A waste? Who says that? bloody heathens! :mrgreen:
Axis and Allies Minis is a mix between a boardgame and a tabletop wargame. It’s more boardgame than Flames of War, but more wargame than the regular Axis and Allies (IMHO). The game is simple to learn, but complex to master as each unit often has its own special rules and abilities. The game can be tactical without being a headache, and simple without being boring. Personally, I’m very happy with the game. I play Flames of War, so I sometimes need a game that isn’t so detailed and complex- enter A&AM. The models are really cool too. Granted, it takes buying a handful of booster sets after the core set to get enough pieces to not field a multi=national army but the game is so much fun to play I didn’t mind shelling out the cash.
A&AM is also a great way to introduce non-wargamers and non-history buffs to the wargaming hobby. Kids can figure out how to play it, but adults can still enjoy it. The average game takes about an hour to an hour and a half when I play it, but we field bigger armies than the core rules tell you to use (I even bought a second core set to have the extra maps so we had the room to play these units and still maneuver). No, this game isn’t a waste at all. I think it’s a great way to spend an evening with friends and loved ones (my girlfriend is a vehement German fanatic- she’s wicked with that Brumber!).
And those who want a little more complexity: this game begs to be houseruled!! We’re already adding in observers, calling in off-board artillery, morale, etc. And the next set will have even more rules added to it (and a Flak 8.8mm I hope!).
-=Grim=-
