ASLOK XXXV - 2021 RECAP Wood TD AAR T-Shirt Artwork Thanks to all 113 ASLOK XXXV attendees...After missing 2020 where ASLOK was relegated to VASL due to Covid, it was important to get the gang back together for a Face to Face ASL celebration. Grofaz First Place:  Bob Bendis (5-0-1) [IL] Second Place:  Chad Cummins (4-1) [AZ] Third Place:  Steve Pleva (4-1) [CT] Fourth Place:  J.R. Tracy (4-1) [NY]   USA vs World Cup Overall: World 5 to US 1 World MVP:  Derek Ritter (4-0) US MVP:  Ken Mioduski (1-0) Bonus Minis Factories & Rails #1: Kevin Killeen Factories & Rails #2: Jonathan Kay Pont Grande Bridge: Bill Stoppel Wednesday "Mark Nixon" Minis Theme Winner Godzilla King of the Monsters:  James Taylor Land War in Asia #2:  Ed Beekman Back in the USSR:  Danny Stanhagen AARP ASLers:  Randy Rossi Gor-Gor Heretical Variant:  Bob Bendis Not One Step Back:  David Kocot Not One Step Back #2:  Rich Domovic Back in the USSR #2:  Chad Cummins "Action Burk" Thursday Theme Tourneys Theme Winner Night:  Rodney Callen Pacific:  J.R. VanMechelen Deluxe:  Mike McGrath Tincans & Popguns:  J.R. Tracy It's Like Being There!:  Steve Pleva Across the 38th Parallel:  Kevin Killeen Scandinavian Skirmishes:  Bob Bendis The Friendliest of Fire:  Joe Steadman   Friday "Mark Nixon" Minis Theme Winner Best of the Best (Grofaz mini):  Chad Cummins Best of 2021 (Grofaz mini):  Bob Bendis Rumble in the Jungle:  Dave Ginnard Back to the Beginning:  Paul Sidhu LFT's Greatest Hits:  Derek Pulhamus Like a Boss:  Paul Washington Embracing Variance:  Neil Stanhagen Sam Belcher Memorial:  Nathan Wegener   Saturday Theme Winner Bill Sisler Memorial:  Mike Zeimentz The Emperor's Finest:  J.R. VanMechelen Squad Bleeder VII:  Doug Smith Squad Bleeder VII #2:  Steve Flicker Thunder From Down Under:  Paul Washington Land of the Ice & Snow:  Andy Hershey Wrongway's Ready or Revise?:  Al Kirkpatrick Start Me Up (ASLSK):  Eric Stranger Mini Scenario Lists - List of scenarios for each Mini plus Gor-Gor Special Rules. Personal Information Sheets P.I.S. - Copies of the P.I.S. submitted by each player.

ASL Player Ratings

ASLOK Mini & Grofaz Display Boards

T-Shirt Artwork

TD AAR

Opening Weekend Update:

Stopped by the hotel on Saturday afternoon and around 17 were already in and gaming when I was there. We had 5 on Friday evening which is close to a record for that early. Hopefully we can keep up that pace.

By Sunday attendance was likely pushing 40 - I think I counted 33 definites and am confident I'm missing a few. Once again Dave Ginnard was an incomparable picnic host, entertaining 30-40 hungry ASLers which is a pretty good crowd in a down year. Highlights were Mark Nixon holding court telling stories of various Cons over the years - Origins, Michicon, NOWS etc. But the special guest was Dave Sisler who was thinking he hadn't made an ASLOK since around 2000 or 2001, but was there to share stories of his brother Bill. We definitely missed our foreign guests at Dave's - hopefully next year.

World Cup play is limited to "the Lone Canuck" as Derek Ritter is the only citizen of the world available to play. No pressure there at all. At least the US won in 2018 to make it not quite as big a deal if the US can pull this one out due to not letting any international players into the country...

Monday Update:

Derek opened 3-0 so the World is looking fairly strong at the moment. Jonathan Kay has reinforced the Lone Canuck as well...

