Time to change?

[ochoin]

I'm not a super-keen WW2 gamer. Indeed, it's been about 18 months since my last game.

I've only ever used Blitz Krieg Commander 1 (never up-graded) & found it pleasant enough.
However, with two of the old stagers having moved on, I'm now the only one with the rule book. Additionally, I find Pendraken seem to have slapped a (nominal- yet slightly annoying) fee to gain access to their website (in order to use the fairly vital Battle Group maker).

Time to change rules? I don't want to re-base my 20mm collection. I like having infantry/armour/vehicles/artillery/ air power as parts of the game. I'm not into needing to have the depth of detail such as X calibre gun, firing Y-type ammunition gets Z-penetration in armour etc. Fast play with a sense of reality. My pals will probably go with what I suggest as they're references don't vary that much.

Any suggestions?

donald

[FreddBloggs]

Operation warboard by gavin lyall.

[Jeremy]

I really enjoy IABSM. There’s also Rommel (though not played that)

[goat major]

I wouldn’t really recommend Rommel for 20mm. It’s a (quite) abstract large force game. Isn’t rapid fire really popular for 20mm

[Buff Orpington]

Battlegroup works well with 20mm. But it is expensive to start. £14 for the rules and more for the core supplements, you'll need at least one for a main theatre plus whatever operation you want in many cases.

[valleyboy]

Dave Brown is on the point of bringing out O Group that will be a Lardies production
I suspect that Dave will produce something eminently playable or at least I hope so as I want to gets something going in ww2. I have played IABSM twice, thought it was good but a gaming mate hated it
https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/general ... t6857.html

[grizzlymc]

I think TFL rules in general are an acquired taste, some love them; some hate them. IABSM is about the level I think you're doing Ocho, hyou might want to give them a go.

[ochoin]

Thanks, chaps. I'll start reading around on your suggestions.

donald

[Etranger]

BKC is up to version #4 now, having more or less skipped #3. We've never found the need to use the Battle Group maker so that completely passed us by! We just use historical OOB, scaled to the BKC figure scale & don't use points values.

O Group might be interesting, otherwise Battlegroup and Battlefront WWII (not the FOW game, but RMD's pride and joy!) both seem to give decent games. I like the concepts behind the other TFL games but I'm in the minority locally so I've never fought them in anger, so to speak. IABSM would be the company level(ish) game at the level you're interested in.

Personally I'm not a fan of Rapid Fire or of Bolt Action, although there is quite a bit of the latter played in OZ & it is fairly easy to get hold of in the country. They're both a little too cartoonish for my tastes. (Ditto for FOW, at least in the V4 format).

[ochoin]

BKC is up to version #4 now, having more or less skipped #3. We've never found the need to use the Battle Group maker so that completely passed us by! We just use historical OOB, scaled to the BKC figure scale & don't use points values.
.

As you can't easily get #1 any more, I think a total break might be best. I'm no where near a serious WW2 gamer so historical OOB....what are they?
We tend to use what we have rather than only use units applicable for a specific scenario. Thus, the forum-supported BG-maker was a quick & easy way of having the stats & relevant notes for your units in front of you, rather than pouring over the good but long army lists using a ruler to keep things straight in a book that didn't open easily (unless you cracked its spine). Having to pay for it isn't the deal breaker but it certainly has an effect.

I've spent some time looking at the suggestions. Fred's 'old school' suggestion is more or less unobtainable. IABSM seems to be a bit half-baked. I'm wondering about 'Battle Group Kursk'? Is it only for the Eastern Front? Could I use it for Western Europe & the Western Desert but use the BKC army lists?

And Dave Brown's new rules look intriguing....waiting 6 months isn't an issue as we'd play, at most 2 WW2 games in that time.

donald