet from each pack and creating a third pack. The third pack forms part of the third-place prize package for the CASLO. In my experience, players will rarely require six turrets during a scenario employing American or Commonwealth vehicles. So I thought this was a good way to spread the wealth. In any case, individual sheets of these counters are available from KitShop, as are modest of the prizes discussed in this post.

The Delight is in the Details

American and Commonwealth turrets have arrived. A set of Countersmith turrets includes three counter sheets, enough to provide six turrets for each model of vehicle. In the case of the latest module, each sheet is identical and contains two turrets for each model—more on this later.

Initial impressions

I should point out right away that the turrets in Module B are a slight departure from those in Module A. The German and Russian turrets have a matte finish, which I personally prefer. The American and Commonwealth turrets have a glossy finish that apparently is easier to read and may wear better than the turrets in the first module. 

The first module also uses a less satisfactory method of punching the counters. This is the same method used in Avalon Hill (AH) modules such as Yanks. I do not like it because I am left with a bit of cardboard to trim from the sides of the counters. To be fair, the problem is not as pronounced as on AH counters. For some reason the punch used for Module A does not leave cardboard on all four sides of a counter like the AH punch did. Module B avoids this problem by using a punch that leaves the counters attached only at the corners. This is industry standard. It is encouraging to see that Countersmith heeded customer feedback and made the change before producing a second module. 

As promised...

In response to my earlier post, a reader asked if I could show him a picture of what the turrets looked like when in use. I thought that others might appreciate the photograph. However, I must confess that I am a notorious counter clipper.¹ The counters in the picture below have been trimmed with an ultra-sharp scalpel, and an unsteady hand. 

Heads up, heads down, and a whole lot more

Actually, there is another reason why I wanted to post these pictures. I thought it would be a good opportunity to highlight a few of the advantages of these counters over the generic white turrets that come with Beyond Valor. 

I really like what Countersmith Workshop has done with the German turret set. The late model PzKpfw VIE (L), for instance, is depicted in Dunkelgelb (dark-yellow), whereas the earlier model is in Dunkelgrau (dark-grey). Until late 1942, the Germans had used a dark-grey paint for most of their armored fighting vehicles (AFV). Experience in North Africa² and elsewhere led them to adopt an earth-tone schema. 

PzKpfw IVF2 with turret Schuzern

For game purposes, the colors do not represent a particular year. Rather, they help me distinguish between two similar turrets. To cite another example, take a look at the pair of Panzerkampfwagen IVF2 in the photograph above. Both vehicles are identical models. The difference is that the vehicle with the dark-yellow turret is equipped with Schuzern, or armored skirts (which appeared later in the war), while the other turret is not. 

While on the subject of armor protection, I may as well mention that the armor factors (AF) for the turret are printed on the turret counter. In this example, the front armor of the turret and the hull is the same. However, the side and rear of the turret is not. In fact, the vehicle has superior turret armor on these aspects. So while the side and rear of the hull has only AF 3, the turret has AF 4. This is a handy feature, especially for newer players.

BU

Another thing that grabbed my eye, was the bold “BU” in red. I like the red for a couple of reasons. The bright-red letters not only remind me that the crew of the vehicle is buttoned-up (BU), but also prompt me to check to see if a particular weapon system is available or not. In the case of these German tanks, it is not an issue. However, the red “BU” does remind me that I will suffer a +1 dice-roll modifier (DRM) if I attempt to use my Smoke discharge (sD), or fire my Main Armament (MA). Speaking of the sD, the usage number is displayed on the turret—no need to flip the AFV counter to check. Too often I forget about the discharger by midgame.

The American tanks use the same color coding. In the case of my mythical desert battle above, the Sherman M4A3E2(L) is buttoned-up. Because it is BU, I cannot fire the anti-aircraft machine gun (AAMG), signified by the red strike-through. No big deal, you say.

Fair enough, but the red strike-through is a very welcome reminder on the crew-exposed (CE) side of a Russian T34/76 turret. As with other restricted, slow traverse (RST) turrets, the crew cannot fire the MA or the coaxial machine gun (CMG) while CE. The crew of a vehicle with a one-man turret (1MT) has the same problem while CE. At least twice in the past year I have witnessed players attempt to fire the MA of a T-34 while CE. A red strike-through on the MA of their turret counters when CE may have saved them some embarrassment, and perhaps a tank.

