Band of Brothers series from Worthington Publishing?

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

So I somehow managed to obtain a copy of the Texas Arrows expansion for the Band of Brothers series through a BGG no math trade without getting the base game.  I've never played it nor seen it played.  Any thoughts on the series?  Should I bother getting Ghost Panzer and Screaming Eagles or just hold onto this expansion until the next trade comes up?  I do enjoy tactical level wargames quite a lot but I already have a tonne of LnL tactical stuff, all the Tide of Iron stuff, Conflict of Heroes: Guadalcanal, and an old copy of Sniper lying around somewhere.  I sold off my Squad Leader stuff as well as some lighter games like V-Commandos and Undaunted: Normandy (still have N. Africa around somehwere too). 

I enjoy both LnL and Tide of Iron a lot but don't have enough time to get either to the table as much as I'd like (mostly due to my own gaming ADD and obsession with constantly buying and trying out new games) so adding yet another system to the pile is probably not the best idea (not that I've ever let that stop me).  Also, I hate, hate, hate the comicbook font on the counters I looked at in the Texas Arrows box.


Opinions on the game?  How does it measure up to other WWII tactical games in terms of complexity, scenario variety, replayability, and, historical verisimilitude, and fun? 

[Barthheart]

I never played it but Bob and JD both gave it a spin.

[bob48]

Its an excellent system, and I did have the whole lot plus all the extra kickstarter stuff. However, it seems as if the publisher has not followed up with the promised expansions, which is a great shame. There is a lot to like about the BoB system.

[bbmike]

I'm still waiting for Band of Brothers: Old Breed South Pacific. 

[judgedredd]

Its an excellent system, and I did have the whole lot plus all the extra kickstarter stuff. However, it seems as if the publisher has not followed up with the promised expansions, which is a great shame. There is a lot to like about the BoB system.

Is that some serious self love there Bob?

[BanzaiCat]

I almost bought Ghost Panzer a few days ago in lieu of CoH: Storm of Steel, but am happy with what I picked up. It looks like a good system.

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

The only CoH game I have is Guadalcanal.  It's the older edition with the activation system based on points rather than a die roll.  I enjoy it but nearly all the scenarios feature hidden placement for the Japanese units and that seems to be a big turn off for my friends so it doesn't get much play.

[BanzaiCat]

I wish I could say I have gotten my copy of CoH: Guadalcanal to the table, but I have not. This one doesn't seem to feature as much hidden movement. I think BGG, though, has solutions to that for solo play in Guadalcanal.

[bbmike]

Conflict of Heroes: Guadalcanal is a good game but IMO Heroes of the Pacific plays a bit better overall.

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

I agree but I think CoH scenarios are better overall.

Anyway, I'm weak.  I ordered a new copy of Ghost Panzer and a used copy of Screaming Eagles (couldn't find a new one anywhere).

[bbmike]

 

[BanzaiCat]

 

[bob48]

Having payed all of the original 3 CoH games, plus all the add-on maps/counters and scenario's, and all the BoB games, I would offer the following comments.

CoH is one of the best F2F games I've ever played due to the dynamic and interactive nature of the system. I've played 2 and 3 player games using both the 7 fixed AP and variable AP generator rules and had a lot of enjoyment doing do. Games components are excellent, and the rules are easy to understand.

However, if I had to choose between CoH and BoB, I would likely pick BoB. The combat and moral rules are, in my opinion, superior to those of CoH, and the artillery system is both simple and effective.
Game components, especially the maps are ok, but the cartoony style counter art is a bit of a put-off. Whilst its not too bad for the infantry units, the vehicle art is pretty dire and could have been done a lot better. In addition, the garish red and yellow used for the Russian counters are truly horrible, and even a couple of people who were connected with the game expressed a similar view. Nevertheless, the game itself is, in my book anyway, the best squad level tactical game that I have ever played. Its a great shame that the publisher has seemed to allow the system to die, despite the promise of more games in the series to follow.

[bbmike]

I don't think BoB is dead. The designer posted this on BGG in April:

Sure, but Old Breed South Pacific takes up all of my time at the moment. I can tell you that it is coming along nicely and I think we have the Japanese solved.

I have not yet conquered the solo dilemma, but I eventually cracked both Space Empires and Talon (as far as solo goes) so I am hopeful.

However, a set of campaign rules do exist, including company hubs for control and fatigue based on company. These are used in chained scenarios. There are plenty of scenarios (19?) without those rules, but I'm hoping that we can add in the 6 additional scenarios that form 2 campaigns. Since I have them, I would like to get those rules into the system so that others can use them in design and development.

Old Breed will be a big box. 4 double sided 11x17 boards (twice the sized of a normal BoB board), 3 full companies of Japanese, 2 full companies of Marines in both the 1942 (Guadalcanal) and 1943 (New Britain) iterations. Cool toys include Satchel Charges, Caves, Bunkers, Flamethrower (not used nearly as much as when we get the Central Pacific), Landing Craft (same comment as Flamethrowers), Jungle ambush, Fog of War reinforcements, Fortification Concealment, Seishin, Gyokusai, Banzai Charges (of course), a few Japanese tanks, and more.

It is all fitting together pretty elegantly. That list should not scare you. Anyone who likes BoB in the ETO will like this.

Also important from my point of view is that:

1. The game feels different. You will know you are in the jungle and not in the ETO.

2. The Japanese play historically. When you play the Japanese on the attack, you are going to want to get into melee with the Americans.

Of the 19 non-campaign scenarios, so far there is a good mix of them - some large, some small, both sides get to attack, some meeting engagements. All the scenarios might not survive, of course.

The next module up after Old Breed is Stalin's Favorite (late war - Kursk to the fall of Berlin centered on a Soviet division). Everything is done on that and playtesting will begin once the playtesting for Old Breed is done.

[bob48]

Well, that sounds encouraging, but its been 'in the works' for several years now.