Pre-Regs are officially up to 102. 53 through the door so far at least - not 100% sure that count is accurate, but a pretty healthy number already for a Monday evening. Lots of play of the new DTF scenarios today. Fair amount of AP17 play as well, although lots of folks duck Korea it seems. A fair amount of play testing today of new scenarios as well...

The World has a 4-1 lead thru Monday. Derek Ritter is now 4-0 after knocking off James Taylor in one of the new DTF scenarios. Ken Mioduski overcame Jonathan Kay in another DTF scenario to take the early lead for US MVP.

Tuesday Update:

Wild Bill is claiming DTF-15 Storming Lommel as the most played scenario of ASLOK so far...

Bonus Minis

• Factories & Rails #1 - Kevin Killeen beat Pat Cross in the final in Bill Cirillo's latest playtest creation.
• Factories & Rails #2 - Jonathan Kay overcame David Goldman in the final.
• Pont Grande Bridge - Bill Stoppel garnered the first wood of ASLOK XXXV with a win over Jim Svette in the final.

Wednesday Update:

"Official Attendance" is up to 109. 7 minis in full swing today and another 3 "bonus" minis ran Tuesday. The World triumphed in the World Cup again thanks to Derek Ritter's reign of terror which earned him the World MVP. He opened 4-0, but I need to figure out his exact final record. Fairly certain Ken Mioduski pulled US MVP for his triumph over Jonathan Kay. Ken's W avoided us having to have a dice off for all the US players who went 0-0 to see who could claim the MVP.

Wednesday "Mark Nixon" Mini Results

• Godzilla King of Monsters - James Taylor beat Paul Chamberland or let Paul beat himself as Paul's North Koreans took many a break while storming the hill in the new AP182 Sabres Crossed and then boxcarred his first 2 rally rolls which put him way behind the 8 ball...James Taylor & Paul Chamberland are preparing to throw down for the final as only 4 were in. Both first round games played HazMo1 Born Again.
• Back in the USSR - Danny Stanhagen triumphed over Ray Woloszyn in a hard fought final.
• Gor-Gor Heretical Variant - Bob Bendis overcame Joe Steadman in a tight battle which used all of the Heretical Variant rules including lots of broken units using FPF.
• Land War in Asia - Ed Beekman pulled out a win over PTO Master Stan Jackson.
• AARP ASLers - Randy Rossi out lasted Dave Ginnard in AP82 Coriano for the wood. Dave had the Germans.
• Not One Step Back #1 - David Kocot took home the plaque with a win over Paul Washington in the final.
• Not One Step Back #2 - Rich Dominic triumphed with a win over fellow Windy City War Gamer David Goldman in the final.
• Back in the USSR #2 - Chad Cummins pulled out a win over Ken Mioduski in Shouting Into the Storm in a double jeopardy game as the USSR#2 final & a Friday Grofaz mini round 1. Ken had the attacking Germans...

Thursday Update

"Action Burk"Thursday Theme Results

• Night - Rodney Callen triumphed over Paul Sidhu in the final where they went back to the beginning with a playing of scenario H Escape From Velikiye Luki.
• Pacific - "The Bad" J.R., AKA, J.R. VanMechlen beat Stan "the PTO Master" Jackson in a double jeopardy first round mini game on Saturday. Stan managed to make the finals in 3 of the PTO minis, but in a rare year missed bringing home a plaque. I tried to talk Stan into a double jeopardy Grofaz mini but he craftily evaded my TD manipulations...
• Deluxe - Mike McGrath actually woke up by 8AM and crushed the field just like in the olden days. Russ Hall was his final victim in the final.
• Tincans & Popguns - JR Tracy downed Maurizio Grassi in a double jeopardy game of HF6 Jackpot Jones - JR had the Americans.
• It's Like Being There! - Steve Pleva was king of the Historical maps as he KO'd Jim Svette in the final.
• Across the 38th Parallel - play testing pays off for Kevin Killeen as he used his knowledge gained play testing the new AP17 ASLOK pack to fend off the Korean designers as he beat Andy Hershey in round 1 and then knocked off Keith Spurlock in the final.
• Scandinavian Skirmishes - Bob Bendis knocked off Derek "always a Bridesmaid" Pulhamus in the final in hard fought win.
• The Friendliest of Fire - Joe Steadman triumphed over David Kocot in a double jeopardy game to become the first to move to 3-0 in the Grofaz.

