ASLOK XXIV Live Updates

[J. R. Tracy]

My suggestion: more mutual exchanges, more great games, more kudos to the hobby.

Well said, Peter; it's not about where you're from - it's about the game and the fellowship. The overseas players at ASLOK help make a great tournament even better. In my opinion, one reason you didn't see any 'World' players in the final four this year is because they were all exhausted from kicking our collective American asses for a solid week before the GROFAZ even got rolling!

Thank you Bret for putting on a solid event. I had a blast, with some very good games with opponents old and new. I'm already looking forward to next year, ASLOK XXV. If you haven't yet made the pilgrimage to Cleveland, why not make the Silver Edition ASLOK your first trip?

See you next October,

JR

[bprobst]

I'm already looking forward to next year, ASLOK XXV. If you haven't yet made the pilgrimage to Cleveland, why not make the Silver Edition ASLOK your first trip?

I'm not sure yet that I'll be able to make it ... but it's my intention to be there.

Wal is working on gaining favourable mods to his Spousal TC to see if he can return also.

Maybe we'll even be able to rustle up an ASLOK newbie or two, who knows?

[Ray Woloszyn]

In my opinion, one reason you didn't see any 'World' players in the final four this year is because they were all exhausted from kicking our collective American asses for a solid week before the GROFAZ even got rolling!
JR

To paraphrase the "legendary" saying from the Wake Island battle, "send more newbies!"

[Blackcloud6]

Bret:

Eli and I thank you for all the efforts you put into ASLOK XXIV. We had a great time.

[Mongo5486]

My first ASLOK was a blast even if I went 0-9. I would like to thank Bret for putting it all together, Bill for showing me a few things and putting up with all my questions and Dave for the Sunday grilling. I didn't have one bad game and I hope my opponents feel the same way. I learned alot and I expect a better record next year.

[Steven Linton]

No way did Hildebran do that board - you can actually figure out who played who!

[2 Bit Bill]

Brett, Wild Bill, and supporting characters; Another great job on ASLOk!
Smooth! Sorry I left my hand grenade carelessly unguarded(or for bringing it) here's one which just sold on ebay

Great turnout! Great to see/meet & hang with the Old Guard, New Guard, Foreign Service, Regulars, and/or Partisans(Ray, Perry, Gary, Charlie, Guy, Pete, PJ, Roger, Eli, Nygil, Will, Klas, Mattias, Lars, Hennie, Bob, Dave...others).
There are many more ASLUTs than I'd previously thought.
ASL Ultimate Travelers

Congrats to Steve; He is the Plevanator!

Lookin' forward to ASLOk XXV(= 25, Psycho)

[Fort]

In my opinion, one reason you didn't see any 'World' players in the final four this year is because they were all exhausted from kicking our collective American asses for a solid week before the GROFAZ even got rolling!

I arrived at ASLOK on Friday the 2nd and started playing immediately, my 3 losses were to the Euro-duo of Mattias and Phillip Briaux (I think that's how he spells it)..or George Tournemire (i don't remember which one I lost to), and Will Fleming the ex-pat... and those were on saturday and sunday of the World Cup (5-3 in that) when I was well rested. Those Euro Dudes are formidable indeed, very meticulous and rules knowledgeable as well as rules savvy...which is at least as important as the knowledge. Peter S. and Klas M. were both exceptional players, my game with Peter was one of the best of the tournament.
From sunday night until the sunday final game with Steve I went a total of 11-1, with the only loss to Steve. This was an grueling ordeal which I will gladly return to next year. I made the erroneous assumption that I was indeed "as young as I once was", and was definitively proven wrong.

