Any SP players also do tabletop wargames?
 

I apologize if this is somewhat off topic, though I hope not.
If a mod decides to move or delete the thread, I'll understand though.

Steel Panthers always felt like a hardcore tabletop wargame to me, and I'd be surprised if there weren't some wargamers amongst the original designers.

So I figured I'd see if there's any tabletop wargamers out there who also enjoy Steel Panthers (as a sort of ultimate board game)

This can be either board games (I own copies of the venerable World in Flames and a few others) or miniatures games (too many to count, but Crossfire, PBI 2, Face of battle, I aint been shot mum, Troops weapons & tactics and Nuts are once we play quite a lot)

Cheers and again, apologies if this is too far off topic.

Ivan

Re: Any SP players also do tabletop wargames?
 

I'm a long time wargamer. Started with Avalon Hill's Afrika Korps, when it first came out, mid 70's maybe? Then Squad Leader when it came out, transition to the current Advanced Squad Leader and still play it to this day.

Re: Any SP players also do tabletop wargames?
 

I've always wanted, but I was too young to have the money for battle figures (besides self-made blood bowl proxies).
I wonder which system is the most interesting to get me and some friends into. Maybe "Mein Panzer"?

Re: Any SP players also do tabletop wargames?
 

I had a very large collection of 32nd and 72nd scale. Mostly Airfix soldiers from all the major nations and quite a few vehicles, buildings, bridges etc.

I must have carefully boxed up thousands of pieces. The 72nd scale in tobacco tins, the 32nd scale in one and half gallon plastic tubs. I left them in my mother's loft and left the country for a few years.

I came back one year and found out she'd given the lot away! :doh:


Cross

Re: Any SP players also do tabletop wargames?
 

I guess, to add insult to injury, that she's given them to some 8-year kid.

Re: Any SP players also do tabletop wargames?
 

I'm not certain exactly how I missed this thread.

I'm a huge wargammer myself, mainly of the Avalon Hill variety.
Miniatures have always intrigued me, especially 1/72 but I do not have the time or the space to really get into something like that.
Besides, with so many games that literally "borrowed" the rules from existing miniatures games to create "board" games I tend to get the overall experience anyway. There is something truly awesome about a miniature army, though.

Now for some shameless promotion just in case nobody was aware:

If you are interested in playing practically any board game ever made via the internet, I emphatically encourage you to check out http://www.vassalengine.org/
VASSAL is a thriving community surrounding a vast user generated board game service.
Also for those of you Squad Leaders:
http://www.wargameacademy.org/sqla/
This is Bill Thomson's Squad Leader organization, I highly recommend getting on their e-mail list.
Lastly is ConsimWorld:
http://social.consimworld.com/
another great resource for getting in touch with other grognards.

Most of this is probably old hat but I like to maintain some awareness of this hobby. Computer gaming is great (especially Steel Panthers;)) and has relieved many rulebook headaches but there is still something great about tabletop games.

Re: Any SP players also do tabletop wargames?
 

Hey, that vassal engine looks very cool, if anyone wants to try a game to see how it goes drop me a PM.

Re: Any SP players also do tabletop wargames?
 

Looks interesting. Which module do you recommend?.

Re: Any SP players also do tabletop wargames?
 

I'm certainly glad that there is some interest in VASSAL. Frankly, I just assumed that most Steel Panthers players came from or were already using VASSAL.

It can be difficult to "break into" one's favorite game on VASSAL unless it is very popular. First, many people do not actually have their old games anymore and some of them have become quite valuable and difficult to obtain (ebay to the rescue). Of course, all of these games are still someone's intellectual property and thus it is illegal to play the game without actually owning a physical copy. Usually, to prevent legal disputes the module developers obtain permission and this permission is contingent on the module not containing the game's rules in any form. Also there can be difficultly in locating a compatible player. However, many games/modules have a homepage for the people who designed the module. There you can usually find contact info for players looking for a game. Also, boardgamegeek.com and consimworld are good starts. I doubt that the Shrapnel folks appreciate us using their servers to hook up for gaming on VASSAL. At the very least it is impolite.

VASSAL mainly caters to fans of Advanced Squad Leader (actually this where its name comes from) but the utility found in such a service was quite useful in hundreds of other "cult" or disappearing games. Ironically, turning to the microcomputer, the device that caused the downfall of the big war game companies, is really the only plausible option for saving the games' player base. Perhaps even stranger is the fact that the player base for many of the more popular titles (ASL, PanzerBlitz, etc) has actually begun to expand for the first time since the '80's.

Personally, I use VASSAL for Squad Leader and Firepower but I have played many other games through their system. Nearly every module that I have played was quite well done.
Recommending modules would be difficult. Most people come to VASSAL looking to play a game that they've played for years and are not really looking for something new. Furthermore, the best modules are exact clones of their board game counterpart, so creativity or originality are not necessarily positive traits. I suppose I should mention that many people have created original games exclusively for VASSAL that have no board game origins.

Currently I am a full time college student and as such I do not have enough time to devote to such games; however, I usually maintain at least one PBEM with an old friend.

I simply saw this thread and could not keep my big mouth shut.
Happy Gaming!

Re: Any SP players also do tabletop wargames?
 

Don't know, but apparently most boardgames are avaiable, i always wanted to try squad leader, seems fun to play...

Re: Any SP players also do tabletop wargames?
 

Squad Leader is an incredible game but most of the fun of it is captured by WinSPWWII. It has some really neat features and some unique rules that make the game one of a kind. Frankly, if I could do it all over again I would never have played Squad Leader and instead started with Advanced Squad Leader. There is a long story to all of this but I can assure you that picking up either the original SL or ASL would be money well spent.

A copy of SL, used and punched goes for less than $30 on ebay. On the other hand you can buy the ASL rulebook for around $50. In fact ASL, to some extent is still in print by a little company called Multi-Man publishing.

Either way, if you love Steel Panthers you'll love Squad Leader.

Re: Any SP players also do tabletop wargames?
 

Guess that this Vassal engine thing becomes useful then. :)

Re: Any SP players also do tabletop wargames?
 

Takes me back.
Must be 20 years since I last played Squad Leader.

Re: Any SP players also do tabletop wargames?
 

Just letting any Squad Leader players know that the 2012 Squad Leader Tournament is open for registration. The tournament is quite flexible and will accommodate players of varying skill. If you've been considering getting back into Squad Leader now is the time!

All information is available at here: http://sites.google.com/site/reconin...ql_trny_survey

Please don't post questions/replies about this tourney here, it's kinda rude to Shrapnel; however, if you do have questions PM me or get in touch with Bill Thompson through the link above.

Good Luck!