Classic Squad Leader Training #1: "Forced March" - Modified

"Guys, I'm tellin' ya, this is a great idea, a SURE winner!"

Dangit!!  Who let the Lieutenant discuss his "bright idea"???

This scenario is a fantastic brain teaser - the emphasis in the Alpha-0 on Leaders and Squads, with added support weapons in Alpha-1, is more than enough to keep players guessing and trying new tactics.  And every new tactic your opponent tries requires a new response to it.  A must for every CSL player.

However, considering historical examples, I can't help but want to have the Germans trying to escape encircling Russians [as happened many times] and swapping out Americans for Commies.  Germans trying to escape Americans is Falaise Pocket until the Rhine, and Americans escaping Germans is likely the Battle of the Bulge.

You will likely find that the scenario plays completely differently swapping out the Reds and the Germans, and substituting Americans for Reds.  Altogether, there's about 8 scenarios with just the Alpha-0 and Alpha 1 levels.  More if you try some of the variations at the Alpha-3 level, especially as a skill leveler.

Hope you find the below useful for your games, and keep in mind that brain teasers like this are a great way to introduce new people to the awesome challenge of CSL!

ORIGINAL SCENARIO

GERMANS [blocking force]

Alpha 0

80 = 9-2

50 = 8-1

125 = 5 Squads

255 = Total

Alpha 1

+80 = HMG, MMG, 2xLMG

335 = TOTAL

SOVIETS [exiting force]

Alpha 0 [point ratio 1.1/1 in favor of Soviets]

60 = 8-0

220 = 11 Squads

280 = Total

Alpha 1 [point ratio 1.5/1 in favor of Soviets]

100 = 9-1

120 = 6 Squads

+220 = Total

500 = TOTAL

SCENARIO REVERSED

SOVIETS [blocking force]

Alpha 0 

80 = 8-1

40 = 7-0

140 = 7 Squads

260 = Total

Alpha 1 

+80 = HMG, 2xLMG

340 = TOTAL

GERMANS [exiting force]

Alpha 0

30 = 8-1

250 = 10 Squads

280 = Total

Alpha 1

65 = 9-1

150 = 6 Squads

+215 = Total

495 = TOTAL

SCENARIO w' AMERICANS

Americans [blocking force]

Alpha 0

65 = 8-1

30 = 7-0

140 = 4 Squads

20 = 1 Crew

255 = Total

Alpha 1

+45 = HMG, MMG

[+30 = upgrade 8-1 Leader to 9-2 Leader, OR

[+35 = Squad

330/335 = TOTAL

Americans [exiting force]

Alpha 0 

30 = 7-0

245 = 7 Squads

275 = Total

OR

45 = 8-0

210 = 6 Squads

20 = 1 Crew

275 = Total

Alpha 1 

80 = 9-1

140 = 5 Squads

+220 = Total

495 = TOTAL

Classic Squad Leader: Resources

CPL Snuffy says: CSL-ing with a Buddy is safer!

Squad Leader Scenarios

The Squad Leader Tactical Training Series provides 8 Scenarios that have been carefully presented to teach new players how to play tactically [CLICK]. Each scenario has 4 levels that add options to strengthen a side; this can really help a novice player against an experienced player, or challenge anyone playing solo. Overall, it's more like 32 scenarios as presented, but since one can easily exchange Sovs and 'Mericans and flip Attacker / Defender, it's more like 128 scenarios.

Infantry Scenarios by Chris P are a file download at BGG here [CLICK]. There are 6 scenarios, including fights for: Town, Hills [x3], Recon, and a Patrol Clash. There are OOB for Germans, Soviets and Americans using only Leaders, Squads,  Support Weapons and Smoke. Given the simplicity of forces and the generic nature of each scenario, the Germans can fight either Soviets or Americans, and can flip the Attacker / Defender, for 24 total variations of the 6 scenarios! 

