Minefields

The Squad Leader treatment of mines is, like the incorporation of automatic defensive fire against moving targets, the natural culmination of the Panzer Leader rules. By allowing mines to be placed without putting a marker on the board, the natural apprehension and tension of moving an assault force into an area that may be strewn with mines, and the limited intelligence regarding the quantity of the underground "nasties" still hidden, is a defender's delight and a real accomplishment in tactical wargaming.

For most effective use against vehicles, quantity is usually good due to the psychological effect of confronting multiple uncertainty, and quantum values of 6, 16 and 24 factors maximizes the kill prospects while minimizing the costs.

The only problem with mines is that no low value, high quantity recon vehicles am provided so that the trip through the mines may be too effective in stopping an attacker (the Road to Wiltz scenario is based on the mine to some degree, and the mine bogs down the attack mom than anything else).

Defensive Fire

Due to the multitude of rules and new situations presented in the game, little things sometimes slip by and are never realized. While the use of defensive fire against moving targets gets most of the player's attention, don't forget that defensive fire against stationary targets is also allowed, and is, in fact, more effective against tanks and other targets if you're firing a tank gun, ATG or howitzer.

By permitting defensive fire at non-moving targets, Squad Leader introduces a bit of tactical balance and simultaneity by letting both sides fire at any target in range during each player turn. So prep-firing units can be met with return fire and are not invulnerable until the next player's prep fire (a problem in Panzer Leader, that is neatly resolved). Instead of falling into a mind set and looking for the moving target, pull a fast one every once in a while, and strike back at the units who just peppered you under the false impression that they were safe.

Remember also that if you miss, they'll still be there again in your prep fire, so the tide may change, and the failure of your opponent's prep attack to silence you may come back to haunt him.

Gun Malfunctions

In Squad Leader, more than in any miniatures or board game, benefits in one detail of a weapon system such a the assault guns better armor (due in part to the low silhouette and the absence of the vulnerable turret) are paid for in the attributes of the mining subsystem (lack of gun mobility) or the burden that the added microdetail entails. While Squad Leader gives you the individual weapons and their effects, the possibility of malfunctions, ammo depletion, bad luck and the irritating little problems of the systems are also thrown in for good measure.

As mentioned previously, HEAT has about a 72% chance of disappearing after every shot, but that's just for starters. Machine guns, tank guns, howitzers, ATGs, bazookas, radios and flame all have anywhere from a 3 to 17 percent probability of becoming unusable for any reason, with only a 17% chance of fixing them (some are irreparably lost) during the rally phase. Breakdowns are not to be taken lightly, because the probability of a malfunction is often almost equal to the chance that the weapon will obtain the desired effect with its fire.

Bazookas, for instance, have about a 6% chance of killing T34 frontal armor at point blank range, but the ammo depletion probability is over 8%, which is a rather strange situation for newcomers to the game. These situations lead, naturally enough, into cost/benefit considerations since the chance of a low odds kill must be compared to the effect that losing the weapon for the rest of the game will have, Russian LMGs present the greatest problems, since they malfunction almost 17% of the time they're used, and there aren't that many of them.

Even with the tank gun, which will go on the fritz about 3% of the time the gun is fired, breakdowns have a way of coming at the wrong time and for the dumbest reasons. The most galling and painful moment in Squad Leader is when an advancing AFV takes a potshot at a lone Russian squad cowering in the bushes (and posing no real threat) and a roll of "12" occurs. In seven months of playing Squad Leader the aforementioned phenomena has been observed at least five times, and with ammo in short supply lackadaisical and loose target selection can result in a jammed or empty gun for no good reason.

When the problems of gun malfunction, hit probabilities and the chance of a "kill" are all considered, one really appreciates the level of competency and understanding that are required to play the game with at least a minimum level of order and sanity.

In view of the preceding comments, it is interesting to read where Rommel actually urged his tankers to fire on the move even in view of the reduced chances of hitting anything due to the panic and confusion that a mobile force running about can generate. While the hit probabilities and associated malfunction chances might normally dissuade one from using advance fire, against an opponent with a particular fondness for setpiece battles (the Montgomery Syndrome) and a streak of conservatism, the interjection of a fluid and wide open strategy into the game might suffice to generate just enough uncertainty to create a command breakdown (which is why the matchup of Rommel and Montgomery is as famous as it is).

