Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => The Second World War => Topic started by: timyeh on May 15, 2011, 10:03:33 PM
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Our group want to start on a 28mm WW2 game and am curious what do you guys think is a good game system? We are noob as far as WW2 game is concern. I have heard of Rules of Engagement and Nuts but do not know anything about this. What can you guys recommend.
Regards,
Tim Yeh
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Register at the Secret of the Third Reich forum and check the download section for "Bellum Europa". Reworked SoTR rules that are pure WW2 without weird stuff. Lots of small tweaks to it as well. It comes with army lists for US/Soviet/UK/Germany. And it is free.
http://secretsofthethirdreich.com/forums/index.php?topic=2525.0
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I like Rules of engagement...but I haven't tried too many different sets of rules...I found these...like them and am sticking with them...for now... ::)
Cheers,
Blue
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What are you looking for in a set of rules?
There are many rule sets. Personally, I like Rules of Engagement -- but I am partial the mechanics of that game, versus something like Disposable Heroes. However, I think DH is a fine game.
So there are plenty of good games, but the one you'll like the most is the one that most closely matches what you like.
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Battleground WWII
Brian
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WW2 is one of those periods where there are a whole plethora of rules available and each usually has plenty of fans. It really depends what you want out of a game as to which rules will be best for you. Personally I love Nuts! but it took a little while to get my head around the reaction system they use. Once you have I think they produce a great game with the right "feel" for me. If you want to try the system Two Hour Wargames have the Chain Reaction core rules available to download for free.
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Personally I love Nuts! but it took a little while to get my head around the reaction system they use. Once you have I think they produce a great game with the right "feel" for me. If you want to try the system Two Hour Wargames have the Chain Reaction core rules available to download for free.
What he said!
Nuts gives you a fun, quick game that at the end of the game, the results feels right.
Amalric
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I really like Rate of Fire
the PDF is dirt cheap ( got mine for like $8 )
and the rules are simple, effective, and fun.
built into the rules is a system to modify and adjust things like morale, weapons rate of fire, etc
simple to learn, and probably one of the better ww2 rules sets i have played.
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We are currently playing Ambush Alley and really like the simplicity of their system.
I also like it that they have a lot of scenarios. Another good thing about that system is that we can use the same figures and terrain as the scenario are pretty generic.
Our group is on a tight budget and prefer not to buy new figures/vehicles every second or third scenario.
Thanks,
Tim
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We play Disposable Heroes (Iron Ivan Games) at our club and we love it. They also make modern and zombie rules also. Making it easy to cross over gaming periods - nazi zombies, yes please:
Disposable Heroes Product Description
A complete small unit skirmish game for WWII. Rules for infantry, artillery, vehicles, and aircraft. Includes specific platoon list and vehicle entries for Germans, Americans, British, and Soviets.
Iron Ivan:
http://www.ironivangames.com/ (http://www.ironivangames.com/)
Yahoo Group, quick responses from the rules writers:
http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/ironivan/ (http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/ironivan/)
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Rules of engagement plays well,plenty of generic systems that will do the trick as well depending on size of games you plan.
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I just got done playing WW2 OPERATION SQUAD , a Really neat game for squad on squad fighting. never before has not having a pair of binoculars cost my opponent a battle. also the assistant gunner for an mg has a real job of loading more ammo when it runs out. and spotting for the gunner. no vehicle rules but they are coming out soon. http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=en&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dwww.torrianimassimo.it%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26biw%3D1419%26bih%3D703%26prmd%3Divns&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=it&u=http://www.torrianimassimo.it/operationsquad/html_uk/game.html&usg=ALkJrhiz49NiPz6ErSMvuWVhLn0l8sZArA
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After having played many different systems I have become a NUTS! fan for its reaction system and ability to game battles out to conclusion in a few hours. In fact, I like it so much I'm now a NUTS author -- so color me biased! NUTS! now has supplements covering all theaters of the war except North Africa, and new books are always in being released. There's also an active Yahoo! Group for Two Hour Wargames that makes it easy to get your questions answered, find fan files, new official freebies and so on.
They are based on the Chain Reaction 3.0 rules, available free here:
http://www.angelfire.com/az3/twohourwargames/pages/cr3.htm (http://www.angelfire.com/az3/twohourwargames/pages/cr3.htm)
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CROSSFIRE by Arty Contliffe, no rulers, no turns, very "real" feel, lots of hidden troops, simple to learn mechanics, impossible to master. CROSSFIRE
Mostly the "best" rule set is the one you can play with the figures/terrain that you already have.
Oh did I mention my favorite set, Crossfire?
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World at War by mongoose is worth trying I think.
Additional lists for the pacific and south-east asia theatre are also available.
We used to play our RCW-games predominantly with WaW:Back of beyond and liked it very well for its rules which enables a more easy gameplay. The possibility to use tanks and supports as well as fighterplanes which are integrated in your platoon asset WaW gives a realistic and satisfying game and enables a small game with only a handful of minis up to an hourlasting battle with lots of infantry, artillery, tanks and fighterplanes.
http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/
also of interest may be this
http://www.agisn.de/html/world_at_war.html
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CROSSFIRE by Arty Contliffe, no rulers, no turns, very "real" feel, lots of hidden troops, simple to learn mechanics, impossible to master. CROSSFIRE
Mostly the "best" rule set is the one you can play with the figures/terrain that you already have.
Oh did I mention my favorite set, Crossfire?
Completely quote Leadfool, best ever. But you have to multibase your figures... (or tray them).
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We currently play Disposable Heroes which is both easy to understand and plays quickly. Emphasis is on infantry and less on Vehicles which I think is good.
