Competition Fever

This last two weeks has seen me enter not one but two competitive games. Given that it's something I just don't do a great deal of (yes I play very competitively but not in competitions). Does that mean I have changed my spots? Will I change my style? And just what exactly am I playing?

Well anyone who has ever played this game will know exactly what I have signed up for. I joined the waiting list for this game about 4 -6 months ago in one of the few paper zines that still seem to be in existence in the UK. I have managed to get my second choice in Germany and so am ready to roll. My only concern is that Austria has no e-mail address which could effect how well we work together. For those who have not played the Diplomacy, Germany and Austria really need to work together for either to do well. If one falls the other tends to follow. Signing up for a postal Diplomacy game is really signing up for the long haul, unless you get knocked out early then games can run on for years. We have an international set of players and as such it should be rather interesting, I will report here on my progress (or lack there of) but if you want to follow all the other games or join one or more take a sub of Fury of the Northmen or FuN as it's also called. Games currently being played, Chess, Britannia, Diplomacy (now two games) and waiting lists for Chess and Diplomacy. Get in touch with me and I will supply Colin's address for you.

The other game is in fact a league. Committed through the rest of this year but I am sure I will play in following years as well. This is the ASLeague, a play by mail ASL League that has three month deadlines to play a scenario. Live play is allowed so you can hurry a game along if required but for the most part it is played out via VASL. It has received a great deal of interest and we have three Divisions this time round with over 70 players. Next year these Divisions will be seeded to an extent so the better players will get a chance to lock horns. This year will only have three rounds but regular years will have four. My first game is already well under way and I have just had a really rough turn, losing two Sherman's to a hidden SPG. On the bright side I have made good forward progress with my infantry. It really is still very open and any ones game.

I have cut down the map but have crossed half the boards, I am the tan (British) and need to control the Church and the woods hex. Casualties do not count against me. The pic shows me half way through my turn 3 move out of 8 turns. I am already flanking the top German unit, a half squad and hero. At this point we both have a lot of units Concealed (marked with a ?) this is mainly because we are fighting in Bocage so gaining concealment is easy. My units at the bottom have a few issues not the least in losing the two tanks but Ken my opponent has problems of his own with not enough forces forced to cover to much ground. The scenario AP33 Second Cristot has a reputation for being very well balanced based on reported playings (about 40 wins for each side) so it's set to be an excellent game.

As for how I intend to play them. Well just the same, play all out to win but have lots of fun getting there. But no that's the total sum of competitive play for now. The ASLeague just allows me to play a few other players that's all.