COMBAT! NORMANDY Game Rating Commentary

"Not the easy to learn, easy to play game I expected from the advertising. The rules were difficult to read and learn, and I played one scenario solitaire and was in the middle of a second playing when I lost interest and put it on the shelf. There may be a pony in there somewhere, but apparently I didn't dig far enough to find it."

"Rules need to be re-edited and reorganized. I would like to see some changes to the To-Hit system for ordnance."

"The only reason I was able to make any headway with the rules was after reading the various questions from the Consimworld discussion board. Even then however, it was more my 10 plus years of playing ASL that allowed me to attempt any worthwhile gaming with it. As has been proven time and again, Critical hit are unable to craft a set of rules that make sense, and follow logical paths. Combat is nothing more than an attempt to make ASL-lite, and seeing what this has turned out like, I'd say stick with ASL, or go for a slightly larger scale game like the upcoming Panzer Grenadier from Avalanche press. At least they can write rules that are playable without a total rewrite."

"I was expecting a lot more from Combat Mission based on the prerelease info released by Critical Hit. I was disappointed to see most of their main selling points missing from the final version. To me this system is ASL Lite without the chrome which makes ASL exciting. I played 2 scenarios against a player who had never played ASL and he found Combat to be boring as did I. While the combat factors have much merit, the game system as a whole needs revamping IMO. CH has basically taken scenarios and maps that they developed for use with ASL and converted them for use with Combat Mission. I have been a big fan of CH's high quality efforts in the ASL arena but Combat just didn't add anything to the genre of Tactical Scale Gaming."

"After hacking through the rules (and the several pages of errata/Q&A AKA the PC-term 'clarifications') I coerced a friend into playing Combat. The game has a lot of "chrome for chrome's sake" (like firepower ratings that differ for each hex of range, one table for each type of weapon against each target type ....sheesh!) that slows play unnecessarily. The activity sequence is good, but there wasn't much excitement in the games we played; seemed more like taking the part of an accountant in a statistics match than a portrayal of small unit actions in WWII."

"Too many typo's and played like ASL. Already have ASL and was hoping for something with a different angle. The rules mentioned melee combat but didn't explain it in the body of the rules. Do both sides participate in melee? Who goes first in melee? I'm sorry for the poor rating but I didn't like the game. Very disappointed because the advertisement made it sound great."

"Very disappointed with what appears to be 'rushed' rules. The game does not flow, and at a first reading does not appear to be the 'greased' or well oiled mechanics advertised. Do like the advent of percentile dice though, certainly makes for a linear result system. Computer generated maps were disappointing also. Cost seems to be high for what's inside."

"It's ASL Light. Might as well play ASL, you get much better counters, rules that work, and an all around better experience. Do the ASL modules instead of buying Combat. If you don't own ASL, the rules are very dense and understandable only if you already know ASL. Try something else. A failed effort."

Copyright © 1999-2002. ConsimWorld.COM. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited. Web Masters are encouraged to link directly to this page, this URL is not subject to change. For general site information: kranz@consimworld.com

Copyright © 1999-2002. ConsimWorld.COM. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited. Web Masters are encouraged to link directly to this page, this URL is not subject to change. For general site information: kranz@consimworld.com

Copyright © 1999, 2000 ConsimWorld.COM. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited. Web Masters are encouraged to link directly to this page, this URL is not subject to change. For general site information: kranz@consimworld.com