El Alamein and the Pursuit

[Shad]

Larry, I am not sure how to respond to your poll. You ask if El Alamein will work, but both answers seem to be affirming that they would?

Yes, I messed up on setting up the poll, and can't seem to fix it, the first response is no, the second is yes.

Larry's first poll option answered the question posed in the body of his message, rather than the poll itself. I've adjusted it to fit.

I want Canadians, Greeks, and Chinese.

My kinda guy!

[plloyd1010]

Ottavio has been working on Canadians. We have created a small counterset. I don't recall a Chinese battalion at Alamein.

[larry marak]

I could see waiting till Army at Dawn and Ethiopia are out, since right now since Avalanche seems set on producing cardboard panel maps instead of paper maps, ala DAK and DR. Fortunately these titles are still in good supply, but Cassino may be on the way out. With Tunisia, Ethiopia and Israel and Lawrence of Arabia's maps suite, it should be possible to create any sort of North African Battlefield.

[otto]

I would be very much in favour of a scenario book on El Alamain.
... and very much willing to help with info on axis (and especially Italian) OOB. One example? In all Desert Rats scenarios the 90/53 gun should be used as a portee.

I do not see any problem with scenarios being static.

I'm very much with Vince, ... too many GREN units floating around. I thnk boxed games are important to widen PG players basis. But PG fans really like scenario books, don't they?

Ottavio

[zaarin7]

Well as a bridge between AK/DAK and Tunisia I suspect it would work best as a book. I believe everything needed for that time frame is in the two boxed games. Unless it picked up were the last one of the old ones ended I don't think there would be enough to support a box.

[rerathbun]

On the other hand, a box would sell better to newer players who haven't bought the earlier desert games. El Alamein is a recognizable name and would hopefully sell more games to players just starting out.

I personally would like to see an Alamein boxed game and a scenario book (like Winter Soldiers) to tie it to Army at Dawn. Between Rommel's pursuit of 8th Army after Gazala, 1st Alamein, 2nd Alamein and 8th Army's pursuit there's plenty of material for scenarios, not all of them static.

[tanzerleader]

yes i also think a scenario book is the only way to go for el alamein. not worth another boxed game

[armyduck95]

Frankly,
1. Yes I would purchase an El Alamein boxed game or book. As I own all desert books (even DAK '44 LOL) and brit/desert games- a book with map sheets would be preferable. But I understand the desire sustain boxed games to grow customer base/recruit.
2. DAK and Desert Rat maps HAVE GOT TO BE revamped. Those burlap maps are the most embarrassing thing for the product line- they get the job done, but APL has demonstrated they can do a better job now.
it might make sense to retire them for an Alamein box set and then republish DAK and Desert Rats with new maps, or as scenario books/counter sheets. I think it would be a mistake to make a book that required ownership of Army at dawn, Sword of Israel, etc. to get the desert maps. An expansion to one or even to bridge between two boxed games is OK - after that it is crazy, especially as products get retired.
3. It is a shame to hear Cassino may be on its way out - still the best PG quality game IMHO.

[armyduck95]

PS - beyond the soot/scorch issue, I think you guys worry too much counters. Yes, consistency is preferred, but not a big deal to me.

[vince hughes]

PS - beyond the soot/scorch issue, I think you guys worry too much counters. Yes, consistency is preferred, but not a big deal to me.

I disagree. Given what we are paying, there is not much in asking that counters are relatively ... in fact more than relatively, but compatiable with each other, be it in size, colour or combat values. As far as I am concerned, Lib Counters look ridiculous against BN counters which were the thinnest of all and are practically 4:1 in size difference. I think taking into consideration how the map styles differ (when there is no reason, such as Lib 44 and FoF), the counter differences DO come down to a lack of will to make them the same. It seems even MB may be of the opinion that the Lib 44 may have been just too thick. I believe there is a chance they may return to a sensible size.

On to something else touched on. This is reference to supplements and box-sets. I realise a lot of people do not like taking counters from a number of box sets to play a supplement. For me and I know many others, like supplements to span a good number of box-sets. It gives the player the chance to match up counters that would not otherwise face each other because they came out in different box sets. I see no logical reason to buy an expensive product which can be produced far cheaper in a book style. ASL has barely suffered by having scenario sets that require numerous products. It is also tiresome having reams of marker counters, combat charts and rules sets to stash away or throw away.

Another factor is that items such as Edelweiss and First Axis would be lesser products as these guys faced such a variance of foes. Edelweiss especially would have been a poorer product if it had only concentrated on one or maybe two boxsets. It would have been very limited.