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132-874: Advanced Squad Leader (ASL) is a tactical-level board wargame , originally marketed by Avalon Hill Games , that simulates actions of squad sized units in World War II . It is a detailed game system for two or more players (with solitary play also possible). Components include the ASL Rulebook and various games called modules. ASL modules provide the standard equipment for playing ASL, including geomorphic mapboards and counters . The mapboards are divided into hexagons to regulate fire and movement, and depict generic terrain that can represent different historical locations. The counters are cardboard pieces that depict squads of soldiers , crews, individual leaders, support weapons, heavy weapons, and vehicles. Combined with

264-759: A 28-page Advanced Squad Leader Starter Kit basic rules book and a 20-page Decision at Elst Campaign Game rules booklet. ASL Starter Kit Module #4 PTO brings ASLSK to the Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO), and adds the Japanese and the United States Marine Corps to the ASLSK lineup. ASLSK#4 is a self-contained ASL module that gives players the opportunity to start playing Advanced Squad Leader almost immediately. Two dice are included. Tactical wargames The games are designed so that

396-523: A bell curve result between 2 and 12 (36 possible outcomes) is not unique to ASL, there are many other ways in which the dice are used. One die is a "colored" die, so that when two dice are rolled, not only will the sum of both dice be used (for example, an attack by a machinegun on an enemy unit will have the result of two dice cross-referenced on the Infantry Fire Table (IFT)), but other results may also be achieved simultaneously. (To continue

528-479: A brief history of each). Scenarios: ASL35-ASL42 Overlays: "D1-D6", "E1", "H1-H6", "S1-S8", "SD1-SD8", "W1-W4", "X1-X5". A proposed 2nd Edition was meant to reorganize the content of this module. The 2nd Edition was to contain Chapter F for the rulebook, associated information counters, and the 5 mapboards contained in the 1st Edition. "For King and Country" replaced this 2nd edition. The Last Hurrah brought

660-419: A brief history of each). The first half of Chapter G was also included, introducing many special rules for the Japanese, as well as Pacific Theatre terrain. Four new boards were provided, representing mainly jungle terrain though using standard mapboard symbology from previous maps. Special rules converted woods to jungle, buildings to huts, etc. An extensive set of terrain overlays was also provided, much like

792-583: A brief history of each, and also notes on amphibious craft as used by both sides in the Pacific. For anyone who had bought all the modules to date, they found that their rulebook was overflowing, with Chapter H alone having 112 pages. The second half of Chapter G was included, with special rules for amphibious operations, beach and ocean terrain (as well as more terrain overlays to help simulate these), tropical climate rules, new fortification types, and even rules for bulldozers. Prerequisites for this game included

924-545: A capacity by the government. He believes that since a battle is primarily a clash of technology, it can be measured. Proving ground data is his bible. Armor actions can be studied by careful study of "projectile penetration" vs. armor....The artist responds that this shell vs. armor test does not always hold true in the battlefield environment...The artist concludes...that when shell hits armor, anything (such as hits on vision ports, slung equipment, oblique angles, variable metal quality of cast armor, etc.) can happen and that only

1056-551: A chapter on painting 1:285 scale miniatures, and the Deluxe Advanced Squad Leader Modules were released soon after Beyond Valor . These map boards were 11" by 26" and had greatly enlarged hex grids, each hex being 2.2" inches across. The maps were designed to be used in conjunction with 1:285 scale miniatures, but could naturally be used with the standard cardboard counters and a very brief rulebook chapter gave some additional special rules for using

1188-413: A complete set of infantry counters for the so-called "Allied Minor" nationalities to generically represent soldiers from Poland , Norway , Belgium , The Netherlands , Greece , and some Yugoslavian forces . Prerequisites for the printed scenarios included with this module included the rulebook, Beyond Valor , and boards 2, 3 and 4 from SL. Also necessary for two of the scenarios (and not mentioned on

1320-529: A comprehensive starter kit 28-page rule book, and a 12-page Historical Notes (ASL chapter H) reference for the vehicles and ordnance contained. Two dice are included. (scenarios s17 to s19 and 28-31 are available on MMP's website as free downloads) Decision at Elst is the first Advanced Squad Leader Starter Kit Historical Module and covers the battle at Elst, Holland, in September 1944 between British and German units during Operation MARKET-GARDEN . It contains

1452-536: A different column on the IFT would be consulted with the dice roll. Double ones will result in a Critical Hit if rolling for an ordnance weapon "To Hit" an enemy target. As well, ASL gives each side in most scenarios a Sniper Activation Number (SAN) that will activate a random sniper attack whenever one side rolls the other's SAN for any purpose during gameplay. The dice thus feature heavily in gameplay providing multiple random events every time they are rolled. The following

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1584-690: A following Module would also have to own Yanks. The 2nd Edition helps to alleviate this problem by supplying more rules in one binder. It still does not supply all rules for all situations. For instance, if you wish to play a scenario using Jungle terrain you will need the Code of Bushido module with its rules section. Also, the OOB of particular nationalities and the map boards from particular Modules may still be required for subsequent Modules. ASL Action Packs (AP) are published by MMP. They include new scenarios and boards. They do not contain new rules or counters, with

1716-420: A full game of ASL. A number of third-party developers also continue to publish modules and scenarios for ASL. The ASL Rulebook was reformatted away from the traditional Avalon Hill format used in their smaller games. The ASL Rulebook was modeled after Amarillo Design Bureau 's Star Fleet Battles rulebook, a format that better supported the "massive" game that ASL had become. Based on military field manuals,

1848-418: A knowledge of military tactics will facilitate good gameplay. Tactical wargames offer more of a challenge to the designer, as fewer variables or characteristics inherent in the units being simulated are directly quantifiable. Modern commercial board wargaming avoided tactical subjects for many years, but since initial attempts at the subject appeared, it has remained a favourite topic among wargamers. Perhaps

1980-453: A less durable cardboard map style), a small rules booklet, quick reference chart, and two dice are included. The second Starter Kit adds rules for using artillery pieces, anti-tank guns, mortars and shaped-charge weapons (SCW - in ASL specifically referring to infantry carried and shoulder fired weapons like the bazooka, PIAT or Panzerschreck). This game, like the first Starter Kit, is intended as

2112-468: A limited counter mix for system markers, US paratrooper units and their German opponents in Normandy . Either initial module also requires ownership of boards from SL in order to play the included scenarios. The new game does not feature programmed instruction , instead of requiring a thorough reading of at least four chapters of the ASL Rulebook to play a game with ordnance and/or vehicles in it. Even