Friday Update:

Friday "Mark Nixon" Minis

• Best of the Best (Grofaz) - Chad Cummins' Russians managed to overcome J.R. Tracy's Germans in J1 Urban Guerrillas to take home the Grofaz mini and became the 2nd to advance to 4-0.
• Best of 2021 (Grofaz) - Bob Bendis knocked off Steve Pleva (4-0) in AP169 The Beasts Have Arrived. Steve had the Germans and when I walked by he just got a Tiger APCR hit on a Russkie 122 and then proceeded to 12 the TK roll. Perhaps I was not his good luck charm?
• Rumble in the Jungle - Dave Ginnard overcame Stan Jackson to take home the PTO plaque against a top notch Pacific field.
• Le Franc Tireur's Greatest Hits - Derek Pulhamus triumphs over Matt Zajac to take home the plaque, $10 and a couple of nice bonus prizes provided by LFT & Andy Hershey.
• Embracing Variance - Neil Stanhagen knocked off Jonathan Kay for Plaque Supremacy in HazMo6 Great Vengeance. Neil had the Germans.
• Back to the Beginning - Paul Sidhu triumphed in Han Sur-Neid over Russ Hall in the Squad Leader remakes mini.
• Like A Boss - Paul Washington takes home the wood with a win over David Goldman.
• Sam Belcher Memorial Biggest Loser No More - Nathan Wegener claims his first ASLOK plaque in hard fought win over Mike Cassaro in Rocket's Red Glare. Nathan's Americans were able to close in on the front building for the win.

Friday Grofaz Update

Best of 2021 - Grofaz Mini

• Steve Pleva downed Rodney Callen in a matchup of 2-0's as Steve's Dingoes ate up Rodney's defenders who he decided were way too far forward in hindsight.
• Joe Steadman's Germans knocked off David Kocot in BoF18/FrF30 Bidermann's Escape in a double jeopardy matchup.
• Rich Domovic managed to hold off Kevin Killeen's Dingoes (AKA the Brits) in AP163 Dingoes at Damour in a hard fought matchup.
• Randy Rossi messed everything up by beating JR vanMechlen as Randy had to leave for a wedding...
• Steve Pleva overcame Joe Steadman in AP171 Possl's Posse to become the first to hit 4-0. Joe had the Germans.
• Bob Bendis knocked off fellow Chicagoan Rich Domovic to move to 3-0-1. Bob had the defending Germans in AP171 Possl's Posse.
• Bob Bendis knocked off Steve Pleva in the AP169 The Beasts Have Arrived. Bob had the defending Russians.

Best of the Best - Grofaz Mini

• J.R. Tracy over came Maurizio Grassi in HF6 Jackpot Jones. JR had the Americans.
• Chad Cummins beat Ken Mioduski in a double jeopardy matchup which also settled the Wednesday USSR #2 mini. Chad had the Germans in Shouting Into the Storm (AP62).
• Bob Bendis & Pete Mudge managed to play to a draw somehow. Playing Shouting Into the Storm, the Russians have an initial OB setup group which can setup anywhere & then a choice of groups who are limited to setting up on the 2 back boards. Bob selected the 628's and set one up on the front board and proceeded to kill German after German. A turn or 2 late Pete realized the illegal setup and they settled on a draw as the most equitable solution between the illegal setup and the late realization. Which might be the first tie in Grofaz play...
• Chad Cummins beat JR Tracy in J1 Urban Guerrillas to move to 4-0 in the Grofaz. Chad had the attacking Russians - sounded like it ebbed flowed, but Chad pulled it out in the end.
• JR Tracy & Joe Steadman are playing a matchup of DTF-12 Not One Step Back! to get into the mix for 4th. Joe has the Germans.

Bob Bendis will be playing Chad Cummins in what looks to be the Grofaz final with Steve potentially playing the Tracy/Steadman winner to determine 3rd/4th.

