Poll: What are your 3 top rule sets?

[AdmiralBobby]

My group also plays with the Mein Panzer rules and we even helped in playtesting them. In my opinion these rules are really great. The basic rule set has different modules, for example infantry, artillery, aviation, etc.
You only play with the modules you like. It's really easy and the rules are very complete.
And the most important; you only buy the rules once. You register your rules set and then when a new edition comes out, you can download the new edition on the ODGW internet site.
There's also a very good forum on the site, and if you have questions on the rules, these are answered very fast.
As I said, a very good ruleset.

[Harlan]

I have to second Admiral Bobby's comments on MeinPanzer (SNIP - No commercial website links, please!) support. It is very nice to only have purchase a set of rules once and then be able to download all the updates. Additionally, they have a Secret Weapons of the Second World War and it is a very thorough list of FR, GM, HU, IT, JP, SU, UK, and US secret weapons, what ifs, and prototypes. This goes great with the new line that GHQ is going to offer.

The ODGW guys are very good to answer any rules questions and to revise their rule set to make it clearer.

Another good thing about Meinpanzer, it is the same set of rules for WWII and Modern. The are coming out with a WWI, Korean War, and Arab Israeli modules.

With this said, the old and ever lasting Tank Charts is my number one choice, but MeinPanzer is number two.

Harlan

[jw]

Hi all,

WW2 land:
1) Mein Panzer - I liked it so much that I made an automated spreadsheet to calculate the dice rolls. (I like the details but having to calculate all the extras gave me a very tired brain) As an additional bonus I was able to get rid of range bands (if I'm going to use a spreadsheet, might as well make the range continuous) I get to borrow a tablet pc from work so I set it up so you just control it by finger (large buttons and pull-down pick lists).

Ancient land:
1) DBA - in 6mm! (So I can use the same terrain)

WW2 air: (Also in 6mm!)
1) Check Your Six! (Very smooth moving and gives you just the right feel of air combat without slowing things down)
2) Mustangs (Quite nice, just not as smooth moving as CY6! More of an incremental move system)

John W
Vancouver, Canada

[pmskaar]

Hey Gang

I have used a couple of different rules sets for my gaming depending on what I am playing and the which scale I'm doing it.

1. Mein Panzer. This is the set I use when doing WWII at 1 to 1 scale for vehicles and squad level infantry battles. I think the rules do a good job of being playable with a fair amount of units on the table and still giving the players a reasonably realistic game. There are other sets that may be more realistic from the detail aspect of armor slope, penetration, and all the other goodies but for me this works quite well and I have had many fun games and new players coming back for more. I generally prefer WWII and the 1 to 1 scale so these work very well for me. I like the fact that they are modular so you can pick and choose the rules you want to use to make a game fairly simple or complex if that is your taste. Mark1 and the others have already chimed in on this set and you can add my vote to theirs for these rules. Tanner, you can certainly play a game with me if you need to see how Mein Panzer works and that goes for anyone else that happens to be in the greater Phoenix metro area.

2. Micro Armor the Game. These are the ones I have used for the 1 stand equals 1 platoon games I have run. I haven't yet used the modern rules but I do have them and am interested in doing a game with them sometime. I have used the WWII edition and had fun with them. 8ball ran a game a couple of years ago called "Debut of the Honey" which was quite a lot of fun.

I do not currently have a set of rules for naval or The Civil War era. I may look at the ones from GHQ. I played a game with John Drye at Historicon a few years back during playtesting and had fun with them. I have also played General Quarters and those were fun as well. I am interested in any feedback on various rules sets that you have used in either the Civil War or Naval.

Pete - Binpicker, Out!

[jtompk99]

1. Mein Panzer: I helped playtest the latest version so I might be a bit biased. Still, good pace with enough detail to differentiate vehicle sub-classes.
2. Troops, Weapons, & Tactics: I like the TFL mechanic for this fine a scale game. Not crazy about it at the company level though (IABSM).
3. Warmaster Ancients: I know it ain't horribly accurate but it is fun. Rolling buckets of dice is a hoot.

[Mickel]

WRG '50-'00, but not past the publish date.
Blitzkrieg Commander
Seekrieg V

[Oberst]

Hi all.

For WWII

1. Firefly (Tabletop games) which are the only rules I use for WWII

For Naval:

2. Shot and Shell (Cival War Navel)

[Steel Arrows]

Challenger 1 to 2000 for 285th modern battles on 1 to 1. Battle Front/Battle Ground for WW-2 15mm skirmish. Love the vehicle hit location feature. Harpoon 4 for modern naval battles. Command At Sea for WW2 naval. Under development Steel Arrows modern armor rules. Basic to advance armored warfare rules. Currently working the bugs out for infantry involvement. 26 pages of vehicles and weapon types. 8 years working on and off. Yes, unfortunately a slave to current job. But hey, it pays for the hobby. Get I get an AMEN?!

[ZMONSTER]

Who does micro-armor in Texas? I'm interested in playing or observing, having never tried any actual micro-armor rule sets.

[Zeppelin]

For micro armor = Blitzkrieg Commander, Cold War Commander, Mustangs, Phantoms.

For Micronauts = Micronauts: The Game is great! Also, my club has been enjoying both Fleet Action Imminent and Jutland rulesets. Trying Shipwreck for Modern naval.

For 10mm = I am working on building forces for MicroForce: The Game (ACW) and Gande Armée (Napoleonic)

Other than these I often play Flames of War, Age of Reason, Age of Eagles and Wings of War. Have lately played several games of Great War from Warhammer Historicals. Very enjoyable!

Best regards,
Mark in Utah

[SSgtBuck]

For Micro Armor : TTG Games Challenger and Firefly

For Civil War: Rally 'Round the Flag

For WWII Naval: Clear for Action

[KarlJ]

New guy weighs in...