2244-730: A little opportunity fire thrown in. In situations like the Battle of Kursk in Panzer Blitz confronting the enemy meant possible extinction. The hardest part to accept was the situation where three German tanks block a pass and cannot be seen by the T-34s on their combat phase. On the Russian move they move up to the Mark IVs and have to stop. The T-34 move might have taken only a two-hex advance (500 metres) and then they idle their engines for

2376-642: A modern tactical game in MBT , only superficially similar to Squad Leader as it simulated a different era of tactical combat. Another game, IDF , appeared in 1993 that used the same rules as MBT, changing the setting from a fictional World War Three in Germany to the Middle East and the Arab–Israeli conflicts. Panzer Command by Victory Games in 1984 tried to address some of the problems Bird had mentioned in

2508-403: A modern version may be in the offing, other sources suggest more Historical Advanced Squad Leader modules will be the future direction. The long rumoured World War I expansion module appears to have been cancelled, however it may eventually be produced by a third-party manufacturer. Critical Hit has however recently produced several unofficial expansion modules, introducing the system to cover

2640-716: A most generalized statement of probability can be made. Nonetheless, while Squad Leader progressed into Advanced Squad Leader (" ASL ") in 1985, other titles also appeared, none of whom managed to gain the popularity that Squad Leader/ASL had gained. Perhaps the downturn in the wargaming industry is also to blame for that, as videogame consoles and computer games became more sophisticated and offered greater appeal than previously to those who enjoyed board wargaming as an intellectual challenge. West End Games introduced Eastern Front Tank Leader (also designed by John Hill) in 1986, followed by Western Front Tank Leader in 1987 and Desert Steel in 1989. The same year, Avalon Hill offered up

2772-512: A needlessly complex combat system, leadership rules that would be more appropriate for 18th Century combat and ridiculously simplistic casualty rules...The wargame industry has basically ignored the more accurate portrayal of company level combat in S&;D for the more glamorous version portrayed in Squad Leader . Even the developers of Squad Leader admitted that "our troops assault with

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2904-401: A simplified version of ASL. Counters are included for German, Russian and American infantry units and is intended as a stand-alone purchase with the expectation that players who enjoy the experience will feel comfortable "graduating" to the full-blown ASL game series. In addition to counters and two geomorphic boards (this release also marked the end of expensively mounted mapboards, introducing

3036-467: A small sampling of system markers, and just one mounted mapboard. The game was billed as a self-contained introductory module, and came with a rulebook chapter (Chapter K) written in conversational style that contained examples of play and a basic grounding in ASL rules for newcomers to the system. The chapter was written as a "basic training" story and included Days 1 to 6 (other days were released as part of other modules). Unfortunately, boards 1 to 4 from

3168-445: A solitaire version, and hundreds of third party add-ons and variants. Squad Leader , released in 1977, used a semi-simultaneous system as well, focusing on infantry combat. The physical components for the game were unmatched in terms of quality, using full color painted mapboards on rigid mountings that had the added advantage of being geomorphic. As the Squad Leader game system grew and more boards were added, they could be set up in

3300-613: A stand-alone game and includes two infantry-only scenarios. Only what is included is necessary for play of the game, with the expectation that players who enjoy the experience will feel comfortable "graduating" to the full-blown ASL game series. In addition to counters depicting various nationalities and boards, a small 20 page rules booklet, pair of quick reference charts, and two dice are included. (Scenarios s7 and s8 were sold separately in issues of Operations Magazine and are currently available as free downloads from MMP) ASL Starter Kit #3 adds rules for tanks and other vehicles. It contains

3432-679: A tenacity that would make Kelly's Heroes proud." The Tobruk game released by Avalon Hill prior to Squad Leader got little support from gamers or AH. "With the exception of a few articles and scenarios in The General , there was never a follow-on game or expansion product for Tobruk enthusiasts. We now have the benefit of hindsight to point to the years between the release of Squad Leader and its progeny Cross of Iron through GI: Anvil of Victory represented AH's commitment to tactical-level World War II gaming. As most readers are aware, that series led to ASL, followed by its own progeny over

3564-432: A traditional counter and hex-map board game played strictly in the medium of Vassal . Furthermore, some long-out-of-print games have been republished exclusively as digital games for use in such software. Advanced Squad Leader Modules#Paratrooper Modules for the game Advanced Squad Leader (ASL) contains all the equipment needed to actually play the game. There are 14 official so-called "core" modules that contain

3696-438: A variety of configurations and used to represent a wide array of units, as the infantry counters were generic and did not portray specific units. Some innovative rules for such things as leadership and "penetrating fire" (to simulate the ability of automatic weapons on the battlefield to engage more than just one target) were introduced. Some observers felt Squad Leader was too romantic a view of infantry combat. Bird felt that

3828-432: A weapon's value, if the soldier wielding it has confidence in his handling of the weapon and its overall effectiveness, his performance will be greatly enhanced. He subscribes to the opinion in vogue these days in battlefield research that technical differences of weapons is not nearly as important as the psychological perception of the individual using the weapon... Hock is the scientist and indeed has been employed in such

3960-411: Is a gaming company founded in 1994 by Perry Cocke and Brian Youse, and later co-partner Curt Schilling , to preserve ASL and other Avalon Hill games. Multi-Man Publishing made many changes to the new system; a decision not to reprint the earlier Squad Leader games resulted in reorganization and 2nd editions of many ASL core modules in order to include boards from the earlier games, necessary for play of

4092-409: Is a list of Advanced Squad Leader Modules , and the dates of their release. There were complex prerequisites for just about all modules after the release of Beyond Valor and Paratrooper , and 2nd Editions of most of the following have reorganized the map boards and rules chapters released with each. Specifically, a re-release of boards 1 to 4 has been necessary given MMPs decision not to reprint

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4224-408: Is the artistic approach akin to the impressionistic school of painting where subjects are abstracted until the overall effect on the viewer is such that the artist can will his impressions upon the viewer. Hence, an artistic designer studies history with concern for the overall battlefield environment and how each specific weapon relates to it, as opposed to proving ground statistics. Regardless of

4356-485: The American Civil War . AH issued a wide range of similar games in the years that followed, and established itself as the market leader in board wargames. However, most of these games were at the army , brigade , battalion , or regiment level. Few were at the more tactical levels. Tactical Game 3 was introduced by Strategy & Tactics magazine as a platoon/company level game focusing on tactics on

