The 2 Half-Squads

Admit it -- you LIKE playing with GUNS. The more, the better. You don't want just one or two to choose from. You want LOTS of guns. Well, we guarantee you there is no better selection among ANY game on the planet than those available in ASL. Even the best video games pale in comparison to the bevy of beautiful, blazing artillery pieces provided in even the most basic of ASL modules. With that in m...

It's great to have guests and do interviews, but sometimes it's nice to get back to basics. This time it's just the two of us and The Rule Book, hunkered down and in it deep. The main topic of this episode is Bypass Movement. It must have pained the Starter Kit designers to make the decision to leave out the bypass rules, and the introduction of bypass must be one of the top most compelling and en...

Today we fill the broadcast foxhole to capacity and hold our first "round table" discussion. Can you guess the topic? Well, if you answered "Advanced Squad Leader", you are absolutely correct. Joining us today are three Chicago-area ASL veterans, Louie Tokarz, Rich Spilky and Bob Holmstrom. Add to that mix ASL vet and T2HS co-host, Dave Kleinschmidt, and we have an ASL virtuoso quartet gathered fo...

One of the benefits of producing a netcast like this one is the opportunity it gives us to interview various ASL "celebrities". So far none of them have shown any self-awareness of that "celebrity" status, though they all most assuredly deserve the title, given the time and effort they dedicate to the hobby and -- more importantly -- donate to the community. Our guest today is no exception, though...

August was a busy month for us, especially with a fun-packed, four-day excursion to Indianapolis for GenCon. But we were still able to record a couple of fantastic T2HS (The 2 Half-Squads) episodes -- the first of which we offer here for your approval. In "Get Movin'!" we continue our series covering, in detail, the phases of the game.  And if you can't guess which phase is covered this time you s...

Ah yes, we hate to say it but the end of summer break is drawing nigh (here in the Northern latitudes, anyway) and soon the kids will be back in school. With all the homework, projects, sports, and other scholastic activities monopolizing the lives of our youngsters, how are we adults to fill the empty hours? Hmmm. How about some ASL? In this episode, we go to prep school -- Prep Fire Phase school...

This episode's main topic is Fire weapons: Flame Throwers and Molotov Cocktails. This episode was our first LIVE audience show. Thanks to technology provided by TalkShoe we were able to broadcast our audio live on the internet and were joined live by listeners. It was pretty cool. We had about twenty-five people joining us via chat and call-in. We need to work out a few kinks in the technology, bu...

Now that we've spent a couple of episodes talking about tanks, we thought it time to take a look at a lighter topic -- what the lonely soldier could do to combat those nasty AFV's. With that in mind, this installment examines the ins and outs of Light Anti Tank Weapons (aka LATW's). Join us for an in-depth quiz show that is sure to inform and delight. So sit down, keep your hand near the buzzer ....

Hello! This episode should have photos if you use itunes! We will also put them on the flickr side bar. This episode features Tim Klepaczyk's Germans defending against Ron Schatz's Americans in a Starter Kit #2 scenario called 88's at Zon. Neutral commentary is provided by Dave and special guest Larry Schroeder provides a lively end game analysis. Don't miss the exiting finish to this game! Then j...

Finally, another ASL Extra! The scenario featured this time is S23 MONTY'S GAMBLE from Starter Kit #3. As you have requested we are taking care of our Starter Kit listeners. Of course we hope ALL our listeners will enjoy listening to Ron Schatz and Dave analyze this one. Also included is an interview with Ron at the end.  Break out board u, or pull it up from VASSL and have a grand old time mockin...

This time we are happy to have Lars Thuring join us via Skype from his home in Germany.  Lars is a long time ASLer and one of the master-minds behind the upcoming (and FINAL) ASL module, Hakkaa Paalle!. Join us as we mercilessly throw him the really tough questions such as, "how do you pronounce 'hakka palle'", "do you make big money designing scenarios", and "can you get MMP to put Dave's name on...

Dim the lights and get comfortable as we raise the curtain on another brilliant ASL drama. After some fascinating listener mail, Jeff discusses the benefit of Preparation H, after which Dave dazzles with yet another engrossing Box Art Review Oh, the humanity! We then get into the meat of the show, a dramatic dialog on the ASOP (Advanced Sequence of Play) section on the Rally Phase. Finally, Dave p...

Welcome to Tanks University. Here's our university level course on tanks. We're happy to welcome visiting Professor of Tankology (PhT) Bob Holmstrom for a lesson on Vehicle Overrun. Strap on your thinking helmets and be prepared to take copious notes as Dr. Bob leads us through this oft-avoided -- but oh, so fascinating -- territory. We also discuss Platoon Movement of tanks, discuss the ASL Open,...

Newbie-Do is a mini-series designed specifically for the new ASL player. In this first installment, Jeff and Joe play through two turns of Starter Kit 1's first scenario, "Retaking Verville". We cover victory conditions and setup, and then walk step-by-step through each phase -- explaining in each event in detail as we progress. If you never played ASL before or are confused by the phases and such...

It's business as usual in the broadcast foxhole, which means our carefully laid plans to talk in-depth about Phases in ASL quickly fall apart amidst a lot of other monkey business. Still, we do finally get down to a good discussion of the pre-game sequence. We'll be covering the rest of the phases (hopefully) next time. We hope you enjoy this one. Thanks for listening! Show Guide: Listener feedbac...

In this Extra Episode Mike Stubits plays Dave K. in AP 44 The Burial Mound. Set up your boards and follow along if you dare. Rich Spilky provides the neutral commentary in this after action report of a scenario that is on the ASL Open list. Hope you can learn something from this scenario analysis. You need boards 56,57,and 58 or look them up as VASL. Thanks to Mr. Waller you can hit the link to th...

It's Spring! A time when a young man's fancy turns to thoughts of . . . mortars? Well, that's where our thoughts have turned. It's too early (at least here in mid-western North America) to bring out the gardening tools, so instead we celebrate the season by hauling out another handy tool -- the mortar. Test your knowledge (and endurance) with our mortar quiz show. Also in this episode: What's in t...

After too long a break, we are back with the next exciting installment. And here we are very happy to announce The 2 Half-Squads t-shirts! We can't remember what made us think anyone would want to admit -- let alone advertise -- they listen to this podcast, but here they are, and to tell the truth, they're pretty darn nice shirts. If you want one, here's how to order. Send us an email stating how...

Join us for a great game of scenario A103 MAYHEM IN MANILA. Two excellent and well respected players give us a glimpse of their thought and strategies as Bob Holmstrom's Japanese try to defend a stone building or two from Bob Miller's attacking Americans. You need deluxe boards a-d to follow along (or just a good imagination, or go on VASL and look at the boards there). Addendum: Click on the link...

Happy New Year to all from The 2 Half-Squads! It’s going to be a great year for ASL, thanks in part to the efforts of our guest today, Rich Spilky. Rich is a long-time ASLer with a passion for finding better ways to play the game. And to him that means simplifying the decoding of complicated rules and complex circumstances. Available for download at the link below, Rich has created a variety of ta...