The 2 Half-Squads

It's an unbelievable show with stunning bombshells dropping all over the show. We continue our interviews from March Madness with Rick Reinesch, who gives us a great insiders take on the new Mannerheim Cross as well as many other interesting tidbits.   Jeff DeYoung also graces us with an interview and we have a thoroughly enjoyable time hearing the bombshell that Jeff drops on us.  AMAZING!  

SHOWTIMES
0:01 Small Talk
8:30  Rick Reinisch
40:00 Jeff DeYoung
55:30 Total Running Time


 

In the Box we find Slaughter at Ponyri. In this episode we take the time to have a first look at the components and the terrain rules included with this powerful looking game. 

Opening song is a new one, Minimum Move!

Dave made it to March Madness and all Jeff got was a lousy T-Shirt.  Actually it is a cool T-Shirt of the Korean design.  Dave got the 2025 T from Kansas City ASL guys that has all participants on the back as various leader or  Hero counters. 

Opening song was a repeat...

This is the moment that Mannerheim Cross is presented to the world!  Bounding Fire Productions is bringing down the hammer with this one.  In this episode we cover the contents of said game. The components and maps and such. The winner of Best of Friends 2 is announced also.

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Best of Friends on the Archive

Thanks to Dennis for another roaring song parody to get this show off on the right foot.  Reminding us to establish those fields of fire. Lastly we take a deep dive into Best of Friends 2 Advanced Squad Leader Scenario pack that brings us some of the fantastic work from our friends in Sweden.

So said the fath...

Get ready to play a lot of VAASAL during this years ASL eOpen 2025. We talk with Dave Goldman who explains how to sign up, how the tournament works and other details.  It is one of the largest online tournaments.  You can actually win some cash prizes! Register today.  And Dave does a deep dive into Action Pack 14. 

Startin’ PTO, with a good friend of mine

It’...

You can't have a better person than Bret Hildebran to come on the show.  We are lucky enough to have
him grace the Broadcast Foxhole with his wisdom and insight as the Director of Advanced Squad Leader Oktoberfest Tournament in Ohio.  It is the largest tournament in terms of ASL players in attendance. 

Once upon a time, Kyle sent us a letter about playing Advanced Squad Leader Starter Kit Solitaire (or solo). Kyle plays both sides and he does not have a split personality.  Although, in the picture to the right it does look like his defense has been frustrated by his own attack. Join us as Kyle reminds us why we like full ASL, other games, and most importantly why Starter Kit is so good, and why playing against yourself has it's virtues. 

Happy Holidays All!  Jump into the Broadcast Foxhole with us and hear a What Have You Been Playing Lately segment that covers Dave and Dave's game of Scenario FB 13: Don't Economize. What better way to enjoy the holidays than having a listen and sipping some warm cider along with that nice big bowl of Sugar Tanks. After that we open our present and find Action Pack 13 in the box. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanza and Happy New Year!

SHOW TIMES
0:02  Sugar Tanks Song
3:00 Banter
10:00 Letters
22:00 What Have You Been Playing Lately?<...

Getting this one done a bit late, but is it really better late than never? Mike Ryzy joins us in the podcast foxhole as we take a look at the Gun rules and Action Pack #13. The sound is a bit staticky at points so bear with us. Dave talks about the movie Red One and his upcoming Frostgrave game. He just never shuts up and he is a showoff.  

The ASLOK interviews continue with an interview with Alan Findlay of Broken Ground Design. Alan walks us through all of the amazing new products that are available. He gives us a super close up look. Thank you Alan.  Remember to volunteer to playtest the Chaco Wars scenarios for Steve Swann and Alan.  Box Art Review makes it's return featuring the art from Journal #14. We end with a brief look at a game that Bendis and Summers (they're famous) played at ASLOK. 

SHOWTIMES
0:02 MASH Parody Song (lyrics by D. Donovan, Performed by The 2 Half-Squads Singers)
3:34 Greetings
...

Hey, look what's in the mailbag!  We got some letters, and we open the show with that. After a look at some cool technological advances in playing aids, Wai Wong and Jonathan Kay from Canada give us a look at ASLOK and their thoughts on all things Advanced Squad Leader. 

Don't take the wrong way to Cinicnnati.  ASLOK's not there!  ASLOK was near Cleveland, in Aurora,Ohio as a matter of fact. this show features two of our interviews from the tourney. The first is with Ed Beekman of the North Texas Shootout Tournament.  Ed discusses his gaming background and the Northern branch of the ASL gaming groups. And he offers a copy of "A Fistful of Scenarios Pack" as a prize. Offer ends 11/15/2024.  Dave Wiesanhahn joins us and gives us the scoop on the DC Conscripts. 

Oh boy, have we got a show for you!  Not only do we bring back our special guest from last show, Mike Ryzy, but we also give you a great opening SONG with lyrics by D. Donovan and beautiful vocals by Megan K.

But that's not all! We also present a rip roaring edition of Quiz Show/ Rules that finishes rule C10. Would you believe that we have  the usual and somewhat interesting BANTER?

