Vassal

[Jim]

Does anyone here use Vassal? I have a few board games on Vassal and have never tried actually using it. Looking at GMT's Stalingrad 42 and wondered if anyone finds this game as interesting as I do. I LOVE my computer wargames but one of the things I miss about the old board games many of us grew up with, is the personal involvement. In computer games you click and move, click and fight, and yeh the equations are more complex and easier for us mortals to resolve, but I feel we have less "skin in the game" when you dont actually have to roll the dice and look up the results. Yeh, its easier to click the "Reachable Hexes" icon. But one has more immersion, I think, if you actually have to calculate movement points and ZOC costs, river crossings etc.  I have never played a game using Vassal solitaire, much less against another person but it seems like it might work good with every thing you change recorded in the log? Just wondered what everyone's experience has been with it?

[Smedley]

I use VASSAL all the time to play ASL. We use Skype or Discord to communicate while playing. Best invention ever, and it is free. Many games are supported but I only play ASL. Highly recommended for gamers in remote areas or without an active gaming community.

Rob

[KG_RangerBooBoo]

I use Vassal.  Played some World at War '85, US Civil War, and have signed up for the The Last Hundred Yards ladder to start playing in January.  Also did a Fire in the Lake 4 player full campaign that was a blast.

[Jim]

Thanks!! Well it looks like it would work well.

[JRTXX]

Thanks!! Well it looks like it would work well.

dammit, wrote a big long email about all this VASSAL and by the time I sent it I guess it timed out and it was lost,,, 

Im just finding VASSAL and love to chat if you want,,, [email protected]

anyone else loving old WWII Boardgames, Im a new collector

[Jim]

Well I got rid of a lot of my boardgames but I still have some from the old OCS series but not much else. World in Flames. Civil War from Victory Games and Stonewall Jackson's way. Oh and a bunch of old Europa series. But have been looking at Stalingrad 42 and have the Vassal Mod for it as well as Thunder in the East mod.

[Spale69]

I have picked up from my kid a board game Band of Brothers: Ghost Panzer. Later in boardgamegeek community someone mentioned ASL, but that system really takes time (unfortunately, short on that asset;) so this tactical level simplified combat looks quite attractive to me. I would be interested in playing with someone, so far am practicing solo. Great Vassal module with all extensions exist. I guess it is not best suited for PBEM due to those opportunity fire rule, but whatever...

And greetings from the new guy in this club !

[Jobu88]

Does anyone here use Vassal? I have a few board games on Vassal and have never tried actually using it. Looking at GMT's Stalingrad 42 and wondered if anyone finds this game as interesting as I do. I LOVE my computer wargames but one of the things I miss about the old board games many of us grew up with, is the personal involvement. In computer games you click and move, click and fight, and yeh the equations are more complex and easier for us mortals to resolve, but I feel we have less "skin in the game" when you dont actually have to roll the dice and look up the results. Yeh, its easier to click the "Reachable Hexes" icon. But one has more immersion, I think, if you actually have to calculate movement points and ZOC costs, river crossings etc.  I have never played a game using Vassal solitaire, much less against another person but it seems like it might work good with every thing you change recorded in the log? Just wondered what everyone's experience has been with it?

Coming in late to the conversation, but I got into Vassal 2 years ago and I find it fantastic for all the old board games I grew up on ( and new games as well).  I'm in a very active Squad Leader group, and I've played Panzer Leader, Russian Campaign, Fortress Europa, Arab Israeli Wars,  MMP's Rostov '41, even the card game Undaunted Normandy.  For games that have a lot of player interaction during a turn ( like Squad Leader)  it is most useful to be online at the same time and using a headset and microphone so you can talk as you're playing.  For other games that are " I go / you go "   it's a great way to play and you can play at your own pace since you don't have to be online at the same time.  And yes, each player creates  turn log and saves it, and the other player watches it and then records his own turn.  

Best of all, for old games like Squad Leader and even for a surprisingly large number of new games, you don't need a physical copy of the game.  You can get the rules on BGG, and the Vassal module has all the game charts and player aid cards built in.