Gyro on M4A3 76(W)

Gyro

Another handy thing about these turret sets is that they include turrets with gyrostabilizers (gyro). Granted the fact that a vehicle has a gyro is usually kept secret until the gyro's To-Hit modifier is utilized. However, once known, it is much easier to keep track of which vehicle is so equipped by substituting a turret with a gyro. Consequently, if I have a vehicle known by my opponent to be equipped with a gyro, I can substitute a turret with a gyro for the one without. A turret with a gyro is signified by a white ring inside the standard white ring used to indicate a vehicle with fast turret traverse. The M4A3E2(L) in the photograph above is therefore known to be equipped with a gyrostabilizer. To this end, Module B includes an additional six turrets for each vehicle model that may be equipped with a gyro.

There are heaps of other helpful things noted on these turret counters. I have highlighted a handful below. (My apologies for the quality of the images.)

Russian vehicle Note 41. ZSU-37

Note 9.1. FT-17 730m(f)

Note 44. ZIS-42-AA

Note 90. SdKfz 7/1

Note 24. KV-2

Note 30. PzKpfw VIE

Note 9. BT-7 M37

A few sets in stock effective 24 January 2016.

UPDATE: 2 Sep 2011
In his blog Wall Advantage, Ian Wiley noticed that there were no turrets for the Marmon-Herrington IIv armoured cars , and also none for the 2pdr Portee (British vehicle notes 49 and 77, respectively). My apologies for not double checking before I posted.


Notes

1. I was not always this way. I retired my old counters after acquiring the much improved ones that MMP printed in Beyond Valor 3rd edition, For King and Country, Armies of Oblivion, and so on. I clipped my new counters for two reasons. First, clipping rids the counters of the little bits of cardboard on the corners. These excess bits of cardboard can be problematic when stacking counters. Admittedly, this is not a problem with all counters, but in for a penny in for pound of counters. The second reason is slightly more contentious. I, along with many others, believe that clipping the corners slightly will reduce the likelihood of premature wear. The same untidy bits at the corners that cause stacking problems are also prone to catch on other objects, possibly tearing or separating the counter in the process. By the way, if you are inclined to clip counters, try to save clipping counters for a rainy or wintry day. CAUTION: change the blade of your knife frequently. A dull blade is dangerous, especially a scalpel blade—ouch! There you have it. I have spared you an entire post on the merits of clipping counters. 

2. Initially, AFV in North Africa were dark-grey. However, after soldiers began applying mud and other local expedients, the Wehrmacht authorized a Gelbbraun (yellow-brown) paint. Other colors were also used, but Gelbbraun was the most common. Gelbbraun was lighter in appearance than Dunkelgelb.

Turret Replacement Program

Are your turret counters looking a bit worn? Well I have some good news. The British are coming! And as it happens, so are the Americans. The elves at Countersmith Workshop have released a new set of counters. Steelmaster Module B is the second in a line of turret counters compatible with the ASL system. Module B contains counters for US and “British” AFV armed with a turret-mounted weapon.

Like Module A, which included German and Russian turrets, Module B boasts a comprehensive set of turrets for the entire American and Commonwealth orders of battle (as found in chapter H of the ASL rule book). The set also includes extra turrets for those AFV equipped with Gyrostabilizers. 

A user guide is included with each Module 

Module B consists of three sheets of 9/6” (14mm) counters. The counters are a couple of millimeters larger than the generic white ASL turret counters. This is not a bad thing. The larger size provides more room for the plentiful turret statistics, yet remains small enough that the turret does not obscure the AFV underneath. Countersmith also includes a black-and-white version of the user guide above with each module. The guide explains how to interpret the various symbols and colors. For instance, red is used to show that a vehicle is Buttoned-Up (BU).

In a welcome departure from Module A, this latest set of turrets is printed on a heavier weight of card stock. Aside from being noticeably thicker, these latest counters have a slight glossy finish, similar to standard ASL counters. The finish is supposed to make the text more legible.

Availability

The BattleSchool KitShop may have Modules A and B in stock later in 2015, if demand warrants. 

If you are unfamiliar with Countersmith turrets, I recommend that you read the summary of benefits below. I have paraphrased the manufacturers' claims, as published on their blog.

Benefits

The turret counter displays the adjusted Armor Factor (AF). There is no need to calculate the actual AF of a superior or inferior turret. For instance, the Pz IIIF has an AF of 3. However, because the front portion of the turret has inferior, or thinner, armor, its AF is actually 2. And because the sides and rear of the turret have superior armor protection, the actually AF of the turret sides and rear is 4. Countersmith believes that displaying the adjusted AF on the turret counter not only saves time, but also avoids any confusion with regard to the symbology (squares and circles) used on the AFV counter.

Each turret has a crew-exposed (CE), and Buttoned Up (BU) side. This allows players to ascertain at a glance which weapon systems and smoke dispensers may be used in a particular state. For example, while the M4A2/76 below is BU, the anti-aircraft machine gun (AAMG) cannot be used, signified by the red strike-through on the AAMG firepower (FP). There is also a handy reminder in the form of an arrow beside the Smoke Mortar number (sM8). The arrow indicates that the sM may only fire through the turret covered arc (TCA).

