How to Play

Advanced Squad Leader: Starter Kit #1

2-2 players 120-120 min 7.8 Board Game Geek Rating

This tactical warfare game simulates WWII infantry combat using squads and individual soldiers. Players maneuver units across geomorphic maps, engaging in firefights while managing terrain effects and combat mechanics. Victory comes through achieving scenario-specific objectives across six included battles. Features streamlined rules for newcomers to the Advanced Squad Leader system, with scenarios lasting up to four hours each.

Published 2004

Advanced Squad Leader: Starter Kit #1

Get Ready

Setup the game with these step-by-step instructions before diving into your turn.

1
Determine scenario parameters
Roll dice as specified by the scenario for reinforcements and initial setup
2
Set Experience Level Rating (ELR)
Each scenario assigns an ELR number for each team that affects morale check failures
3
Observe stacking limits
Maximum of 3 squads and 4 leaders per hex
4
Place reinforcements
Units entering the game during rally phase can move in Movement phase or Advance phase; units that don't enter are eliminated

On Your Turn

What you can do during your turn.

1
Follow rally action order
Each unit gets only 1 rally action; leaders can attempt to rally multiple units
2
Roll for reinforcements
Roll dice as specified by scenario
3
Recover unmanned support weapons
Unit in same hex rolls dice less than 6 to possess unmanned SW (+1 if CX marked); attacker acts first
4
Repair support weapons
If unit is in Good Order with their nationality weapon, roll 1 die against number on back of SW counter
5
Transfer support weapons
Move SW between eligible units in same hex
6
Attempt self-rallies
Units with boxed morale values may self-rally; leaders cannot use leadership value for self-rally
7
Attacker special self-rally
Attacker only may attempt to self-rally 1 multi-man unit not otherwise eligible (+1 DRM unconditional, -1 DRM if in building or woods); natural 12 causes Casualty Reduction
8
Rally broken units with leader
Broken units stacked with leader roll 2 dice, must equal or be lower than broken morale value
9
Remove DM markers
All DM markers are removed
10
Optional removal exception
Removal is optional unless in woods or building; keeping DM marker allows unit to move in Rout phase to find safety; non-DM units cannot move during Rout
11
Commit to no movement
Units firing in this phase cannot move later, including Advancing Fire phase
12
Declare attack first
Check LOS after declaring; if blocked, still counts as having fired including malfunction check
13
Calculate hindrance
Hindrance of 6 or more is classified as a block
14
Apply adjacent fire bonus
Adjacent Basic Point Blank Fire doubles FP (for flame throwers or demolition charges)
15
Extended range firing
Units, flame throwers, or machine guns can double range at half FP (after all modifiers)
16
Split firepower
Units with SW can split intrinsic FP from SW to attack separate units
17
Form fire groups
Two adjacent units (not a sole leader) may combine fire
18
Apply cowering penalty
If unit rolls doubles when attacking without a leader, resolve attack with one IFT column shift lower (2 column shift for inexperienced units like green units without leader and conscripts)
19
Calculate base movement factors
Leaders have 6 MP (3 if wounded); squads have 4 MP (3 if inexperienced)
20
Apply road bonus
Roads provide +1 MP
21
Declare double time
Grants +2 MP but cannot be broken, pinned, CX, or doing assault movement; announce first and place CX marker before moving
22
Add leader bonus
Squads with leader get +2 MP
23
Apply green squad bonus
Green squads (not conscripts) get +1 MP on top of everything else
24
Use leader portage bonus
Leaders add +1 portage point to units
25
Declare assault movement
Move only one hex without expending all MP; avoids FFNAM penalty marker if attacked
26
Understand double time penalties
+1 penalty to any DR including IFT rolls, CC attacks, recover, ambush, smoke grenade attacks; -1 portage penalty; -1 DRM to enemy CC attacks against CX unit; CX marker removed at unit's next Movement phase
27
Use smoke grenades
+1 penalty if double timing; costs 1 MF if in same hex or 2 MF if adjacent hex; rolling 6 ends movement; +2 hindrance DRM firing into/through smoke hex; +3 hindrance DRM firing from smoke hex; +1 MF to move into smoke hex; remove smoke at end of Movement phase
28
Recover support weapons during movement
Must be in same hex; costs 1 MP; roll 1-5 to succeed; +1 if unit has CX marker
29
Respect movement restrictions
Cannot move if prep fired, broken, or in melee combat; cannot move into enemy-occupied hex
30
Exit map for victory
Exit hex is considered open ground
31
Interrupt enemy movement
Can interrupt any unit expending MF (including laying smoke, recovering)
32
Target only active units
Cannot attack units in same hex not expending MF
