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.
Each scenario in the original four game releases was printed on an 8-1/2" x 11" cardstock with the following elements in place:
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
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.
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.
A graphic representation of which boards to use, how to orient them, which direction is "north" and placement of terrain overlays (if any).
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.
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.
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.
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 (or SSRs) provide flexibility to designers; helping recreate an historically accurate scenario. Rule modifications can achieve specific effects on game-play.
A paragraph summary of the outcome of the situation being depicted.
Game | # | Name | Allies | Axis | Date | Location |
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SL | 1 | The Guards Counterattack | ![]() |
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6 October 1942 | Stalingrad, USSR |
SL | 2 | The Tractor Works | ![]() |
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6 October 1942 | Stalingrad, USSR |
SL | 3 | The Streets of Stalingrad | ![]() |
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6 October 1942 | Stalingrad, USSR |
SL | 4 | The Hedgehog of Piepsk | ![]() |
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14 November 1941 | Piepsk, USSR |
SL | 5 | Hill 621 | ![]() |
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1 July 1944 | near Minsk, USSR |
SL | 6 | Escape From Velikiye Luki | ![]() |
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12 January 1943 | Velikiye Luki, USSR |
SL | 7 | Buchholz Station | ![]() |
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16 December 1944 | Buchholz, Germany |
SL | 8 | The Bitche Salient | ![]() |
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14 January 1945 | Bitche, Germany |
SL | 9 | The Cannes Strongpoint | ![]() |
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23 August 1944 | Cannes, France |
SL | 10 | Hitdorf on the Rhine | ![]() |
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6 April 1945 | Hitdorf, Germany |
SL | 11 | The St. Goar Assault | ![]() |
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24 March 1945 | St Goar, Germany |
SL | 12 | The Road to Wiltz | ![]() |
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17 December 1944 | Wiltz, Luxembourg |
COI | 13 | The Capture of Balta | ![]() |
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3 August 1941 | Balta, Ukraine |
COI | 14 | The Paw of the Tiger | ![]() |
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12 January 1943 | South of Leningrad, USSR |
COI | 15 | Hube's Pocket | ![]() |
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6 April 1944 | near Buchach, USSR |
COI | 16 | Sowchos 79 | ![]() |
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8 December 1942 | Chir River Line, Russia |
COI | 17 | Debacle at Korosten | ![]() |
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30 August 1941 | Korosten, Ukraine |
COI | 18 | The Defense of Luga | ![]() |
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19 July 1941 | Luga, USSR |
COI | 19 | A Winter Melee | ![]() |
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17 February 1942 | Okorovo, Russia |
COI | 20 | Breakout From Borisov | ![]() |
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2 July 1941 | Borosov, Russia |
COD | 21 | Battle for the Warta Line | ![]() |
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6 September 1939 | Central Poland |
COD | 22 | The Borders are Burning | ![]() |
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30 November 1939 | Kuhmo, Finland |
COD | 23 | Silent Death | ![]() |
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9 December 1939 | Aittojoki, Finland |
COD | 24 | Action at Balberkamp | ![]() ![]() |
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22 April 1940 | Balberkamp, Norway |
COD | 25 | Resistance at Chabrehez | ![]() |
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10 May 1940 | Chabrehez, Belgium |
COD | 26 | Assault on a Queen | ![]() |
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11 May 1940 | The Hague, Netherland |
COD | 27 | The Dinant Bridgehead | ![]() |
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13 May 1940 | Houx, Belgium |
COD | 28 | Counterstroke at Stonne | ![]() |
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15 May 1940 | Stonne, France |
COD | 29 | In Rommel's Wake | ![]() |
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17 May 1940 | on the Meuse, France |
COD | 30 | Ad Hoc at Beaurains | ![]() |
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21 May 1940 | Arras, France |
COD | 31 | Chateau de Quesnoy | ![]() |
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6 June 1940 | Le Quesnoy, France |
COD | 32 | Rehearsal for Crete | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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26 April 1941 | Peloponnesus, Greece |
GI | 33 | A Belated Christmas | ![]() |
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27 December 1944 | Bastogne, Belgium |
GI | 34 | Climax at Nijmegen Bridge | ![]() |
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20 September 1944 | Nijmegen, Netherlands |
GI | 35 | The French Decide to Fight | ![]() |
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10 November 1942 | Port-Lyautey, Morocco |
GI | 36 | Weissenhof Crossroads | ![]() |
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16 December 1944 | Schnee Eifel, Germany |
GI | 37 | Medal of Honor | ![]() |
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21 September 1944 | Nijmegen, Netherlands |
GI | 38 | The Factory | ![]() |
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11 February 1944 | Aprilia Settlement, Italy |
GI | 39 | Sweep For Bordj Toum Bridge | ![]() |
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10 December 1942 | Bordj Toum Station, Tunisia |
GI | 40 | The Dornot Watermark | ![]() |
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10 September 1944 | Dornot, Germany |
GI | 41 | Swatting at Tigers | ![]() |
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11 July 1943 | Biazzo Ridge, Italy |
GI | 42 | Bridgehead on the Rhine | ![]() |
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24 March 1945 | Speldrop, Germany |
GI | 43 | Action at Kommerscheidt | ![]() |
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4 November 1944 | Kommerscheidt, Germany |
GI | 44 | Prelude to Breakout | ![]() |
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7 July 1944 | Vire et Taute Canal, France |
GI | 45 | Hide and Seek | ![]() |
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7 June 1944 | Normandy, France |
GI | 46 | Operation Varsity | ![]() |
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24 March 1945 | near Hamminkeln, Germany |
GI | 47 | Encircling the Ruhr | ![]() |
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30 March 1945 | the Ruhr, Germany |
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).
Avalon Hill released Series 200 with 10 new scenarios for Crescendo of Doom.
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.
Avalon Hill released Series 300 with additional scenarios for GI: Anvil of Victory.
Over the years, Avalon Hill also released scenarios in issues of their The General Magazine.
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 |
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ASL Annual '89 | A1 | On the Borderline | ![]() |
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30 November 1939 | Artahuhta, Finland |
ASL Annual '89 | A2 | Sbeitla Probe | ![]() |
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17 February 1943 | Sbeitla, Tunisia |
ASL Annual '89 | A3 | Regalbuto Ridge | ![]() |
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31 July 1943 | Regalbuto, Italy |
ASL Annual '90 | A4 | King's Castle | ![]() |
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26 November 1944 | Frenzenberg, Germany |
ASL Annual '90 | A5 | The Professionals | ![]() |
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7 April 1941 | Pirot, Yugoslavia |
ASL Annual '90 | A6 | A Meeting of Patrols | ![]() |
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26 December 1944 | Hofen, Belgium |
ASL Annual '92 | ACG | Commando Campaign Game | ![]() |
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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.
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 |