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viktor_haagThe Monday Night Group did not reach quorum this week, and accordingly, there were two of us and so we decided to finally put Combat Commander: Europe on the table (we had been talking about doing this for some long time). It's much too early to provide any kind of detailed analysis for this game, but I can make some observations.
• This game is fun, and it is not too hard to learn for anyone used to the more complex raft of German-style boardgames.
• For those used to german-style boardgames, and not wargames, I would tentatively recommend this game as the only tactical (squad) level wargame you ever need to own. (I figured that I needed to add one to my collection, and I did a bit of reading and research. Candidates were: a used copy of the venerable Squad Leader, a used copy of one of Mark Walker's Lock 'N Load system, the new Advanced Squad Leader starter kits, or this series.)
• The game is deep: the card draw system adds a lot of variety to the basic scenario setups; there are a host of scenarios to choose from; there are lots of tactical options at every turn (and by "lots", I mean as much, or more, than most complex German-style games).
Will this game satisfy grognards? I have no idea: I'm not one. However, after one play, I like this system enough that I probably will collect it as obsessively as Battlelore and C&C:Ancients, and I really don't think I'll ever need another squad-level system.
I really like the card-timing system built into Combat Commander. Each side has a stack of 72 cards that control each side's available actions, the random selection of hexes, the roll of dice, the timing of game turns, and random events. Quite elegant, and fluid.
What it does mean is that sometimes you seem to suffer from wonky activity options ("why can't I run up that hill with my machine gunners just now?"). For some tactical boardgamers, this probably poses some confusion and frustration. For someone who also plays table-top rolegames, and narratively-oriented ones at that, it's a welcome fusion of a deep tactical boardgame system and the kind of story flow I'm used to from other games. The game's mechanics provide you with a tactical framework upon which you can naturally and elegantly dress a narrative.
Some negatives which might apply to you:
• It is a wargame, set firmly in a WWII background. It doesn't pick moral sides. This may, or may not, offend you. If you feel hinky about simulation of warfare (and many German-style gamers do: that's one reason they hew so closely to that style of game), then there's no reason this game should be any more interesting to you than any other simulation of warfare.
• It is expensive, and that's most probably an economy of scale thing. GMT's print runs are probably significantly smaller than most established German-style publishers (especially the ones that focus on quality bits, like Days Of Wonder and Alea). It is no more expensive than any other modern wargame series, really, but if you're used to paying out for, say, a Rio Grande game, expect to pay about 1.5 to twice as much here. However, I'd contend that the actual play depth here is proportionally more as well.
• Maps are not mounted. This means they can give you more maps in the box for the cost, I suppose, but it is frustrating. I use a sheet of plexi that's about 2'x3' that neatly covers over all my GMT-standard sized paper maps. If you do this, you'll want to consider lighting; a cover of plastic (and you really want one of some kind) will cause glare if the lighting isn't done properly.
• The cards are decent quality but are heavily used. Don't bother even thinking about playing this game without card protectors. The decks in this game are the most heavily used game components I've seen in some time, much more than your typical card-driven wargames. They will not stand up to standard use: invest in good quality card protectors, and buy them in bulk to cut down on the cost. This, of course, adds to the net cost of the game. But at least you won't be shelling out for replacement decks.
• There are die-cut cardboard counters to punch out, and not really enough supplied bags to store them. Invest in some cheap plastic zip-up snack bags at your local grocer. Again, more net cost.
• The player-aid cards are single sided, and have one copy only. This seems like the only real usability blunder in the box. Why GMT didn't make them double sided, and give you one for each player, I have no idea.
On balance, if you can live with the cons, then I highly recommend this game. The first set is out of print at the moment, but has already been scheduled to be reprinted. The first major exansion (Combat Commander: Mediterranean) is pretty widely available at the moment, but is not playable without the first set. The first minor expansion (Paratroopers) is also still available as far as I know. There currently are two more scheduled expansions: another minor one (Stalingrad), and a stand-alone major game (Pacific Theatre).
• This game is fun, and it is not too hard to learn for anyone used to the more complex raft of German-style boardgames.
• For those used to german-style boardgames, and not wargames, I would tentatively recommend this game as the only tactical (squad) level wargame you ever need to own. (I figured that I needed to add one to my collection, and I did a bit of reading and research. Candidates were: a used copy of the venerable Squad Leader, a used copy of one of Mark Walker's Lock 'N Load system, the new Advanced Squad Leader starter kits, or this series.)
• The game is deep: the card draw system adds a lot of variety to the basic scenario setups; there are a host of scenarios to choose from; there are lots of tactical options at every turn (and by "lots", I mean as much, or more, than most complex German-style games).
Will this game satisfy grognards? I have no idea: I'm not one. However, after one play, I like this system enough that I probably will collect it as obsessively as Battlelore and C&C:Ancients, and I really don't think I'll ever need another squad-level system.
I really like the card-timing system built into Combat Commander. Each side has a stack of 72 cards that control each side's available actions, the random selection of hexes, the roll of dice, the timing of game turns, and random events. Quite elegant, and fluid.
What it does mean is that sometimes you seem to suffer from wonky activity options ("why can't I run up that hill with my machine gunners just now?"). For some tactical boardgamers, this probably poses some confusion and frustration. For someone who also plays table-top rolegames, and narratively-oriented ones at that, it's a welcome fusion of a deep tactical boardgame system and the kind of story flow I'm used to from other games. The game's mechanics provide you with a tactical framework upon which you can naturally and elegantly dress a narrative.
Some negatives which might apply to you:
• It is a wargame, set firmly in a WWII background. It doesn't pick moral sides. This may, or may not, offend you. If you feel hinky about simulation of warfare (and many German-style gamers do: that's one reason they hew so closely to that style of game), then there's no reason this game should be any more interesting to you than any other simulation of warfare.
• It is expensive, and that's most probably an economy of scale thing. GMT's print runs are probably significantly smaller than most established German-style publishers (especially the ones that focus on quality bits, like Days Of Wonder and Alea). It is no more expensive than any other modern wargame series, really, but if you're used to paying out for, say, a Rio Grande game, expect to pay about 1.5 to twice as much here. However, I'd contend that the actual play depth here is proportionally more as well.
• Maps are not mounted. This means they can give you more maps in the box for the cost, I suppose, but it is frustrating. I use a sheet of plexi that's about 2'x3' that neatly covers over all my GMT-standard sized paper maps. If you do this, you'll want to consider lighting; a cover of plastic (and you really want one of some kind) will cause glare if the lighting isn't done properly.
• The cards are decent quality but are heavily used. Don't bother even thinking about playing this game without card protectors. The decks in this game are the most heavily used game components I've seen in some time, much more than your typical card-driven wargames. They will not stand up to standard use: invest in good quality card protectors, and buy them in bulk to cut down on the cost. This, of course, adds to the net cost of the game. But at least you won't be shelling out for replacement decks.
• There are die-cut cardboard counters to punch out, and not really enough supplied bags to store them. Invest in some cheap plastic zip-up snack bags at your local grocer. Again, more net cost.
• The player-aid cards are single sided, and have one copy only. This seems like the only real usability blunder in the box. Why GMT didn't make them double sided, and give you one for each player, I have no idea.
On balance, if you can live with the cons, then I highly recommend this game. The first set is out of print at the moment, but has already been scheduled to be reprinted. The first major exansion (Combat Commander: Mediterranean) is pretty widely available at the moment, but is not playable without the first set. The first minor expansion (Paratroopers) is also still available as far as I know. There currently are two more scheduled expansions: another minor one (Stalingrad), and a stand-alone major game (Pacific Theatre).
