Advanced Squad Leader is a detailed wargaming system that can simulate any company level ground action from any theater of World War II. The playing pieces represent squads, half squads, leaders, crews, guns, and vehicles from every major and minor combatant of World War II.

The battlefields are represented by geomorphic mapboards upon which the counters are maneuvered. Starter Kits provide the new player with an easy method for becoming familiar with the basics of the ASL system using entrylevel scenarios, counters, boards, and rules.

Squad counters represent approximately 9-15 men, depending upon nationality and type. Individual leader counters represent combat leaders historically present at the battle and also help represent the overall combat independence of the unit to which they are attached. Each squad and each leader is given a morale level on its counter; the higher the morale level, the tougher it can stand up in combat and the quicker it can recover from setbacks. Support weapon counters represent individual weapons beyond the organic small arms that are already included in the firepower values given each squad and half squad counter.

Firegroups for attacking enemy units are put together from the combined firepower of individual units and weapons. After totaling the firepower of an attack, two six-sided dice are rolled and that result (modified by various factors) is cross- indexed with the applicable firepower column of the Infantry Fire Table to determine the results of the attack. Results range from no effect, to causing the enemy to check its morale level to see if it breaks, to outright elimination of one or more enemy units. Units also use their firepower in close combat, usually in an all-or-nothing fight to the death.

Each ASL scenario simulates an historical battle by providing both the attacker and defender with an order of battle with specific units and weapons with which to maneuver in an effort to achieve specified victory conditions. The geomorphic boards can be arranged in numerous different combinations to represent the varied battlefields of Europe.

ASL Starter Kit #1 is a complete game that introduces the player to the ASL Infantry rules and includes squads, half squads, leaders, support weapons, and simplified rules and terrain to use with them. The counters and boards are all fully compatible with other ASL products. Additional ASL material is available for purchase from Multi-Man Publishing (www.multimanpublishing.com) and finer hobby game stores.

How ASL Starter Kit #1 Differs From Full ASL

There is only Infantry.

There are only Germans (no 658s or 838s), Russians (not 628s), and Americans (Army).

The only terrain types on ASLSK#1 boards y and z are:

Open ground
Grain (no plowed fields)
Roads
Orchards
Woods
Single level buildings
Woods-roads

The only SW are MG, FT and DC (placed only, not thrown or set).

There are no: Ordnance or vehicles Random Selection ties Crews or Heroes Deploying or Recombining Minimum Move, Infantry Overrun, Bypass movement, late Double Time, or Dash Overstacking or Recovery from broken unit Opportunity Fire, Spraying Fire, Triple Point Blank Fire, Field of Fire, or Fire Lanes Random SW Destruction or dismantled SW Voluntary Break Withdrawal or Infiltration Concealment, Searching, or Mopping Up Cavalry, Snipers, Heat of Battle, or Battle Field Integrity Disruption, Ammunition Shortage, Surrender, or Prisoners White Phosphorous Commissars or Human Wave (or other nationality distinctions besides those inherent in the counters)

The only Control definition is Building Control, and Victory Points are not defined outside of a particular scenario.