The Tractor Works - Squad Leader & ASLSK

I have downloaded the first three scenarios for the old Squad Leader system from Multi Man Publishing. The scenarios have been updated from SL to ASL standard, but for all that, they have changed little to those old classics, that for many, introduced us to WWII tactical wargaming.

I am using the ASL Starter Kit rules to play these scenarios.

The first scenario (The Guards Counterattack) has already been played and discussed previously - see the link in the Resource Section below.

Though using ASLSK rules, I have bought the full ASL module ‘Beyond Valor’, this gives me access to enough counters to get this squad heavy scenario done, plus it also has Board 1, which the scenario uses.

Like last time, I took the board to a local copier and had each half of the original board  expanded to double size, giving me plenty of playing room.

Note the third scenario in the trio combines scenarios A and B and adds some tanks, so when I reach that, it is going to look great with the two expanded board panels sitting side by side.

Anyway, back to the Tractor Works. The blurb tells us that we are in Stalingrad, 6th October 1942. While pushing into the industrial area of the city, advancing elements of the 389th Infantry Division isolated a contingent of the 308th Rifle Division in the crucial Dzerhezinsky Tractor Works. The German command decided to crush this island of resistance and to help, brought up a crack team of assault engineers. However, the Russians had noted a critical weakness in the ring around the Tractor Works and had decided to launch a major counterattack to relieve the garrison there.

So, a dramatic sounding scenario. 

One thing that ASL introduced was snipers. Their activation number is high in this scenario and they do bring an extra level of dynamism. However. Snipers are not used in the ASLSK world and nor were they used in the original Squad Leader scenario, so even though I understand the rule, I will not be implementing snipers, to keep the scenario pure. Note, the scenario does use ‘Concealment’ and this was a rule introduced in both the basic Squad Leader and is also present in the Starter Kit IV module, so we will be using concealment.

We are going to see a lot of firepower here within a small, building dominated landscape. The Soviets get 38 squads and 26 of them are sub-machine gun armed squads, ideal for assault amongst the buildings. The Germans get 19 squads, but 6 of them are the elite and powerful engineer squads, that are also carrying flamethrowers and demolition charges. Additionally, the Germans have excellent leadership with 10-3 and 10-2 leaders!

To win, by the end of the game, a side must have undisputed control of at least 6 hexes in building 1X3 (representing the Tractor Works).

Enough! Let’s go!

Above - here is our game area. The big central building (tractor works) is occupied  by the Soviets (brown) and they are surrounded by German forces (blue). You will note that weak spot in the ring to the right and beyond that are the 26 Soviet 5-2-7 squads lined up ready to exploit that gap. Their big advantage, besides numbers, is that they get a small uplift in firepower in the Advancing Fire Phase.

Above - The German 8-3-8 Assault Engineers set up in the large stone building above the factory. They are going to have the prime responsibility of assaulting the factory. Their high morale (8), excellent firepower, good smoke laying capacity and specialised weapons (flamethrowers and demo charges) are going to make them a formidable force, together with their highly capable 10-3 leader, Major Alter.

Elsewhere the buildings are bristling with machine guns, will anyone dare step out into the street!

Perhaps the most interesting quirk of the scenario happens now - Player 1 is randomly selected! Whoever wins that roll can put down a lot of initial firepower and ruin someone’s day.

Roll …… The Germans win and will be Player 1.

Early part of the game.

In the first 3 turns, both sides slug it out, laying down a lot of firepower, it is not until turn 3 that the German assault engineers manage to actually get into the factory and here you can see (below), a demo charge has been slung into the central building hex. This will prove to be fairly devastating.

Soviet commander, Lt. Chernova has been occupying this central hex, to rally those troops that have broken under fire and retreated into the heart of the factory. Once he calms them, they are sent back into the front line to defend the windows and doors and it is this cycling of troops that have kept the Germans at arms length (see below photo).

Mid part of the game (turns 4 and 5)

Increasing German pressure sees them take the fight through the factory and eventually, Lt. Chernova fights a last stand at the lowest end of the factory. With the factory captured, the German force starts to prepare the building for the inevitable counter-attack. 

