I'm up to 15:03 and the way you two spin of each other is brilliant. It's a pleasure to watch your video reviews. The way you both get so excited just wants me to continue in this hobby.
I think the things that BCS great are: - tanks are not just infantry with higher attack and movement values (I can't count how many games I have played that make almost no differentiation between the two, besides maybe some type of breakthrough combat) - player turns are short. No need to go and have lunch while your opponent moves 2,000 units in sequence - no God-like control over your units (sometimes your units just won't fight or move - unlike games where every unit instantly and totally moves and acts exactly as you wish) - unit organization actually matters There's many others, but really, BCS is just so good that when I'm playing some other series I find myself wishing it was more like BCS.
My understanding is that BCS is focused largely on Command & Control, vice OCS focus on supply. That makes me much more interested in pursuing the BCS model of combat operations.
My amateur observation is that the comparison with OCS is apt, but the real difference to me is that lack of granular supply down to the unit level. They don't require fuel or combat supply. The concept of tracing and throwing is essentially there, it's just called something different. Extenders are not there but all of the concepts are rolled together. You are still tracing a path from the unit, wherever it is, to the supply source at the edge of the map, it's just broken down and abstracted differently. You could argue that the idea of fuel and combat supply are abstracted into the snafu roll, but that's a little less obvious.
Played Arracourt for the first time just a month or two ago and now I'm preparing to tackle a Panzers Last Stand campaign at a convention. Excellent system, and the Last Blitzkrieg playthrough over at the Tabletop's Edge was invaluable to my learning process.
Thank you for the video Alexander and Grant! Still learning here. If you had to pick between Tactical, Strategic, or Operational, would you categorize this as mostly Operational because of how important the supply, logistics, and snafu roll are? And not as much tactical because everything is channeled into tight passes. But on a more open map, the same system could be grand Tactical with both Logistics and Tactical important? SCS, BCS, OCS, and OCD :-)
Terribly sad we lost Dean Essig recently but his games live on. BCS is a wonderful system. Just played Arracourt but have PLS and Valley of Tears to unpunch. Fully recommend the system to any wargamer.
Yup! It's the reason Brazen Chariots was my first. Oh also to Alexander. Brazen Chariots is 3 maps. It's still big, but it is still not as big as the other ones.
Understandable, and not a big deal, just leaving it for the viewers who were interested in checking one out. (It's horrible out of print so that probably doesn't matter)
We played it at BGF four player, it's fun beer and pretzels. We're gonna play it two player and then put out a review, might be while though. The artwork is 10/10.
@@ddlod9896 At four player there was a bit more down time than I'd like, and it was a it rough around the edges because we were all new, but hoping a second play we get the seemless fun experience it's trying to be.
![Baptism By Fire [BCS] - Review](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/5dEJoYKBM_s/mqdefault.jpg)
I'm up to 15:03 and the way you two spin of each other is brilliant. It's a pleasure to watch your video reviews. The way you both get so excited just wants me to continue in this hobby.
I think the things that BCS great are:
- tanks are not just infantry with higher attack and movement values (I can't count how many games I have played that make almost no differentiation between the two, besides maybe some type of breakthrough combat)
- player turns are short. No need to go and have lunch while your opponent moves 2,000 units in sequence
- no God-like control over your units (sometimes your units just won't fight or move - unlike games where every unit instantly and totally moves and acts exactly as you wish)
- unit organization actually matters
There's many others, but really, BCS is just so good that when I'm playing some other series I find myself wishing it was more like BCS.
My understanding is that BCS is focused largely on Command & Control, vice OCS focus on supply. That makes me much more interested in pursuing the BCS model of combat operations.
Don't forget it doesn't matter how many units or maps there are guys since you only active one formation at a time!
My amateur observation is that the comparison with OCS is apt, but the real difference to me is that lack of granular supply down to the unit level. They don't require fuel or combat supply. The concept of tracing and throwing is essentially there, it's just called something different. Extenders are not there but all of the concepts are rolled together. You are still tracing a path from the unit, wherever it is, to the supply source at the edge of the map, it's just broken down and abstracted differently. You could argue that the idea of fuel and combat supply are abstracted into the snafu roll, but that's a little less obvious.
Played Arracourt for the first time just a month or two ago and now I'm preparing to tackle a Panzers Last Stand campaign at a convention. Excellent system, and the Last Blitzkrieg playthrough over at the Tabletop's Edge was invaluable to my learning process.
Thank you for the video Alexander and Grant!
Still learning here. If you had to pick between Tactical, Strategic, or Operational, would you categorize this as mostly Operational because of how important the supply, logistics, and snafu roll are? And not as much tactical because everything is channeled into tight passes. But on a more open map, the same system could be grand Tactical with both Logistics and Tactical important?
SCS, BCS, OCS, and OCD :-)
Good game guys! You should try BCS Last Blitzkrieg. Awesome game.
Terribly sad we lost Dean Essig recently but his games live on. BCS is a wonderful system. Just played Arracourt but have PLS and Valley of Tears to unpunch. Fully recommend the system to any wargamer.
Great to see some attention for this one. It sort of gets lost in the BCS shuffle.
From the South side of Indy OCS is the best game system out there. Can’t wait for you to try it. RIP Dean.
I’ve been tempted to get into bcs. This video helps a lot.
I do have Baptism by Fire. I need to take the plunge.
Baptism was the last BCS game without the colored formation stripes.
Yup! It's the reason Brazen Chariots was my first.
Oh also to Alexander. Brazen Chariots is 3 maps. It's still big, but it is still not as big as the other ones.
@@ArnoVdVelde I always get it mixed up with North Africa SCS, which is four maps.
Understandable, and not a big deal, just leaving it for the viewers who were interested in checking one out. (It's horrible out of print so that probably doesn't matter)
🐾🐦 Grant , Cody carlson said the Americans got their Clocks cleaned at kasserine, , 🤒 i wonder what hw ment ✍️🐾🐦🕊️🌿 ?
Waiting for Burning Banners review
We played it at BGF four player, it's fun beer and pretzels. We're gonna play it two player and then put out a review, might be while though. The artwork is 10/10.
Wow I think its a great game
@@ddlod9896 At four player there was a bit more down time than I'd like, and it was a it rough around the edges because we were all new, but hoping a second play we get the seemless fun experience it's trying to be.
Cool yeah I like it at 2 even playing 6 races