A&A Minis First Impressions

[djensen]

Pieces and Packing

Surprised at the small size of the infantry units but pleased that it will take up less space in storage.[/list:u]

The tanks are large incredibly detailed and wonderful peices.[/list:u]

You get one rare unit per booster![/list:u]

One case of boosters had no duplicate rares in all 12 boosters (please respond if you had a similar experience).[/list:u]

It appears that all the starters contain the same pieces except for the rare (please post your booster pieces, I forgot to list these separate).[/list:u]

The uncommon pieces sometimes seemed too common. For instance, I have as many Commisar pieces as I have Russian soldiers.[/list:u]

There is a good even mix of pieces, I have about half axis and half allies.[/list:u]

In case I got 3 Panzer IVs and 3 Shermans. Anybody else get the same?[/list:u]

Rules

The rules seem very straightforward, simple, and fast paced.[/list:u]

Unit special abilities add unique dimensions to the game.[/list:u]

The idea of scenarios is great. You won't have to play it the same way each time.[/list:u]

The map pieces have four sides and each side has two ways it can be used, that's about 256 configurations. The rulebook has only 6 ways the map can be put together. Okay, so the roads don't match up in all 256 configurations, but I'll count the reasonable permutations and respond back later.[/list:u]

Range: the rulebook doesn't tell you how to count range to your target. Do I draw a straight line to the target and count each of the hexes passed? Do I count adjacent hexes as if I were moving? Do I just pick a hex side and count out straight from there until the target is approximately within the right distance?[/list:u]

Any thoughts from anybody else?

[bretsports2]

I'd have to agree with you on most of your points.  My son and I are disappointed that the infantry units are so small.  The only way I can tell them apart many times is just reading who they are on the bottom.

I'm not clear on the difference between Disrupted and Damaged.  If you can't be damaged, without being "disrupted AND damaged", then why can you not move when disrupted, but you can move when damaged?  It's worse being disrupted than being damaged?

Other than that, I very much like the "special abilities" some units have.  I think my favorite one so far is the Italian tank.  If it's damaged, the owner must roll a die, and if it's 3+, than the tank goes up in flames due to it being highly flammable.

[djensen]

Think of disrupted as being pinned down or generally unhappy about your current position.

You run up to the top of a hill, get fired on, and duck for cover. Next turn you cannot move because you are under cover or pinned down.

For vehicles, it would be a similar matter. The driver almost get's shelled and is not sure where it is safe to move.

IMO.

[Rhandolph]

It was mentioned that people are surprised about the small size of infantry and that the vehicles are quite large?

Are they to scale with each other?   I presumed they would all be at the 15mm scale?

I'm still waiting for mine in the post, pre-ordered from the US then found shops over here ended up getting it in store about the same time.

[Nomad]

I hope that helps!

[Nomad]

And one for the Bad Guys.

[Anonymous]

Thank you very much, that certainly does help.

The scale is quite good but I can see myself adding a bit more detail/colour, or even just mud, to some of those vehicles.

 A bit more effort could have been made there, if you compare them with Heroclix or Star Wars miniatures they are almost more like the little plastic soldiers we had as kids, the momotone plastic parts of some of the tanks like the Panzer IV turret are particualrly bad and the light grey MGs look like tacky add ons..

A real attraction to these games for me is not having to paint them, but here it looks like I'll have to spruce them up a bit anyway. Thanks again.