4488-869: The First World War , primarily focusing on the appearance of tanks during the later years on the Western Front . Subsequent expansions moved the system to cover the Russian Civil War and CofA intends to move the series up to 1939, covering the Chaco War , the Spanish Civil War and the German invasion of Poland in World War II. Other producers have also produced small unit tactical board wargames covering earlier eras such as

4620-611: The Paratrooper Module (Days 1-6), Pegasus Bridge HASL Module (Day 7) and ASL Journal #2 (Day 8)). All Historical ASL Module rules associated with Historical Study Modules and the ASL Journal were incorporated into a new Chapter Z. Chapter N is no longer supported in the 2nd Edition ASL Rulebook, and all Chapter N pages have been deleted from reprinted modules. The new rulebook also includes (minor) material not covered in any previous issue of errata, making ownership of

4752-455: The Rogue board 9 with improved artwork was accompanied by two brand new boards, as well as more terrain overlays. Twelve revised rulebook pages for the 1st Edition rulebook were also included. Prerequisites for playing the included scenarios were the rulebook, Beyond Valor, The Last Hurrah, Hollow Legions, and Yanks, as well as boards 42 and 43 (only available by separate purchase through MMP who

4884-565: The Spanish Civil War , the Arab–Israeli wars of 1948 and 1956 and the French–Vietnamese war during the 1950s . Several game manufacturers have produced tactical wargames covering naval warfare. Due to the scales of these battles, most games tend to be miniatures-based without boards, and several popular rules systems have appeared. However, several board versions have been produced over the past 40 years, with most games focusing either on

5016-459: The "To Hit/To Kill" system used to simulate armor protection and penetration in tank combat. Instead, by the time it debuted, Advanced Squad Leader had become a complete replacement of the games of the original SL series. As an example, the original SL has only twelve different tank and assault gun types, and only five different armor ratings, from -2 to +2. By contrast, ASL has separate counters for 56 different types of tanks and assault guns for

5148-405: The 1970s . While the game was successful, Dunnigan was disappointed with it, citing difficulties in realistically portraying tactical combat in a tabletop board game. Dunnigan tried to take tactical games into a new direction in 1973 with KampfPanzer and Desert War , which featured simultaneous movement, expanding on an optional rule for PanzerBlitz. Unfortunately, the quest for greater realism

5280-551: The 1993b edition of the ASL Annual referred to this project as March to Oblivion and projected a late 1994 release date. The Axis Minor nationalities include: Hungarian forces were provided in a two-colour scheme so as to distinguish them from other nations, such as Romania, whom they fought during the war, and to allow integration with German counters. Of all the SL and ASL games, gamettes and modules, Armies of Oblivion had perhaps

5412-597: The 1st Edition ASL Rulebook, not the 2nd. For King and Country was released, chronologically, after Doomed Battalions and is a reissue of material originally found in West of Alamein. The British order of battle has been split with the new 2nd edition of West of Alamein, which will include only desert terrain and rules, with King and Country containing the order of battle for British/Commonwealth forces. Included in this module are rereleases of mapboard 1 from SL, board 7 from COD, and boards 8 and 12 from GI. The Chapter H pages for

Advanced Squad Leader - Misplaced Pages Continue

5544-412: The 2nd Edition essential for compatibility with new products or other players who use the 2nd Edition. The 2nd Edition does reflect most, but not all, previous changes to the rules via an issue of replacement pages. There are also cosmetic differences such as larger typeface and improved layout. Perhaps one of the most unusual elements of the ASL system is the use of dice. While using two dice to obtain

5676-576: The 2nd Edition. This forces some players to purchase the ASLRB all over again. An area the new rules simplifies is the Chapters included in various Modules. Originally a new module would add a new chapter to the ASLRB to cover the new material. For instance, the release of Yanks included special rules in Chapter E and a chapter detailing the American OOB. Any players wishing to use these rules in

5808-504: The ASL Rulebook, which gives detailed notes and information on each type of vehicle or piece of ordnance. Some modules also contain chapters specific to certain theatres, such as North Africa or the Pacific, where special rules for nationality distinctions, terrain and weather are required. When the Finnish module "Hakkaa Päälle" was released, Advanced Squad Leader became the first tactical level wargame in history to be able to portray

5940-531: The Allied Minors to just infantry/cavalry actions). The scenarios included were deemed to be "small by ASL standards" but fun and well balanced. The 2nd Edition also included board 3 from the original Squad Leader series. Hollow Legions contained a wealth of exclusively new materials unseen in the Squad Leader/ASL world before. The entire order of battle for the much-maligned Italian Army

6072-579: The Beyond Valor module. The countersheet provided in Partisan! mostly gave infantry forces for Axis Minor nations (see Armies of Oblivion below) omitting any heavy weapons. A redo of board 10 from the original Rogue Series boards was included in this module, with the new artwork up to the usual high standards of the mounted mapboards of every game in the series to date, as well as a brand new board. Scenarios: ASL27-ASL34 West of Alamein brought

6204-685: The British are included in this module, and 20 scenarios round out the contents. The decision by MMP not to reprint the earlier SL/COI/COD/GI games no doubt prompted the decision to reissue these boards, which would otherwise be available only through special order. In order to play all included scenarios, however, prerequisites include the rulebook and Beyond Valor as well as mapboards 2, 3 and 4 from SL, board 5 from COI, board 6 from COD, boards 13 and 14 from GI, board 9 from Doomed Battalions, board 10 from Partisan (also not being reprinted), and boards 11 and 33 from The Last Hurrah. Armies of Oblivion expands

6336-535: The Campaign article mentioned above. Robert Kern reported (in Fire & Movement Number 49 (Jul/Aug 1986)) that: "Experimentation is the main reason why our games have been so successful. Not only do we try to simplify game systems as much as possible, but we also tear systems apart to see if something new can be created from them. Panzer Command , for example, does not use a strict sequence of play; rather, portions of

6468-477: The Eastern Front. In 1970, that game's designer, the legendary James F. Dunnigan , sold the rights to the game to Avalon Hill, who quickly released PanzerBlitz . This was the start of the so-called "Second Generation" of wargaming. PanzerBlitz eventually sold 250,000 copies, though it was not without critics (including Dunnigan himself). In the early 1970s, several tactical games made their way onto

6600-470: The Germans alone, with armor values from 0 to 26, based on actual thickness and degree of slope. Beyond Valor includes 99 separate German vehicles simulated in the game, including halftracks , armored cars, anti-aircraft vehicles, and soft skins. Many fans of the original Squad Leader game who had looked forward to improvements to the system with the release of Advanced Squad Leader were taken aback by