Mike Ryzy brings the box for this show and he gives us a look inside Special Ops #12. Why Special Ops #12? Because it came in the mail. It has a new map and 4 scenarios (2 for Starter Kit), and a look at Jim Bishops article on the third die for R.O.F. 

Rule C10 finishes off the show for today. 

 Sleeze Freezer! An Advanced Squad Leader parody song replay from episode 180. It relates well to the Heretical rules Sleeze Freeze rule rewrite from last episode. From part one of the Pleva interview.  This show presents part one of said interview. Enjoy!

The marvelous Steven Pleva is our guest today. Steve is one of the better players of the game and has won many tournaments during his storied career. In part one of this interview he discusses the Pleva Heretical Rules and several other topics. 

We are unworthy!

The 2 Half-Squads is brought to you by Bounding Fire Productions, and kind donations from listeners like you.<...

ASL After Midnight! Finally an Advanced Squad Leader parody song that is about the victorious side of the game, rather than all of our wargaming foibles and faults. Donovan's game must have improved over the years. We finish off our coverage of the rules in section A with the rule 26: Victory Conditions. Now you will be able to go back to all those games you  have on hold and tally up the winner of each one.  That only took us 16 years. 
Picture of Vincent Maresca's Dice Tower
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None today
SHOW TIMES
00:01 "ASL After Mid...

It's those scary rout rules! Yes, we finally tackle them in the rules section. They read fairly easy but require that 2 page example in the rule book.  Must be a bit challenging. 

These rules here guys

A10.5 (can't explain)

Smartest guys in the world

Yeah, any Rout Rules, yea...

Jump with us into the box and land on a brand new Bounding Fire Production called Bitterest Day. It includes a wonderful map of the Sugar Loaf Hill area on Okinawa, a sheet of counters, scenarios and more. 

Lyrics by Dennis Donovan 

Performed by The 2 Half Squad Singers

I have thre...

We hope that you enjoy the reprise of  Dennis Donovan's ASL Journal Number 9 parody song that we open with. We take a look at the Mobelwagon and Ostwind in our Armored Fighting Vehicles segment and then touch on What's in the News. What we are playing lately is scenario FB8: For Want of Crust or Crumb. If you watch on Youtube you can be among the first to see the newly framed art from Hedgerow Hell.  Or just look to the right. 

It is part two of our interview with Bill Cirillo and Sean Deller. The conversation about Twilight of the Reich. and a little Festung Budapest continues. Stick around after the interview to hear about the new contest we are currently running. 

We are honored to have Bill Cirillo and Sean Deller join us in discussing all things Twilight of the Reich. As well as a little Festung Budapest in this two part interview. The sun is setting so you better get listening.

he dashing Dennis Donovan appears once again in the Broadcast Foxhole with us and we have a
roarin' berserk time. We revisit Dennis's Russian Berserkers song that originally appeared in Episode 154.  In the Box is Winter Offensive Pack #15 and our rules segment finishes the basic nationalities in such as the Axis Minors, Ethiopians, and Swedes.

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Bitterest Day at Bounding Fire

SHOW TIMES

00:01 Russian Berserkers Song with Lyrics by Dennis Donovan; Sung by The 2 Half-Squad Singers 

1:45 Chitty Chitty Chat Chat

13:05 What's in the Box?

 We sure enjoyed Dennis Donovan's rendition of his humorous song that opened the show. We are dancing to the Hakkaa Paalle Hokey Pokey, as we speak. The lyrics are below.  Mike Ryzy joins us in the Broadcast Foxhole while we read some letters, announce a new contest and discuss the various qualities of two nationalities in the Advanced Squad Leader system; The Italians and the Finnish. Dave and Mike have started a game from the Grumble Jones Pack Scenario MM75: Woodland Pursuit and Mike and Jeff have played some starter kit.

Break out your Box art of Twilight of the Reich and Festung Budapest and put on your art appreciation eyeglasses for the return of Box Art Review. In the Box is the Grumble Jones Pack Vol 1 from the Kansas City March Madness folks. Scenario FB2: The Devils Free to Have a Try is analyzed in this show. 

The 2 Half Squads are brought to you by the most Amazing Bounding Fire Productions and our Wonderful Patreons.

SHOWTIMES
0:01 I Ran Parody Song

4:00 Banter 

19:00 Box Art Review 

23:15 Contest...

Join us twits as we look in the box to find Avalon Hill's Partisan, and Twilight of the Reich from MMP. Letters and a new parody song from Donovan and Rider!

Partisans, Partisan  a parody song to Naked Eyes’ “Promises, Promises”

Concept:  Russ Rider  Lyrics:  D. Donovan, R. Rider  8/2021

When it first came out

In the lat...

Buon giorno! More Advanced Squad Leader Maestros appear right here. We finally secure an interview with Sebastiano Caltabiano and Ulric Schwela of Advancing Fire fame. The in and outs of scenario design, historical research, game production, and much more are discussed! Prego.