Squad Leader Academy has lots of resources, including plenty of scenarios [CLICK] and other information.  It is not CSL focused, but I'm sure there's some CSL stuff in there.  Seems worth exploring!

kobudovenlo. Good website with some introduction and background to the game, links to a bunch of other sites [some of which are above] and more [CLICK]:

https://www.kobudovenlo.nl/squadleader/index.htm

Helpful Player Communities

- BoardGameGeek [aka BGG] has a great forum and Files CLICK but you do have to join BGG [click].  However, BGG is easy to deal with both technically and practically, unlike Fb, due to a large community of helpful members and the forums.

- Facebook's Classic Squad Leader page is excellent - fast answers and good advice, lots of Files: CLICK but of course you have to join Fb. Fb is a bit jacked up at times since it is mainly run by 'bots and has nearly zero human support.

- Scott Bramley's AARs [click] make for interesting and educational reading.  Unlikely you won't learn something by reading how others have tacked the same scenario!

Ongoing list of useful items. 

But if you find something better, let me know!

COUNTER STORAGE

This divides into two basic camps: little clear ziplock bags v. trays.

BAGS. 

pros:

- easy to see both sides of counters, 

- very resistant to spillage [well, COMPLETELY resistant to spillage], 

- easy to fit into your Bookcase Game box.

- dirt cheap!

cons:

- bit slow to work with.. you unsnap the zip, dump counters into hand, etc

I got mine at amazon [HERE] at $13 / 600 bags, or 2¢ per bag.  

Enough for a dozen very well sorted games at least! 

TRAYS. 

pros:

- usually easier to find what you want than scattered baggies

- easier to unsnap tray and pick out counters

- if clear, easy to see both sides of counters,

- if sized properly, will fit inside your Bookcase Game Box

cons:

- dreaded "counter explosion" from careless handling,

- take up more space than little bags,

- expense: $5 / tray for special wargame trays, bit less if buy in bulk,

- many have clear cover but opaque bottom,

I got mine at Amazon [HERE] at $1.50 / box / 10 compartments / 12.6x8.6x1.8cm. They can be a bit fiddly to get counters out of, but tweezers etc make it easy to 'stir' them around.

 

I hope these resources are useful to you as you dive in or return to CSL!

Classic Squad Leader Training #1: "Forced March"

Was directed to these scenarios [CLICK] by the helpful guys at the Classic Squad Leader Fb page. This first one teaches maneuver and establishing a base of fire, using Leaders, Squads and Support Weapon rules.  The simplicity allows players to focus on these key elements of tactical CSL play.

Disclaimer: I am not a CSL expert!  That's why my avatar is...

...so this post should be considered more of an interesting exploration of this scenario, and hopefully encourages you to play it and perhaps find out things I have not!  so...

**Reader Beware!!**

After some initial problems figuring out the scenario [resulting in some very lop-sided games] I got enough experience to make a few conclusions of how to approach it. It does have one flaw, that a fast end-run by the Russkies will usually result in overwhelming force at the exit point, so using the - many - options available - is essential to have an interesting game. 

First, I can't figure out any way to win at the Alpha-0 level for the Germans.  They simply won't have enough firepower to stop the Russkies exiting the board at J0, and will likely get blown away.  Below, one of my first games, all the Germans [with no support weapons] are rushing to try to stop the Russkies from exiting at J0. But they aren't fast enough. Below, the end of Game Turn 1:

This will result in Game Turn 2, Sov Player Turn, with the 8-0 stack able to exit J0 in their Advance Phase [Advancing the 8-0 Leader to I1 to rally Squads], stack G6 Advancing to J0, stack F6 Advancing to Road I2, and E6 to I3 or H2. With 8 Squads sitting in wait for 5 German [and needing only 2 more Squads to exit for a win] the results are fairly predictable with 8 Russkie Squads fighting 5 German *moving* Squads.

Below, the Russians wiped out 4 Squads and both Leaders, then exited 9 Squads.

The last-ditch effort made by one German squad resulted in a Berserk Sov squad headed its way! The Leader stayed behind to Rally Squad 11.

