Starter Kit #3 Review

Starter Kit #3 – Tanks

Review

For those interested – here is my take on Starter Kit #3. I’ve played ASL since its inception under the guise of the original Squad Leader. I purchased the first two starter kits and pre-ordered the third one mostly out of need to have a complete system and to give me a better tool to help introduce players to the game. One of my current regular opponents, Doug, learned the hard way; I showed him the basic rules, we threw a couple counters on the board in a ‘made-up’ scenario, and then we started with scenario #1 Fighting Withdrawal. Since then we have gradually worked our way through all the module scenarios through Gung Ho!, several campaign games, and play testing for the last couple of Journals. I wish I had had the starter kit when Doug started as I’m sure it would have made the learning curve much easier for him. Currently I’m playing scenarios out of starter kit 1 with another future ASL’er, Geoff. I know he has ordered all the starter kits and so maybe the ASL virus has gotten to him also. Anyway, on to the review.

Outside The Box

The game arrived in an over-sized box via UPS. The corner of the box is slightly crushed – but when I open the box it was well packed with Styrofoam peanuts and the game itself buried in the center of the over-sized box. Not even close to being damaged. So an A+ for packing. I opened the box and pulled out the shrink-wrapped game from the peanuts. First view is of the back as I pull it out. The three game boards are laid out across the top and below them is a small action-paragraph about a squad leader leading his men as they first realize enemy armor is approaching them. OK, great tie in with the purpose of this module. Just a lay-out thought – but too bad they didn’t put counters on the board graphics to “show” the described encounter being represented by the game. That would have been too cool. Most of the remaining text is laid out on a soft gray background and goes through contents and a description of the game. Several notices to the purchaser that the boards and counters are fully compatible with ASL and even a few sentences encouraging the purchases to “expand their horizons to include the detailed rules that make up the total ASL system,…” This is good – and is reinforcing the idea that the starter kits are ASL and are meant to transition players to full ASL and not be a stand-alone separate system. Oddly enough, at the end of the same paragraph is the sentence “Others may want to wait for additional Starter Kit material…”. Maybe the rumors of more SK style products other then the three SK’s and scenarios in the Operations magazine are true. Personally, the text on the gray background looks a little too busy and I think a bit too wordy. I’d like to have seen a little less text but at a slightly larger font. However, I’m not sure what text I’d leave out and still get the effect MMP wants. On the lower right hand corner a text box with white background shows three vehicle counters and what essentially are vehicle notes for the German Pzkpfw V (Panther), Russian T-34/85, and British Vickers Mk VI. The white background catches the eye and the counter graphics are well done and very clean. The only other comment is that I can’t believe they left off a web site address to check out for either the Operations magazine or a way to order more from MMP. The front of the box is a pretty striking image. The shadow of a Tiger approaching at a slight angle with the turret slewed off across the box looks cool. The graduated gray background representing the background sky sets both the Tiger and the orange box title (similar to the original SL orange) well and I think will grab the potential purchaser’s eye. Oddly enough, even though the game is referred to as the ASL Starter Kit #3 – Tanks, the word ‘Tanks’ is no where on the box. I guess the image replaces the text. I guess I’m good with that, subtle, but it works. Box: B+

Inside – Print material

Well, I open it up. First thing that catches my eye is a blue-green slip of paper. A scenario errata. Sigh…well at least it is easy to find and they took the time to include it in the box. Maybe that will be the only errata. Next, a square salmon colored note with the contents listed and a contact email/phone number/address if there is a problem. Looks good and is consistent with MMP’s good customer service. Next is a letter sized yellow sheet explaining the full ASL system. Here we go with the final step of the starter kits. Essentially – if you like the SK game – you’ll love the detail of full ASL. OK – if this is included then here is where you could delete some of the back of the box text which duplicates this sheet. Regardless – once again the perfect opportunity to include a web address is over-looked. Next is the Vehicle and Ordnance Historical Notes booklet. All black and white or gray scale – no color here. Glancing through it there are Russian, British, USA, German, and Italian vehicles and ordnance listed. Oddly enough, the credits at the end are listed as Starter Kit #2 credits – not #3. I’m guessing that is a misprint – but obviously doesn’t affect the game. The back of the booklet shows the counter art and all the descriptions. This also is in black and white or gray-scale. The nationality color is substituted with white and the normal white and red depictions are grey-scaled. OK, it works, but I would have preferred the color counter version. I assume this was done to cut down on the expense of printing.