1) Panzer Miniatures/IDF/MBT for 1:1 micro armor, WWII to modern

2) Age of Reason for gunpowder/ pre-ACW

3) Fire and Fury for ACW

[jb]

These are some of the poll results so far. This poll in no way implies one rule better than the next, but just a way of letting everyone here see what is being played by some. I for one never wanted to try Mein Panzer but now I'm on the fence of purchasing it just beacuase of the poll and the way it was described. I hope this poll benefits you too.
I only took the first three mentions from the submissions ...
Some rules that go into other different periods i.e. WWII & Moderns will be grouped seperate form single period only games. This takes into account the game mechanics. Example Micro Armor The game, this will cover GHQs WWII and Modern sets. If there are any mistakes please let me know. [ ]=no of mentions regarding only first 3 per post.

Ancients: DBA [1], Warmaster Ancients [1]

NAP : Piquet [1], Shako [1]

ACW : Fire&Fury [3], Ae of Reason [1], Microforce ACW [1],
Rally round the Flag [1],Shot&Shell [1]

WWI(Air): Aerodrome [1]

WWI & WWII Naval: Seekrieg V [2],
General Quarters 3(includes Fleet imminent action) [1]

WWII Naval : Clear for Action [1], Micronaughts [1]

WWII Air : Check your six [1]

WWII : Mein Panzer [5], Flames of War [4], Firefly [3], Battlefront [2],
Schwere Kompanie [2], ASL [1], Command Decision [1],
Disposable heroes [1], Jagdpanzer [1], Panzer Marsch [1],
Tank Charts [1],

WWII&MOD : Blitzkieg &CWC [5], GHQ The Game [2], PanzerTruppen [2],
Spearhead(MSH) [2], Panzer War (Air&Land War) [1],

MOD Naval : Harpoon [3]

MODERN : WRG [4],FFT [1], Mod Challenger I [1], Panzerminiatures IDF/MBT?[1],
Sands of War (boardgame) [1],

??? : Troops, Weapons + Tactics [1]

[Le Scronge]

Let me begin by saying that I prefer rules that are more simulation than game. My preferred figure scale is 1:1 (1 miniature/stand represents 1 tank/gun/vehicle/leader/fire team/crew). The ground scale should be 1â€￾ to 50m (~1/2000), and one turn should represent about one minute real-time. Movement and fire should be simultaneous. Modern/contemporary battles are my favorite; WWII is a distant second.

1.) THREAT
This is the simulation that was used as a battalion/brigade training tool at Ft. Riley, KS. Gary Mills (a forum member) and Mike Norris authored the sim. It can be downloaded at http://axisdomain.0catch.com/Threat_main.html. This is a contemporary sim and was designed to be moderated by an experienced referee. The above game scales are used. Movement is simultaneous. The scope of the game pits a US combined arms battalion against a Soviet-pattern armored brigade and/or a motorized rifle brigade. The terrain models we (the Manhattan Maneuver Group, MMG) used were usually 8’ x 12’, but when pressed for space or portability, 6’ x 8’ would suffice. We could play 20 to 30 turns in 4 to 6 hours which was enough time reach a clear victory decision.


2.) Team Yankee/GDW’s First battle series
Yes, these are board games. There are five games in the series, Team Yankee, Test of Arms, Blood and Thunder, Battlefield Europe, and Sands of War (which includes an expansion). The series covers WWII through contemporary battles with the exception of NW Europe in WWII. Some of the games are 1:1, and the rest are 1 counter per platoon. However, since the combat resolution is quite simple and consistent from game to game, it’s easy to tweak the factors for the unit scale you prefer. Once familiar with the system, developing data and factors for any vehicles not covered specifically should not be a problem. The ground scale is 200 or 250 meters per hex. Each map is 15 x 25 hexes. That translates to a 5’ x 8.3’ Terrain Maker ® based game table at 1â€￾ = 50m. All ranges and movement are in hexes, which yield fast playing, enjoyable games. Conversion to miniatures is practically a “no-brainerâ€￾, and you can leave your tape measure at home.

3.) Tank Battles in Miniature Vols 1 – 5, by Don Featherstone or Bruce Quarrie
The first four books cover WWII; the last covers the Arab-Israeli conflicts. I’ve never played nor seen a game played with these rules. However, each book presents a fast playing and fairly simple combat model, each describes the real combat from which the rules were derived, and each provides an overview of the campaigns fought in their subject theaters. They are, in effect, extensive designer’s notes for the theaters covered. Which is to say that they’re very readable and informative even if you never game with them.

Honorable Mention – SAMS Firefight and Wargame Rules
Some nameless captains (perhaps a major or two) in the School of Advanced Military Studies at Ft. Leavenworth, KS created this simulation to train battalion commanders and their staffs. The commanders and their subordinates never actually participate in the sim. In fact, other personnel conduct the sim at a separate unseen location. It serves only as a model to provide feedback to their commands and directives. It conforms to the game scales above and is based on a US-Soviet cold war conflict. A unique and efficient combat model is used that allows five minutes of real-time fire and movement to be resolved by an experienced crew in about five minutes! Unfortunately, while distribution of these rules is unrestricted, I’d be very surprised if anyone out there has a copy. In addition, the authors wrote in a somewhat confusing military style that begs for translation into plain English.

Let me conclude by saying that I’m a bit of a rules collector. With the exception of Blitzkrieg/Cold War Commander, I have all of the above mentioned 20th century ground-warfare rules in my library plus over a hundred others. There are lots of good rules out there and some lousy ones (I have written a few of the later myself). The three (plus the HM) in this post are my top picks.