Advanced Squad LeaderEdit
Advanced Squad Leader (ASL) is a tactical-level board wargame system that immerses players in the granular realities of World War II infantry combat. Built to extend and unify the material from the earlier Squad Leader line, ASL was introduced in 1985 by Avalon Hill as a modular, highly detailed framework that could be combined with additional modules and scenarios to recreate a wide range of engagements. The system is designed for two players who take turns activating and maneuvering individual squads, leaders, and vehicles across hex-based maps, resolving combat with a depth that emphasizes morale, leadership, terrain, and the fog of war.
ASL combines a core set of rules with a large ecosystem of expansions, scenarios, and optional rules. The core mechanics cover movement, fire, combat resolution, line of sight, and morale, while the modular approach adds new unit types, equipment, environments, and historical contexts. The result is a game that rewards careful planning, tactical nuance, and meticulous record-keeping, and it has cultivated a long-running, highly engaged community of players and designers. ASL remains a benchmark in tabletop wargaming for those who savor historically grounded simulation and the intellectual challenge of managing a battle at the squad and platoon level. For accessibility, a streamlined entry point known as the ASL Starter Kit provides a path from beginner scenarios to more complex play. See ASL Starter Kit for more details.
History
Origins and development
ASL arose from the desire to carry the detailed, hex-based combat simulation tradition forward from the earlier Squad Leader line. The tradition began with the original Squad Leader game, which introduced many players to tactical World War II combat on a board, using counters to represent individual units and hex-based maps to govern movement and line of sight. Avalon Hill expanded that line into ASL, releasing a comprehensive system in 1985 that retained the core feel of Squad Leader while adding depth, granularity, and modularity.
Growth and modular expansion
After its initial release, ASL was expanded through a sequence of modules that added new terrains, orders of battle, and historical scenarios. The modular structure allowed players to mix and match different theaters and campaigns, and it fostered a durable, hobby-wide ecosystem of designers and players. In time, publishing and support shifted to various licensees and publishers, with long-running community involvement and official errata and supplements helping to keep the rules and scenarios up to date. The format's enduring appeal lies in its ability to reflect both specific historical engagements and broad tactical principles.
The modern era and accessibility
To address the steep learning curve that often accompanies ASL, the ASL Starter Kit was introduced as a more accessible entry point, offering a subset of the full rules, a curated set of maps and counters, and a collection of introductory scenarios. This helped bring new players into the system while preserving the integrity of the full game for veteran participants. The ongoing life of ASL is sustained by both official expansions and a vibrant secondary market of fan-created content, with publishers such as Multi-Man Publishing continuing to publish and reprint material in various form factors and scales.
Gameplay and mechanics
Core components
ASL is built around a collection of counters representing squads, leaders, crew-served weapons, and vehicles. These counters are played on map boards that use a hex grid for movement and engagement resolution. Core elements include: - Movement rules that account for terrain, elevation, visibility, and leadership effects. - Combat resolution that blends range, dice rolls, and combat modifiers to determine hits, casualties, and morale effects. - Line of sight and fire determination, which are sensitive to terrain, obstruction, and weather conditions. - Morale, suppression, and rout mechanics that reflect the psychological dimension of combat.
Key terms and concepts are embedded in the rules, with many terms having dedicated entries in the broader encyclopedia. For example, Hex grid structure governs movement and range; Counter (board game) represents units; and Line of sight and Morale (military) are frequently invoked during play. The system also emphasizes leadership and training effects, with Leadership (military) factors affecting initiative and combat outcomes.
Rules architecture and scale
ASL uses a layered rules approach: a core rulebook provides the baseline play, and a wide array of optional rules and scenario-specific conditions add detail and nuance. This architecture lets players tailor the level of realism and complexity to their preferences, from classic, more compact engagements to sprawling, historically dense battles. Scenario design draws on historic orders of battle and terrain layouts, with published scenarios ranging from small skirmishes to large, multi-map conflicts. See Scenario (wargaming) for more on how scenarios are constructed and evaluated.
Terrain, environment, and time
Terrain effects, weather, fog of war, and time of day all influence visibility, movement, and combat effectiveness. The hex maps commonly depict features such as buildings, hedgerows, forests, roads, and urban terrain, each contributing to tactical considerations like concealment and assault routes. The environmental layer adds a level of realism that players must account for when planning reconnaissance, fires, and reinforcement timing. See Terrain and Weather (military) for related concepts.
Community, learning, and culture
The depth of ASL has fostered a dedicated community that shares strategies, errata, and custom scenarios. Players frequently study historical battles and tactical doctrines to inform their approaches to specific modules or scenarios. The community’s longevity partly stems from the dual appeal of historical accuracy and the intellectual challenge of mastering a complex ruleset. See Wargaming and Board game for related contexts.
Production, publishing, and distribution
ASL’s publishing history reflects a shift from an original publisher to ongoing community-driven support and licensing arrangements. The core product line sits alongside a wide array of expansions and supplements that introduce new theaters, rules, and orders of battle. The ASL Starter Kit represents an effort to broaden access to the system, while licensed and fan-made modules continue to expand the historical and geographical scope of play. Related publishers and organizations include Avalon Hill (initial creator) and Multi-Man Publishing (long-running distributor and reprint authority for ASL content in later years). See Board game and Wargaming for broader industry context.
Controversies and debates
ASL, like many highly detailed simulations, invites discussion about accessibility, balance, and the goals of historical representation. Critics often point to the steep learning curve and the time commitment required to learn and play a full game, arguing that the system prioritizes simulation depth over mass-market appeal. Proponents contend that this depth yields a uniquely faithful exploration of tactical decision-making, leadership, and the constraints of terrain and supply.
Debates surrounding historical representation tend to revolve around how closely a tabletop simulation can and should reproduce real-world battles, including choices about which orders of battle to model, how to represent moral and psychological factors, and how to handle controversial or sensitive historical material. Supporters emphasize the educational value and the discipline of careful, evidence-based play, while critics may argue about the potential for over-precision to obscure broader historical lessons. The ASL community generally engages these topics through official errata, published scenarios, and fan forums, emphasizing the practical balance between playability and realism. See World War II and Historical wargaming for related discussions.