I played two games on friday night and my opponents and I did not have any PIS sheets so we did not record them. Official count began saturday early, I won the first 2 games in the World cup play, then lost 3 in a row, one to Mattias, one to Phillip Briaux (or George Tournemire...I don't remember whether I won v George, or v Phillipe, but one of these fellows was a win for me and one was a win for my opponent) and one to Will Fleming (I did learn that Panzergeist is indeed very Pro-German).
From the last loss in the World Cup play, where I ended up 7-3 with two matches not reported due to Friday play, until the final with Steve I had a streak of 10 wins vs a murderer's row of aslers in the Grofaz: Peter Struij (sp), Will fleming (again), Wes Vaughn (Godzilla) , Kemp Mason, John McDiarmond, Bob Bendis and J.R. Tracey (Best of the Best mini).
The Godzilla mini showed me my ASL-endurance was lacking, as a very tight game of Cold Crocodiles with Peter went very long followed up by a smashing the 3rd vs Will Fleming, where I got a small measure of revenge for my previous loss to him in World Cup play, which led to a marathon all day and night game of Sowchos 79 v Wes Vaughn. I was reeling after that one which started in the early morning and was played non stop until early the next morning. I finally got to bed around 3 AM with a 7 am wake up...straight into the Best of the Best mini.
My first opponent in Best of the Best was Kemp Mason, and we played Silesian Something or other...can't remember the name. I had the Attacking Germans and the panther just rolled over the hapless Soviets. Peter's second shot with his IS2 was a 12 vs a HD panther that then returned the shot knocking out the one dangerous obstacle in it's path. The rest of the game went the same way with a CH vs the T-34 and withering MG fire from the FJ's. Luck was very much in my favor in this match.
Second game of best of the best as v John McDiarmond in a game of Acts of Defiance. The Soviets held out for me and John had quite a bit of bad luck with MC's. My artillery was only able to use smoke as I really needed it to get the reinforcements into the battle and to use my slight CC advantage to close with huge german firegroups.
3rd game of Best of the Best was v Bob Bendis and we played Sting of the Italian Hornet, which is a very good design. My Canadians had to really stiffen their upper lips for this one as one of Bob's tiny tanks went of a tear knocking out 2 Shermans in one fire phase...deliberate immobilization DR 1,1 - ROF, DI on second Sherman which had bogged in some wire...1,1...ROF..TC 6,5 crew abandons...Bob figures what the hell nothing left to shoot at..turns back to the original Sherman...1,4 hit, final TK number is a 2...his roll is a 1,2...possible shock...my DR is 6,5 Shocked...he never recovers. Now it's a game.
Bob slowly falls back punishing my Canucks with fire and shrugging off my return shots. His Hornet repositions out of the Smoke OBA to the factory in the rear. My remaining Sherman knocks it out when the sD i had placed during bob's MPh clears in my turn. I needed a modified 9TH with the previously placed Acq...Bob thought that he would get HD [I]and[I] the TEM....it didn't matter in the end as the TH DR was 2,4 and the Hornet croaked. I had set up my reinforcement tanks and onboard infantry to load up a couple of HS's and a leader into the Stuarts and run them into the back of the italian defenses...these guys would prove to be bad news for Bob....almost as much bad news as the death-tankette bob had now moved to the opposite flank hunting my last Sherman. This game was another gruelingly long match and we didn't finish until fairly late in the evening.
I now had to go up against JR Tracey, in the semi's. We chose what we thought would be a fairly quick game...Federov's Incursion (this game is pretty much a blur to my memory). We finished at 5:30 AM and I staggered off to my bed only to be unable to fall asleep. The last time I remember seeing on the bedside alarm clock was 06:38, I woke up at the 09:00 alarm I had set, took a quick shower, and stumbled down to the final match. Steve wanted to leave as early as possible and I had no desire to play anything that would take more than a few hours either. We decided on 3rd RTR in the Rain. The dice gave me the Brits and we proceeded to play. I don't remember a lot of the details of the match, but I think I had him on the ropes until his armored forces became invulnerable and proceeded to destroy my armor with impunity. I had a squad and leader that had flanked his defenders in position to put the scenario away when the leader decided to go berserk and take the squad with him....Steve then proceeded to lead them around the board with a motion tank for 4 turns..which pretty much cost the game. The game ended with almost nothing in good order on either side. When my last AFV (with malf'd MA) fell into a cellar, trying to crack the building I had already once had (what I thought) well in hand, Steve's unopposed armor really worked my guys over and when it was all over I think he had 3 HS's left alive to take back what my now broken hordes had failed to hold onto.

Overall it was great fun, and I met a lot of great fellas. I'll be back next year, and this time I will take a breather between days.

[Mister T]

I don't remember whether I won v George, or v Phillipe, but one of these fellows was a win for me and one was a win for my opponent) and one to Will Fleming (I did learn that Panzergeist is indeed very Pro-German).

We played FrF43 "Forest Devil" in which I had the Germans. After several turns of hide-and-seek in the woods, my Germans repulsed your Bulgarians, with the help of a very timely LMG Rof and plentiful PFs. I enjoyed very much the game.

[Fort]

We played FrF43 "Forest Devil" in which I had the Germans. After several turns of hide-and-seek in the woods, my Germans repulsed your Bulgarians, with the help of a very timely LMG Rof and plentiful PFs. I enjoyed very much the game.

But are you George or Phillip?