PG: By far the fastest, easiest, and very concise set of rules; most expansive collection of common and lesser known conflicts, as well as a great flexibility for options (create your own scenarios, historical monsters like Cassino, operational campaigns, double blind rules, etc.). Not to mention a great and fascinating gaming support site. Also as a military professional, combat vet, mil historian, and systems engineer - the game for me is the perfect mix of demonstrating how fire and movement, combined arms, leadership and morale all, friction an fog of war, work in combat at the Company- Regimental level. It has the perfect balance of "game" while still modeling "reality," and keeping the minutae abstract enough as to not take away from the experience. Perfect balance.
B-17: No experience
CC:E - I have only played a few time; love the scenarios, presentation, and understand its appeal - as a game. It does a great job I think of giving a gamer a feel of the fog and chaos at the Company and below level. However, I feel so much is out of the hands of the commander due to some of the randomness that it detracts from historical learning. As a game - fun ****, tactical learning ** fair, historical learning- *** good
ASL - The original SL remains for me the Gold Standard for Company and Below tactical gaming that has the perfect mix of understanding the tactical, technical, terrain, and human dimensions that effect combat. Unfortunately, the rule set became so extraneous to the point that it detracted from enjoyment and became more simulation than game. It was great for it time, but believe what it attempts to accomplish now is better suited to be done by a computer game.
- Lock N Load Heroes : I would add that, for me, the best series for Company and Below combat that replaced ASL is the Lock n Load "Heroes" Series - comprehensive enough to cover the tactical, technical, terrain, and human dimensions; great scenarios and games ranging WWII - modern 90s and and appealing graphics; and playable enough with some surprising events and able to be done in an afternoon/evening.
As for the wife - My wife knew up front my love of gaming, and perhaps because she never gave me hell over it I do not game as much as I would like. I ensure family time comes first, because it can be so rare with deployments. I do have to get better at playing the games I have instead of buying more.
Cheers
