Texas ASL Tournament

GJK · May 12, 2014, 10:00:52 AM

If any of you guys are in or planning to be in the Austin, TX area for the weekend of June 19-22, the 22nd annual Texas ASL team tournament will be going on. They are hosting a Starter Kit mini-tournament as well this year. I'll be there. Anybody interested?

More info here by the way: http://www.texas-asl.com/index.html

bayonetbrant · May 12, 2014, 10:37:53 AM

very cool - wish I could come play!

BanzaiCat · May 21, 2014, 08:23:04 AM

Austin's not far from me but it's been decades since I've pushed SL counters around.

GJK · May 21, 2014, 09:54:31 AM

You don't have to play; it's neat just to come watch. There's also some good wargame stores (FLGS's) in Austin. You should stop by some time and we can play *something* face to face.

BanzaiCat · May 21, 2014, 10:30:53 AM

Ha, figures...I just checked the calendar and my nose is so far in work I forget that I'm going on a cruise out of San Juan that week - I'm flying out the 13th and not back until the 22nd. Let me know if something like this happens again, I can try to make it out there when I'm not on a cruise ship in the eastern Caribbean. ;)

GJK · May 21, 2014, 12:02:08 PM

Take your favorite boardgame and play on the deck of the ship the whole time. No need to go on those silly shore excursions and no worry about pieces getting blown around all over the place!

Seriously though, any time that you want to come out my way, let me know. We can go to the FLGS and set up a game at my place.

solops · June 09, 2014, 11:13:49 PM

Hmmm, I don't play ASL, but I might drive over just to see the people. I have not been to an event since the 90s in Dallas where I played a Europa Torch scenario I wrote.

GJK · June 10, 2014, 06:42:00 AM

If you're in the area or will be in the area at that time, for sure stop on by. I do that every year whether or not I'm playing. It's cool to see a room full of geeks, er grogs, rolling dice into dice towers or cups while hunched over the maps...sweat dripping off their brow. The stench and atmosphere is one to not be missed!

BanzaiCat · June 10, 2014, 09:50:26 AM

Quote from: GJK on May 21, 2014, 12:02:08 PM
Take your favorite boardgame and play on the deck of the ship the whole time. No need to go on those silly shore excursions and no worry about pieces getting blown around all over the place!

Seriously though, any time that you want to come out my way, let me know. We can go to the FLGS and set up a game at my place.

If I'm out that way, I'll definitely drop you a line beforehand, GJK. That would be great, as there's few wargamers in my immediate area. There's gaming groups, but they're clear on the other side of town unfortunately.

Michael Dorosh · September 07, 2014, 08:00:33 AM

Quote from: GJK on June 10, 2014, 06:42:00 AM
If you're in the area or will be in the area at that time, for sure stop on by. I do that every year whether or not I'm playing. It's cool to see a room full of geeks, er grogs, rolling dice into dice towers or cups while hunched over the maps...sweat dripping off their brow. The stench and atmosphere is one to not be missed!

How did it go this year?

I can still picture the entrance when you and I stopped in on our way to visit Dallas (or was it the Alamo) a few years ago. We stepped into the bliss of the air-conditioned lobby and this slightly dazed looking fellow who was obviously sleep deprived lurched toward us. His hair was standing straight up, and he was wearing a rumpled t-shirt and sweatpants that were tucked into one of his socks. I didn't even need to read the logo on the shirt to realize "we're obviously in the right place."

It was nice to meet some of the guys who I've talked to online during the brief visit. The tournament and club organizer in Austin has done a remarkable job and I get the sense the Texas event is considered a premier event, at a national level, in many eyes. I seem to recall Chas Argent from MMP had been one of the people we met the year we dropped by.

GJK · September 07, 2014, 08:55:29 PM

Quote from: Michael Dorosh on September 07, 2014, 08:00:33 AM

How did it go this year?

Unfortunately I was unable to attend because of some unexpected personal things that came up (all is ok). I had registered and committed to entering the tourney and was disappointed that I was unable to attend. However the guys still purchased and set aside my swag for me that I actually just picked up last week. I plan on making it next year, hell or high water!

GJK · June 27, 2015, 11:51:57 PM

Ok, drudging up this old topic instead of starting a new one...

I was able to attend this year and spent the day there playing today and had a great time! My thanks go out to Rick and Sam and all the guys from the Texas-ASL groups (North, South, Central, East Texas) that help to organize and put together these cool tournaments. The North tourney is in November I believe and I'm thinking that I'd love to go up for that one too. 57 players signed up this year. Not all were able to make it but there were at least 50 of us I'd say.

Here's some pictures that I snapped from todays action:

The tournament was held at the Wingate Hotel in Round Rock Texas for the 4th year now (I believe). Very nice accomodations but I think that they may be outgrowing it as the conference/game room had every seat filled. Here's a look from halfway in to the room (SPR playing on screen because we needed the extra motivation.... :) )

Next series of shots are just some of the games that were going on around my table:

Even a little bit of Up Front was being played:

My first game of the day was vs a new player to ASL - this was his very first game vs another person. So we covered some basics and then dove in to S1 (Starter Kit Scenario 1, "Retaking Vierville"). David was able to pull out the victory by keeping my Germans out of the buildings that make up the victory locations. In fact, I had actually secured one of the buildings (of which I only needed one to win) on the next to last turn but he was able to regain control of it so good job by David.

My next game was vs the tournament host (Rick Reinesch) who promptly spanked me around....losing my Tiger to a pair of charging Shermans and it was all downhill for me at that point):

The really cool part of the tournament was the trophies given to the tournament winners (to be decided and awarded tomorrow):

And the door prizes that went out to each person present:

And my swag!

I got the complete set of minature rules by John Hill that cover the American Civil War (to be fought in a home state near you again soon!) called Across a Deadly Field. Also, some more mini's books for Bolt Action. I also got Line of Fire issue #10 featuring the game Dawn's Early Light, a cool T-shirt to go with last years, an awesome set of tweezer's that are inscribed and some funny buttons that I will wear to work every day next week (ok, not really):

If anybody is in the Texas area and is interested in ASL, either to learn it or to find some people to play it with, then check out the Texas ASL website and come out and join them/us/me. :)

bayonetbrant · June 28, 2015, 06:51:37 AM

Looks like a great time!