6732-480: The Internet using a system called Virtual Advanced Squad Leader (VASL), using the "Vassal" game engine designed by Rodney Kinney. This is a Java-based application that allows for real-time input by one or more participants/observers who can manipulate graphical representations of map boards and counters, including random dice rolls, LOS checking, chart consultation and all the necessary administrative tasks to play

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6864-474: The Internet, including the option of spectators. A large proportion of published board games have been converted for play in this manner, extending the lives of old boardgames (to avoid copyright infringement, it is expected that players of these games provide their own rulebooks and other physical components only obtainable by purchasing the games.) Some companies are now releasing games meant solely for play via this medium, such as Dan Verssen's Special Forces ,

6996-591: The Napoleonic Era or the first half of the 20th century. Pre-1750 Napoleonic Era (1750–1850) American Civil War/Industrialized Era (1850–1898) World War I Era (1898–1930) World War II Era (1930–1945) Post-war Era (1945–Present) Several board-based tactical wargames have also appeared for aerial warfare, although popularity for this genre is low due to the amount of rules and plotting required. An additional category of tactical wargames would be direct translation of board wargames for play on

7128-506: The OOB from For King and Country will not be enough to play all scenarios in HL as the WOA map boards are required as well. Furthermore, an MMP Action Pack is required for one module, a Historical Study. Finally, the release of the 2nd Edition rules further complicates the process by making some sections of the 1st Edition obsolete. Full compatibility with 2nd Edition rules is only possible by owning

7260-413: The Pacific theatre. Scenarios: ASL19-ASL26 Partisan! also required the ASL Rulebook, boards 1, 2, 3 and 4 from SL, and Beyond Valor as prerequisites to play the printed scenarios, as well as providing some counters for "Partisan" or irregular forces that could represent western European Resistance members, Yugoslavian guerrillas, or Soviet partisan troops. These partisan counters were already provided in

7392-602: The Roman Empire, the Napoleonic Wars and the American Civil War. However, with the exception of Avalon Hill's The Siege of Jerusalem , none of these games have met with much success. Note however, grand tactical board war games have extraordinary followings, especially The Gamers ' series of games covering the American Civil War and CofA's La Bataille series covering the Napoleonic Wars and

7524-583: The Seven Years' War. GMT Games has also had considerable success with its Great Battles of History series. These series though use larger units, usually at the battalion or regimental level. In 2002, Advanced Tobruk was released by game manufacturer Critical Hit, Inc. This game was a makeover from the original, and Raymond J. Tapio, who had been designing third party ASL add-ons for sale by his company Critical Hit, conversed with original designer Hal Hock in 1998 and decided, with Kurt Martin, to re-release

7656-670: The Spanish Civil War through the Korean War, with rumors of a World War I expansion, and even a version of the American Civil War. In 2006, the final component for Advanced Squad Leader , Armies of Oblivion , went to press, completing the last of twelve essential "core modules" covering every major combatant army, vehicle and ordnance type of the Second World War. It is unclear which direction new projects will take ASL, although there are some indications are that

7788-571: The Tiger can decimate the Shermans in no time flat without any "defensive" fire by the M-4s at all, and then move off....While Panzer Blitz , Panzer Leader and Arab-Israeli Wars are wonderful games, and demand a high degree of tactical ability to play, victory can be obtained in a manner very often that runs contrary to reason and a player's intelligence... This much anticipated sequel to PanzerBlitz

7920-601: The Western Front 1944-45 . The problems with true tactical (company/battalion level) games were all too apparent. According to Lorrin Bird, writing in Special Issue #2 of Campaign Magazine : The major disappointment with the three major Avalon Hill games ( Panzer Leader , PanzerBlitz and Arab-Israeli Wars ) was the obvious sequential nature of the whole situation. A shoots, A moves. B shoots, B moves. With

8052-536: The applicable Chapter H pages providing DYO values and special vehicle notes describing any special in-game characteristics for each vehicle and ordnance type, as well as a brief history of each). Eight revised pages for the 1st Edition rulebook were also included with the game as well as a sheet of additional terrain overlays. Prerequisites for this game included the rulebook, Beyond Valor, Yanks, West of Alamein, and boards 2 and 4 from SL Scenarios: ASL75-ASL82 Overlays: "OG1-OG5", "St1-St3", "X7-X18" Doomed Battalions

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8184-656: The armies of every nationality that participated in hostilities in the Second World War . This initial game features all system counters necessary for playing ASL, as well as the complete infantry, vehicle and ordnance counter mix for the Germans , Russians and Finns . (A new edition published by MMP many years later added the HASL Module " Red Barricades "). The scenarios were sometimes decried as lacklustre, and mainly centered on urban combat, in keeping with

8316-423: The boards from SL. After the disappointment among SL fans when GI: Anvil of Victory contained no Design Your Own (DYO) unit purchase values for American forces , the third module of Yanks made up for this, for those who could afford the steep cost of this module, which had both the ASL Rulebook and Beyond Valor as prerequisites, as well as board 2 from SL, board 7 from COD and board 12 from GI (if one wanted to play

8448-533: The cardboard counters in the larger hexes. Only two modules were released; the drawback of the larger scale map boards was that the terrain being simulated had to be fairly close-in, and scenarios based on fighting in these kinds of environments. The two official releases focused on city fighting and the hedgerow country in Normandy. In 2020, the DASL system was re-released. Included were the original 18 scenarios from

8580-442: The complete order of battle for British forces to ASL, and unlike COD/GI covered the entire war, both British and US manufactured vehicles and weapons. However, the scenarios focused on North Africa, and five new mapboards as well as a large number of cardboard terrain overlays were included, along with Chapter F with several pages of special rules for simulating combat in a desert environment. Only one printed scenario included with

8712-436: The components of the game system. However, special rules, maps, or map overlays may be required in order to properly portray these situations. ASL modules usually have dependencies on one or more previous module(s) (in other words, use of the material in one module is dependent on ownership of another). Very few modules can be played in isolation. This is not a complete list. As well, the problem of prerequisites extends to

8844-556: The computer, but with manual input by players. The Vassal game engine designed by Rodney Kinney, as well as Aide-de-Camp , Cyberboard , ZunTzu , and Battlegrounds Gaming Engine are five examples of this. Using Java or similar technology, graphical versions of boards and counters can be manipulated in cyberspace as if a manual version of the game was being played. Dice rolling, chit drawing, and other game functions are all recreated in these "virtual tabletop" systems, which can be played solo, by email, or live multi-player over

