Tactical Board Games

Someone asked a question about the LNL system. I responded with the following. There are a couple references to others...just ignore those for now.:

LNL - Lock and Load Tactical
HotP - LNLs Heroes of the Pacific
CoH - Conflict of Heroes
CC - Combat Comander
ASL - Advanced Squad Leader and SK Starter Kit
ATS - Advanced. Tobruck System

I have played LNL, CoH, CC, ASLsK, ASL, ATS, and very recently Retro. Out of all these and LNL I would play ATS as my #1. However, there are a few obstacles I have with the way the game is managed by its owners.

Mitch really enjoys it and I would say is able to look beyond these issues. It has a nice level of detail, tons and tons of scenarios with more coming out. It's a step below AsLSK in complexity and just is easier for me to Grock. And before last week I would've said it's players are all underground. However in the last week a FB group has started and already has 85+ players. And at least two youtubers are starting to post things up.

There are times I'm tempted to get back in. I think Mitch should take it over.

CoH was an enjoyable enough system, but always felt bored at the end of the games. I never cared if I went back to it.

(SIDE NOTE: as I sit here typing this I want to make it clear that all these game systems strugglenat ine time or another with management issues. I would say GMT aka CC is possibly the exception with their issues being less noticeable to me.)

Retro: it was fast playing but I'm not interested in houseruling firbeverybgake ti figure best ways to make scenarios work. You could also argue, if you watch my videos, that I never did play completely by the rules and am also a terrible strategist, so my opinion is skewed. I would not disagree.

CC my first tactical and still my favorite ruleset. Clear. Concise. Proofed. Complete. I played all but one of my games solo and it's a terrible solo game and yet I still enjoyed them. Great narrative. No tanks and I really wanted that. And I play so much solo, that I need another option. So I gave it all away for a Guild White Duck Gift.

ASLSK and ASL - local guru and tournament organizer has played and taught me a few times. Enjoyable group of guys who play it here. And I finally decided to jump in to this one...with doubts. I like it for the depth and the community. Tons of people all over the world and online and FB and videos and a podcast and and and Dave and Pete and others here play it.

Tons of scenarios. 1,000s! And more coming out. Amazing. But the games can take awhile and the rules overhead may be too much for me. While the thought of playing something so deep is appealling. The reality of playing something so deep may be a little less compelling.

LNL I've had a few of them, sold them and then just bought HotP at full retail. I enjoyed, though played terribly, again solo. Again, I got it for all the reasons Ty mentioned. They're scenarios are typically well designed.

(Sidenote 2: and why couldn't they have made it so all are high or all are low? I have never understood that.)

And they're company has issues, though they do appear to be trying hard.

I don't know if you can tell but I'm a tad schizo/bi-polar about this. I struggle to decide. Some would say to buy a little of each. But I'm trying to barrow my collection.

And also, the thought of committing to one system is compelling. But the reality is often like, "oh one system to rule them all! Oh wait, what there's now OST and BoB? Shiny, gimme one of each!"