SQUAD LEADER Series Tournament at World Boardgame Championships
August 5-6, 2006; Lancaster, PA, USA

updated 060705

Ra-ta-tat-tat ... and other assorted combat sound effects optional

Kursk: August 1943. The men were poised at the edge of the street, ready to make the assault. The Russian Lieutenant stood up and made the signal to advance. As the squads ran across the street, German machineguns and rifles opened fire, mowing the men down. The Russians died in the streets, the last hope of taking the village gone with their last breath. What end of the barrel will you be on this year?

This is Squad Leader, a game of WWII tactical combat in Europe. Now you make the instant decisions resulting in life or death of your men, victory or defeat for your army, for you are the Squad Leader. You direct the fire of your squad, select your plan of attack, or set your defenses against massed Russian human wave or armor assaults. Will that hedgerow provide adequate cover for your flanking efforts, or will your men be cut down by the American machinegun position in the woods?

The decision is irrevocable and yours alone. You must live or die by the results.

This Squad Leader tournament provides you with two goals. One is to defeat your enemy in each battle and to be crowned the champion of this year's competition. The second goal is to raise the rank of your Personal Leader Counter (PLC) to the highest possible standing. Each act of daring or cowardice by your PLC will not go unnoticed on this battlefield. Who will have the highest rankest PLC at the end? Will he get there through acts of bravado or by steadily pushing his men to greatness? You will decide.

Event format

This event is a four round, Swiss format. Those competing for the first three places should plan on participating in all four rounds. Other places will be determined based on event record and AREA rankings. The player pairings of the first round will be determined randomly. Beginning on the second round, players will be paired based on event record to date.

Selected Scenarios

Scenario selection is a GM challenge. Some players ‘play to play’ while some play to win the championship crown. Additional considerations are some players are rusty regarding the play mechanics; some are just slow in execution. Two scenarios tracks have been defined to accommodate all participants. Veteran players are encouraged to use the scenarios from the Championship track [C] as these will highlight player ability rather than luck in determining the victory. Each round will have selected scenarios from each level of play in the Squad Leader system, up to GI: Anvil of Victory. To determine which level of play, both players will agree upon the level for each round. If the level of play cannot be agreed, then the Squad Leader scenario for that round will be played. Once the level of play is determined, players will bid for sides. Should both players select the same side, an auction style bid will ensue to argument one sides force per SSR, until one player agrees to play that side.

Copies of these scenarios will be available at the tournament. Due to the nature of some of these scenarios, certain adjustments or rules clarifications have been added. Only the following scenarios are allowed for tournament play. Extra boards will be provided for use of WG scenarios as they typically use boards not in the SQL/COI board set. Scenarios are subject to change. Refer to the Squad Leader Academy website for latest updates. http://www.wargameacademy.org/SQLA

Tournament Selected Scenarios; Scenario Record is listed as Axis win-loss record.

Round One "BRICK"

Round Two "WOOD"

Round Three "STRAW"

Round Four "WIND"

Rules

Rules to the appropriate level of the scenario played will be in force subject to Special Scenarios Rules (SSR). These will be augmented the by SQLA Compiled Question & Answers (2006 edition) and the SQLA Rules Conventions. The GM will act as the Rules Czar and lead adjudicator for games not completed within the round timeframe. The last published rules were: SQUAD LEADER 4th; CROSS OF IRON 4th; CRESCENDO OF DOOM 1st; and GI: ANVIL OF VICTORY 2nd.