Squad Leader: Crescendo of Doom

Title
Squad Leader: Crescendo of Doom
Description
From the Nazi invasion of Poland, through the heroic defense of tiny Finland against the Russian behemoth, the blitzkrieg conquests of Norway and the Low Countries, the battle of France, and the seizure of Greece the player is struck by the despair of men and nations alike as seen by the soldiers who vainly sacrificed their lives against a more powerful aggressor. This is CRESCENDO OF DOOM, a gripping game of tactical combat set against the seemingly invincible juggernauts of war-torn Europe. Setting the scene for the colossal struggle of the titans which will follow, CRESCENDO OF DOOM is, nonetheless, far more than a simple prelude to Barbarossa. While further refining the innovations brought forth in its highly successful predecessors SQUAD LEADER and CROSS OF IRON, CRESCENDO breaks yet even more ground in the realm of realistic tactical combat without disturbing the underlying basic simplicity of a universally acclaimed game system. CRESCENDO is a welcome extension for the SQUAD LEADER enthusiast even before he contemplates a single new counter.

But CRESCENDO OF DOOM offers far more than that. Complete armor, ordnance, and infantry units are provided for Poland, Belgium, Finland, and a host of other minor neutrals including Elite, Line and Reservist formations for all nationalities. In graphic details far superior to any narrative account, you will see for yourself how the outnumbered German panzers defeated the superior armor of the French tanks. Experience personally the French frustrations brought on by radioless AFVs and one man turrets. There are no Panthers or T-34s . . . here it is the Mk III vs. the Char B, Somua, or Matilda.

And CRESCENDO need not end in 1942 with our 32nd scenario. The entire British Order of Battle is presented for the whole of WWII enabling fans of the Western Desert, Italian, or Normandy campaigns to design their own scenarios for those periods. CRESCENDO OF DOOM is more than just a game. When combined with SQUAD LEADER and CROSS OF IRON, it provides the ultimate in a tactical gaming system which can be used to portray any company or battalion level action. Be forewarned! CRESCENDO is not an easy game. Do not attempt it unless you have first mastered SQUAD LEADER and CROSS OF IRON.

In each game you get:

- 520 double-printed 1/2" die-cut counters representing the men and weapons that compromised the combatants of the Western Front; 1939-1942
- 804 double-printed 5/8" die-cut counters representing the complete vehicular and ordnance Order of Battle for British, French, Polish, and Belgian Armies
- Two additional 8" x 22" geomorphic mapboard sections increasing the possible terrain configurations and adding several new terrain types
- Comprehensive, illustrated 36 page Programmed Instruction rule book
- Illustrated scenario cards for situations 21-32
- Two expanded Quick Reference Data Cards

Collection Tree

Collection Items

Night Drop
Scattered in farms and villages along thirty miles of coast, the German 709th Infantry Division had been awaiting the invasion for a year. It had been formed eighteen months before around a core of German veterans from the Russian front …
1944-06-06

Infatuate II
The last German stronghold on the Scheidt Estuary was the island of Walcheren. Linked by a narrow causeway to South Beveland, its batteries were still a threat to Allied transports. Agile minesweepers were already plying their trade in the estuary, …
1944-11-01

Vitality I
The south shore of the Scheidt was nearly cleared. Unfortunately, guns on the north bank, though much less commanding, could still threaten the Allied shipping lanes to the port of Antwerp. The eastern portion of the north shore was a …
1944-10-24

Clearing the Breskens Pocket
Players should read scenarios R218 & R219 for units involved and historical background.
1944-10-06

Scheldt Fortress South
Backed against the Scheidt Estuary, the weakened German 64th Infantry Division faced the entire Canadian First Army. It was the guns of the 64th which barred shipping from Antwerp. Every day that the 64th held out meant another day of …
1944-10-25

Operation Switchback
Antwerp had fallen unharmed into Allied hands. All that prevented Allied use of one of Europe's largest ports were the German flak and artillery that lined the narrow waterway linking the North Sea to Antwerp; the narrow Scheidt Estuary. Axis …
1944-10-06

The Whirlwind
As the German defenses crumbled in front of the U.S. 3rd Army, the fighting became fluid . On the night of April 17th elements of a recce troop of the American 26th Division occupied a village on the outskirts of …
1945-04-18

A Small Town In Germany
The occupation of the Groningen bulge made it possible for the British Second Army to drive into northern Germany. The Allied advance did not go smoothly. Small "stay-behind" forces resisted bitterly. One example occurred when the Canadian 4th…
1945-04-08

Hasty Pudding
Throughout May 27th, the Allies stubbornly held off the advancing Germans as they simultaneously prepared for a general withdrawal to a defense perimeter around Dunkirk. In an attempt to buy time, a raid was ordered behind the German lines. Elements…
1940-05-27

The Front In Flames
As Kharkov fell for the final time, front lines became unclear. Observation posts and defensive lines were held briefly, then abandoned as the Soviets advanced. The front began to stabilize around the Mosh river as units of the Soviet 57th …
1943-08-22

Traverse Right...FIRE!
The elite German 18th Panzer Regiment, fresh from amphibious training, was among the lead elements of Army Group Center as they pressed deep into Russia on the day after 'Barbarossa' . The Soviets, still confused as to the extent of …
1941-06-23

On The Road To Andalsnes
With the Allied landings at Namsos and Andalsnes the strategic and political importance of Trondheim was brought into sharp focus. Quickly implementing alternative planning, Von Falkenhorst ordered the German 196th Infantry Division to clear several…
1940-04-24

