2026 SQLA CROSS OF IRON BPA PBEM/VSQL Tournament
251230
1) ANNOUNCEMENT:
This serves as the organizational announcement of a five round 2026 Boardgame Player Association Cross of Iron Tournament to be administered by Squad Leader Academy (SQLA). Bill Thomson is the GM with Pete Pollard and Scott Bramley assisting. Estimated start date March 15, 2026. Hopefully this will be a yearly event, independent of the SQLA 2025nSquad Leader Tournaments currently in progress.
2) BOARDGAME PLAYER ASSOCIATION:
To be an official BPA certified event, all BPA minimum requirements must be met. Those requirements are a minimum of 16 players, all are qualified BPA members with at least the $10 annual memberships. The benefit other than recognition published on the BPA website is BPA provides the tournament plaque. www.boardgamers.org. Should these requirement not be achieved, the event will continue as a Squad Leader Academy event. Squad Leader Academy has run the BPA Tournament at Avaloncon and World Boardgame Championships since 1994.
3) TOURNAMENT STRUCTURE:
All participants will play all five rounds. Any vacancies during any game being played or in later rounds will be filled in by the GMs as spoilers. Players who are silent for two weeks without any communication to the opponent will be considered to vacate the game. Any vacated players without cause or concession will be banned in all future SQLA events. Real does life happens, but player reliability is expected. All games will be submitted as AREA and SQLA Ladder matches. Games abandoned during a round, will be considered as both a concession and loss. For any vacated game, Thomson/Pollard/Bramley will step in to replace the vacated player. All game wins must be earned. Any game not completed in an appropriate timeframe will be adjudicated.
4) TOURNAMENT STATUS:
Tournament status will be posted on Scott Bramley’s site https://sites.google.com/site/2012squadleadertourny/tournaments?authuser=0; Jeff Lange’s www.wargameleague; and when I regain access to my own site www.wargameacademy.org/SQLA.
5) ADJUDICATION PROCESS:
An adjudication panel will be drawn, typically Thomson/Pollard/Bramley and will decided on the basis of which side would one prefer to inherit to achieve the victory conditions. No player input will be needed. A person in the panel will be replaced by a recognized competent player if one of the default panel is involved in the game.
6) RULESET:
Most scenarios will use all SQL (Squad Leader) rules unless restricted by SSR (Special Scenario Rules). The priority of rules in descending order:
1) Special Tournament Rules (STR)
2) Special Scenario Rules (SSR)
3) Squad Leader Academy Rule Conventions
4) Squad Leader Academy Supplemental Rules of Combat
5) Squad Leader Academy Compiled Q & A
6) Squad Leader 4th edition Rulebook
7) Cross of Iron 4th edition Rulebook
If an issue comes up requiring a GM decision AFTER player research of the above documentation, direct all questions to Bill Thomson, who may delegate to Pete Pollard or Scott Bramley. Any GM decision is considered final for that situation, even if proven erroneous later.
7) ROUND TIMEFRAME:
Each round is targeted to last less than three months. A next round will start when all previous round games are resolved.
8) PLAY METHOD:
All games will be played via VASSAL unless played in person with an actual game set. Play via Vassal can be conducted either in real time (scheduled sessions) and/or PBEM via Vassal/VSQL log file. Telephone of Discord voice over internet is typically used when playing remotely.
If playing by log file, the player turn is broken down into several segments. Ideally, the MPh/DFPh vs moving units that may be fired on as they move [vehicle, cavalry, unloading infantry] is done real time. Otherwise if a shot is taken in the MPh, regardless of result, the rest of the move is cancelled and sent back to the phasing player to rewrite the remaining movement, if desired.
Typical log file segments
1) Phasing player Rallies/PFPh/MPh
2) DFPh
3) AFPh/RtPh/APh/ Phasing player CC definitions, not resolution
4) Non-Phasing player adjustment of rout preferences if legal/Non-Phasing player CC definitions/resolution of all CC for both sides/ Non-Phasing player Rallies.
· One player typically performs all MCs due to fire for both sides.
VASSAL/VSQL training or refresher regarding is available upon request; [Wga8888@icloud.com; 817-501-2978]
9) REMOTE PLAY DICE GENERATION:
For online vassal play, the inherent VSQL die roller is the default. Use of ACTS, Discord roller, or any other resource can be utilized if both players agree.
10) SCENARIOS
This event will use fully defined WG### Playtest Scenarios To Be Defined.
11) PERSONAL LEADER COUNTERS:
Each side of any scenario receives a free/substituted 81 leader to represent a player’s personal leader counter. The expanded SQLA ELR chart will be used at the end of each scenario played. PLC may earn a promotion to be a free/ substituted counter in the next scenario. The players with the most Elan points and not KIA at the end of the event will win the PLC competition. A PLC eliminated will eliminate the player from the PLC competition. Additional details will be provided later.
12) TOURNAMENT SCORING
The winner determined by the WBC Grognard point system. 10 points for a win, 2 points for every win a defeated opponent secures at the end of the tournament. The first round will be paired randomly. Subsequent rounds well be paired by points, #1 vs #2 etc. This insured the best players by tournament standing will be matched at some point. Ideally a player will not play the same opponent more than once, ignoring the vacancy replacement players. Vacancy replacement players do not score points.
13) AWARDS
Plaques will be awarded for:
· Tournament finish
· Best Personal Leader Counter performance
· Most snake-eyes thrown (DR=2)
· Most box-cars thrown (DR=12)
· Best Close Combat performance.
14) RESOURCE:
· Bill Thomson
· 817-501-2978 CST (-6 GMT)
· Discord #7339
· wga8888@iclud.com
· bill@wargameacademy.org
· www.wargameacademy.org