Texas Arrows on KS

[bob48]

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1456271622/band-of-brothers-wwii-board-game-series

My first ever KS pledge!

[GJK]

My first ever KS pledge!

Have you played any of the games from this series before Bob?  A guy in my local wargaming group just posted a message asking for opinions on this series. 

And is it me or do most people just more or less find one tactical level WW2 game and stick with that or do people invest the time and money in to several for a variety?  I mean, I look at BoB and think "looks like a lite ASL, something easy enough to pick up and play" but then I think "ASL SK is simple, fun and it cost $25 and I already know and play it to death".  I've played CoH, didn't care for it.  I'm familiar enough with LnL to know that I prefer the way ASL works.  I'm rambling but it might make for a neat discussion in another topic some time.

[bob48]

Gary, I have both SE and GP and have played them a lot. For me, they are without doubt the best squad level tactical games I've ever played and I highly recommend the system to anyone interested in the period / scale.

I know that the graphics style may put some gamers off, as it did me for a while, but that is more than compensated for by the gameplay.

I also know that many ASL players did regard it as 'ASL Lite' and were surprised to find that to refer to it as such is to do the game an injustice. I also have and play all the CoH games, but will not try and compare them with the BoB system. They both use very different systems and I find them both enjoyable games to play.

At the risk of upsetting ASL players.......I gave up with ASL because it just got too much of a slog to play (for me, anyway) whereas both BoB / CoH are easy to learn and do not get bogged down with rules but are anything but simplistic.
If, having played any game, you feel that the result feels 'realistic' then, regardless of the fact that the game does not have a 400 page rule book, then its a good game. The proof of the pudding, etc.

Anyway, you can download the rules and there is a vassal mod available for SE / GP so you can try before you buy.

[BanzaiCat]

Wow, the production value looks spectacular. I really like seeing the rule book look like an Army manual.

[panzerde]

I have Ghost Panzers and this is a fun system. It's very easy to play but the results feel realistic. Like Bob I just pledged the KS on this.

The VASSAL module is also great and makes the system even easier to play.

[Richie61]

I played SE with a friend and it's a good system. It's not close tp SL/ ASL, but plays good and results are acceptable. The $119 deal is a great deal in the end, but the "Stretch Goals" after #1 are lame  Patches? Really?

You can always sell it off for more money if you don't like it in the end  ;)

[Richie61]

I knew I saw a video that explain infantry combat.

[panzerde]

I just watched that a few hours ago to refresh myself on the game system. Excellent video.

Played a few enjoyable hours of this today. It really is a fast-to-play system that rewards good tactics.

[bob48]

I played SE with a friend and it's a good system. It's not close tp SL/ ASL, but plays good and results are acceptable. The $119 deal is a great deal in the end, but the "Stretch Goals" after #1 are lame  Patches? Really?

You can always sell it off for more money if you don't like it in the end  ;)

Not in any way trying to be argumentative, and I ask this purely as a matter of interest for discussion; your comment 'Its not close to SL/ASL....'

Why would we want to compare it with SL/ASL? Its a totally different system and its not trying to be 'SL/ASL' and the designer tells us why this is so in his design notes.

As we have noted, the game gives good 'realistic' feeling results without all the rules overhead of SL/ASL. Furthermore, why should we consider that SL/ASL is any more realistic than BoB / LnL / CoH / ATS?

Is this not all just a case of personal taste, and, like many things, purely subjective?

[panzerde]

As we have noted, the game gives good 'realistic' feeling results without all the rules overhead of SL/ASL. Furthermore, why should we consider that SL/ASL is any more realistic than BoB / LnL / CoH / ATS?

Is this not all just a case of personal taste, and, like many things, purely subjective?

Stop your whinging and let's get a VASSAL game set up, you pirate!

[bob48]

What! So that you can kick 7 bells out of me again?

Oh, alright then.

[bayonetbrant]

Bob,
The main reason folks are probably comparing to ASL is because that's what everyone knows and can easily reference.

[bob48]

Oh yes Brant, I'm fully aware that people use SL/ASL as a yardstick by which to 'measure' other, newer, tactical games. I'm just questioning the validity of that.

SL/ASL is well established as one of the first serious tac game systems- my argument is that it does not mean that newer games are less 'realistic' without question. Again, Jim Krohn's designer notes make interesting reading and raises some valid points about SL/ASL.

I'm not by any means trying to 'rubbish' ASL, by the way, I just think its an interesting topic for discussion.

[Barthheart]

Bah! We all know that the Lock 'n Load series is the best squad level tactical system out there.  ^-^

Well, at least until Old School Tactical takes it's place.  O0

[bob48]

I detect a hint of bias there, Vance? ;)