Episode 305: Tangled up in Rules

Let's attempt to untangle the prisoner rules shall we?  We saw Rich help us out with that tangled web in Episode 302 and we learned a lot. So, it's time for a little quiz show style rule review. The banter is a bit long on this one but Dave takes the time to discuss his little vacation.  The one that made this episode a tad late.  There are pictures included on the Youtube version of this episode. Before we have all that fun we present a masterpiece of a song; Tangled up in Rules. Thanks again to Dennis Donovan. SHOWTIMES 0:01 Song: Tangled up in Rules  5:26 Banter 17:34 Rules  50:11 Contest winners announced  56:30  Total Running Time  SHOW LINKS Grand Ole Opry  The 2 Half-Squads is brought to you by Bounding Fire Productions and kind donations from listeners like you. The views and opinions expressed on The 2 Half-Squads are not necessarily those of the hosts.  Tangled Up In RulesConcept:  Jeff HallettWritten by Jeff Hallett and Dennis DonovanVocals, music, and mixing: FireflyEarly one morning, the sun was shiningI was playin’ ‘gainst Fred Startin’ up a new campaign gameOne from the Barricades, Red We both played ASL togetherJust couldn’t play it enoughWe never did like that Squad Leader messThe rulebook wasn’t big enoughNow it’s time to get the show on the road Wondering what units to chooseSetting up will take weeks at most Lord knows there’s SSRs, to go throughTangled up in rulesHe was married when we first metSoon to be divorcedHelped him through a rough time, oh yes With Advanced Squad Leader of course We played that game as much as we couldNever gave it a restStayed up late most every nightArguing, but only in jestHe poked around in Chapter BAs I was yakkin’ awayHeard him mumble something ‘bout “ rubbleCollapsing on a wide city avenue?”Tangled up in rulesI had a half-track set up in some woods Lurking on the flank for a spellBut it wasn’t really doing all that muchThen one turn some mortar shells fellSo I read all about area fireChapter C, 1 point 5-5Knowin’ he’d smile and probably gloat If my half-track got destroyedBut the HT’s partially armoredSo I asked around onlineI’ve seen a lot of answersBut none made sense in my mind What else is new??Tangled up in rules He was lookin’ in the Perry SezWhen I popped opened a beerI just kept reading the Chapter C pagesThe examples aren’t so clearAnd later on when we figured it outFinally gettin’ back to our gameHe was saying, “I’m still not quite clear‘bout that whole open-topped thang.”I muttered somethin’ underneath my breath And studied the links on the pageI must admit I felt a little uneasyWhen he pointed out some errata from Journal 2Tangled up in rulesI'd setup for a perfect shot‘Twas no way I could loseHe walked into my clever trapPut his men's heads in the noose.I rolled a six & yelled, “I got ya good!”He said. “I hate to disappoint you,Your squad's of the inexperienced kindAnd that machine gun's captured, tooAnd did you forget that the SSRSaid the ammunition was short?And I must point out your sustained fireWill only add to the growing list of your blues…”Tangled up in rulesHe took a burger off the stove,And offered me a bite“I see you read Chapter O,” he said“Your eyes hurt from the tiny type?”Then he opened his book of rulesAnd showed me something he’dWritten down in the margins were notesFrom 1993And every one of those notes was trueThere were all from an ol’ Q & A on the last page ofAvalon Hill’s ASL Annual ‘92Tangled up in rules I fought against him in Stalingrad’s streetsIn the cellars under the stairs There were Ruskis on the attack at nightAnd starshells in the airRussians are stealthy for ambush but Conscripts aren’t, I realizedHe won most all ambush rollsAnd lots of my guys died When the star shells finally burned out His squads had all withdrawnThe only thing I knew how to doWas to keep on playing on, like in A point 2**Tangled up in rules So now I’m really confused againI got to figure it out somehowAll the rules that I thought I knewAre eluding me right nowSome CG SSRsSome in Chapter HDon’t know where errata’s listedI don’t know why we chose this campaign And me, I’m still scratchin’ my head Wondering what’s the point12 years now we’ve been playing our gameAnd haven’t even started German, Turn 2Tangled up in rules **A.2 ERRORS:  All errors stand once play has progressed past the point of commission.  Download this episode (right-click and Save)