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.
“O Lord God, let me not be disgraced in my old days.”
'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers'