Follow-on modules (Cross of Iron, Crescendo of Doom and GI: Anvil of Victory) added on new rules and revised old ones to the point where AH released Advanced Squad Leader in 1985.
While the Squad Leader system became more cumbersome over time, basic SL is still a tense, very playable game of infantry combat with armour support. The rules are presented using a Programmed Instruction method popular at AH at the time where a subset of rules is presented, a scenario featuring these rules is played, then new rules are introduced and so on. This means the player doesn't have to swallow a lot of rules to begin play immediately.
Squad Leader centres around leaders and their importance in rallying broken units, directing fire and performing other acts of heroism. This is not a game of technical precision where x millimeters of calibre is guaranteed to penetrate y millimeters of armour. The human element is present. Squads fire and are fired at, they break and retreat, they rally and return. Squad Leader is a game about men, not equipment.
Normandy 1944 is a tournament scenario designed by Alan Yngve for a convention in 1985. This site is one of the few places you can get this interesting scenario. Alan has also prepared some Designer's Notes to go with the scenario.
The turn sequence is Americans first then the Germans. In the first game, I played the Germans and accumulated 9 Victory Points so that's the total Joe will be trying to reach.
Books & Magazine Articles
Avalon Hill General articles
This page is maintained by Eric Pass
Please email epass@nyx.net with comments and corrections.
