I have been on holiday for a few days recently, and took Squad Leader along to see if I could get a couple of games in during the quieter periods. It has been a while, so I refreshed myself on a relatively simple scenario. I have done the Guards Counterattack loads of times, so I did #7, Bucholz Station, instead, which features a German infantry attack at the beginning of the Battle of the Bulge.
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| The Germans are bascially two companies strong, positioned behind a hedge and ready to attack! |
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| The Americans have some defensive positions to the left and their Coy HQ and vehicles to the rear (i.e.) right |
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| The Germans are basically going to attack the Americans right flank, although the Americans will just have enough time to shake out into a slightly more appropriate defensive position |
I won't do a blow-by-blow, it was too disjointed for that (as it was such a while since I played) but just a few random thoughts it brought back about Squad Leader.
1. The basic combat and movement systems are simple and effective, easy to learn, recall and use.
2. The first layer of complexity is in the LOS, which feels approaching a meta-game skill (like games which feature range estimation as a key player skill, for example).
3. It captures very well the combat, movement and morale features of WW2 fighting, but the uncertainty/surprise element, as well as - highly relatedly - the command element is much less well represented. It really reminded me that I have an ambition to design a WW2 Company level game which is ultra-focused on the company commander himself and his experience.
4. Adding in that element of surprise was a key part of why Steel Panthers was easy to love.
5. It is funny (to me) to think that a typical TooFatLardies' Chain of Command scenario is, by scale, a bit like a vignette within a Squad Leader game, which you could play on a 4x4 hex grid (maybe an 8x5 grid, if you are feeling expansive). I genuinely want to try this out!
6. Relatedly, I think the thing that moved me away from Squad Leader when I was a bairn were the constraints of the mapboards, i.e. I wanted to make my own. I wonder if I could actually do this now, to a reasonable standard and in a reasonable time, given modern technology?
Oh, this brings back memories! There is an online board designing tool at,
ReplyDeletehttps://asl-players.net/asl-academy-board-designer/.
You could use something like Photoshop, GIMP, Campaign Cartographer or any of a number of graphics programs too. I look forward to seeing what you create.
Thanks Jonathan. Looks good, and on a very quick play around, looks relatively easy to use.
DeleteAbsolute joy!
ReplyDeleteAs to making mapboards ASL now have around 200 boards and they can be bought as singles from Second Chance Games. The only thing is that some have terrain such as orchards and such that are not included in basic squad leader, but they can be easily house ruled.
Years ago, I made a Panther counter for basic SL, `I remember it being difficult to squeeze into the narrow stat space that the base system uses.
Thanks for the info Norm!
Delete“ It really reminded me that I have an ambition to design a WW2 Company level game which is ultra-focused on the company commander himself and his experience.”
ReplyDeleteWell let’s go then, get on with it! ;)
V/R,
Jack
It is on the to-do list. I haven't got much beyond sketching out a few ideas yet.
DeleteNice to see Squad Leader out again, it features on another blog I follow atm as well. I always liked the Bucholz Station. Scenario, it felt quite manageable. Iirc the rather eccentric US deployment is because they are all queuing up for breakfast when the German attack starts! If you wanted to do your own maps you could just play it on the computer and use Vassal or whatever to create them and run the game, but it would lose something I feel.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I had (and still have) all the supplements up to GI Anvil of Victory, my sweet spot for SL was the basic game plus Cross of Iron,, we just used to use the vehicle and unit counters from the later games.
Yes, quite right about the deployment, or at least some of it. I have got all the supplements too, but I have never got beyond Cross of Iron in terms of playing it. ASL was always too much work for me. Which is a pity, since the Italians and Japanese never made into the SL orbat. I guess you could use the relevant ASL counters at a push...
DeleteLike others commenting above, I got all the supplements, played the basic SL, CoI, CoD and started GI, but actually felt the original game had all the rules I needed. Even CoI with turret counters on top of tanks felt over-fussy. My ideal would be an expanded edition of basic SL with more nationalities and their vehicles. Special rules for additional terrain types are probably a must, if the game is going to expand to the desert and the Pacific, but even the ones in GI felt like scenario special rules rather than an enhancement to the basic game.
ReplyDeleteA game we always wanted to play as kids, but never had the money or didn't see them for sale in town. I'm not sure I would enjoy this level of game these days, but you never know!
ReplyDelete