It's a shame. I've heard it's a fantastic game but the rulebook is a hot mess.
It's like the sequence of play isn't actually really a full sequence of play. Or it's just full of text without really being particularly helpful.
For example 3.3 is the Friendly Command Phase. It mentions the major elements of that section and takes up almost half an A4 page - but it doesn't
really tell you much. It mentions the order of the activation segments and basically says (repeats) that you pull a card and assign orders...and it repeats that from Bn HQ through CO HQ to Plt HQ in the Activation Section and pretty much repeats that again in the Initiative Section.
In fact that's the whole manual really - it says alot without really saying much of anything/. There's alot of writing and reading it I can't help but think there are large sections of text that could be cut because it doesn't really add much. And fill those cut sections with more meaningful, helpful pointers.
And honest to god - I simply can't express enough how unhelpful not having an index is for a manual this full of text and this size. Did I say that already? Because if I didn't, I should've
I'm half way through and I'm not at all clear (when I think about it) about when to apply PDF and VoF markers...so I'll have to find and read those sections again - and I've watched videos too.
I do really like the look of the game and the mechanics - so I am really excited to dive into it. Though there's another issue. I watched a guy playing and having to keep track of units is going to be a mare. I think those multi coloured see through discs I bought will come in handy.
I'm not playing the first couple of missions of Peleliu - I'm steering clear of vehicles for the moment. I'll jump into a small infantry combat game first off (if there is a small one - I haven't checked!).