8976-412: The conditions of the particular battle such as weather, and victory conditions. In addition to the scenarios published in the modules, there are numerous other sources for scenarios, both official and unofficial. There is also a detailed set of instructions in the ASL Rulebook for Design Your Own (DYO) scenarios based on a point-purchase system. Additional variations on ASL include Deluxe ASL (DASL), which

9108-534: The core modules in varying combinations, or at least the components of them (rules sections and counters, and sometimes mapboards). Each module generally contains the complete order of battle for at least one nationality, including 1/2" counters depicting infantry squads , crews, and single man counters (SMCs) as well as infantry support weapons. Some modules expanded coverage with 5/8" counters depicting vehicles and ordnance . Those modules with vehicle and ordnance counters generally also contain pages for Chapter H of

9240-741: The core modules of ASL may also have been a factor in this decision. So while ASL was intended to replace SL, there was a certain ambiguity for many years about the status of SL's replacement; the original game was still necessary as a stepping stone to learning ASL, and a source for needed map boards. ASL was the first of Avalon Hill's 'advanced' games (the others were Advanced Civilization and Advanced Third Reich ). In 1998 Monarch Avalon, Inc. sold its entire line of games to Hasbro . On January 15, 1999, Multi-Man Publishing , LLC (MMP) announced an exclusive association with Hasbro, Inc. "to develop, produce, and distribute games and other products for Avalon Hill's Advanced Squad Leader (ASL) game system." MMP

9372-612: The desert overlays in the West of Alamein module. Prerequisites for this game included the rulebook, Beyond Valor, Yanks, and West of Alamein as well as board 2 from SL. The US forces in the scenarios provided were representative of US Army units and thus no special counters or rules were needed, though the majority of scenarios dealt with Japanese troops fighting Russian, British, and Philippine partisan troops with only two situations involving American forces. Scenarios: ASL59-ASL66 Overlays: "1-5", "B1-B5", "G1-G5", "M1-M5", "O1-O5", "RP1-RP5", "Wd1-Wd5", "X6". In September 2013, this module

9504-652: The design decisions which restricted game play. At this point, Avalon Hill approached developer John Hill to "do a game like Tank! (but) a squad level game...." Hill was well known, and had recently written an article in Moves entitled "Designing for Playability." He had recently published BarLev and Battle for Hue . The result was Squad Leader , which went on to become the best selling tactical wargame ever, spawning three add-ons (called "gamettes" by Avalon Hill) and an Advanced version which produced twelve "official" core modules, several historically based modules,

9636-535: The earlier coverage of the Axis Minor nationalities by providing their vehicles and ordnance (along with the applicable Chapter H pages providing DYO values and special vehicle notes describing any special in-game characteristics for each vehicle and ordnance type, as well as a brief history of each). Also included are reprinted counters from the out-of-print Partisan! module and four new mapboards, as well as terrain overlays. The project had long been in development;

9768-469: The essential components for a complete order of battle of all major nationalities to participate in the Second World War. Ownership of all core modules is not a prerequisite to playing the game, and as few as one module can be used. In addition to core modules, other products are also available and may be loosely referred to as "modules", or in the more specific terms as Deluxe ASL Modules and Historical ASL Modules. These required previous ownership of some of

9900-485: The example, if the colored die is equal or less to a printed Rate of Fire (ROF) number given for the machinegun, it may fire again in that phase). Comparing the results of the two dice to each other will also create simultaneous results; so while the sum of the dice will be used on the IFT, two sixes (a natural 12) will result in the machinegun suffering a stoppage. If the roll was for an attack by an infantry squad, identical results on both dice would result in "cowering" and

10032-520: The exception of AP 2 and AP 4 which have new rule pages inserts. Deluxe Advanced Squad Leader (DASL) was a version of the Advanced Squad Leader game introduced in 1985. Intended to be a fusion of 1:285 scale miniatures (so-called "micro-armor") and Squad Leader , the concept never really took off, at least in the printed form sold by Avalon Hill , and only two modules were released, both in 1985. The 1st edition ASL Rulebook contained

10164-512: The exception of Axis Minors and the Finns. An expanded version of Chapter S was included and 21 Mission cards. Prerequisites for play of SASL depend on the nationalities involved. In 2004, in recognition that newcomers to the ASL hobby would have a hard time learning 200 pages of rules quickly and happily, the Starter Kits were introduced. Along with the new semi-mounted mapboards replacing

10296-584: The expanding wargaming market, including Grunt (1971) featuring platoon-level warfare in Vietnam and Combat Command: Platoon-Company Combat, France, 1944 (1972) billed as a western front sequel to PanzerBlitz , and Soldiers (1972) about World War I, all by Dunnigan/SPI. Dunnigan then crossed another boundary and became the first publisher to release a game on the then-ongoing Cold War, called Red Star/White Star: Tactical Combat in Western Europe in

10428-511: The first two releases, as well as a further 20 scenarios, all updated scenarios previously released. Streets of Fire was the first Deluxe ASL module to be released; the maps were very similar and depicted city terrain similar to that found on the mapboard 1 from Squad Leader or the "city boards" found in Beyond Valor. Hedgerow Hell was the second Deluxe ASL module to be released. The maps represented typical bocage country, with many hedge depictions and more rural type terrain types. Deluxe ASL

10560-497: The form of altered pages, with page numbers annotated with the date of any changes; old pages were simply removed from the binder and discarded and the new page inserted. The two largest updates were the '87 and '89 sections that came with many pages. The first edition rules shipped with Chapter A, B, C, D, H, J, and N. Chapter N was a visual inventory of all game pieces included in Beyond Valor and several follow up modules but

10692-403: The four new mapboards issued with the game. Mapboard 1 from SL and mapboard 8 from GI were necessary to play four of the ten printed scenarios as well. Scenarios: ASL1-ASL10 Scenarios (V.3): 123-136 A 2nd Edition included additional counters for rules added in Chapter E (which was included with the 2nd Edition Rulebook), as well as changing the colour scheme for Finnish counters, and included

10824-406: The game "completely sidesteps the effect of widespread panic and morale breakdowns (contagious hysteria), and treats every soldier as if he were totally dedicated to the cause..." Others felt that games like Search & Destroy received short shrift. Few tactical games during (the 1970s) are comparable to Squad Leader ... which is quite popular and is of a similar scale (to S&D), but has

