An interview with JanuszMaxe

Hi Janusz, and so you won VASLeague, in 2012. In that year we had 122 players in total shared in the various leagues, 32 were in the TOP. But before starting with questions please tell us something about you

I’m 39, and I played for about 13 years. When I was 26 I split my Dungeons & Dragons interest into two parts, roleplaying became storytelling and rulebased play became ASL. But I had been playing SL once in a while since my early teens. I work for the municipality of Gothenburg, Sweden, supporting volunteer organizations and sports clubs.

My playing style? Henrik, my long time FtF opponent would say conservative on defense, and opportunistic but never reckless on offense. I prefer CGs, because I greatly appreciate the added fog of war, that shorter scenarios often lack. But a short and well designed scenario can be very fun as well. I know most of PTO, have tried DTO a few times, and played a lot of night in that huge Valor of the guards CG IV.

Your opponents in 2012were Craig Houliston, Michael Klaukty, Tom Repetti, Aaron Cleavin, and Gary Fortenberry.

What game do you like to remember of these and why?

The final vs Gary was epic, to me at least. First, Gary is multiple time Grofaz, league winner, and a designer of ASL back in the Avalon Hill days. Second, I’ve met him once before (Crossing Swords at Kyaukse), and he handed me my head on a platter by midgame. Third, I’ve never seen anyone use armored assault used to such an extent, seemingly without any meticulous planning. He played loose, with very little MP counting, with a intuitive grasp of force allocation. He had me reeling by turn 3.

I missed the US still had Daylight Saving Time, so I missed our second (and probably last) play time (due to a hurricane coming on the US east coast) by one full hour. He was patiently waiting for me, and I sent him an e-mail to him and League-director saying

“We changed to winter time and that makes it only 5 hours difference. I'll be home in 10 minutes. If we don't I fully agree, the day is Garys, and I'd need a miracle to salvage this wreck of a defence..”.

But my bad luck turned into very good luck, and Gary got impatient in the end I think.

And in these years of VASLeague what are the funniest or memorable things happened to you?

Getting to know Ken Young. In our first game, first thing, my sniper kills his 10-2 with the MG on top of THE hill. Pretty much a mopping up operation after that. But we managed to become friends, and for several years skyped across the pond to discuss scenarios or play test some of my designs. A wonderful guy, I’m very happy I got the chance to meet him.

Also, playing a british guy I can’t remember the name of, finding out that we both named our children Alexander and Cassandra.

You played in total 25 scenarios for the VASLeague (18 wins), which is the best scenario you played?

I’m sorry, but I can’t remember many individual games, they all tend to blend together into a blur. So many times fighting for the town on board 10, or the village on 17. I seem to remember the glorious or fun moments the best.

And the best opponent? ( for sportsmanship, behavior, skill, courtesy or whatever )

Ken Young, obviously, and Fortenberry for amazing skill. Gary Trezza was always very nice to discuss scenarios, tactics and rules with, as was Jim Taylor.

The worst or sounding defeat (if any)? What didn’t work?

The game vs Gary Fortenberry I mentioned before. I let him banzai, making his advance was so fast my reinforcements didn’t even get into the fight until it was all over.

Otherwise, I remember The meat grinder (AP41) vs Gary Trezza. He taught me that you can intensive fire smoke. This made his frontal assault run like clockwork. My cleverly placed AA-gun, waiting for his flanking attack to expose itself as it attacked my backfield, didn’t see any panzers until the next to last turn, when Gary sent one on a stupid flanking movement that was way too long that late in the game. But then I got to spring my trap, bag some CVPs, letting me save face in the VP count at the end.

After your triumph in 2012 you suddenly left. You said you had to try something new and different from (V)ASL. What do you play now? Any chance you re-enter in the arena?

The split of D&D I mentioned earlier didn’t fully work out. ASL prospered and I played a lot, but my creative side didn’t fit in, and the roleplaying didn’t pan out. The 2012 tournament was actually on overtime. So I’m playing airsoft and LARPing a lot nowadays.

You played VASLeague for five seasons, what do you like about VASLeague, and what do you think could be still improved?

VASL league was great for meeting new opponents, trying new scenarios and having a high level of play in the Top League. Maybe round one or two could be seeded not after skill but preferences, like night, PTO, DTO, HASL-scenario, bigger scenario.

Keep up the good work, and I wish you guys the best.

Thank you!