Squad Leader Scenarios

Squad Leader is a game system depicting tactical combat in the Second World War. The game and three additional gamettes are open-ended, a trend in tactical board wargaming beginning from the 1970s and most notably seen in Avalon Hill's highly successful PanzerBlitz. The use of geomorphic mapboards and counters representing small tactical units gave the game great flexibility and the potential to recreate a wide range of situations.

These situations are presented to players in the form of Scenarios. The original Squad Leader game comes with 12 scenarios and other scenarios, numbered in sequence, followed on in the three sequel gamettes. There are also many "official" scenarios (published by Avalon Hill) in The General Magazine or sold as special releases (the Rogue Scenarios).

In total, 123 official scenarios were made for the Squad Leader series.

Scenario Format

Each scenario in the original four game releases was printed on an 8-1/2" x 11" cardstock with the following elements in place:

  • Scenario number
  • Illustrative graphic
  • Historical overview
  • Board configuration and orientation
  • Listing of rules sections introduced
  • Victory Conditions
  • Turn Record Chart
  • Countermix and historical identity of scenario forces
  • Scenario Special Rules
  • Variations
  • Historical Aftermath

Scenario Number

The original core scenarios from the 4 games are numbered as follows:

Squad Leader - 1 through 12

Cross of Iron - 13 through 20

Crescendo of Doom - 21 through 32

GI: Anvil of Victory - 33 through 47

Illustrative Graphic

These are illustration evocative of the events portrayed in the scenario, usually a black and white interpretation of an actual Second World War photograph. Rodger MacGowan did the artwork for the original SL, COI and COD scenarios and Charles Kibler took over with GI: Anvil of Victory.

Historical Overview

A paragraph description of the military situation, placing the scenario in context, possibly introducing the personalities portrayed on the map. Prefaced by the actual location (usually the nearest town or city) and date.

Board Configuration and Orientation

A graphic representation of which boards to use, how to orient them, which direction is "north" and placement of terrain overlays (if any).

Listing of Rules Sections Introduced

The four Squad Leader games use Programmed Instruction to teach the game system; each scenario included with the games listed the new rules sections introduced with that scenario.

Victory Conditions

Squad Leader scenarios use unique sets of victory conditions, in some instances being complicated. The Victory Conditions often model real military objectives. For example, a scenario about an assault on a village might specify occupying buildings as victory conditions. A scenario based on withdrawal might specify that a certain number of units have to be exited from the map in order to win.

Turn Record Chart

Fixed game turn limits govern each scenarios, and one side is required to set up first and/or move first. The turn record chart also shows turns on which reinforcements arrive.

Countermix and Historical Identity of Scenario Forces

Each official scenario is based on an actual historical event (with the exception of Scenario 26 which was based on a hypothetical operation). Historical names are provided for the forces of each side (sometimes broadly, as in "elements of the 62nd Army" and often specifically down to the company or platoon level.)

Counter-mixes are listed for both sides, with number of units being specified as well as where they are set up (or enter, if reinforcements).

Scenario Special Rules

Scenario Special Rules (or SSRs) provide flexibility to designers; helping recreate an historically accurate scenario. Rule modifications can achieve specific effects on game-play.

Historical Aftermath

A paragraph summary of the outcome of the situation being depicted.

Scenario Listing - Official Scenarios (Games and Gamettes)

Game # Name Allies Axis Date Location
SL 1 The Guards Counterattack 6 October 1942 Stalingrad, USSR
SL 2 The Tractor Works 6 October 1942 Stalingrad, USSR
SL 3 The Streets of Stalingrad 6 October 1942 Stalingrad, USSR
SL 4 The Hedgehog of Piepsk 14 November 1941 Piepsk, USSR
SL 5 Hill 621 1 July 1944 near Minsk, USSR
SL 6 Escape From Velikiye Luki 12 January 1943 Velikiye Luki, USSR
SL 7 Buchholz Station 16 December 1944 Buchholz, Germany
SL 8 The Bitche Salient 14 January 1945 Bitche, Germany
SL 9 The Cannes Strongpoint 23 August 1944 Cannes, France
SL 10 Hitdorf on the Rhine 6 April 1945 Hitdorf, Germany
SL 11 The St. Goar Assault 24 March 1945 St Goar, Germany
SL 12 The Road to Wiltz 17 December 1944 Wiltz, Luxembourg
COI 13 The Capture of Balta 3 August 1941 Balta, Ukraine
COI 14 The Paw of the Tiger 12 January 1943 South of Leningrad, USSR
COI 15 Hube's Pocket 6 April 1944 near Buchach, USSR
COI 16 Sowchos 79 8 December 1942 Chir River Line, Russia
COI 17 Debacle at Korosten 30 August 1941 Korosten, Ukraine
COI 18 The Defense of Luga 19 July 1941 Luga, USSR
COI 19 A Winter Melee 17 February 1942 Okorovo, Russia
COI 20 Breakout From Borisov 2 July 1941 Borosov, Russia
COD 21 Battle for the Warta Line 6 September 1939 Central Poland
COD 22 The Borders are Burning 30 November 1939 Kuhmo, Finland
COD 23 Silent Death 9 December 1939 Aittojoki, Finland
COD 24 Action at Balberkamp 22 April 1940 Balberkamp, Norway
COD 25 Resistance at Chabrehez 10 May 1940 Chabrehez, Belgium
COD 26 Assault on a Queen 11 May 1940 The Hague, Netherland
COD 27 The Dinant Bridgehead 13 May 1940 Houx, Belgium
COD 28 Counterstroke at Stonne 15 May 1940 Stonne, France
COD 29 In Rommel's Wake 17 May 1940 on the Meuse, France
COD 30 Ad Hoc at Beaurains 21 May 1940 Arras, France
COD 31 Chateau de Quesnoy 6 June 1940 Le Quesnoy, France
COD 32 Rehearsal for Crete 26 April 1941 Peloponnesus, Greece
GI 33 A Belated Christmas 27 December 1944 Bastogne, Belgium
GI 34 Climax at Nijmegen Bridge 20 September 1944 Nijmegen, Netherlands
GI 35 The French Decide to Fight 10 November 1942 Port-Lyautey, Morocco
GI 36 Weissenhof Crossroads 16 December 1944 Schnee Eifel, Germany
GI 37 Medal of Honor 21 September 1944 Nijmegen, Netherlands
GI 38 The Factory 11 February 1944 Aprilia Settlement, Italy
GI 39 Sweep For Bordj Toum Bridge 10 December 1942 Bordj Toum Station, Tunisia
GI 40 The Dornot Watermark 10 September 1944 Dornot, Germany
GI 41 Swatting at Tigers 11 July 1943 Biazzo Ridge, Italy
GI 42 Bridgehead on the Rhine 24 March 1945 Speldrop, Germany
GI 43 Action at Kommerscheidt 4 November 1944 Kommerscheidt, Germany
GI 44 Prelude to Breakout 7 July 1944 Vire et Taute Canal, France
GI 45 Hide and Seek 7 June 1944 Normandy, France
GI 46 Operation Varsity 24 March 1945 near Hamminkeln, Germany
GI 47 Encircling the Ruhr 30 March 1945 the Ruhr, Germany

Scenario Listing - Other Official Scenarios (Avalon Hill)

Series 100

Avalon Hill released Series 100, ten new scenarios for Cross of Iron, in 1979. The scenarios were designed by Courtney Allen (SL playtester and designer of Storm Over Arnhem).

# Title Allies Axis Date Location
101 Blocking Action at Lipki 3 July 1941 near Borisov, USSR
102 Slamming of the Door 17 August 1941 Panikovo forest, USSR
103 Bald Hill 11 September 1941 Leningrad, USSR
104 The Penetration of Rostov 24 July 1942 Rostov, USSR
105 Night Battle at Noromatyevka 1 January 1943 Noromaryevka, USSR
106 Beachhead at Ozereyka Bay 4 February 1943 Ozereyka valley, USSR
107 Disaster On The Dneiper Loop 24 September 1943 Dnieper River, USSR
108 Block Busting in Bokruisk 29 June 1944 Bokruisk, USSR
109 Counterattack On The Vistula 6 August 1944 near Wola Chodkowska, Poland
110 The Agony of Doom 19 April 1945 Muncheberg, Germany

Series 200

Avalon Hill released Series 200 with 10 new scenarios for Crescendo of Doom.

# Title Allies Axis Date Location
201 Sacrifice Of Polish Armor 1 September 1939 Novy Targ region, Poland
202 Under Cover Of Darkness 12 September 1939 Gdynia, Poland
203 Bitter Defense At Otta 28 April 1940 Gudbrandsal valley, Norway
204 Chance D'une Affaire 14 May 1940 Chehery, France
205 Last Defense Line 15 May 1940 Bouvellemont, France
206 Fighting At The World's Edge 28 May 1940 Tarladsvikfjell, Norway
207 The French Perimeter 2 June 1940 Spyckar, France
208 Road To Kozani Pass 13 April 1941 Komanos, Greece
209 The Akroiri Peninsula Defense 20 May 1941 Profitilias, Crete
210 Commando Raid At Dieppe 18 August 1942 Varengeville, France

Rogue Series 200

The Rogue Scenarios Series 200, named because they used boards 9, 10 and 11 which were not "official" boards at the time, utilized rules up to Crescendo of Doom. Some of the scenarios needed multiple copies of several boards; if one wanted to play Scenario R220, which combined Scenarios R218 and R219 into one large scenario played in three parts - foreshadowing campaign games in Historical ASL.

# Title Allies Axis Date Location
R211 Auld Lang Syne 1 January 1945 Gerimont, France
R212 On The Road To Andalsnes 24 April 1940 near Andalsnes, Norway
R213 Traverse Right...FIRE! 23 June 1941 S of Bialystok, Poland
R214 The Front In Flames 22 August 1943 S of Kharkov, USSR
R215 Hasty Pudding 27 May 1940 near Dunkirk, France
R216 A Small Town In Germany 8 April 1945 Friesoythe, Germany
R217 The Whirlwind 18 April 1945 Aschaffenburg, Germany
R218 Operation Switchback 6 October 1944 Scheldt estuary, Holland
R219 Scheldt Fortress South 25 October 1944 Scheldt estuary, Holland
R220 Clearing the Breskens Pocket 6 October 1944 Scheldt estuary, Holland
R221 Vitality I 24 October 1944 South Beveland, Holland
R222 Infatuate II 1 November 1944 Westkapelle, Walcheren Island, Holland
R223 Night Drop 6 June 1944 Cherbourg Peninsula, France

Series 300

Avalon Hill released Series 300 with additional scenarios for GI: Anvil of Victory.

# Title Allies Axis Date Location
300 Trial by Combat 27 February 1945 Elsdrof, Germany
301 The Clearing 10 October 1944 Huertgen Forest, Germany
302 Stand Fast 10 December 1944 Obergeich, Germany
303 Thrust and Parry 15 March 1945 Pfaffenheck, Germany
304 Riposte 15 March 1945 Pfaffenheck, Germany
305 The Duel 15 March 1945 Pfaffenheck, Germany
306 The Rag Tag Circus 12 April 1845 Barby on the Elbe, Germany
307 Point D'Appui 9 October 1944 Bardebberg, Germany
308 Han-Sur-Neid 11 November 1944 Han-sur-Neid, France
309 The Roer Bridgehead 23 February 1945 Koerrenzig, Germany

The General Magazine

Over the years, Avalon Hill also released scenarios in issues of their The General Magazine.