Russian Infantry Tactics

In many of Squad Leader’s scenarios, Uncle Joe's forces are given hordes of peasant soldiers with which to oppose a small MG-equipped German force. Although in real life, the Ivans would often form a "chorus line," holding arms and singing, and just run towards the harried German forces, there's got to be a better way to do it. While the Civil-War-style skirmish line is recommended in some quarters, and is perhaps a close approximation if the Russian "tactics," it may be better to place the attackers in three-high stacks on every other hex or even every 2 home.

By placing units in a row, under the assumption that a fire line will exist somewhere after the slaughter ends, the LMGs and MMGs can have a real field day, despite outward appearances. Although it looks like the units are moving perpendicular to the line of fire and are negating the effects of penetration, the Germans, by firing on unit A on its (n + 1) MF and hitting unit B (adjacent to A) on MF (n), can get both units with the machine gun (unit A is primary target).

While every-other, or more spread out, hex assaults will make the trip longer for the outside units, they do set up a nice flanking maneuver which might be precluded by the loss of units that a skirmish line entails (the skirmish line was satisfactory against the single shot musket, but is not intended for use against a machine gun.

Before you complain that firing at units in a skirmish line attack as previously described violates the laws of time and space (by hitting unit B with penetration factors before initiating fire on unit A, provided they both moved simultaneously), just consider how much easier it is to spray MG fire at packed masses (adjacent squads) versus separated packets of weaving and dodging soldiers and it appears that the approach and results are fairly reasonable and realistic.

While on the topic of infantry assaults, perhaps a peculiarity of Squad Leader should be brought up regarding the morale system it uses. Most miniatures rules that deal with small units treat the loss of a good part of an assaulting force rather severely, and after losing over 25% or so of the troops an attack usually fizzles out (with the survivors going into hiding or just refusing to be cannon fodder any more). In SL, however, despite seeing nearly everybody in the platoon or company turned into meatloaf, a single unit will always continue on as long as the objective is worth great losses (like on the last critical move of the game), and the player has sufficient drive (and a couple of homemade Political Commissar counters on the board).

The actual truth of the situation, while not being clear to us cardboard stormtroopers, is probably somewhere in the middle ground. The pulp literature on the war abounds with tales of Stalingrad streetflighters and the ordinary inebriated Russian peasant soldier who would ignore all losses or threats as they either mechanically or cleverly made their way meatgrinder. S&T magazine, on the other hand, not too long ago in an article stated that official inquiries into some battles in which good-sized American units had almost been overrun by the Japanese revealed that only 20% or so of the GIs had fired their rifles, inferring that the shock and initial losses of the unsuccessful attack had driven them into hiding and inaction (maybe they were expecting John Wayne to bail them out like in the movies).

Squad Leader , in its treatment of morale, completely sidesteps the effect of widespread panic and morale breakdowns (contagious hysteria), and treats every soldier as if he were totally dedicated to the cause, and would wear blinders to the overall tactical picture until his orders were changed due to the loss or gain of the objective, or the whims of the Supreme Leader. In effect, despite the difference in morale values, every squad is either SS, Guard or elite, and it will only fail to do its duty when its own losses are considerable, or it breaks under heavy direct fire.

Dirty Tricks

Every game nowadays has one blind or sore spot somewhere, which helps provide us self-professed commentators on the hobby with ammunition, and Squad Leader is an different.

During a recent game, a situation arose in which a 57mm ATG covered an opening in the woods through which a tactically important tank had to pass. The gun was set up with care so that a nice flank shot would be presented when the tank rolled by, but all went to naught when a new breakthrough in tank tactics was unveiled. My opponent, being a student, with all of the free time that "profession" allows (us married folks always are at a disadvantage, but don't tell my wife I said it), carefully read the movement rules and moved his tank SIDEWAYS down the road for three hexes, offering me an almost impossible frontal shot.

Yes, after a vicious discussion the rules were reread, and movement outside the covered arc (at one third normal open terrain rate) without any pivoting was legal, thereby opening the way for lateral tank and halftrack moves. Since the tactic was good, and highly effective for short runs, we victims of the "impossible" got our revenge by belting out a slightly out of tune rendition of "Slip Slidin’ Away" whenever the tactic was practiced to perfection.

While not as insidious as sideways-moving tanks (not even Ogre thought of that one), a similar tactic for beating the "logical" movement rules is to milk the advance movement rule for all its worth. While certain terrain is often impassable during normal movement due to the large movement costs (snowy, forested slopes cost 8 factors, for instance), the advance rule allows the ordinary Wehrmacht conscript from Stuttgart to become an expert mountain soldier by making no terrain too difficult during advances (when mad dashes and superior mobility turn even the lacklustre Russian peasant into a human climbing machine). So, if you'd like to make a little more progress in your games with the lethargic infantry, bring them adjacent to major obstacles during normal movement, and then prepare for their transformation into Olympic highjumpers.

