SL wasn’t meant to be its own ”game system”.
I have to disagree with you on this point. Checking out the back of my COI box it states:
" Cross of Iron is more than just a game. When combined with Squad Leader, it provides a system which can be used to portray any Eastern Front action ".
Further down on the box it states COI is " expanding on the original Squad Leader game system ".
On the front it says COI is the first in a series of gamettes based on SL so there was long term planning that went into the system.
Obviously AH considered it a system.
I'm not sure how this squares with Paul's analogy to it being a breeding experiment, have to ponder that.
Interestingly on the back of the box it tells you to throw away your old artillery and armor counters to make way for their expanded revised counterparts. The system was apparently not as well planned as it could have been.
Checking out the box brings me warm, fuzzy feelings of nostalgia. Good times. The intro about the tank commander is ok but doesn't have the impact, at least on me, that the SL intro did. I still remember standing in the hobby shop reading the back of the SL box and that was before I was introduced to it by Dr. Marc. Didn't have $10.00 on me or probably would have bought it.