Alpha-0 with Alpha-3 Option

This can be partially remedied by using the Alpha-3 option to have the Germans take the first player turn, however, resulting in a closer game. Below, Germans have occupied the L-M board edge woods first, enabling them to shoot at Russians advancing down the road. Russians still massed more fire and broke a German stack, killing one squad. 

The last two Russkies on the board managed to break the 8-1 stack.  With 7 Squads off the board, and another Berserk Russkie headed their way, the Germans again lost Alpha-0/3 version.

Alpha-1 Level.

With lots of Sov wins using Alpha-0, I went to the Alpha-1 level, which gives the Germans support weapons and the Sovs a 9-1 Leader and 6 more Squads. Below, the Germans have an HMG under the 8-1 Leader, and its Line of Fire [LoF] can be seen 16 hexes away:

This can definitely trash the Russians in one lucky Phase of Firing, so they must 

establish a base of [infantry] fire at the manor house in O6. This will hopefully distract or destroy enough units in the German base of fire to allow their forces to cut across the "line of death" at the end of the board:

I began assigning one leader to each force, the 9-1 with several squads to head to the manor house, where his -1 can help affect Sov shooting:

And the 8-0 to the East board side, where he can hurry squads along and rally them as they get broken trying to cross the LoF of German MGs.  As their job involves more movement and less shooting, I figure they can get by with the 8-0 Leader while the 9-1 Leader works to suppress the Germans.

As for the Germans, I found that they could exactly make it to the below positions, within the setup restrictions.  This resulted in the house at T3 having the 8-1 Leader, two Squads and the HMG. This is the weapon interdicting the Russian movement South at the East edge of the board. With up to -3 [-4 if they swap Leaders] on every shot at Russkies Moving in the open, there's a good chance of eliminating them all with a good roll!

The other stack has the 9-2 Leader, 3 Squads, MMG and 2 LMGs, all of which is needed to confront the Russian force moving towards J0. There's a firefight about to happen across the fields at K1, J0-J1, and the I1-2 Road. Without all the firepower, I found that the Russians could sweep them aside and walk off the board Turn 4 perhaps 5.  Of course, some hot dice can make a big difference with such small forces. 

First play with this plan, the Russians managed to get 8 Squads to the closest exit hex, the half-hex J0, and the Germans had to concede.

Another play was more complicated, and as it was one of the most engaging right off the bat, I tried to document it thoroughly.  

I figured out the safest routes for the Russkies and they moved, then the Germans moved, and thus was the situation end of T1:

On Soviet PT2, they continued to race one stack quickly to G4, but the rest had to go around the woods. The Leader then back-tracked to aid the stacks behind, while the first stack of 3 exited the board.

End of German PT2, at the base of Fire v. Manor House, they'd managed to drive off 2 Squads, which Routed a hex to Rally with the 9-1 Leader...

...and at the objective, they'd managed to contest it with the 9-2 stack but not preventing Sov Squads from positioning themselves to exit the board. 

End of Sov PT3, they began diverting squads South, while exchanging fire with the German base of fire. This forced the Germans to spread their fire, resulting in some Squads making it South - 2 in the center...

 

...and several more in the East.

End of German PT3. Russkies have managed to stack up some Squads well positioned to get off board at J0. Germans have Advanced the 9-2 stack to Defensive Fire at J0:

Sov PT4. They advance out into the road, as they have a turn to spare.  In the ensuing firefight, with Sov M2 and I1 exchanging with L0, the Germans broke, had nowhere to run, and were ultimately destroyed.  I was too discouraged to take pics, sorry!  I had hoped to finally stop the Russkies, but was again defeated.

Ultimately, a game with small numbers of units has to be played carefully, as one or two dice rolls can determine the game.  So far, the Germans haven't done really well in this scenario, but I'm hoping I will figure out something, and stop the Russians from exiting half their victory points T2.  We'll see!

Classic Squad Leader Day!

There's No Business Like OLD Business!

