stephen m:
I play the Mien Panzer rules. I strongly prefer these rules, having spent more years than I'd care to count going from one ruleset to another and then back.
All rules will be a compromise between details ("realism") and fast play ("playability"). I like where this set sits on that compromise -- it is reasonably fast play, but with enough detail to keep my imagination engaged.
I have had several infantry-dominated games that played very well. I have had several armor-dominated games that also played very well. Most importantly for me, the balance of armor vs. infantry does not appreciably change the pace of the game -- both play smoothly and at about the same pace. This is something I had never found in other rules -- in so many 1-to-1 unit scale games I've played the vehicles side of the game might play reasonably quickly, but the moment the infantry appear everything comes to a crashing halt. Either that, or the infantry combat is SO simplified that there is just nothing there for a gamer to enjoy.
With MP I find that I can set up games where each player runs a re-enforced company, where multiple players can be on each side building up battalion or larger forces, where any mix of infantry, tanks, artillery and support weapons can be involved, and the whole thing moves along at a pace that is engaging for all, with enough detail to keep me (a nut for the details of the weapons) rewarded.
Like 'em. Recommend 'em. Keeping 'em.
If you want to start with just the rules, I'm sure you can get the stats for specific units you want to run in your first few games just by asking other players of the rules. Eventually you will want to get the data book(s) to expand and explore other units, but I expect you'll be more confident in that purchase after running one or two games.
Good luck and good gaming.
-Mark
(aka: Mk 1)