33
Maintain LOS
Must have LOS to use defensive fire
34
Place First Fire markers
After unit or SW attacks, place FF marker; only place FF on SW if it completed or exhausted Rate of Fire
35
Apply movement penalties
Apply FFNAM -1 DRM or FFOM -1 DRM if attacker's LOS has no hindrance
36
Continue firing with FF-marked units
Units with FF marker can still attack
37
Target same distance units
Subsequently targeted units must be same distance as closest unit in LOS
38
Reduce firepower
Defender SFF is reduced to 50%
39
Mark Final Fire
After firing, mark unit with Final Fire marker; mark all SW with FF marker even if they didn't fire
40
Increased breakdown risk
Machine guns have breakdown number reduced by 2; if original IFT roll exceeded original breakdown number, machine gun is permanently removed
41
Fire with Final Fire-marked units
Units with Final Fire marker can fire under special circumstances
42
Target adjacent movement
Unit targeted must move adjacent to defending unit during movement phase
43
Use all firepower
Unit must use all FP and SW
44
Fire multiple times
Firing unit can fire multiple times at units continuing to expend MP
45
Take morale check
After attack, firing unit takes NMC using value already rolled on IFT; only leadership value can modify
46
Place RF markers
Occurs during DFF, SFF, and FPF; mark hex with RF marker
47
Resolve RF first
Always occurs before other attacks need to be declared
48
Calculate RF strength
RF is half the FP of original IFT FP column (max 12); SW that doesn't exhaust/complete ROF or malfunctions doesn't leave RF
49
Reduce for modifiers
RF reduced by 1 IFT for each positive IFT DRM outside target hex; negative leadership modifiers don't affect RF
50
Apply to all units
Any unit expending MF in that hex is subject to RF (apply TEM, smoke, FFNAM, FFMO)
51
Accumulate RF
Only one RF per hex but can increase from additional firing; remove RF counters at end of Movement phase
52
Fire with unmarked units
After enemy completes all movement, defending units not marked with 1st Fire or Final Fire can fire
53
Limited fire for marked units
Units marked with 1st Fire can fire but only at adjacent units with halved FP (doubled for adjacency)
54
Fire at half FP
All units not marking prep can fire at half FP
55
Use assault fire capability
Underlined FP gives +1 modifier to FP after all modifications; fractions round up
56
Heavy weapon restriction
Heavy and medium SW and machine guns cannot fire if moved
57
Mandatory rout conditions
No broken unit with DM counter can be adjacent to known enemy unit or broken in open ground within LOS of GO enemy unit
58
Melee exception
Units in melee hex do not rout
59
Direction restriction
Cannot rout towards an enemy unit
60
Movement allowance
6 MP to find cover
61
Leader voluntary break
Leaders can voluntarily break and rout with broken unit
62
Interdiction risk
Routing into open ground within LOS subjects unit to interdiction and morale check
63
Low crawl option
May low crawl but not into adjacent enemy hex
64
Optional rout
Rout is optional for units not meeting mandatory conditions
65
Advance one hex
Units in GO can advance to adjacent hex
66
Transfer SW
Can transfer SW between GO units
67
CX from full MF
If full MF spent to move into hex, unit is CX (consider TEM, portage)
68
Manage SW load
Consider transferring, destroying, or abandoning SW to avoid CX
69
Roll for ambush
In woods or buildings, both sides roll 1 die on ambush table; must achieve at least 3 less than opponent
70
Establish combatants
Attacker first establishes who is fighting who
71
Add leader bonus
Leaders only add if fighting with the unit
72
Broken unit defense
Broken units don't fight but defend at -2 DR
73
Continuing melee
If combat doesn't end, flip CC marker to melee and resolve next CC turn
74
Fire restrictions
Units can fire into CC but cannot fire out of CC
75
Remove pinned markers
Remove all pinned markers at end of this phase

Winning

How to claim victory.

1
Meet scenario victory conditions
Complete objectives specified by the scenario
2
Exit units from map
If required by victory conditions, exit hex is considered open ground for movement purposes
3
Manage ELR losses
Failing a morale check by more than your team's ELR number causes unit to drop to next lower experience level

watch & Learn

Let the pros teach you with these top videos.

Advanced Squad Leader SK1 - Movement Phase Demonstration (4K)

Advanced Squad Leader SK1 - Movement Phase Demonstration (4K)

Instructional

Advanced Squad Leader Starter Kit Example #4

Advanced Squad Leader Starter Kit Example #4

Instructional

MORE VIDEOS

FULL rules

Looking for the full details? Grab the complete rulebook as a downloadable PDF.

Play Board Games Online

Explore breakout hits and fan favourites with no downloads, setup or paywalls. Just click and play.

Play Now

more GAMES LIKE THIS