10956-431: The game easier to learn and play. The rules make more sense. Most of the old 'funny' rules that allowed 'cute' tricks have been deleted. Mostly, I guess, it's a distillation of the best of SL....In short, there's a lot less crapping around in the rules. Most importantly, the vast majority of the rules really will tend to benefit the player who thinks as did his historical counterpart. (Sigh, an end to our torching most of

11088-531: The game required a board from a previous module (Yanks) in order to play (as well as the Chapter E rules for parachute landings), though both the rulebook and Beyond Valor were prerequisites. The module was popular for the new terrain types it brought to the game, many veteran players describing this as the "long awaited desert module." Chapter H pages for British forces were also included (with DYO values and special vehicle notes describing any special in-game characteristics for each vehicle and ordnance type, as well as

11220-507: The game system caught on and new modules continued to be produced twenty-five years after the original release - joining Dungeons & Dragons and Star Fleet Battles as one of what were known as "The Big Three" games of the hobbyist game industry. A large and active worldwide hobby community thrives around ASL, including tournaments, community websites, clubs, and fanzines . An active trading and auction community enables participants to buy and sell used ASL modules. ASL can be played over

11352-526: The game turn are on chits which are drawn at random." Other significant product lines appeared by producers GDW and Clash of Arms Games ("CofA") . GDW focused on the Cold War or World War III period with Team Yankee , the first product of its First Battle Series line of games. Later offerings moved this system to cover several post-Cold war scenarios, such as Desert Storm , and also back to Second World War . CofA produced Landships! which covers

11484-582: The game, increasing complexity and playing time (as well as the likelihood of rules arguments). The modelling of infantry weapons was overhauled to prevent unrealistic tactics, and machineguns and ordnance were given variable rates of fire (in other words, the ability to fire more than once per phase, with a certain unpredictability as to how many times worked in). Squads equipped only with small arms now had many options to reflect weapons types; semi-automatic and automatic weapons could be simulated with rules for Spraying Fire or Assault Fire, for example. Above all,

11616-421: The game. Tobruk was expanded into a system covering the entire Second World War at the tactical level, with a game scale similar to Squad Leader , 50 metres per hex and counters depicting individual squads and vehicles. The Advanced Tobruk System ("ATS") proved to be very popular, with several expansion modules being produced. Graphic quality of the components was high. The system has gone on to cover battles from

11748-421: The geomorphic mapboards were sometimes substituted for actual terrain maps. A module designed for solitaire play was designed by MMP, using dice and charts to generate opposing actions, in a system similar to earlier solitaire games like Ambush! or Tokyo Express. Only one module has been released, and MMP has announced that no reprint will be made. No new boards were released with the module, though Chapter S

11880-676: The longest and most dubious history. An article in the Sep-Oct 2004 issue of View From the Trenches (a long running third-party publication for ASL begun in the UK in March 1995 and still in bi-monthly publication) listed the progress of this module. Armies of Oblivion was released in January 2006. Rising Sun was released in September, 2013, combining the elements of Code of Bushido and Gung Ho! into

12012-526: The map board.) In that same issue of The General , Don Greenwood - developer of ASL and also editor of the magazine - responded to harsh criticism by consumers who felt that the redesign of the system was a cash-grab, or worse, a betrayal. The SL game system, for all its acclaim...was based on a flawed foundation. The subsequent gamettes, in building on that start, only complicated matters by attempting to patch that foundation rather than replace it altogether....here's how I rationalize it. A few years ago, ...I

12144-399: The modern, recreational form only dated back to 1958—tended to concentrate on operational and strategic subjects. Charles S. Roberts of Avalon Hill had developed a wide range of strategic wargames based upon historical battles—the first of these being the 1961 releases of Gettysburg and Chancellorsville , issued to coincide with the beginning of the centennial celebration of

12276-481: The most basic ASL components were no longer introductory in nature, although Paratrooper masqueraded as such. (This would be redressed in 2004 by the introduction of ASL Starter Kits). Avalon Hill actually suggested that anyone wishing to play ASL also purchase the original Squad Leader and gain experience with that system first, and kept the original SL and three gamettes in print. The necessity of owning boards from these modules in order to play printed scenarios in

12408-476: The most successful board wargaming system ever designed, Advanced Squad Leader , is set at the tactical level. Tactical wargame rules have appeared for every period of human history and even into the future. The first true "miniatures" games may have developed in antiquity, though Kriegsspiel , a command study invented in 18th century Prussia, is generally accepted as the first true miniatures game. Commercially available miniatures, however, only became popular at

12540-507: The need to replace the four modules they had bought; only the map boards of the earlier series were compatible with the new game. The new game requires at least two products, the Advanced Squad Leader Rulebook and an initial module, either Beyond Valor , which contains a brand new counter mix for the German, Russian and Finnish armies, as well as all necessary system counters, or else Paratrooper , which contains

12672-402: The next 5 minutes. On the next German move, the Mark IVs cleverly dart away, in and out of cover and take position again. The T-34s...move a few hexes, stop and idle, awaiting the German movement which frees up the next few hexes for them. Another funny situation is where a Tiger unit sits in the open and a Sherman comes out of nowhere and ends up adjacent to the Germans. With ideal conditions,

12804-455: The older mounted style, these kits provided newcomers to ASL with everything they needed to get into the game with a minimum of reading. In a form of Programmed Instruction not possible with the ASL Rulebook, each starter kit comes with a small pamphlet outlining only the bare minimum of rules necessary for play of the game. Each kit focuses on a particular aspect of ASL. The first Starter Kit includes very basic rules to quickly get players into

12936-497: The original Squad Leader game and its three gamettes. The original Avalon Hill West of Alamein module originally contained the entire British/Commonwealth order of battle; reprintings by MMP have reorganized the content, splitting the original WOA content into two modules, a 2nd Edition West of Alamein, and a new For King and Country module. A tremendous strength in the ASL system is its flexibility. Most tactical situations from Second World War history can be recreated using

13068-427: The original Beyond Valor mapboards 20, 21, 22, and 23. The game also included 20 ASL scenarios and 4 six-sided dice in addition to 13 sets of counters for the complete Russian and German order of battle as well as the main system counters. This game was the least expensive offering of the initial modules, containing a skeleton order of battle for United States parachute troops in Normandy and their German opponents,

