Play Matt: Sherman Leader Review

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This is a dumb question, but how different are the Leader series games from one another?

Gary Sax wrote: This is a dumb question, but how different are the Leader series games from one another?

Phantom Leader, Hornet Leader, and IAF Leader are very similar and feature lots of pre-planning your loadouts and etc, and then fairly abstract tactical mission resolution. Tiger Leader 2e and Sherman Leader are the same game with American or German units, and are both pretty similar to Thunderbolt Apache Leader. All three feature significantly more in depth tactical mission resolution, where you are moving your units around a hex map. TAL has more in depth pre-planning than TL/SL (on the same level as Hornet etc) where you are choosing specific ordinance for your units. B-17 Flying Fortress Leader is pretty different, as it almost entirely abstracts out the tactical aspect, and focuses on an operational level take on the air war over Europe. I haven't played the other ones to comment.

Ah_Pook wrote:

Gary Sax wrote: This is a dumb question, but how different are the Leader series games from one another?

Phantom Leader, Hornet Leader, and IAF Leader are very similar and feature lots of pre-planning your loadouts and etc, and then fairly abstract tactical mission resolution. Tiger Leader 2e and Sherman Leader are the same game with American or German units, and are both pretty similar to Thunderbolt Apache Leader. All three feature significantly more in depth tactical mission resolution, where you are moving your units around a hex map. TAL has more in depth pre-planning than TL/SL (on the same level as Hornet etc) where you are choosing specific ordinance for your units. B-17 Flying Fortress Leader is pretty different, as it almost entirely abstracts out the tactical aspect, and focuses on an operational level take on the air war over Europe. I haven't played the other ones to comment.

I'll just mention that this is a kick-ass response. Thanks.

I like the combination of really in depth planning (which could definitely be seen as a bunch of tedious bullshit, if you don't like that kind of thing), and then seeing your best laid plans get absolutely shredded the very first second you engage with the enemy. This system really lends itself well to emergent narrative that way, and I find myself really getting attached to my named leaders as they level up and stuff. Makes the clutch die rolls that much more intense, etc.

I liked TAL quite a bit when I was playing it years ago. It's unfortunate that each "era" or side necessitates buying an entire game instead of an upgrade pack.

I still REALLY want an X-wing or Veritech Leader game. I think a little sci-fi gloss over the campaign abstractions would work out really well.

I enjoyed TAL quite a bit too. Thought the tactical map was much more interesting than the flyover system in Phantom Leader (although I preferred the Nam conflict).

While a completely different game, I still think Warfighter is the best DVG game where you spend a large chunk of the game in the prep phase. Although I suppose that one has less than the Leader series.

I don't currently own any DVG titles, but I do one day hope that Huey Leader gets developed as I'm very eager for that one.

I want to play warfighter but buying into an lcg isn't really what I'm here for, beyond the marvel one I'm already bought into.