Christopher
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I prefer a system that will allow me to use all of those cool WWII vehicles as one of our gamer is also a WW2 modeler so Disposable Heroes does not seem to fit the bill.
I like the suggestion of NUTS! with different scenario packs. Any game with several scenarios is a big plus.
Tim
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Troops, Weapons and Tactics (TW&T) from Toofatlardies
Emphasis is on command and control.
Card driven system, so very "fog of war"
Excellent online support in their yahoo group
May take a while to wrap your head around the system, but is easily the best WW2 skirmish system I have played
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I like Rules of engagement...but I haven't tried too many different sets of rules...I found these...like them and am sticking with them...for now... ::)
Cheers,
Blue
Blue - Couldn't have said it better myself! Sum's my WW2 rules experience to a T!
ROE - Cracking set of rules, good army lists and scenario's, nice background fluff as well and good support on the website.
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I highly recommend NUTS! I've played most of the skirmish systems out there, and at one point was a heavy BGWW2 player, but came to really like the reaction system in NUTS!
NUTS! is a squad-level WW2 skirmish game based on THW's "Chain Reaction" rule system, which eliminates many of the disadvantages of standard IGOUGO systems. In the game each player basically plays a squad leader, and starts the game with a core squad or vehicle that is "his" for the game or the campaign. Moral/training is represented by "Reputation" levels for each figure or unit, running from 1-6, which are the target numbers for dice rolls in the game. Each figure is an individual in the game, each vehicle is crewed by individual figures (TC, Driver, Gunner, etc.)that have a role in the operation of the vehicle and make relevant dice rolls for morale, shooting, crossing obstacles, and so on.
The leader figure has some special advantages, and each figure in the core squad has a special attribute like "Crack Shot" or "Poser" which helps or hurts in certain situations, so there's a light roleplaying element. Since *only* the core squad has these attributes, not the "reinforcing" squads (any extra units in the game), the game is enhanced rather than bogged down by this. The system scales well to platoon vs platoon level games, but like most skirmish games doesn't scale easily to company sized games.
The Chain Reaction system uses leadership rolls to determine who goes first (and certain dice combinations result in reinforcement rolls during the game), but during any given action phase figures will react to developments on the table based on the "Reaction" table system. Figures that see an enemy move into line of sight will take a "In Sight" test, for example to see what their reaction is – do they make aimed fire, do they take a snapshot, do they fail to react? Figures that come under fire make a "Received Fire" test to see if they shoot back, duck for cover, panic and run, etc.
Firefights are also conducted through resolution, until one side "wins" by killing the other side or forcing them to duck out of the fight. This means that figures engaged in combat *always* take some kind of action, there's never a time in the game where you're lined up to nail your opponent…but your card didn't come up in time and you stood there and got shot, or the guy playing the "leader" didn't have enough action points to let your unit move.
So there's always a good flow to the game, and you don't have total control over your figures. I recall one game, from the "Kampfgruppe Peiper" Battle of the Bulge campaign book in which I had a concealed US 57mm ATG, and a Panther tank was approaching down a road. As a player I planned to take the shot after the Panther turned to follow a bend in the road and take a flank shot…but the "In Sight" test for the unit meant they blew the ambush by firing on it frontally. Doh! They must have panicked and shot as soon as the scary tank approached.
Don't get me wrong, tanks *are* scary and get a good treatment in the rules as well. Believe me, you don't want to be on the receiving end of a tank assault! On the other hand, I've also seen infantry close assault tanks in NUTS! -- the right way. Later on in the same campaign, a Panther tank pushed into a village by itself. The US player had an infantry squad with a demo pack in two buildings near the Panther. One part of the squad laid fire from the flanks onto the Panther's TC, forcing him to button up while a figure with a satchel charge charged the tank from the rear (passing their "Who wants to be a Hero" test to do so), chucked the satchel under the Panther and BOOM! Dead tank. Classic infantry assault on a tank, never seen that play out in another game system. After that the players *always* made sure their armor had infantry support when moving in an urban area!
The system also incorporates a campaign and mission builder system, so you can see your troops gain experience and raise their Reputation level up in the game (or they may lower their Rep if they run away!), replacements for lost figures, battle and mission builders to create a spontaneous game, etc.
Overall, NUTS! is a great skirmish rule system that lets you play fairly accurate WW2 skirmish battles, have a lot of fun and play your game to conclusion in a couple of hours.
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I prefer a system that will allow me to use all of those cool WWII vehicles as one of our gamer is also a WW2 modeler so Disposable Heroes does not seem to fit the bill.
I'm confused, disposable heroes does allow vehicles, it has more vehicle option than I even knew existed
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NUTS is the best for squad-on-squad skirmish. TW&T and even I Ain't Been Shot Mum by Too Fat Lardies is better for larger scale stuff. I enjoy Squad Leader in Miniature, too!
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OPERATION SQUAD is a good rule for squad/skirmish game.
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Disposable Heroes is a great choice. Haven't had a bad game yet. Most games are nail biters and lots of decision making.
I wholeheartedly recommend it.
Matt
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DH for me too.
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DH is VERY popular in our club. It plays great, quick and fun. In our club we always use infantry, vehicles (tanks, halftracks etc), artillery etc.
I prefer a system that will allow me to use all of those cool WWII vehicles as one of our gamer is also a WW2 modeler so Disposable Heroes does not seem to fit the bill.
Tim we have about 12 poeple playing DH in our club and lots of vehicles - about 60 in total (all in 1/56). I personally own 14 (Soviet and German)! Tank combat is fun and exciting.
The DH rule set is high recommneded and very affordable. You can go wrong.
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We found that vehicles are a little too good in DH which is why we tend to use mainly infantry (which may explain the earlier post)
Still, whatever floats your boat [or tank]