Hey everyone,
Just got my SP11 in my hands. Here's some first impressions:
For articles, has the standard 'how-to' sections for each new scenario. Also, a standard historical piece, this one by Evan Sherry covering the Japanese. Looks somewhat interesting. Also, an article I'm pretty sure Roy and Bryan co-authored under an assumed name: The Languages of ASL; The Rulebook as Anti-Text. Haven't
actually read it, but the last sentence talks about "a discussion of ideological point of view in scenario analyses, as well as an exegesis of the shamanistic elements of the ASL scenario card." No joke on that, and certainly not your standard ASL fare.
But enough about the articles, because SP is really all about the scenarios. Here's a quick overview:
Expelling The Guards: 1942 Russians/Germans, with the Krauts trying to kick the Russians off a hill. Combined arms for both sides, looks fun.
The Badger's Breath: 1945 Canadians vs Germans. As you might guess, scenario features a Badger FT vehicle. Also has some 5-4-8 fallschirmjagers. Interestingly,
the Badger is on the defense.
Constant Sorrow: 1945 Free French and Germans. Looks like a highly mobile Allied force beating up low quality German infantry and some Jagdtigers. Seems like The Feinistein Factor (I think) from last issue, just off the card and my unreliable memory.
Danger Close: 1944 Americans, Germans, Battle Of Bulge. Germans attacking with Hetzers against Ami 150mm OBA.
Nunshigum: 1944, Gurkhas and Japanese. On the smaller side of things. 16 total squads, 4.5 turns.
Malignant Mahrattas: 1944 Indians, Japanese. I like the scenario name, but is another fairly small offering. 18 total squads, 5.5 turns.
Bleed Gurkha Bleed! 1942, Japanese and...wait for it..Gurkhas! Looks interesting, attacking Japanese and Gurkhas on hills.
Rupee Reward: 1942, Chinese/Japanese. Attacking Chinese need to capture huts. I always like playing those dare-death guys, so could be fun.
Locking Horns At Lozovaja: 1943, Germans/Russians, snow and winter cammo. SS and StuGs trying to evict Russians and T-34s from the board 49 town. Looks like lots of fun.
The Tiger's Whiskers: 1943. Pete Shelling doing another Kursk offering. SS and Tigers going at dug-in Russians. Another one I want to play.
Timmerman's Bridge: 1945, Pershings taking the Remagen bridge away from the Germans.
Pocket Panzers: 1944. Market Garden. Germans with Panthers trying to push American paratroopers and Cromwells off a pontoon bridge. Also looks pretty fun.
Overall, looks like another decent offering from the guys at Schwerpunkt. A few of the PTO scenarios seem a bit small, but at least they avoided a big late-war heavy-metal slugfest for once. Now, off to read up on the shamanistic elements of the ASL scenario card!
Zeb