# ID Title Allies Axis Date Location
15-6 A Burzevo 2 December 1941 Burzevo, USSR
15-6 B Hill 253.5 9 July 1943 North of Kursk, USSR
15-6 C The Burkin Bridgehead 24 September 1943 SE of Kiev, Ukraine
15-6 D Delaying Action 30 October 1944 Western Lithuania
17-2 E The Niscemi-Biscari Highway 10 July 1943 Biscari, Sicily
17-2 F The Pouppeville Exit 6 June 1944 Normandy, France
17-2 G Devil's Hill 19 September 1944 Kleve-Nijmegen, Holland
17-2 H The Attempt to Relieve Peiper 21 December 1944 the Ardennes, Belgium
17-2 I Hunters from the Sky 24 March 1945 Rhine River, Germany
18-2 J Semper Paratus 27 September 1944 Oorderen, Holland
18-3 K Fast Heinz 7 August 1944 Roslayl, USSR
18-4 L The Long Road 16 September 1942 S of Andriba, Madagascar
18-5 M The Dead of Winter 29 December 1941 NW of Staritsa, Russia
19-5 TS1 First Crisis at Army Group North 25 June 1941 Daugav River, USSR
19-5 TS2 Pavlov's House 20 October 1942 Stalingrad, USSR
19-5 TS3 Land Leviathans 3 July 1941 Lipki, USSR
19-5 TS4 Soldiers of Destruction 10 October 1944 Radzymin, Poland
19-6 N Faugh A'Ballagh! 16 May 1944 Sinagoga, Italy
20-2 1000 Operation Marston 14 July 1943 Catania, Sicily
20-4 O Strayer's Strays 6 June 1944 Normandy, France
20-6 SSTK 1a Death's Head at Lusho 24 September 1941 Lusho, USSR
20-6 SSTK 1b Death's Head at Lusho 24 September 1941 Lusho, USSR
21-2 P Aachen's Pall 25 October 1944 Aachen, Germany
21-3 Q Gambit 21 May 1941 Maleme, Crete
21-4 2000 Operation Hubertus 11 November 1942 Stalingrad, USSR
22-5 3000 Assault on Round Top 30 September 1944 N of Riga, Latvia

ASL Annual

The final "official" scenarios issued by Avalon Hill for the original Squad Leader game were in the first two issues of the ASL Annual.

Issue # Title Allies Axis Date Location
ASL Annual '89 A1 On the Borderline 30 November 1939 Artahuhta, Finland
ASL Annual '89 A2 Sbeitla Probe 17 February 1943 Sbeitla, Tunisia
ASL Annual '89 A3 Regalbuto Ridge 31 July 1943 Regalbuto, Italy
ASL Annual '90 A4 King's Castle 26 November 1944 Frenzenberg, Germany
ASL Annual '90 A5 The Professionals 7 April 1941 Pirot, Yugoslavia
ASL Annual '90 A6 A Meeting of Patrols 26 December 1944 Hofen, Belgium
ASL Annual '92 ACG Commando Campaign Game

All official Squad Leader scenarios printed by Avalon Hill have been reissued for Advanced Squad Leader and released in either The General Magazine, ASL Annuals or scenario packs. The ASL Journal had released seven scenarios for Squad Leader but Multi-Man Publishing has indicated no intention to support the original SL game system.

Scenario Listing - Non Official Scenarios

Wargamer Magazine

The Wargamer Magazine also released scenarios 81-90, and a pack with scenarios 91-100 in 1982. These were designed by many of the contributors and players who helped design "official" scenarios.

Scenario 81 A Bridge Too Near
Scenario 82 To Lose A Battle
Scenario 83 The Final Attempt
Scenario 84 Le Paradis
Scenario 85 The Far Bank
Scenario 86 Raid on Vaagso
Scenario 87 The Bruneval Raid
Scenario 88 The Backwater of War
Scenario 89 Cherkasskoye
Scenario 90 The Bridge at Kanev
Scenario 91 Assault At Wadelincourt
Scenario 92 Patton's End Run
Scenario 93 Cassino Station
Scenario 94 Hill 112
Scenario 95 The Attempt To Exploit
Scenario 96 Scratch Force
Scenario 97 The Breaking Wave
Scenario 98 Night Assault
Scenario 99 Cooperative Venture
Scenario 100 A Day At The Races

REFERENCES

The Australian Wargamer - Original Squad Leader scenarios

ASL Scenario Archive

ASL.Net

WARGAME ACADEMY; Resource for Historical Boardgaming Simulation - SQUAD LEADER ACADEMY SQL SERIES SCENARIO RESOURCES

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