Note in the below photo that the Soviets have managed to capture the 4 hex stone building (bottom right) next to the factory, giving the Soviets a good springboard to attack from. They are also employing two captured German medium machine guns.

I think I should have given a little more thought to having Lt. Chernova attempt to escape from the factory as it is becoming noticeable that the Soviets are short on leaders and in the game, these are needed to rally broken squads.

There are broken and abandoned Soviet support weapons  (brown) strewn across the factory.

 

The last part of the game (turns 6 - 8)

The Germans are defending the factory from all aspects of attack. Major Alter (a very impressive 10-3 leader) personally takes a squad into one of the wooden out buildings to help break up the inevitable Soviet attack.

The Soviets have managed to maintain overwhelming numbers, but their losses increasingly grow as they manoeuvre to get closer to the factory. They are clearly now up against the clock and they just have to go in, before their losses make a counter-attack impossible to make.

Soviet Sgt. Malygin scrambles over open exposed ground and into a wooden building 200 metres above the factory and by force of personality, rallies an entire platoon of broken infantry. Leading the way, he takes the platoon back out over the open ground towards the factory, running the gauntlet of automatic weapons, one by one the squads break or become pinned and his ‘charge’ collapses.

Elsewhere, some Soviet squads do get into the factory and in the last turn, the greatly thinned German defence desperately try to hold their ground (see below photo).

A winner!

The Germans are declared the winner as they are the side that have sole control of 6 factory hexes (just!). However the Soviets have given a good account of themselves taking two of the hexes and contesting a third, but both sides are pretty exhausted.

Conclusions

A very entertaining game and quite different from the previous The Guards Counterattack scenario. The opposing forces bring a lot of dynamism to the game, with the Germans having those very powerful 8-3-8 Assault Squads, while the Soviets have the numerous 5-2-7 sub-machine gun units and when stacked and firing in groups, their firepower can be testing even for the 8-3-8’s with their high morale (8) factor.

The scenario victory points being centred upon the occupation of a single building brings a lot of focus to player intentions and with so much firepower in this small area, the randomness as to who goes first can seem to matter …. but the sting in that tail is that the player going second, will also be the last player at the end of the scenario to move / fight and that can bring its own advantages.

It is a long game with 8 turns and lots of units and I can’t remember the original Squad Leader taking that long to play, but ASL(SK) brings additional firing opportunities with its First Fire, Final Fire and Subsequent Fire routines, so perhaps that is coming into play …. or just an older brain :-)

Next up, in the initial trio of Squad Leader Scenarios, we have scenario C that combines scenarios A and B and adds in some tanks for both sides, so that, I think, is going to be a hugely enjoyable match, especially played on this board that I have had enlarged at the copiers, giving plenty of room for the forces to breath …… so there we are, Scenario C, coming soon, to a blog close to you!

Resource Section;

Previous playing of Scenario 1 - The Guards Counterattack. LINK

https://battlefieldswarriors.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-guards-counterattack-aslsk-ish.html

My sister webspace ‘COMMANDERS’  showcases the various figure and boardgame systems that I am enjoying and gives a flavour of where current projects are up to. Link.

https://commanders.simdif.com/dear_diary.html

Returning to Ferrybridge 1461

Firstly, a quick hello to those who have recently started following the blog and also my thanks to all the visitors who have commented making the recent posts much more interesting.

The last post gave a detailed description of how the Ferrybridge scenario in ‘Test of Resolve’ system was divided into three linked actions. For any readers wanting a fuller explanation, there is a link to that post in the Resource Section bellow.

In brief, I attempted to play the three linked scenarios, but a Yorkist defeat in game one (Warwick Attacks the Bridge), meant that the historical cycle of events had been interrupted and the scenario hit sudden death, rather than playing on to the next game.

Today, I am taking this rather enjoyable system back to the table, playing Ferrybridge again and hoping this time, to get right through all three parts of the scenario … fingers crossed!

Phase I (Warwick Attacks the Bridge).

When I played this last time, it seemed like Warwick’s task of steamrollering across the bridge was pretty straight forward. 

But on playing, it soon transpired to be anything but straight forward. Warwick (Yorkist) threw his contingent’s over the bridge and three (out of four) bill retinues were routed, included his best troops!

