MMP Roundtable Discussion #8

Curt Schilling, of Multi-Man Publishing, hosted another roundtable discussion with members of the ASL community. The 8^th MMP roundtable discussion, again hosted by Curt, gives more updates on upcoming ASL releases (including tentative dates).

Watch the video and check out the summary below for all the details.

Big thanks to Curt & MMP for allowing us to share this!

WBC & ASL World Championship

• Event: The first ASL World Championship will debut at WBC (World Boardgaming Championships), starting Wednesday, July 30. Showed massive trophy.

• Structure:

  • 5 Rounds: 1 Wednesday evening, 2 Thursday, 2 Friday, finals Saturday.
  • Five brand-new, unreleased scenarios, each featuring distinct theaters/rules: night, desert, PTO, and combined arms.

• Prizes:

  • Champion: Lifetime supply of MMP products.
  • Runner-up: Lifetime supply of ASL products.
  • Commemorative gold-foil scenario cards exclusive to participants.
  • Additional brackets will allow those eliminated from the main tournament to continue playing.

• Live Coverage:

  • Championship table will be livestreamed, with Curt Schilling and Brian Youse providing commentary.

Upcoming Product Releases

Journal 16 (WBC Release)

• Includes “Carpiquet Airfield” mini-HASL:
  • 2 geoboards, 5 scenarios
  • Features unusual vehicles
  • New rubble generation mechanics, reminiscent of Festung Budapest and Twilight of the Reich

Drop Zone: Chef-du-Pont

• Released: Unboxing Video
• Target release: June 6 (to coincide with D-Day).
• Will be a standalone module, but still requires Beyond Valor and Yanks. Will be a bagged product, not boxed.
• Future plans include linking it with Sainte-Mère-Église and a forthcoming La Fiere module via a new campaign system.

Marco Polo Bridge

• Set during the Sino-Japanese War (1938–39).
• Will be released in two formats:
  • Full ASL version
  • Starter Kit version, as a market experiment to evaluate Starter Kit demand.
• Goal: differentiate SK vs. ASL audiences for better production planning.

Business Strategy & Market Research

• Starter Kit (SK) products’ popularity has surprised MMP.
• Basic Training Magazine sales are steady, but many orders are from known ASL players, not SK-only players.
• The dual-format Marco Polo Bridge release is a strategic test to gauge the actual size of the Starter Kit community.
• MMP stresses that SK is not a “cash grab”—SK and ASL products require different design and production pipelines, increasing costs.

Digital Tools & New Services

• MMP is developing an app platform to host play aids.

• Potential for:

  • OBA flowchart, Overrun flowchart, etc
  • Subscription model (~$0.99/month)
  • Centralized digital access to new tools

• Rulebook unification effort:

  • MMP plans to synchronize all rulebook formats (8.5×11, pocket, e-rulebook) starting January 1 of next year.
  • Changes will be issued as PDF inserts, ensuring page parity.

Product Status Updates

Projects Near Completion

• Dawn of Eagles (Rotterdam): In late-stage development. Features dense terrain, alleyways, high-rise rules, and unique bridge-crossing combat. Likely 2026 release.
• Ortona: Historical module long in development. Now receiving final polish.
• Kharkov in Flames: Seventh inning (out of nine); delayed to reduce glut of German-Russian content.
• Star Leader: A sci-fi ASL variant.
  • Would be an MMP fully-owned IP (not bound by Hasbro)
  • Features: 3 “factions” (Imperium, Secessionists, Bot Legions).
  • Fully developed; needs a playtest lead.
  • Currently not available in VASL.

On Hold

• Contested Lands: Postponed indefinitely due to Hasbro concerns over Arab-Israeli conflict content.

• Spanish Civil War (Guerra en Espana): Delayed after a developer withdrew due to political reasons (e.g., anti-U.S. sentiment). Content being reworked by new team.

Other Projects in Pipeline

• French Indochina: New module submitted by the team behind the Forgotten War (Korea) module.
• Fox and the Rats: DTO module, still in development. Aims for a 2026 release.
• Waiting on completion of e-HASL and Pocket e-rulebook updates.
• Four Bridges, Polish Eagles, Sevastopol projects: Mostly external, not yet in formal submission pipeline.

Reprints & Bundles

• Starter Kit reprints: All four SK modules and Decision at Elst are being considered for reprint simultaneously, to reduce per-unit costs.
• MMP is considering a Starter Kit bundle, but only if pricing works out favorably.

Historical Scope & Experimental Themes

• MMP is open to new theaters and conflicts, with the following caveats:

  • ASL’s mechanics best suit conventional warfare.
  • Vietnam: Module in development by Matt Noah.
  • WWI: Possible, but issues with scale and engagement variety make it less appealing.
  • Other eras (e.g., American Revolution): no current proposals.

Legal Concerns with Third-Party Content

• Curt reiterated his position: unlicensed third-party ASL products violate copyright law, as MMP pays a licensing fee to Hasbro.
• Some players claim they no longer buy official products due to the availability of third-party material, which MMP sees as damaging to the hobby’s long-term sustainability.

Recap

And as always … Thanks for the support!!

GET TO THE CHOPPA…!!!

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