13200-416: The original SL were still necessary to play all eight scenarios contained in the game, so either ownership of SL was required, or the boards had to be ordered separately by mail. Ownership of the ASL Rulebook was also a requirement. Scenarios: ASL11-ASL18 A 2nd Edition deleted the Chapter K pages, as they became available with the 2nd Edition Rulebook, and added dice as well as boards 2 and 4, reissues of

13332-519: The original packaging) was Yanks , or at the least, Chapter E which was included in that module. Another of the Rogue boards was re-released, again with updated artwork to ASL standards, as well as a new board. The third mapboard in the game was a new offering. Some unique matchups were included in the scenarios, including Polish cavalry versus German armoured cars and tanks, Yugoslavian cavalry versus German motorcycles, and Polish cavalry versus Russian armoured cars. Scenarios: ASL43-ASL50 The module

13464-434: The other nationalities (and many printed scenarios in future modules would in fact have ownership of Chapter E a prerequisite.) Chapter H pages for US forces were also included (with DYO values and special vehicle notes describing any special in-game characteristics for each vehicle and ordnance type, as well as a brief history of each). Note that only European and North African theatre forces were included, not US forces from

13596-546: The otherwise out of print Red Barricades HASL module, including two mapsheets, informational counters, and rulebook Chapter O). A 3rd Edition released in December 2005 contained 10 geomorphic mapboards (done in the lighter style of the ASLSK boards), being reprints of the original Squad Leader boards 1, 2, 3 and 4, a reprint of the Cross of Iron board 5, and a reprint of board 8 from GI: Anvil of Victory, as well as reprints of

13728-493: The playing of printed scenarios, many of which require components from multiple modules, particularly those scenarios released by third-party publishers. For instance, the Order of Battle (OOB) from a module may be needed to play one module while a single map board from the same module may be required to play a particular scenario. The Hollow Legions (HL) Module was originally intended to add on to West of Alamein (WOA) and as such

13860-647: The preprinted scenarios). The entire order of battle for US forces in Europe (and North Africa) was included, along with Chapter E which contained "miscellaneous" rules for amphibious landings, night fighting, air support, weather, parachute drops, glider landings, boats, convoys, swimming, ammunition vehicles, and special barrage rules for OBA (Off Board Artillery). Unfortunately, for those not interested in US forces, Chapter E would have to be purchased separately by mail order if one wanted to simulate any of these aspects with any of

13992-583: The printed scenarios in those core modules. Playtester Jon Mishcon described the new game rather more succinctly in Volume 21, Number 5 of The General Magazine , in relation to Squad Leader ; he wrote that the game was "Closely akin to SL but NOT the same." ASL took longer to play, punished use of "cheats" that worked in the old game system (one example was flooding an isolated defending unit by moving multiple units towards him; in ASL, units could fire more than once at moving targets in certain situations, which

14124-414: The rule book was contained in a three-ring binder. Each chapter was color-coded along the top of the page, with brightly colored section dividers of heavy cardboard stock reproducing charts and diagrams associated with that chapter. Errata would be provided on a regular basis, and coupons in the back of the rulebook could be exchanged by mail for the initial updates to the rulebook. The errata would come in

14256-412: The rulebook, Beyond Valor, Yanks, West of Alamein, and Code of Bushido, as well as board 2 from SL. Scenarios: ASL67-ASL74 Overlays: "Be1-Be7", "Ef1-Ef3", "OC1-OC4", "P1-P5". In September 2013, this module was replaced by Rising Sun. Croix de Guerre provided the complete order of battle for French forces in 1939-40, as well as Vichy French troops, as well as their vehicles and ordnance (along with

14388-492: The sales of the original Squad Leader , Advanced Squad Leader sold over 1 million copies by 1997. Fifteen core modules provide representations of nearly every troop type, vehicle, and weapon to see combat action from any nationality involved in World War II. Each module comes with 6 to 20 researched scenarios depicting historical battles . These scenarios are printed on card stock with specifications of game length, map board configuration, counters involved, special rules for

14520-691: The scenarios, however, in addition to the varied terrain, with Italian forces variously fighting against British, American, Russian and German troops. Scenarios: ASL51-ASL58 Code of Bushido was another departure for the ASL system, taking players for the first time to the Pacific Theatre of Operations (PTO). The entire order of battle for the Japanese Army was included (along with the applicable Chapter H pages providing DYO values and special vehicle notes describing any special in-game characteristics for each vehicle and ordnance type, as well as

14652-429: The start of the 20th century. Jane's published several sets of rules for naval games in the early to mid-20th century. The number of land-based tactical miniatures games produced for the commercial market increased exponentially following the Second World War as interest in that conflict and disposable income increased. The genesis of tactical board wargaming goes back to 1969. Up until that time, wargaming—which in

14784-424: The two game systems were quite different, and as time passed it was clear which game Avalon Hill preferred to support. In July 1987, as alluded to above, Avalon Hill sold the rights to Tobruk back to Hal Hock. Some of the challenges facing designers of tactical wargames were also made clear in that article, which contrasted Hill's "design for effect" philosophy with the more data-driven philosophy of Hock: Hill's

14916-468: The use of morale ratings to determine the ability to push ordnance through snow or mud, even though there is no real reason for morale to affect such an attempt. It was clear that the system had grown in ways never dreamed of in 1977; large amounts of "nutmail" to Avalon Hill convinced the developers of the need to streamline the rules. Avalon Hill had originally promised a new rulebook streamlining procedures, eliminating redundancies, and possibly revising

15048-418: The use of standardized abbreviations and jargon made the rules very technical in outlook; this language is known as "legalese" and is in contrast to more "conversational" types of rules. The debate of the merits of both approaches went as far back as the original Squad Leader rulebook written by John Hill and Don Greenwood. ASL came down firmly on the side of "legalese", though not coincidentally Don Greenwood

15180-411: The years. Thus, one should not be the least bit surprised that Tobruk appeared to be expendable circa 1987, a year that happened to be the height of the ASL craze." In fact, Hal Hock (developer of Tobruk ) and Don Greenwood and John Hill (developers of Squad Leader ) compared the merits of the two games shortly after the release of the latter in the pages of The General . It was made clear that

15312-499: Was a short-lived experiment in fusing miniature wargaming with ASL; Historical ASL (HASL), which used historically accurate maps , usually in a campaign setting where the outcome of one scenario affected the setup of following scenarios; Solitaire ASL (SASL) with many rules changes for fog of war and command to enhance solitaire play; and the ASL Starter Kits (ASLSK), a series of stand-alone introductory kits. The game