Cards direct the battle and this together with the system of melee using opposed D12, means there are plenty of variables that can fall out of play, removing certainty (I like that).

Above - The Lancastrian defence is a retinue of bill (superior) and two longbow units. 

So today, with nothing taken for granted, I again pushed Warwick’s melee troops over the bridge, supported by one company of archers. Those archers initially got the better of the Lancastrian defenders, but the ‘Missile Supply’ card was drawn and they failed their test ….. now out of arrows, they fell back behind the billmen to support them.

Above - oops, I have flagged the Lancastrians (left) with a Yorkist flag!

Warwick was now reliant on his overwhelming numbers of billmen to carry the day. As they charged over the bridge, they inflicted 2 losses (good) on the defending billmen, but the Lancastrians passed their Resolve Test and so stood their ground. 

But it was a short lived act of defiance, the melee ground on and the Lancastrian defenders were swept away decisively. 

Above - Warwicks positions for the second battle - having captured the bridge, he is treated as encamped.

This Yorkist victory means that we do indeed now move to the second part of the scenario (Warwick Defends the Bridge). The battlefield set-up remains the same. Warwick did not lose any units in game one, so they all return to the second game. They set up encamped on the far side of the bridge.

Above - the banner on the left belongs to Clifford.

Being encamped means that they only become activated (alerted) if their Special Event card is drawn or their units are contacted by attacking Lancastrians under Clifford. The latter will be a worry for the Yorkists as they will suffer a -2 penalty in the initial contact for being surprised in melee!

And guess what! that is exactly what happens. Worse the Lancastrians got to draw 4 cards for this activation, they might do a lot of damage with that. 

The first card drawn is the Move / Melee card and so the Lancastrians are able to advance to contact with half off their forces, those on the far side of the road (above). They get the first round bonus for charging into melee and thanks to the surprise melee bonus, they just about inflict 1 loss. The Yorkist bill unit (superior), taking the loss, must pass a Test of Resolve roll - they fail and ‘Turn Tail’ running back to the river embankment.

This is now potentially serious, the Yorkist bill unit is trapped against the river with their backs to the Lancastrians …. who still have 3 more cards to play. I think those Billmen days are numbered!

Wrong! ….. the second card turned is a ‘Flummoxed’ card, this switches play to the other side so that the two remaining Lancastrian cards actually become Yorkist cards to be played. The third card is turned over, it is a Move / Melee card, the Yorkist may yet be saved!

In their move, the retreating unit pivots, advances a short distance and re-engages, as does the rest of the now alerted Yorkist line.

The opposed melee die rolls are close, so fighting settles down to an ‘Ongoing Melee’, which means melee fighting will resume when the next melee card by either side is drawn.

I have highlighted this moment of play just to show how dynamic the play can be and it is a reminder to take nothing for granted! 

As play continues, with shoving, pushing and hacking by the billmen of both sides, I really got stuck on what would be best for each side to do next!

Each side has one flank that is doing really well and the other flank at some serious peril. Warwick’s best billmen (near the river) are on 3 losses (at 4 they will rout). I really should be pulling those billmen with 3 hits out of the line …. but, due to positioning against the river, that would leave the nearby units vulnerable. On the other flank, there is every prospect that Yorkist attacks against the hub of archers, might sweep that flank away and break the enemy.

In the end I decide both sides have a chance to push the other over the edge and that they should stay in place and fight it out. It is a pivotal moment ….. and of course a gamble ….. but one side will soon be able to claim that they are a brilliant tactician!

There is a bit more shove and push, the Lancastrians throw in their last reserve of an archer company in desperation to pile on the pressure and cover a gap. The Yorkists bill (superior) company takes their 4th loss and rout.

In short thrift the rest of the Yorkist position collapses and the Lancastrians (Clifford) get their victory. This opens the gate to the playing of the third and final part of the scenario ‘Fauconberg’s Counter-attack’.

In the last battle, the Lancastrians lost 1 x bill retinue, but the Yorkists lost three companies, 1 x bill retinue, 1 x bill retinue (superior) and 1 x archer. 

