First play of Chain of Command

I seem to really like games with the word 'command' in...Command and Colours for instance, and I think these rules will be added to that gaming treasure chest. As ever, I'm sure myself and Ed got some things wrong in our first game, but impressions were very positive.

We kept things simple, with nothing special for the list choices (snipers and leaders). The patrol phase made more sense in practically doing it than reading it in the rules. We quickly had our jump off points decided and we're ready to start to deploy troops for action.

After a little confusion between the difference of a squad and a section, the command rules made some sense, and I feel that there are some subtleties to be had in how they are used and interact.

Combat is fairly straight forward, and it feels like the creative energy of the game has gone into the control of the troops, rather than pointing their weapons for them; I certainly enjoy this approach, as other rules cater for those who prefer the mechanics of different weapon systems over the men using them.

Whilst I enjoy the gaming experience of boardgames such as 'Combat Commander' by GMT, these rules certainly strike the balance between visual appeal and playability. Once we began to understand the rules, it became clear that there was too much scenery on the table, as engagement ranges were very short. Consideration for terrain density needs thought to ensure an interesting game with several tactical options.

Thanks Ed for doing the hard graft of learning the majority of the rules, it has certainly helped me to engage with the game; my capacity to absorb new rules seems to get less and less as time moves forward. We will try a different scenario next time, but keep the forces simple again so as to learn the nuances of the rules.

 

Posted with Blogsy