SHOW TIMES
0:30 Right into the Interview
57:50 Total Running Time

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Welcome to part two of our time with Doug Rimmer looking at how you can create your own counters and maps in VASL! Make your own 9-1-9 Engineer! Just like last show, you might want to watch on YouTube,  but if you are a good listener the podcast may work fine. After that we have an after action report on Scenario FB1: Uncles and Pups from  Multi-Man Productions game Festung Budapest.

Happy Holidays All!  Jump into the Broadcast for a look with Doug Rimmer at the newest and coolest things that can be found in VASL! Watching on Youtube may be your best way of ingesting this content but if you are a good listener the podcast may work fine. We are wishing you all a Happy 2024!
The 2 Half Squads is brought to you by our sponsors Bounding Fire Productions and our wonderful Patreon and Paypal sponsors.

SHOW TIMES
0:02  Hello Rally
4:00 Doug Rimmer

47:00 Total Running Time

SHOW LINKS
VASL...

Happy Holidays All!  Jump into the Broadcast Foxhole with us and learn about Gun Duels during our Rules segment. Box Art Review makes it's return with a look at Ken Smith's fantastic art for the Sainte-Mere-Eglise game from Multi-Man Publishing. What better way to enjoy the holidays than having a listen and sipping some warm cider.  Merry Christmas, Happy Hanakkuh, Happy Kwanza and Happy New Year!

The 2 Half Squads is brought to you by our sponsors Bounding Fire Productions and our wonderful Patreon and Paypal sponsors.


SHOW TIMES
0:02  I Want a Blood Reef Tara...

Join us as we take a shot at the firing modifiers from Chapter C Rule 6; Target-Based to Hit Determination DRM. Hard to believe that we haven't covered those in the previous 331 shows. The Knights of the Podcast Table song was written by Dennis Donovan of course. He is indefatigable. If you want to get an early Christmas gift copy of Dzerhezinsky Tractor Works from Critical Hit, find the contest announcement in this show. It's great!

Knights of the ASL Table lyrics
We’re the Knights of the ASL table. We play when ere we’re a...

We are so glad that all of the Halloween "Spooktackular" advertisements stuff is over! Please enjoy the opening song repeated from episode 65. There are some interesting and entertaining letters. Our AFV segment takes a look at the M3 and M3A1. Lastly, Jeff and Dave take a look at a playing of Operation Neptune's ON-6. 

SHOW TIMES

00:01 The Ring of Fire with Lyrics by Dennis Donovan; Performed by J. Cash (originally appeared in Episode 65)

3:10 Small Talk

14:10 Contest Winner Announced

15:45 Letters

18:30 Armored Fighting Vehicles

41:10 After Action Rep...

 It's a Halloween Special that includes very few chills and thrills, but banter, AFV segment and an after action report on ON-6 Sweeping West from Bounding Fire Productions. 

Bounding Fire Productions

We know you want to get a look at Dave's Tar Pit Diorama(sculpted by the great Sean Cooper and molded at The Alchemy Works), so here it is! Since we didn't have time last show to dig into the insides of Le Franc Tireur #15, we now take the time to get into the articles therein. Oui, Oui, we, promised that we would not speak in French accents for the show but Jeff manages to make a French gutteral noise in the first moments of the segment.  After that, we follow through on our promise. However, our pronunciations of ou...

Le Franc Tireur has put out another gem. Le Franc Tireur #15 featuring some fantastic maps from Steve  Swan and Tom Repetti. We take a look at these fun boards as well as the new Arid/Desert rules. Minarets on Mosques, can you believe it?  Before we get to that information we read some letters from our beloved listeners, we cover the British rules in the nationality section of the Advanced Squad Leader rulebook, and banter about Dave's favorite toy soldiers, Britain's Swoppet Knights. 

It is an honor to have the illustrious, bright and optimistic Adam Lunney appear on the show all the way from Canberra, Australia. Yes, this is THE Adam Lunney who authored the books We Together and Ready to Strike.  Once again you can see from his credentials that we are unworthy to have Adam on this lowly podcast.  In spite of that he agreed to discuss his books, his gaming background, and most importantly, his love for the greatest game in the world; Advanced Squad Leader. 

Jim Aikens returns and shares his thoughts on printing scenario packs and playtesting in general. We open with a blast from the past. The Run Through the Jungle song from good ol' Episode 53.

It is a pleasure to present a look at the SoCal gamers lives, through an interview with the charismatic and wise Jim Aikens. This discussion is so thorough, that we will present it in two parts. In part one we learn about Jim's gaming background and how very well organized this club is, with players who are "pretty far out there" in the wide open spaces of the large state of California, having a set of regional directors. Kleinschmidt can relate to this club because it has Field Trips. They travelled to the Jaques Littlefield AFV Collection, and the...

We like to wave at Human's. We were so busy waving hello, and singing along to the wintry song Human Wave (sung to the tune of The Carol of the Bells), that we forgot to banter for a really long time. Just an average time. Aren't you the lucky ones?

The Rules covered in this show continue rule 25:Nationality Distinctions. Focusing on Human Waves and Partisans. Remember partisans don't do a human wave. 

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