Auld Lang Syne
In the Ardennes sector the U.S. 87th division was given the assignment of taking Gerimont as the VIII Corps continued its advance to the east. The opening of the assault went well as the lead companies drove the Germans from …
1945-01-01

Commando Raid At Dieppe
The large scale raid on Dieppe had a somewhat elaborate plan of attack. It involved assault landings on eight separate beaches. The two flank attacks, located at Berneval and Varengeville, would have the task of destroying the German coastal…
1942-08-18

The Akroiri Peninsula Defense
The German assault on the mountainous island of Crete called for airborne landings in four separate areas. But due to inadequate air transport capacities, two airborne assault waves were needed. One objective for the first wave was the capture of …
1941-05-20

Road To Kozani Pass
The Balkan Campaign offered little hope in the way of a clear-cut victory for the Allies. Nevertheless the British often proved themselves equal in fighting ability to their German adversaries and showed remarkable fighting skills against a…
1941-04-13

The French Perimeter
As the last days and hours of the Dunkirk defense passed and the perimeter shrank to within four miles of the city, the British turned their remaining positions over to the French forces. On the western side of the perimeter …
1940-06-02

Fighting At The World's Edge
With the disastrous situation around Dunkerque entering its final stages, the Allied High Command decided that the operation around Narvik would have to be halted, though the city itself was to be taken in order to cover the evacuation and …
1940-05-28

Last Defense Line
By dusk of the 14th, the Germans had three bridgeheads across the Meuse River. The 15th brought the next stage, the breaking of the last major elements of Resistance which stood between them and the great plains of France. One …
1940-05-15

Chance D'une Affaire
On the morning of May 14th a French counterattack was ordered against the breach at Sedan in an effort to contain Guderian's bridgehead on the Meuse. The attack was to be comprised of two tank battalions, each supported by an …
1940-05-14

Bitter Defense At Otta
As the fight in southern Norway moved into the highlands, the German tactics developed into somewhat of a uniform pattern. Largely restricted by the surrounding terrain and weather conditions any line of advance had to parallel the existing road…
1940-04-28

Under Cover Of Darkness
As the German attack in the northern Corridor made steady progress to capture the Polish ports, Resistance finally began to stiffen as Polish naval units were committed to a ground combat role. One by one the surrounding ports fell to …
1939-09-12

Sacrifice Of Polish Armor
Despite the known German troop concentrations at the border, the Polish Army was taken by complete tactical surprise. Many Polish units were in the process of moving to their defensive positions or areas of concentration when the attack commenced.…
1939-09-01

Rehearsal for Crete
The issue in Greece was no longer in doubt; the last units of the Greek Army under Alexander Papagos had surrendered the day before. W Force was attempting to withdraw to evacuation points along the south coast of Greece. Columns …
1941-04-26

Chateau de Quesnoy
Northern France had fallen and General Weygand was desperately attempting to form a long along the Somme. Lacking sufficient forces for a continuous front, he decided on a series of combined-arms hedgehogs which he hoped could thwart the German…
1940-06-06

Ad Hoc at Beaurains
Quite unexpectedly, the British launched a major counterattack from Arras against the spearheads of Rommel's breakthrough, catching the initial German units unprepared as they attempted to deploy. The Germans were able to halt the supporting infantry…
1940-05-21

In Rommel's Wake
In the confusion following the 7th Panzer Division's breakout, isolated French units still held crossings across the Meuse while the German infantry struggled to catch up. Now elements of the XIV Panzergrenadier Corps, on the basis of Fieseler Storch…
1940-05-17

Counterstroke at Stonne
The Grossdeutschland Regiment, after hard fighting and a harder forced march, had finally taken the village of Stonne which was the cornerstone of the flank movement from Sedan. Exhausted, they were now the target for one of the few determined …
1940-05-15

The Dinant Bridgehead
The Meuse River was the last major obstacle preventing a major armored breakout from the Ardennes. It was imperative that the Germans establish a number of viable crossings before the Allies could regroup. One of three such crossings on the …
1940-05-13

Assault on a Queen
Following the parachute drop on Holland, it was feared that the Germans would attempt a secret raid to seize Queen Wilhelmina, infant crown princess Beatrix, and other members of the Dutch Royal Family. Fearing the Germans would strike at any …
1940-05-11

Resistance at Chabrehez
As the Germans pushed through the Ardennes the lightly armed Belgian troops were easily dealt with. But at Chabrehez a small group of the Belgian 3rd Regiment of Chasseurs Ardennais stood in good position blocking the way of Rommel's 7th …
1940-05-10

Action at Balberkamp
Following the initial landings of air and seaborne forces at Oslo, the Germans began to move northward through the valley of the Gudbrandsdalen, towards Trondheim. The Norwegians and British attempted numerous blocking actions which were largely…
1940-04-22

Silent Death
As Soviet troops pressed into the wilderness areas north of Lake Ladoga, the Finns instituted a full scale scorched earth policy. Even those Russians lucky enough to find Finnish dwellings still intact often met with disaster. With the onset of …
1939-12-09

The Borders are Burning
Along the Karelian Front, as the Soviets crossed the borders, the Finnish forces executed a planned withdrawal to the Mannerheim Line. In the north, however, the Finns were ordered to oppose the Russian advance at every opportunity. At Kuhmo, the …
1939-11-30

Battle for the Warta Line
For two days the Poles desperately tried to hold a line in the vicinity of the Warta and Widawka Rivers but were gradually pushed back. However, the stubborn Resistance of the crack Polish I 0th Division was threatening to throw …
1939-09-06
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