The first two paragraphs below are a brief review I wrote for Blood and Guts when it was published. Full disclosure: I was a "consultant", as Dave puts it in the Acknowledgements, when he wrote and rewrote these rules and the book. We play-tested them over the course of several years as well, and I played in and/or observed a number of games with the Camino Real wargaming group in Albuquerque.
"Blood and Guts is more than a set of rules for table-top miniature wargaming. It is much more than a scenario book or a collection of TO&E or statistics. Discussion of wargame theory keeps the focus on balancing playability with complexity. Most importantly, this book contains historical analysis of tactical situations around the globe in World War 2 and explains the implications for wargaming these situations.
"The ideas contained in the analysis can be used in conjunction with the rules included in the book. But they are also very instructive for those who choose to simulate larger or smaller actions with other sets of rules and other scales. The personalized approach and narration is reminiscent of the early wargame books from the 1970's and 80's but builds on all that has been learned and developed since they were written."
(End of review)
The scale is that a stand of figures is a squad. The label on the back of the stand provides the pertinent information needed for keeping the units organized on the table. For stats that affect play, there are numbers for Morale, Strength Points and ROF, thus saving the need to be looking constantly at tables for this basic information.
Photos show the suggested layout of stands as well as illustrating examples of play. A chapter that describes the rules in detail is followed by another that summarizes them for greater ease of reference. As mentioned before, the reminiscences of Dave's development as a gamer will bring back one's own recollections upon reading.
I'll be glad to answer more detailed questions about this book. Write to me at anne dot daniel at juno dot com and put Dave Hall in the subject line so I don't accidentally delete your email.