The rule book is next. Keeping in the same format as the first two starter kits it includes all the previous rules with all the new rules and errata included and highlighted in a Salmon colored background. Looks just as good as the previous rulebooks with lots of graphics and color and a more descriptive style of writing then the technical style of the ASL rulebook. Finally on page 2 I spot the http://www.multimanpublishing.com/ tag. However, if it wasn’t underlined – I probably would have missed it amongst all the other text. Print Material: A

Inside – Scenarios, Boards, & Data Card

Standard card stock scenario cards. Numbered S20 through S27, the eight scenarios cover everything from Joseph 351 to Clash at Borisovka. Joseph 351 is an all infantry scenario with variable OoB for the USA along with variable VP - also, escaped Russian POWS that have been re-armed. What a hoot! S21 – Clash at Borisovka is an all armor scenario with Tigers & Pz IV’s vs. T-34’s. The other scenarios use everything except for the Italian counters. Looks like a good variety. We’ll see if they are fun to play and learn by. Missing – any allied or axis minor counters. Too bad as one of my attractions to the game was that it was more then just a ‘major’ powers game.

The game includes three new boards (T, U, and V). Clean graphics and good accurate cutting makes this a real plus. Even the edge half-hexes have ‘half’ dots on them for LOS checks. There is nothing more bothersome then trying to string a LOS from a half-hex with no dot in it.

There is one quick-reference data card with the infantry rules and MF/PP chart and one reference card with all the vehicle To Hit, To Kill, and related information. I’m surprised they didn’t include two of each chart as both players would need this chart and I have found it awkward to share charts while playing. Not impossible by any means, just not convenient. Not a big fan of how they laid out the vehicle charts. Each nationalities gun type has its own separate TH line. I prefer the way the full game does it as this looks rather cluttered – but I assume that MMP chose this layout as being easier to understand for a true beginner. Regardless – it drives me batty. Scenarios, Boards, & Data Card: B+

Inside – Counters

The game includes 2½ sheets of counters. The two full-sized sheets look great. Good clean colors, graphics, and cutting. I’m a bit confused by the blue Gun Malfunction counters. The reverse side is a non-turreted CE counter. This must be a counter specifically for ordnance like the Brit 25pdr which doesn’t have a disabled side. I guess I’m just used to all malfunctioned counters have a disable side to them. Personally, I wish counters such as these would be more standard across the system both in color and in front/reverse side images/text. The ½ sheet counter containing all ⅝” counters has a bit of a problem. The cutting looks like it is about an 1/16” too low on the sheet. This isn’t too bad on the front side, although the German 88LL AT gun has a Russian brown bottom border and the row of Russian T-34’s has a US green border on the bottom. The problem is on the reverse side. On the reverse of the T-34 row, the special ammo graphics looks like the year number is going to be halved by the cutting when I separate the counters. Too bad, because otherwise the counters would be an A+. Whoa…what do we have here! I see a USA 8-1 Sgt Garrett and a British 8-1 Sgt Lynes and Sgt Wiley. We’ve made it big time. This can’t be coincidence. Todd Wiley, Doug Lynes and I have all play-tested for the last couple of Journals. Apparently we’ve now earned our own counters – thanks MMP! Well, the mis-cutting is bothersome – but not too bad and the personal counters are just way too cool for me so that will bump the counters up to an A-.

Final Comments

This looks like another great product for MMP. I don’t see any major issues at first glance and I think the variety of nationalities – especially when combined with the previous SK’s – along with the starting player now getting a taste (addiction) of three modules of counters and boards will serve the purpose MMP intended the SK’s to have well. Overall - a strong A-.