The turrets are designed to speed up play by reducing or removing the need to consult the back of the AFV counter, or the vehicle notes in the rule book. For instance, it takes only a moment to check the M3 Lee turret below to determine that the AFV may fire its AAMG whether CE or BU. 

The turrets minimize bookkeeping. Each counter set includes additional turrets that represent AFV with optional equipment such as Gyrostabilizers and Schuerzen (Sz). For example, Module A includes two sets of turret counters for the Pz IVF2, some with Sz, some without. 

The turrets address limitations within the official ASL counter mix by the addition of turret counters with an optional AAMG, and/or rear machine gun (RMG). Countersmith also provides a better means of representing Dug-In AFV and Armored Cupola.

Finally, Countersmith adds a number of turrets for AFV variants not found in the official counter mix. The T-34/57 M1941 is but one example. The Soviets produced more than 300 of these tanks during the war. Apart from participating in the Battle of Moscow in 1941, some were used as late as 1943-44. The T-34/57 shared the same hull as the more numerous T-34/76. The Countersmith turret below allows players to “convert” a T-34/76 into the T-34/57 variant.

The Canadian ASL Open 2011

For the second year in a row, Ottawa is pleased to host the 15th Annual Canadian ASL Open (CASLO). The event runs 16-18 September.

The CASLO originated with the Winnipeg ASL Club. It owes much of its continued success to the late Jim McLeod, who died suddenly in his 40s. Jim was a founding member of the Canadian ASL Association (CASLA), the organization behind the CASLO. Jim is also the designer of the forthcoming Ortona HASL. However, despite the artwork on our CASLO poster, there is no Ortona theme this year. I personally would prefer to see such a theme coincide with the release of Ortona.

Like last year (and every year before), CASLO will consist of two tournaments. The main tournament (the CASLO) is a three-day, five-round, point-based affair. Players are seeded based on their experience ratings and paired accordingly. The Mini tournament is a two-day, three-round, single-elimination tourney.

The CASLO

Unlike 2010, the main tournament in 2011 features sponsored rounds. Each sponsored round has three scenarios from the sponsor, and two from other publishers. Participants are eligible to win  a prize if they play one of the sponsor's scenarios during this round. The winner of the prize will be selected by raffle. In addition to sponsored rounds, the CASLO is sponsored by Le Franc Tireur and MMP. The top three finishers in the CASLO will receive a plaque, a major prize, and a set of our precision, custom BattleDice. First prize is the forthcoming historical module from Le Franc Tireur entitled, Kampfgruppe Scherer: The Shield of Cholm.

The siege of Cholm (Jan-May 1942) lasted more than 100 days.

The Purple Heart Mini

The Mini tournament differs from previous years in that it is designed specifically for less experienced players. In each round, two of the three scenarios are infantry only, while the third is a mix of infantry, ordnance and/or vehicles. All scenarios are within the European Theatre of Operations (ETO), with no winter or adverse environmental conditions in play. Additionally, more seasoned players wishing to enter the Mini may be subject to a handicap. The winner of the Mini will receive a plaque, a set of precision BattleDice, and a copy of Purple Heart Draw donated by the sponsor of the the Purple Heart Mini: Lone Canuck Publishing.

Open Gaming

This year is also the first CASLO to offer open gaming. Open gaming allows players to play anything that they desire, including linked scenarios, and full-on HASL campaign games. Open gaming is also permitted on Friday for those pre-registered in the Mini tourney, and on Saturday and Sunday following elimination from the Mini. Note that players posting two losses in the CASLO on Friday may enter the Mini on Saturday. However, should they be eliminated in the Mini, they are asked to return to the CASLO in the next round. In other words, players signing up for the CASLO are asked to play five rounds (CASLO/Mini) and not engage in open play (EXC: between rounds).

Prizes

Our sponsors have been extremely generous this year. I will post a picture of the prize table later this summer. In the meantime, suffice it to say that there will be roughly 20 prizes valued at more than $600.00 to be won. Apart from the prizes for the top finishers in each tournament, there will be a number of door prizes, as well as raffles for the sponsored rounds. 

Our Sponsors

Le Franc Tireur

Multi-Man Publishing

Bounding Fire Productions

Lone Canuck Publishing

Friendly Fire

Key's Games and Hobbies

The Gamer's Armory

Countersmith Workshop

BattleSchool KitShop

More information

If you a question or would like to receive a CASLO flyer, please email battleschool@rogers.com.

See you in September!