About ten days ago, we had the first of what I hope will be many Classic Squad Leader Meetings.  This was driven partially to generate more *active* players locally [I say "active" because is seems like everyone I know has played CSL at some time or other], and to indulge in some nostalgia.  It seems for many, the original CSL box was a sort of breakthrough game, the one that got us hooked onto historical gaming, often leading to miniatures as well as more board gaming.

I personally have some fond memories of trying to figure out the demanding rules and secure the Tractor Works as well as Hill 621.  But for me back then it never grew into a passion for the game itself, and I never played all the scenarios.  I certainly pushed through a bunch of them with a few friends, but overall the rules were a lot for a high schooler like me [then there's sports and girls, too...].

When I impulse-bought my CSL box at the FLGS [reported HERE] I figured I now had the gaming experience to actually get through and appreciate the rules and play all 12 of the scenarios.  But it is much better with opponents, of course.  they have tactics and tricks up their sleeves, so you always learn a few new things. I started to check around at every gaming email list I knew, mostly miniature gamers.  I got a lot of responses, many of which were along the lines of "wow!  haven't played in 20 years, would love to give CSL a shot.  I got lost with GI Anvil of Victory / ASL and haven't played since".  

Given this, I figured a clear-cut commitment to play the original CSL rules and structure gaming sessions so that people could ease back into *Classic* Squad Leader, the game they loved, instead of getting lost in the many supplements and developments that came later. 

The stars aligned, and at my American Legion post on a Sunday afternoon, I had no less than nine players, half of whom were "returning" players, and half were people who had stuck with the system and still played, plus there was one person who had always wanted to play but never did.  We quickly agreed to restrict ourselves to CSL 4th ed [conveniently in the Files section of the CSL Fb page] and the first two scenarios.  

We played two setups of "The Guards Counterattack" / "The Tractor Works" each with four players who stuck mostly to their half of the board. These early scenarios are intense, with lots of close-in action, and you will get a lot of practice managing infantry, leaders and support weapons!

I had the Germans in "The Guards Counterattack" and got wiped out completely by a very experienced player, Bill.  I had thought perhaps having played several times would have helped me fare better, but Bill had perfect timing on his attacks. My partner Walt at the Tractor Works fared better but still didn't take the Tractor works from Keith.  At the other board, some hot dice by Kevin pushed veteran player Fred pretty hard, and overall it was a tough game [altho I don't know who won].

We agreed to meet again as a great time was had by all, and it is definitely easier to play cooperatively with a large group as it is likely someone knows the rule that you are trying to remember / figure out, and this speeds up play.

My biggest takeaway from organizing this is that CSL is a game that will draw people back in, as long as it is going to be manageable. Having a pdf of the 4th ed. rules was a big help, as new people needed to look things up while experienced players needed to remember how to go back to 4th ed CSL from Cross of Iron, et al.

Hope this encourages you to get some people together live wherever you are.  It is unlikely that any gaming group is going to be without some CSL fans, and starting small and progressing slowly forward seems to work for most of us.

Until next time, stay strong and go *Classical*!

Classic Squad Leader #2: The Tractor Works!

Oh yeah! Iconic Cover, here we come!

This is a direct follow on from my previous post - it just took a *lot* longer for me to continue moving forward than I thought.  No excuses... just real life stuff.  But once I got a chance to set it up, I was *salivating* to get back into it with "The Tractor Works"!  Took a while to trim the counters, also. To show my dedication, I did take them on vacation and DID manage to trim a bunch of them, altho not actually play any of the game.

For you poor unfortunate unknowing, Scenario #2 is another classic, with the Germans trying to clear out a large building "The Tractor Works" while the Russians try to relieve the German siege of said building, breaking through the perimeter the Germans have made. For this, the Russkies have a whopping 40 squads, and the Germans have only 20, but 6 are Assault Engineers with flamethrowers and demo charges!

Obviously, the building in the center is the Tractor Works.  Germans must clear and hold 2/3 of it, or 6 hexes. The real tractor works was a massive, sprawling complex bigger than most towns!