15444-658: Was considered the new "state of the art" for tactical wargames. The first era of tactical wargaming had come to an end. The new state of the art was extended to Avalon Hill's Tobruk in 1976, as well as SPI's Firefight . But neither game did well, with increased realism in the form of detailed penetration tables in Tobruk and rigid rules for modern Soviet doctrine forced on the players of Firefight making games once again less playable. Tobruk also suffered from an unattractive map surface which depicted basically flat terrain. Another point for players of tactical wargames to consider

15576-452: Was first published by Avalon Hill in 1985 as a successor to the award-winning Squad Leader series, on which the game is based and from which the rules and components were directly developed. By the time the fourth and final installment of Squad Leader debuted, there were four separate rulebooks in existence with poorly integrated and sometimes contradictory rules. For example, U.S. forces had lower morale and were therefore disadvantaged by

15708-433: Was having a price in complexity and "bookkeeping", or recording of moves on paper. Nonetheless, other tactical games on a man to man level were released with simultaneous movement, with Sniper! being released by SPI in 1973, Patrol !: Man to Man Combat in the 20th Century and Tank!: Armored Combat in the 20th Century both in 1974. That same year, Avalon Hill released Panzer Leader : The Game of Tactical Warfare on

15840-473: Was impossible in the original SL), and emphasized realism over playability. He clarified that while playability had in many cases increased with the organization of the new rules, there were still many "special" circumstances that called for special rules. The new rules did, however, have a very strong systemic approach whereby, in his words, you could learn a concept and it applies, with varying D (ice) R (oll) M (odifiers), in all similar situations. This makes

15972-488: Was included (along with the applicable Chapter H pages providing DYO values and special vehicle notes describing any special in-game characteristics for each vehicle and ordnance type, as well as a brief history of each). Two new desert boards were provided, and prerequisites for playing the scenarios were extensive, including the rulebook, Beyond Valor, West of Alamein, and Yanks, as well as board 4 from SL, board 7 from COD and board 12 from GI. A great variety of forces made up

16104-510: Was included covering the special rules for SASL (a 2nd edition was released with expanded solitaire rules), informational counters, several types of charts, and 14 "Mission Cards", which were the SASL version of scenarios. Only German, Russian, Partisan and US forces were covered in this game, and the rulebook, Beyond Valor and Yanks were prerequisites. A 2nd Edition was released expanding the charts to include all nationalities covered by ASL, with

16236-462: Was not fully supported. While early modules did contain the appropriate Chapter N pages, some modules did not have the pages included immediately (Paratrooper's Chapter N pages, for example, were not provided until the release of Yanks ). HASL modules did not have associated Chapter N pages, and neither did Doomed Battalions . Training Manual The rules themselves were heavily streamlined, as promised, though many more procedures were introduced to

16368-835: Was released in 2020 at Winter Offensive in Bowie, Maryland. Its maps were the tri-fold style, repainted by Charlie Kibler and printed on card stock, the so-called "SK" style boards. Also included were all of the original Deluxe ASL overlays (from the 1995 Annual), also repainted by Charlie, and two sheets of *new* overlays and four additional sheets of wooden and stone rubble Kibler overlays Several modules known as Historical Advanced Squad Leader modules , or HASL, feature maps based on actual terrain as well as historical "campaigns" (known as Campaign Games (CG)) where interlinked scenarios depict several days of fighting over historical objectives. MMP took over production of HASL with A Bridge Too Far, and also released "Historical Studies", or modules in which

16500-623: Was replaced by Rising Sun. By the time Gung Ho! was released, no serious player of ASL could deny that the system had become a highly complex and detailed game system that retained little of the playability of the original Squad Leader . Gung Ho introduced a complete order of battle for both Chinese forces and the United States Marine Corps , along with the applicable Chapter H pages providing DYO values and special vehicle notes describing any special in-game characteristics for each Chinese vehicle and ordnance type, as well as

16632-404: Was reviewed in Volume 2, Number 15 of Wargamer (Sep-Oct 1989); Ted Bleck considered the game to be up to the usual high standards as far as components went (beautiful mounted mapboards as well as accurately printed and cut counters, easy to read and easy to separate from the "trees") but expressed disappointment at the focus of the module. No vehicles or ordnance were included (restricting play of

16764-426: Was selling these bundled with a set of new scenarios), board 32 from Partisan, and boards 2 and 3 from SL. Scenarios: ASL83-ASL90 Overlays: "RR1-RR14", "X19-X24", "OW1" 2nd Edition is a bit of a misnomer; a small print run was made by Avalon Hill before MMP took over the franchise. A reissue of the module by MMP was made very quickly, but the rules chapters of this so-called "2nd Edition" of DB were compatible with

16896-432: Was so enamored by ( video cassette recorders ) that I just had to have one. Two years later they were selling models for half the price with twice the features which mine had. Sometimes I regret buying that VCR so soon, but then I recall all the fun I had with it when it was new and eventually concluded that my money was well spent after all. Despite the price tag and the expensive lists of prerequisites for each new module,

17028-554: Was successful, and the next year SPI replaced their earlier titles with games featuring a new "Simultaneous-Sequential-Play-System", eliminating the bookkeeping involved in games like KampfPanzer and Tank and attempting to address the problems described by Bird, above. And so MechWar '77 replaced the earlier Red Star/White Star , Panzer '44 replaced Combat Command , and Search & Destroy replaced Grunt . The new Simultaneous-Sequential-Play-System (SSPS) allowed for much greater realism without sacrificing playability, and

17160-469: Was the driving force behind ASL with John Hill having moved on to other projects after the original SL. A 2nd Edition Rulebook was introduced by Multi-Man Publishing in early 2001, combining all previous errata and including updates to Chapters A, B, C, D, H (German/Russian), and J as well as Chapter E (previously available only with the Yanks module) and Chapter K Days 1-8 (previously available only with

17292-526: Was the increasing amount of unit data that was being built into the games. Rather than pieces depicting generic "infantry" or "cavalry" units as in Civil War strategy games, for example, games like Tobruk were inundating players with tables of complex ballistics information. Firefight came with a separate booklet on "Reference Data" amounting to 20 pages of information, much of it not immediately necessary for gameplay but certainly useful to defend some of

17424-556: Was the last module published by Avalon Hill before the purchase by Hasbro, and expanded the earlier coverage of the Allied Minor nationalities in The Last Hurrah by providing their vehicles and ordnance (along with the applicable Chapter H pages providing DYO values and special vehicle notes describing any special in-game characteristics for each vehicle and ordnance type, as well as a brief history of each). A rerelease of

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