Miscellaneous Survival Hints

Based on several rather bad defeats, the following little helpful hints are suggested so you can avoid many pitfalls and subtle enemy tactics.

1. A panzerfaust in every halftrack, along with LMGs - this converts them into fairly potent mobile infantry carriers that can beat off infantry attacks and threaten tanks. Don't put all your support in the lead carrier or the rear will get eaten up alive.

2. If a flanking maneuver by infantry is intended, place the leaders with the outside units to quicken the pace of the tactic while setting up several neat crossfires with the LMGs.

3. While trucks and jeeps can't stop panzers by blocking roads, their wrecks slow them down very nicely.

4. Even though many support weapons can't kill a tank or SP, keep in mind that a hit will dismount the infantry, eating up valuable movement factors. In this way, even flame, bazookas and tiny ATGs can slow down a column by hitting it from the sides, either forcing the enemy to devote a portion of the advance units to cleaning up the scattered resistance (tiny, separated pockets are harder to seal off, and should be strived for) or forcing him to accept left-behind squads and equipment as the price for bypassing the sniping units.

5. Due to the difficulty in either hitting an ATG or howitzer with a tank gun or wiping out the crew, an easier tactic can often suffice where there is a lack of converging fields of fire, infantry support (in woods or nearby buildings) and only a frontal aspect will be presented to the weapon (towed gun). The optimum tactic under the aforementioned circumstances is simply to take an assault gun (+1 AFV kill modifier or better) and overrun the ATG position. Due to the fairly low kill probabilities of 105 howitzers and 57mm ATGs even against a point blank STG III or Brummbar target (only 6 to 16% probability of successful defensive fire, at best), the overrun is a good bet to try, and it allows the SP to move a few hexes - versus a stationary (and highly ineffective) shot against the gun position.

6. The overrun tactic indicated above becomes even more effective if the gun position can be coaxed into expending one or even both of its shots against a previous target, which then leaves it totally defenseless against the marauding assault gun. (Tanks can be used safely when the defensive fire is used up, so bringing up an assault to draw fire but completing the overrun with a tank might be a neat way of getting things done.)

7. In view of comments 5and6, try to place the towed gone in wooded areas, buildings and fairly dense infantry concentrations so that any overrun attempts will hold some degree of potential track breakage or infantry close combat (with flame and bazooka support, plus a demo charge or two) to discourage the overzealous panzer leader.

Tank Versus Tank

While Squad Leader is admittedly an infantry oriented game, and all of the other support weapons and systems are primarily intended to take a secondary role in the scenarios, like it or not the tank often steals the show when it appears in numbers and is allowed to go on an open country rampage (AFVs are sort of a modern day version of the Huns, and are a lot more fun than running foot soldiers).

Due to Squad Leader’s unique philosophy and rules regarding AFV-related combat, tank conflicts are among the most interesting and potentially befuddling aspects of the game. The mystery of the AFV system (and I'm still trying to find "enlightenment") lies in the great uncertainty that an ATG or tank gun will hit anything effectively even at point black range, and the strategies that can be dreamed up to get around the law of probabilities.

In Panzer Blitz bringing a T34c within 4 hexes (1000 meters) of a Mark IV meant death 50% of the time, with an equally devastating dispersion on 33% of the rolls, only rendering the fire without effect a measly 16% of the time. Should a T34 run to within 2 hexes (80 meters) of the same German Panzer in SL, the kill probability is only 30% frontally, and the chance that the Russian tank will wipe out the panzer with its advanced fire is 11% (while 11% look. small, remember it's still 1/3 the Mark IV's kill ratio so don't lose heart).

The less-than-certain kill percentages add that nice little touch of confusion, havoc and fog of war that in reality often took over during close-quarter tank duels when unit boundaries melted away. (Too bad there's no provision for accidentally firing at your own tanks, that would really spice up the system.) The following table depicts the kill ratios for a 75/76mm gun firing at the frontal aspect of a vehicle, and it shows the various survival factors associated with the AFVs and the different firing phases:

Kill Probability of 76mm Gun
Target	Defensive Fire	Advance Fire	Prep Fire
STG III Sherman M10	20% 30% 42%	8% 11% 16%	25% 37% 53%

The Weapons and Tactics of SQUAD LEADER, Part 1