SOLO BONUS! To add some spice to my gaming, I took the role of the Engineers making the assault, and the Russkies relieving the building. Therefore their opponents, the Russkies in the building and the Germans on the perimeter, I put into stacks with Concealment Counters, made some likely selections, and then randomly deployed them.  This made it harder to know what and where everything was.  In my mind, I was the Russkie relievers and the German engineers.  Builds some suspense, eh?

This scenario features rules for Concealment, as well as flamethrowers and demo charges.  On the right and left are elements of the 389 Inf Div: the Co A Engineers and Kampfgruppe Tienham to the right and to the left Kampfgruppe Stahler under a lot of "?" Concealment Counters.  At center are the Russkie 308 Rifle Div fanatics in the Tractor Works under "?" also. The relieving Russkies from the 295th ID on the left.

My initial process to decrease total knowledge about the Concealed units worked well, so altho I had some good ideas what was where, I had to do some preliminary attacking to get the Concealment counters [?] removed. As they did so, it became clear that some of the units should fight back rather than keep the Concealed benefits.

The Engineer attack on the Tractor Works cleared two hexes and whacked several squads on the edge. Most importantly, I double-broke the 9-1 Leader, the only Sov Leader in the Tractor Works!  Now, no Sov squad could rally, and I hadn't broken through from the West yet. 

Despite this great start, I couldn't see any 'good' way to attack the cleared building hexes and avoid nasty close range fire, so I eventually compromised and did a flank attack from the north, which was initially successful. Through the Smoke, the Engineers attacked a corner in close combat, and [I thought very clever] a mobile force with a 9-2 Leader, 2 Squads and 2 LMGs occupied the North side. This left just one stack to deal with, so I felt I was eating the elephant a bite at a time.  Unfortunately, the Sovs got a good shot on the Regular Squads, and broke them all.  This put the clever flanking maneuver in doubt!

Clearly, I had to turn the heat up from the south, and managed to trash a Sov stack with an HMG, clearing an avenue of approach from the South.  To the West, the Sovs made some progress and occupied part of the T4 building and threatened the T7 building with significant numbers.  Russkie Prep Fire whittled away at the Germans who had to Rout to safety and look for a leader.

End of German Turn 3, most of the Works was in German hands, with a Berserk squad in Close Combat with the German regulars in the north, and several Broken squads to the West - these unable to rally without a Leader.  German building U2 was proving very solid, and T4 was holding out against a larger force led by the Russkie 9-1 Leader.  Shaky, but still accomplishing their mission.

In the south, building T7 wilted under 20 Firepower Factors of Russians, despite cause a few of them to Break. The Germans retreated with their only Leader farther back, hoping to rally before it was too late!

End of Russkie Turn 4. To the West, a mutual hammering resulted in U2 holding out and breaking most of the opposing Russians [at a cost].  The Sovs secured T4.

To the south The Germans successfully diverted a 10-2 leader and a few squads, which completely turn the tide, killing and Routing enough Russkies to not only hold T7, but set up an HMG to block the road completely in Row U, preventing the Russians from even attempting a relief of the Tractor Works.

In the works themselves, the Germans forced all the Broken Russkies to Rout out of the building to their doom, as there was no way to do so without crossing German lanes of fire - about 5 squads were removed this way. There being no Sovs in the building, and the relief force having no push left, This was a clear win for the Germans.

Overall, I may have been able to play the Russkies in the Tractor Works a bit better if I checked what they had under the ? counters, but the doubt was interesting and did waste several attacks by the Germas, including some 2 and 3 Morale Checks in stacks that had nothing or nearly nothing under them.  This delayed the German assault. However, I think the Tractor Works themselves need a second leader of any quality, even a 7-0, just so they can rally. Losing the 9-1 early on permanently handicapped the Russians.

As an alternative to the blind setup, I could - knowingly - place the 9-1 in the center of the building, and randomly spread the rest of the Russian stacks out, thus insuring more prolonged resistance to the German attack.

A tense, exciting game that I can't wait to play again!