Dare-Death is the world’s first Chinese ASL magazine created by Richard “Ferguson” Wang and Grandiose Pz.Kpfw.V Ausf G Driver (or “G Driver”. The term “Driver” in Chinese is the equivalence of “Grognard”.) 

You should fly to Manila this July to play Advanced Squad Leader. 

It’s a crazy idea, I know!  You are busy.  You already have a few things planned for the summer.  Your friends and family will think you are nuts to fly to Manila ‘just to play boardgames’. 

You can play ASL where you are.  You can play players around the world on VASL right now.  Why do you have to go to Manila to play ASL? 

This is crazy. 

Crazier still – the more you say it, the less crazy this idea sounds. 

There : I made the first step for you – You should fly to Manila this July to play Advanced Squad Leader. 

I faced the same decision 2 years ago.  I had only started playing ASL for about 6 months at that time.  The Malaysia Madness 2014 tournament (the first Asia Pacific tournament) was coming up.  I didn’t plan to go. 

I thought :

• I didn’t know anyone there but the other ASL’rs must knew each other already!
• Why would I want to fly over just to lose 5 straight games?  I could lose all those games just as fast from home.
• I was a newbie.  The games would be so lopsided that it would just be embarrassing! 

As we drew closer to the Malaya Madness 2014 tournament, both of my ASL mentors, Don Lazov & Jon Halfin said I should go to a tourney at least once.  So I took a leap of faith and it turned out to be one of those decisions that changed my life.  We are not talking about inventing the cure for cancer or anything but my world is not the same after that trip. 

My initial reservations?  NONE OF THEM TRUE. 

• I didn’t know anyone there but the other ASL’rs must knew each other already!

I thought they were just going to talk and to play with each other.  NEVER HAPPENED. 

I thought that’s because it’s a small tournament.  I went to the NYS ASL Championship (aka “Albany”), one of the highest level ASL tourney in the world at the end of 2014.  DIDN’T HAPPEN THERE either.  ASL’rs are open and friendly everywhere I go. 

• Why would I want to fly over just to lose 5 straight games?  I could lose all those games just as fast from home, thankyou. 

Face to Face games brings a chemistry that doesn’t exist via other platforms.  The chatter, the shrieks, the comments, the groans and yelps of delight make FtF experiences second to none.  Besides, I got even more opponents to play with and the games got even more fun on VASL after the tourney after we know each other. 

• I was a newbie.  The games would be so lopsided that it would just be embarrassing! 

The Tourney Director matched players based on their skill levels.  Besides, everyone I met are a total pleasure to play, with or without the context of competition. 

Mayhem in Manila 2016 (Friday July 29 to Sunday July 31) is the second Asia wide tournament.  A lot of people worked very hard to set it up this year.

Players will arrive in Manila on the afternoon of Thursday July 28.  Some will want to play a round of ASL, others will want to do some shopping (perhaps some counter containers for me).  The tournament will start early Friday July 29th. 

There will be 2 games per day on Friday and Saturday, and one last round on Sunday morning.  Players will be matched by the Tournament Director before their first games.  There are 3 scenarios you and your opponent can pick from for each game.  You do that by ranking the 3 scenarios by order of preference.  The scenario ranked #3 by each player is automatically eliminated.  If 2 scenarios remain, the 2 players rank them again, if the 2 players both ranked a scenario #1, they play that scenario.  If they ranked different scenarios #1, then it’s decided by random selection. 

Once the scenario is decided, the two players then bid for sides by the Australian Balancing System described in the Tourney Booklet.  The idea is to accept certain handicaps to gain the right to play the side that you want. 

Each game you win gives you 3 points.  Each game you draw gives you 1 point.  Awards will be given to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd player in points.  There will be a “HtH” award for the player who inflicted the most CVP (Casualty Victory Point) doing Close Combat.  There will also be a “Pacific Sniper” award for the player who got the highest total CVP from kills. 

And do we have prizes!  The Mayhem in Manila 2016 tournament is sponsored by 8 major ASL companies/associations, one of which Multi-Man Publishing. 

For more information, please visit https://mayheminmanila.wordpress.com/tourney-booklet/

If you register before May 1st, the registration fee is USD45.  After May 1st the registration fee will be USD65.  Please register at http://www.meetup.com/Asia-Pacific-ASL/events/227777002/

I have been to a total of 3 tournaments in 3 different countries.  The games were always fun and my opponents were always fair, friendly and helpful.  I learned new tactics.  I saw new approaches to tactical problems.  I gained a group of new friends with which I continue to play more ASL with and even start ASL projects (tourney / design / play testing) with. 

On my way back after the tourney, I messaged Don Lazov from the airport.  Don said :

“I sincerely hope you not only had a lot of fun, learned a bunch of new things, ideas and concepts, but most important (beside/or next to having fun) made some new friends, and many memories. To me that is what ASL is really all about. Playing a great game but playing that game with great friends and making memories.”

Register for Mayhem in Manila today.

(Translated into Chinese in Dare-Death magazine Issue 02)