Game of Games

A stroll down memory lane:

The shine of Panzer Blitz and its sister game Panzer Leader had barely worn off when in 1977 a new game hit the shelves.  Squad Leader would eventually change the face of an entire hobby and prove that wargaming innovation was far from dead.  In fact, to reflect the game's importance, I hereby propose that a dating system be implemented:  BSL (before Squad Leader) and ASL (after Squad Leader).

If the game's semi-simultanous movement system, coupled with inter-connecting geomporphic map boards wasn't enough to grab ya, then perhaps the concept of squads "breaking" and "rallying" might.  No longer was elimination, step loss, or retreat the only option.

More than meets the eye:

Perhaps most misleading is the term game, which is often used in reference to this puppy.  The most readily accessible connotation of the word no doubt leads to an idea of "One and done", or rather, a singular, limited experience.  Not so!  The inclusion of multiple scenarios and  numerous terrain variation/configuration ensured that this thing would be better served by the plural, "games."  And whether intended or not, this game/s was simultaneously a system which ensured a longevity that would make other games wretch with envy. 

Reception:
In December of 1977, a writer for Moves magazine stated:
Squad Leader (John Hill for Avalon Hill - no relation) I would like to say more about this at a later date (my men are still stuck in the Tractor Works' sewer system), but suffice to say that AH will have a big winner with this. It's a lot of fun, if rather clumsily written and a bit overwrought in places. It is also unusual to see squads hit by fire and, as a result, lose all their money. (The word on the counter should be "Broken," not "Broke"!) And there is a lot of die rolling, but that is the nature of tactical games. John always does a good job in terms of playability and sheer gaming, and AH has backed it with some of their better graphic work. The only thing the gnaws at the back of the mind is the question of "realism" (whatever that is). You could argue forever on that, however.

Unfortunately (or fortunately?) The author's final comment doesn't ring any less true today.

Programmed instruction:

Another interesting aspect of this game involved the learning process itself.  You didn't risk choking on a rule book.  One needed only read a few pages and then he could jump right in, learning more in an incremental fashion.  Comprehension came by way of sips not chugs.

So what?

So what? So...Squad Leader was delving into issues not previously delved into by other games. Namely:

Incorporating separate leaders into the system which worked in symphonic fashion with squads.  Machine guns were given there do as well, allowing a realistic multi-hex penetration and multiple firing opportunities per phase.  A tradition of aesthetic that has oft been copied but never paralleled.  From the mapboards to the counters themselves, this stuff struck a perfect balance between functionality and "looks."  Line of sight no longer served a supporting role but was crucial to game play.  Each scenario card presented a historical situation and interesting, real world victory conditions.

Then what?

Once the game's potential was realized, expansions were born: Cross Of Iron in 1979,   Crescendo of Doom in 1980, and G.I. Anvil of Victory in 1983.  During Squad Leader's expansion teething, historical detail was becoming more and more prevalent.  Armor rules were being fine tuned and Experience Level Ratings introduced.  It was interesting to watch the introduction of various nationalities and compare their stats with other countries.   By 1983, numerous versions of the rules were floating around.  It seemed that this growing Monster would have to be tamed.

Enter Greenwood 

In 1985, Don Greenwood had taken this monster and streamlined the rules into a single, coherent beast that would befriend players instead of alienate them (or so he intended.) The actual result, was a number of changes to the original rules as well as the need to sell everything you had and buy the new stuff (brilliant marketing scheme?)  For some, the monster had stopped growing too late.  No longer was it possible to read a few pages and play, now you were required to read a few chapters.  For those that did stick around, they will tell you themselves, the reward was well worth the effort.

And Now...

"Now-a-days", we have starter kits and here the Squad Leader system seems to be biting its own tail but don't misunderstand, this is a good thing.  For many, that phone book of rules has all too often kept curiosity at bay and has mistakenly shrouded the game in a kind of elite status.  Now that the veil has been lifted, the game can once again do what it did best from the very start, embrace the newcomer as openly as he will come to embrace this game er games er system...ok you know what i mean.  Thanks for reading.