ROYAL TANK CORPS Game Rating Commentary

(single comment follows - 4 paragraphs)
"I think the main thing that keeps this game from being 'Most Excellent' is the utterly abysmal usability *and* aesthetics of the components. The map is terrible, decent player aids would be valuable but are nonexistent (I'm thinking Breakout: Normandy here, with all the charts and stuff on the map ... it's real easy to make mistakes in the first game or two). Even though I think it's a rather good game, it's probably only going to have the staying power for maybe 5-10 playings, and when your first one or two are spent making crucial rules mistakes simply because some idiot couldn't be bothered to put two simple charts on the map when there is plenty of space ... well ... it's not good, that's for sure.

Nonetheless, at it's core this is quite a good game I thought. Very playable with the noted exception of player aids, fairly easy to learn and extremely easy to teach, and while the first impression of the components is horrible, the appearance is actually passable once you get set up and playing. It's just not terribly functional. Anyone with a modicum of graphic design common sense could have done a map twice as good. Heck, *I* could have. And I don't say that lightly. Ahem. Sorry.

Interestingly, the game was somehow less dynamic than I expected. There are massive TEMs almost everywhere, and while they talk about overruns in the rules, they are hard to pull off in practice outside of the first turn, so it can be a slogging match. Not unexpected to be sure, but somehow I'm not sure the true effectiveness of tanks really comes through in the game. Stosstrupen, on the other hand, can be nasty due to their ability to infiltrate by moving from one enemy-occupied zone to another ... can leave you in a seriously unpleasant supply situation.

My only significant critique is with the game length. At 15 turns, it's awfully long. The 5-turn game is just a bit too short to be really satisfying, but the 15-turn game could easily take 10+ hours until you get really comfortable with the system *and* the situation. I wish wargame designers would realize that this game length thing is rather crucial for most of us (Mr. Raicer's Paths of Glory has a virtually identical problem). Sure, Home Before the Leaves Fall is a game I like a lot and is huge. But RTC and PoG seem like they are supposed to be more accessible, playable games, and the game length rather mitigates against that."

"An ok game, 6 on a scale of 1`to 10. Average to poor production values. Design typical of the better magazine games, but the situation is not very replayable in my opinion."

"Physically, I think MiH with its release of Royal Tank Corps and Tunisia '43 defines the bottom tier for the hobby. I bought the game for two reasons: first reason was the designer's reputation-I like Ted Raicer's work from a game playing perspective; the second reason was more morbid-could this game be as physically bad as described, quick answer yes it is. The map as presented is too dark to play under any lighting conditions that I can effect in my house. I can't abide the recommendation to use markers to make areas more distinct. The counters are just ok. Play-wise it looks okay, but it is based on large part on a reworking of David Isby's "To the Green Fields Beyond". I already have "To the Green Fields Beyond"-it will not be superseded by RTC."

"Great playing game with lots of excruciating decisions to be made by the players; short, concise rules with little errata. Would've rated. Four stars but for the substandard graphics presentation - this game truly deserves a better visual rendering that it was given."

"This game is enjoyable, with a lot of variability and decision-making to do in each turn, and I particularly like the way Ted has factored in momentum, really a nifty twist to the traditional area-impulse game tradition."

"The graphics package detracts from an otherwise excellent game. Plays well, clear and concise rules, nice designer's notes, nice counters. If you can get past the nice-looking but otherwise disposable box, and don't mind taking a red marker to the area outlines, you'll find a good gaming experience here."

"Solid WW1 design is hampered by very poor CH production standards: horrid map that has too many errors; not a single play aid included; and the box (if we can call it that) is the most flimsy I've ever seen. Nice thick counters don't offset the air of cheapness that surrounds this game."

"Fine game let down by production quality."

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