Game Night Light 4

I pulled out a game I've been meaning to learn: Advanced Squad Leader. That tactical combat game is so complicated I've long been leery of starting down that path. But the Starter Kit version seemed like it would be fun yet not too complex.

Oddly, it has been a long time since I've tried to learn a new game with complicated rules. Or maybe computer games that know the rules have atrophied my rule-reading skills.

As I started to struggle through the phases with multiple options, it seemed like I was missing something. It was so different from other games--even tactical combat games--that I thought I was doing it wrong.

So I went to the InterWebs and quickly found a tutorial on the scenario I was playing:

As it turns out, I was doing it (mostly) right. But it did seem wrong. And seeing someone who understands the rules playing it more fluidly helped me see the flow. 

By the time I finished the video it was at the game night limit so I packed it up.

One thing I learned is that it is detailed enough to not appeal to most people on the game night list. I had thought this would be a simple tactical game appropriate for game nigh light.

Still, it was good to get back into playing board war games. This was such a common part of my youth that it is good to restart that.

I do plan to return to the game quickly and play that initial scenario all the way through before I forget what I learned watching the video. I'll post something as an update when I do that.