Crescendo of Doom: A Squad Leader Gamette

About this expansion

Crescendo of Doom: A Squad Leader Gamette is a 1979 tactical combat game for two players, with an advertised play time of 60 minutes. It focuses on early World War II, presenting battles and forces from the campaigns of 1939–1941.

Designed as an extension for the Squad Leader series, Crescendo of Doom includes twelve new scenarios, numbered 21 through 32. Its 36-page rulebook uses a programmed instruction format to introduce the scenarios and build on the system established by Squad Leader and Cross of Iron.

The game portrays the desperate conflicts of the period, from the invasion of Poland and Finland’s defense against the Soviet Union to the campaigns in Norway, the Low Countries, France, and Greece. Players can experience the contrasting capabilities and frustrations of the era, including French radioless armored fighting vehicles and one-man turrets, as well as clashes between German Mk III tanks and vehicles such as the Char B, Somua, or Matilda.

• Two additional 8 × 22 inch geomorphic mapboards, maps 6 and 7
• Over 1,200 double-printed counters
• Infantry, armor, ordnance, and weapons for numerous nationalities
• British, French, Polish, and Belgian vehicular and ordnance orders of battle
• Illustrated scenario cards and two expanded Quick Reference Data Cards

Crescendo of Doom also provides the complete British Order of Battle for the whole of World War II, supporting player-designed scenarios beyond the included games. Combined with the earlier gamettes, it can portray company- or battalion-level actions across a wide range of campaigns.

With an Avalon Hill complexity rating of 10, this is a demanding addition intended for players who have already mastered Squad Leader and Cross of Iron.