J Boyes
United States
Unspecified
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I have never played, or even seen ASL being played. My question is how good would it be to use as a combat system for a pen and paper role playing game? What about squad leader?
Is there enough variance amoung squad members in skills and ability to reflect an rpg character well?
With practice and someone to moderate can it be run quickly while still being flexable?
Has it ever been used in an RPG?
RPG here meaning role playing game, rather than rocket propelled grenade.
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Fred Best
United States
Orlando
Florida
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Re:ASL as RPG?
Jpwoo (#26719),
I have been playing pen and paper role playing games and Squad Leader (later switching to ASL) since the late 70's. ASL is a pure wargame, without any roleplaying aspects to it. To roleplay modern type soldiers, we used to use The Morrow Project, Merc, and Twilight 2000 RPG rules.
I would recommend using GURPS, Spycraft, or Modern d20.
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J Boyes
United States
Unspecified
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Re:ASL as RPG?
I guess my question is how is it resistant to being translated to an RPG, and what ways would it be suited to it?
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Chris Farrell
United States
Cupertino
California
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Re:ASL as RPG?
Infinitely resistant.
I would look elsewhere. Perhaps Ambush?
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Steve H
United States
Addison
Texas
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Re:ASL as RPG?
Jpwoo (#26719),
Aftermath!, by Fantasy Games Unlimited, is a post holocaust RPG. It had a decent combat system as I recall that probably could be ported into a squad level RPG setting. Per the FGU web site, it is still available.
http://www.fantasygamesunltd.com/products1.htm#101
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Marty Snow
United States
Boulder
Colorado
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Re:ASL as RPG?
Although some of the units in ASL are individuals, the scale is all wrong for a RPG. If your character is leading hundreds of soldiers, then maybe it's useful, but if your character is a member of a squad, then forget it.
A combat system in an RPG is just another way for the characters to interact with their universe. ASL is a wargame that gives a feel for company-sized engagements (few hundred soldiers on each side). I agree with Chris that it is not at all suitable for playing out the battles of a RPG.
Marty
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Roy Casagranda
United States
Unspecified
texas
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Re:ASL as RPG?
Hey Jpwoo (#26719),
I have actually thought of using ASL for RPG. I contemplated making a WWII milieu, however, I never have. I am currently an avid ASL player and I GM a medieval setting RPG that is now in its 15 year.
Here is the problem that I think that you would run into: it is extremely difficult just to master the ASL rules; strategy mastery will take several years of dedicated play. It has so many intricacies that every time I sit down and play I feel that I learn the game anew. And its not like I am a bad ASL player either(http://www.fchoice.com/styson/record.asp?player=Roy%20Casagr...).
I think that the way to do it would be to start your milieu at the beginning of the war and make the PCs officers. You could also make them members of a crew (gun or AFV) or squad. By making the PCs officers you give them license to control the battle. You as the GM would then need to play the other side. If you allow the PCs to talk to each other then they will the advantage of talking over the strategy with each other. Since the GM has some extra control it would allow the GM to hide (HIP) more units and even do a single blind playing situation. This would make the GM's position most suitable to defense. I am rambling now.
I think it would be hard to do, but it potentially could be a lot of fun. DYO (design your own) and CG (Campaign Game) rules would probably make it possible. Also the solitaire system has a RPG feel to it. You might take ideas from it.
Roy
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Roy Casagranda
United States
Unspecified
texas
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Re:ASL as RPG?
Hey Jpwoo (#26719),
I have actually thought of using ASL for RPG. I contemplated making a WWII milieu, however, I never have. I am currently an avid ASL player and I GM a medieval setting RPG that is now in its 15 year.
Here is the problem that I think that you would run into: it is extremely difficult just to master the ASL rules; strategy mastery will take several years of dedicated play. It has so many intricacies that every time I sit down and play I feel that I learn the game anew. And its not like I am a bad ASL player either(http://www.fchoice.com/styson/record.asp?player=Roy%20Casagr...).
I think that the way to do it would be to start your milieu at the beginning of the war and make the PCs officers. You could also make them members of a crew (gun or AFV) or squad. By making the PCs officers you give them license to control the battle. You as the GM would then need to play the other side. If you allow the PCs to talk to each other then they will the advantage of talking over the strategy with each other. Since the GM has some extra control it would allow the GM to hide (HIP) more units and even do a single blind playing situation. This would make the GM's position most suitable to defense. I am rambling now.
I think it would be hard to do, but it potentially could be a lot of fun. DYO (design your own) and CG (Campaign Game) rules would probably make it possible. Also the solitaire system has a RPG feel to it. You might take ideas from it.
Roy
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Mattias Elfström
Sweden
Unspecified
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Re:ASL as RPG?
Jpwoo (#26719),
Squad Leader is the wrong scale for this type of conversion. The best modern RPG system I've seen (and I have quite a collection) is the James Bond 007 RPG from Victory Games (now out of print). It shouldn't be too hard to find second hand though.
There was even a wargame based on this system (James Bond 007 Assault).
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Devi "Day" Hughes
United States
Irvine
California
Orange County Board Gamers - come play games with us! http://www.ocbg.net
Prince With A Thousand Enemies
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Re:ASL as RPG?
Forget about 'converting' ASL to an RPG; just play a World War II RPG instead. The GURPS RPG has an excellent line of World War II books for just this purpose:
http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/ww2/
The main GURPS World War II book is standalone (actually, it includes a 'lite' version of the GURPS rules), no other GURPS books or experience needed to play.
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Mattias Elfström
Sweden
Unspecified
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Re:ASL as RPG?
Jpwoo (#26719),
I just remembered that there once was a war-rpg called "Commando" (SPI). It had some interesting features that you might want to check out.
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