The Yorkists need to get across the River Aire, but with the Lancastrians now controlling the bridge again, this next action represents Edward IV’s (Yorkist) decision to cross the River 3 miles higher up from the bridge at a ford and then drop back down to outflank Clifford (Lancastrian). In our game Clifford is left to defend with the troops that survived the last battle, so he is down by one bill unit - that could make all the difference here, because the Fauconberg's force is not particularly powerful.

Above - the Lancastrian positions, had they not lost a bill unit in the last game, they would have another bill company in that back line. The Yorkists will enter the table from the bottom (position of the viewer) and face the archers. 

If the Lancastrians retreat back off the opposite edge of the table, they get an automatic draw, but they look strong enough, with their front bristling with archers, to stand and fight ..... and hope to win!

The Yorkist forces are all mounted at the start of play. For now, I will keep the Household company mounted, but the bill retinue and the two archer companies will need to dismount as soon as they enter the table if they are to fight straight away.

Thinking about it, perhaps Clifford should hedge his bets and pull back part way, so that he is nearer his own table edge in case the Lancastrians need to run for it, but I worry that as they retreat, they will be easily caught by the mounted Household company (mainly Men-at-Arms in plate armour).

As it happens the Lancastrians get the first run of cards, the first is Move / Melee. I need to make a decision, should Clifford stand or retire …… I decide the Lancastrian position is fairly strong and fearing the Yorkist cavalry, I have them stand. 

The second card is also a Move / Melee …. Oh Doh! Two consecutive move cards, I could probably have had Clifford move away far enough (random movement on a D12) to keep out of the clutches of the cavalry - Oh Well, hindsight and all that, but this might become another one of those pivotal decisions!

As the Yorkist troops enter the table and dismount (not the Household), there is a lively arrow exchange between the archers, while the Yorkist mounted Household charge the archers in front of them, supported by billmen (above). The archers flee and take safety behind their own melee troops.

Clifford seizes the moment and counter-charges the Yorkist bill, with his own bill, but it is a disaster, the opposed melee die rolls on D12 are 12 - 1 in favour of the Yorkist and then the Lancastrian Test of Resolve die roll is '1' (bad - bad - bad)!

Clifford’s billmen (superior) immediately rout and Clifford decides that running away with the rest of his battle is now the only honourable thing left to do :-)

Above - the remnants of the Lancastrians (left in red) look to be successfully breaking contact.

Clifford gets good movement results, moving close to his table edge and in this moment it looks like he will make it, but then the Yorkist get a run of movement cards and their mounted M.A.A. and foot billmen, catch up and start snapping at the Lancastrian heals. The turn ends (two end of turn cards have been drawn). The cards are shuffled.  

What matters now is which side will get the first meaningful card, allowing them to move. There is a moment of excitement in the play - this matters.

Above - Yorkist men-at-arms enthusiastically pursue!

The first lucky recipient of a move card is in fact Clifford’s Battle. They roll for their movement allowance and roll high enough to get all of the troops off the table …. So there we are, all three actions played and the Lancastrian escape decides the three battle fight as a draw - that was so close!

Conclusions.

I have been looking to reduce the length and detail of AAR’s, but here, I thought that highlighting how the system brought about particular moments was worth doing.

This is a fun 3 part scenario that is kind to smaller collections. Despite these essentially being one battle Vs one battle sized games, a good bit of nuance falls out of them and they play really well, with the system serving them fully, rather than them feeling like cut down games.

The last moments of the last game was exciting to play, showing the strength of the system, how often do we actually play out a pursuit.

I am reaching the point of being quite happy in treating these rules as my ‘go to’ for the Wars of the Roses project. They fit within my play time-frame, are superb for anyone playing solo (as well as opposed) and as my own reading of the Wars of the Roses steps up a gear, the thinking behind the rules are matching the accounts that I am reading about.

More to come!

Resource Section.

Detailed look at Parts I, II and III of the Ferrybridge scenario - LINK

https://battlefieldswarriors.blogspot.com/2026/07/battle-of-ferrybridge-parts-i-ii-and-ii.html

My sister webspace ‘COMMANDERS’  showcases the various figure and boardgame systems that I am enjoying and gives a flavour of where current projects are up to. Link.

https://commanders.simdif.com/dear_diary.html