Desert Fox | 26 May 2015 1:53 p.m. PST |
I am looking for a WWII board game that will allow me to get my gaming fix when I do not have the time or the space to set up a miniatures game. I prefer each counter represent a platoon. After a quick search of boardgame geek I came up with the following list of games that fit my criteria. I have read a lot about each of them on the net but I would like to get feedback from the TMP membership. Anyone familiar with any of these games? Which would you recommend and why? Thanks! 1. Spearhead miniature rules-I am already use this ruleset for miniatures gaming. I can make counters very easily with a computer and purchase gameboards for any of the games listed below off the net. 2. Panzerblitz/Panzer Leader by Avalon Hill 3. Panzer Grenadier by Avalanche Press 4. Nations at War by Lock 'n Load 5. Any I missed you can recommend? Thanks again! |
enfant perdus | 26 May 2015 2:02 p.m. PST |
I think a hell of a lot of us cut our teeth on Panzerblitz and Panzer Leader. Fun games that should give you your gaming fix. |
Rich Bliss | 26 May 2015 2:06 p.m. PST |
First Battle System by GDW also meets your specifications. Of the ones you've listed, the only one I have played is Panzer Leader. It's rightly considered a classic but is a bit dated by modern standards. |
joaquin99 | 26 May 2015 2:18 p.m. PST |
Panzer Grenadier would be my first option at that scale. The rules system is solid (just updated to a 4th edition), the variety of game boxes (complete games) and supplements is tremendous. |
Festerfest | 26 May 2015 2:50 p.m. PST |
The Tactical Combat System series of games from multiman publishing (MMP)are platoon unit scale and have a good reputation. They're a little more complex than the ones on your list and each game focuses on a specific battle. Might be worth your time to take a look. MMP also did an update of sorts of panzerblitz that focuses on one tank battle in the British sector of Normandy Panzerblitz/Panzerleader have been around a long time and have a lot of diverse scenarios available. You can probably pick one up fairly cheap off ebay |
Onomarchos | 26 May 2015 2:52 p.m. PST |
You may want to look at Compass Games. They have a new system called the War Storm Series. The latest volume covers France 40. See this link: link |
Saber6 | 26 May 2015 3:49 p.m. PST |
First Battle covers ww-2 up to @ 1990. |
M C MonkeyDew | 26 May 2015 4:19 p.m. PST |
Avalanche Press' Panzer Grenadier series covers the topic from Ethiopia to 1945 and beyond. Bound to be a topic of interest in there somewhere. link Lock and Load make a WWII game or games at that scale. Not the "band of heroes" system, but I can't recall the title. I like the Panzer Grenadier games and have not played the L n L games. EDIT: the one I forgot. Multi Man Publishing produced one or two updated Panzerblitz titles. Can't say how they compared to the originals as I have not played the newer titles. |
idontbelieveit | 26 May 2015 4:58 p.m. PST |
Like Festerfest I really like the TCS games. But, if you're looking for something you can set up play quickly and tear down, that might not be the best. |
Allen57 | 26 May 2015 6:55 p.m. PST |
Panzerblitz takes me back to my younger days. I bought the first edition that came out (I was in my mid twenties at that time) and played it until my gaming partner died a couple years ago. Have played Panzergrenadier but it is a bit different and I am still hooked on Panzerblitz. I also bought Panzer Leader when it came out but I never found the scenarios to play as well as Panzerblitz. Hard to say which you would enjoy more. Panzerblitz/leader depends on which front you want to play. Panzergrenadier series is good but a bit different. You should enjoy either series. |
GROSSMAN | 26 May 2015 7:32 p.m. PST |
I have used LocknLoad World at War for modern with GHQ armor with great success. I think it is a great system that models in missile fire which every other rule set I have seen struggles with. I am sure it would work for WW2. While I love Panzerblitz/Leader I think would be my second choice behind NaW. Here is a photo of some Russians swarming a German held town. I used three inch HOTZ hex map for the board and two vehicles for a platoon, when reduced I took one vehicle off. link |
Martin Rapier | 26 May 2015 11:20 p.m. PST |
Panzerblitz really is a classic, I always enjoyed its chess like simplicity. As above, you need to decide if you want east (pb) or west (pl) fronts. If you do go down the PL route it is worth trying to find the France 1940 extension. Another one to have a look for is East Front Tank Leader by John Hill, there is also West Front Tank Leader. |
Dynaman8789 | 27 May 2015 7:26 a.m. PST |
I'll second Tank Leader. In addition to the two listed there is a third Title in the series on the war in the desert, it is called "Desert Steel", the dropped the "Tank Leader" part of the name on that one, not sure why. Other titles. Sands of War by GDW – covers Desert Battles from WWII to the the Gulf War (when it was released). Blood and Thunder – East Front in WWII, same game system as Sands of War and also by GDW. "Storms of Steel: Awakening the Bear" and similar titles are also platoon level (I think – rules are generic enough that they would work for Platoon level). In the miniatures as boardgames there is also Fistful of Tows (covers WWII to Modern) and Command Decision – I used to play that with boards and counters a lot back in the nineties. |
raylev3 | 27 May 2015 8:54 p.m. PST |
Panzer Blitz (eastern front) and Panzer Leader (west) are both great because of their simplicity. You simply add up the total attack number and compare it to the target unit's defense number, then roll the die on the appropriate table. The map board is divided into thirds so you can play on the larger board, or play smaller games on the one third size board. Very easy to set up and play. |