Saturday Update

The new AP did not get a ton of play. Folks seem to have a severe Korea phobia. The 3 non-Korean scenarios did see a healthy amount of play (night, deluxe & all PTO). I didn't hear many complaints at least...

Saturday "Mark Nixon" Minis

• Bill Sisler New Kid in Town - Mike Zeimentz "triumphs" over Mauricio Grazzi in a dice off to settle it as they decided it was too late to settle it on the cardboard battlefield. The good news is Mike won lunch money for the drive home...
• The Emperor's Finest - J.R. VanMechlen takes home his 2nd Pacific Mini plaque with a win over Kevin Killeen.
• Squad Bleeder VII - Doug Smith triumphed over Anthony Flanagan's tank noises outside of Moscow in 1941. Doug bought up the heavy Russian tanks which proved problematic for the Germans.
• Squad Bleeder VII #2 - Steve Flicker overcame Chuck Payne for victory.
• Thunder From Down Under - Paul Washington triumphs over Rodney Callen to take home his 2nd plaque of the week...
• Land of the Ice & Snow - Andy Hershey proved to be the "Winter Bear" as he emerged for victory over Mike Izzo.
• Wrongway's Ready or Revise? - Al Kirkpatrick overcame Ray Vincent to take home the Pete Shelling playtest title.
• Start Me Up (ASLSK) - the Starter Kit mini was actually a highly contested fair with 4 entrants this year, but Eric Stranger emerged victorious with a tight win over John Schneider.
• Rock Boy - Tommy Cvetinovich & Pete Mudge take back the Grand Prize of ASLOK as their Germans emerged victorious in the overnight playing of To The Last Man. It sounded like Tommy got hot and carried the Germans winning 5 of 6 CCs outright and the 6th was mutual destruction. Someone did point out that the last time Rock Boy went to Tommy & Pete, Dave Ginnard was filling in just like this year, but I'm sure that's just a coincidence...

Sunday Update:

Grofaz Update

Chad Cummins and Bob Bendis are currently on turn 3 of DTF-3 True Grit. Chad has the attacking Japanese.

Steve Pleva officially places 3rd, JR Tracy 4th and Joe Steadman slides into the bridesmaid slot at #5...

Chad has it 60/40 Bob at the moment. He thinks he'll get the buildings needed but that Bob is likely to be able to retake the buildings. Bob just set up his T5 reinforcements, but Chad has both planes with bombs and 2 DCs still available but feels he is likely running a tad short of warm bodies at the moment as he's down to around 10 squads.

Otherwise a relatively slow exit day as Matt Zajac and Wild Bill battling in AP108 Yes Sir! is the only other action currently taking place. Maurizio and Matt had a morning game as well...

Bob Bendis the ASLOK XXXV champion as he overcame Chad Cummins Japanese by the thinnest of margins. He managed to hang onto 7 buildings and didn't need to take any back on the final turn. A wild CC gave Chad a chance, but he was slightly behind for the last few turns it seemed...

Official Grofaz Finish:

1. Bob Bendis [IL] (5-0-1)
2. Chad Cummins [AZ] (4-1)
3. Steve Pleva [CT] (4-1)
4. J.R. Tracy [NY] (4-1)
5. Joe Steadman [GA] (3-2)

Responding to a question on why Mike McGrath didn't participate in the Grofaz despite going 14-0 for the week: After winning 8 of the first 16, Mike retired from the Grofaz and hasn't returned. He did get up at 8AM on Thursday to win the Deluxe mini this year which was kind of shocking in itself. But I think in general he's happy to just play the folks he wants to and have fun at this point...

Post ASLOK Medical Updates

Just a heads up - James Taylor informed me that he wasn't feeling well on Monday and got tested for Covid that afternoon and has now found out he tested positive. I believe James already reached out via email to everyone he played/was in close proximity with a lot, but we felt it was wise to let everyone know.

The good news is James is feeling better already and seems to have a mild case but he notes it was the "worst flu he's had in a long time". Anyway, if you're not feeling well, it may be prudent to get tested.

FYI - Randy Rossi has also tested positive for Covid as well unfortunately. Mild symptoms so far at least...